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Students, educators, scientists, writers, artists, journalists, poets and photographers might find information and muse in the stories here. Once these tales were only told by the canyon's speaking rocks or carried as spirits on the desert wind.
While the 1970 Academy Award short film "The Magic Machines" was made at the camp, it's interesting to note that no one has yet made a film of Bickel's life. This should be done as it's a story worth telling. Chuck Goodenough’s Camp tour staring Jose Pablino is a lovely look at how time passed by in the camp. This short film can be accessed from the red button on the left. A History Channel film was made about Burro Schmidt and filmed in near by Randsberg. Burro Schmidt spent a lifetime making a tunnel through a local mountain and became a star of Ripley’s Believe it or Not in the process. Perhaps Depression Era gold mining might serve as a basis for the study of history, science, and the arts. Location scouts for the movie industry have so far missed this colorful spot.
Walt Bickel first staked his claim in Last Chance Canyon in 1927, and lived at his famous mining camp from 1934 to 1989. His home is one of the rare gold camps not vandalized or destroyed as an "eyesore" by the Bureau of Land Management in a less enlightened era.
Walt Bickel himself was an incredible person who lived a simple yet instructive life in the California wilderness north of Los Angeles. His cabin, camp and the canyon were declared a historical site in 1972 (See BLM Attacks History button and Historical Designation links) but an ongoing effort continues to insure the area's preservation.
It is hoped you might give support to the Friends of Bickel Camp (see red button on top to link to this group's home page). Hopefully you will join Last Chance Charlie Hattendorf and a group of hard-working volunteers in their efforts to protect the beautiful Last Chance Canyon area. These Friends of Bickel Camp and Burro Schmidt's Tunnel are local people who can be contacted to organize visits and gold mining tours of this rugged high desert area. For example, those interested in Native American rock art can arrange for guided tours in restricted military areas and see magical 8000-year-old petroglyphs in the area. We hope your interest and careful use of the area will help save Bickel Camp for future generations to enjoy.
The links to the left in brown are feature stories about local characters and the red buttons link to related web sites. Peace to all who enter here.
Bickel shown here in his star chair studies the canyon weather. The Shot was taken in 1982.
Thanksgiving at Bickel's was always a special time. This shot was taken in the early Eighties.
Bickel in his cabin in the late Seventies.