Question What's slab city like in 2023?

[Skrat143]

Hey hey! I was just curious on if anyone has ever been to slab city and hunkered down for a bit and how it was? Was thinking of making it my destination but keep getting conflicting accounts on how amazing or how horrible it is. Would love to hear a first hand account. As always I appreciate any and all feedback. Much love and positive vibes !!!

 

[Matt Derrick]

We get this question a LOT. Please use the search. Also, 'slab city' is not an interesting title. As mentioned in our Guide to Using StP (which you should have read by now) you will get better responses by using better, more detailed thread titles. I've changed your thread title for you.

ALSO, this is not a 'travel story' please read the forum section descriptions before posting. I've moved your thread to the Destinations forum section.

Okay, now to answer your question, a lot of things have changed in the slabs over the past decade. How good a time you have there will likely depend on who you choose to associate with. There's druggies and there's hippies and RV snowbirds and everything in between. If you're expecting a anarcho utopia, you're not going to find that there. It's got it's own set of problems. In a lot of ways it's a place where people that couldn't cut it in regular society (and not in a good way) go to kind of exist without too many people bothering them.

I spent about nine or so winters straight in slab city, it was a regular destination for me every year and I'd spend anywhere from 1-6 months out there depending on what was going on. I stopped spending time there in 2019, so others will have to chime in on what's been going on there since then.

The largest shift in attitude has been away from the roots of the former 'squatter' philosophy, and more towards a capitalist 'i got mine' type of attitude IMO; this is one of the big turn offs for me now personally. As little as five years ago it would have been unthinkable and you'd look like a real asshole for 'selling' your slab (a space where you can park your RV) to another person, since it's squatted land, but now it's the norm. Also other people doing shit like making hostels and AirBnBs and charging tourists to stay in a place when they could just as easily drive five minutes in any direction and camp for free. Other things like setting up makeshift bars and selling food/drinks (instead of giving/sharing freely). Shit like that.

Once the mural that was painted on the circular concrete 'tanks' was painted over with shit graffiti (this happened in around 2017 or so) I knew folks were no longer respecting the spirit of what made the slabs special over the past 40 years or so, and that it was pretty much going to be all downhill from then on.

Now, that said, if you've never been and don't have the 'good ol' days' perspective, I'd say it's still worth a visit if you have any sense of adventure. There's interesting things to see, people to meet, it's just an interesting region of the USA in general. Go visit for a few days/weeks, and stay out of people's properties (usually marked off). You'll likely have a good time. Just don't go there expecting to retire in some anarchist/hippie utopia, those days are long gone.

 

[Skrat143]

My apologies on the post and location of it as well. Def will pay closer attention next time. But thank you very much for the information brother.

 

[TheDesertMouse]

We get this question a LOT. Please use the search. Also, 'slab city' is not an interesting title. As mentioned in our Guide to Using StP (which you should have read by now) you will get better responses by using better, more detailed thread titles. I've changed your thread title for you.

ALSO, this is not a 'travel story' please read the forum section descriptions before posting. I've moved your thread to the Destinations forum section.

Okay, now to answer your question, a lot of things have changed in the slabs over the past decade. How good a time you have there will likely depend on who you choose to associate with. There's druggies and there's hippies and RV snowbirds and everything in between. If you're expecting a anarcho utopia, you're not going to find that there. It's got it's own set of problems. In a lot of ways it's a place where people that couldn't cut it in regular society (and not in a good way) go to kind of exist without too many people bothering them.

I spent about nine or so winters straight in slab city, it was a regular destination for me every year and I'd spend anywhere from 1-6 months out there depending on what was going on. I stopped spending time there in 2019, so others will have to chime in on what's been going on there since then.

The largest shift in attitude has been away from the roots of the former 'squatter' philosophy, and more towards a capitalist 'i got mine' type of attitude IMO; this is one of the big turn offs for me now personally. As little as five years ago it would have been unthinkable and you'd look like a real asshole for 'selling' your slab (a space where you can park your RV) to another person, since it's squatted land, but now it's the norm. Also other people doing shit like making hostels and AirBnBs and charging tourists to stay in a place when they could just as easily drive five minutes in any direction and camp for free. Other things like setting up makeshift bars and selling food/drinks (instead of giving/sharing freely). Shit like that.

Once the mural that was painted on the circular concrete 'tanks' was painted over with shit graffiti (this happened in around 2017 or so) I knew folks were no longer respecting the spirit of what made the slabs special over the past 40 years or so, and that it was pretty much going to be all downhill from then on.

Now, that said, if you've never been and don't have the 'good ol' days' perspective, I'd say it's still worth a visit if you have any sense of adventure. There's interesting things to see, people to meet, it's just an interesting region of the USA in general. Go visit for a few days/weeks, and stay out of people's properties (usually marked off). You'll likely have a good time. Just don't go there expecting to retire in some anarchist/hippie utopia, those days are long gone.

Wow an actually measured and fair assessment of slab city for once… I can echo alot of what matt said but I do feel the need too push back on a couple points.

Slabs has always had a veeery loose and skeewed definition of anarchism. It’s managed too encompass elements of comerce and capitalism even back in the day. Solar Mike ran a business selling solar equipment and doing installs there for years before he retired, a rolling cast of characters has sold water there as well.
Slabs has always existed on the very edge of the rest of society. And by that I mean to say it was still tied too it, which meant it could never really shed the mentality of it. Hauling thousands of gallons of water around cost money, solar panels cost money. Building a large nice camp takes a huge ammount of time, effort, and resources. The hostel, and arbnb/paid camping operations definetly signaled a shift, but not as big a shift as you make it out too be. People still look sideways at those operations. Selling camps has happened maybe 5-6 times that I know of, everyone still thinks its ridiculous and its definetley Not the norm there. Infact almost all the people who bought/sold camps arent at slabs anymore, and arent universally regarded well, or even strait up not allowed in back town. The bars, all of which are now shutdown, also regularly provided a place for people to stay, provided free meals, sometimes 4 fuckin times a day, and never really had the vibe of being soley profit motivated. Theres still a strong regard for the squater philosophy, mutal aid ect.

But it definetley has gotten harder too see. And you are 100% right that there people here now that have almost no respect for what slabs was and represents. The pointless destruction has gone way up, the theft problem is out of hand, drug addiction is a real fucking problem where as before it was in the background. People have settled that have no respect for this place, themselves, or even the very land itself. It’s become really hard to build anything longterm because of the threat it will be stolen or otherwise wrecked. Fences have popped up everywhere. The I got mine mentality spreads not because people are enamoured with making money but because of the threat that what they have will be ransacked causing a defensive posture.The sad part is is all of the above is being perpetrated by a small minority of slabbers. The vast majority of folks are still wonderful people who deeply care about slabs and embody its best aspects. One of the biggest problems slabs has been having is its slowly bleeding out these good people. Either they dont come back, dont stay long, or get scared away by internet hyperbole and never come. Every year I see all the ingredients that make slabs a great place, but its being carried by a dwindling group of people. And their getting harder too find unless you stay a while. It feels like slabs is a car stuck in second gear, it wants to shift and take off but it’s just not quite getting there.

That being said, Slabs is still a great place to be, Matt is totally right to say you experience depends on who you associate with. I’ve personally had really good experiences, never gotten my shit stolen in 10 wintets, and still look forward to coming back. This year in particular has given me hope for the place, a younger generation of good people have made it a regular stop, some new posative dynamics have started taking route. And the community at large is getting to the ‘Enough of the bullshit’ point and seems to want to make slabs more akin to what it used to be. I think the next few years will decide if it continues to slide down hill, or proves that it was just in a trough for a few years.

So yeah, check it out man. Go to the Oasis for coffee in the morning the meet people and find out whats going on about town. Go hang out around a few campfires. Dance at the range, soak in the spring.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Wow an actually measured and fair assessment of slab city for once… I can echo alot of what matt said but I do feel the need too push back on a couple points.

Slabs has always had a veeery loose and skeewed definition of anarchism. It’s managed too encompass elements of comerce and capitalism even back in the day. Solar Mike ran a business selling solar equipment and doing installs there for years before he retired, a rolling cast of characters has sold water there as well.
Slabs has always existed on the very edge of the rest of society. And by that I mean to say it was still tied too it, which meant it could never really shed the mentality of it. Hauling thousands of gallons of water around cost money, solar panels cost money. Building a large nice camp takes a huge ammount of time, effort, and resources. The hostel, and arbnb/paid camping operations definetly signaled a shift, but not as big a shift as you make it out too be. People still look sideways at those operations. Selling camps has happened maybe 5-6 times that I know of, everyone still thinks its ridiculous and its definetley Not the norm there. Infact almost all the people who bought/sold camps arent at slabs anymore, and arent universally regarded well, or even strait up not allowed in back town. The bars, all of which are now shutdown, also regularly provided a place for people to stay, provided free meals, sometimes 4 fuckin times a day, and never really had the vibe of being soley profit motivated. Theres still a strong regard for the squater philosophy, mutal aid ect.

But it definetley has gotten harder too see. And you are 100% right that there people here now that have almost no respect for what slabs was and represents. The pointless destruction has gone way up, the theft problem is out of hand, drug addiction is a real fucking problem where as before it was in the background. People have settled that have no respect for this place, themselves, or even the very land itself. It’s become really hard to build anything longterm because of the threat it will be stolen or otherwise wrecked. Fences have popped up everywhere. The I got mine mentality spreads not because people are enamoured with making money but because of the threat that what they have will be ransacked causing a defensive posture.The sad part is is all of the above is being perpetrated by a small minority of slabbers. The vast majority of folks are still wonderful people who deeply care about slabs and embody its best aspects. One of the biggest problems slabs has been having is its slowly bleeding out these good people. Either they dont come back, dont stay long, or get scared away by internet hyperbole and never come. Every year I see all the ingredients that make slabs a great place, but its being carried by a dwindling group of people. And their getting harder too find unless you stay a while. It feels like slabs is a car stuck in second gear, it wants to shift and take off but it’s just not quite getting there.

That being said, Slabs is still a great place to be, Matt is totally right to say you experience depends on who you associate with. I’ve personally had really good experiences, never gotten my shit stolen in 10 wintets, and still look forward to coming back. This year in particular has given me hope for the place, a younger generation of good people have made it a regular stop, some new posative dynamics have started taking route. And the community at large is getting to the ‘Enough of the bullshit’ point and seems to want to make slabs more akin to what it used to be. I think the next few years will decide if it continues to slide down hill, or proves that it was just in a trough for a few years.

So yeah, check it out man. Go to the Oasis for coffee in the morning the meet people and find out whats going on about town. Go hang out around a few campfires. Dance at the range, soak in the spring.

I'm really glad to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to post that info. Gives me hope for the place and makes me think I might swing by again at some point in the future.

 

[Opossum]

ive spent my winter in slabs this year and can attest that it is still worth visiting. plenty of friendly folk, plenty of shady folk, still plenty to do there to keep yourself more or less occupied. its gotten much slower and quieter around now as the days get warmer and lotsa people head out 'til next winter. dont stay the summer unless you're prepared to deal with bomber flies, camel spiders, scorpions, arson, lack of water, and dreadful heat, but i can attest that my winter stay was quite fun.
theres lotsa drama, especially approaching summer when everyone still there gets more bored and antsy. just do your best to keep out of it n know when to leave, and don't ever feel 'stuck' there- you can always leave.
there are places to spend a little time n cash (if u feel like)- the bar at ponderosa (chili and live music on tuesdays), the bar at redrum room, the range for food and free live music every saturday, the oasis club for coffee every morning n burgers n free live music on wednesdays, the kiki bar at flamingo camp with free tacos on emo night every wednesday, the library, food at wrangler's roost, and ofc the hot springs is great for a soak when theres not the occasional cop nearby or weirdo there.

theres good and bad, but slabs is still worth visiting. ive met great people, ive met shit people, had great memories and shit memories, and i'll likely be coming back next winter. just be smart and dont let yourself get wrapped up in nonsense.
new year's eve is a fun time to come by (and lotsa people do around then) and thanksgiving was great, lotsa free food.

safe travels!