Showering at The Basin

[walter]

Has any campground camper ever gone over to The Lodge and ask if they could pay for using the shower only in any of the rooms?

[Sotol Vista]

as far as i know they wont let you do that

James

[RichardM]

I bet they would if you agreed to pay the full price for the room for a night.

[OldJeepr]

Back in the sixties and seventies there was a shower facility in the Basin, as I recall somewhere in the area now occupied by part of the motel.  It was really nice to be able to clean up after a day on the trail without taking the long drive to RGV, and the smell in the tent/camper was a whole lot better.  Now, granted, you didn't see javelina in the campground back then.  Could there be a connection? 

[walter]

Any tricks from the old hands on how to shower at the Basin campsite?   I've used a sunshower in the past which I've hung from a nearby-tree.  My site was pretty secluded so nobody could peek-a-boo while I was lathering.   Are there now restrictions to doing this?  I visited the Chiracahua Monument  in AZ 2 years ago for the umpteenth time but I noticed a sign there then that said no discharging of "grey water" such as you get from sun-showering.  How about washing up in that doo-hickey big sink between the men's and ladies' bathroom?  (I could never figure out what those big faucets in the sinks were for anyhow.)  OldJeepr or anyone.  Why was the former shower facility eliminated?  Seems doggone stupid.

[Al]

Any tricks from the old hands on how to shower at the Basin campsite?   I've used a sunshower in the past which I've hung from a nearby-tree.  My site was pretty secluded so nobody could peek-a-boo while I was lathering.   Are there now restrictions to doing this?  I visited the Chiracahua Monument  in AZ 2 years ago for the umpteenth time but I noticed a sign there then that said no discharging of "grey water" such as you get from sun-showering.  How about washing up in that doo-hickey big sink between the men's and ladies' bathroom?  (I could never figure out what those big faucets in the sinks were for anyhow.)  OldJeepr or anyone.  Why was the former shower facility eliminated?  Seems doggone stupid.

Two products come to mind:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp219982/seventh_generation/baby_wipes_with_aloe_vera_and_vitamin_e_unscented.htm?aid=337953&aparam=seventh_generation_baby_&CAWELAID=352479432

http://www.walgreens.com/store/store/brands/general_brand.jsp?ref=308402+310511+N&catId=310511&brandId=308402&N=308402+310511&x=12&y=7&ext=gooHair_Care_General_Brands_No_Rinse_shampoo

Al

[OldJeepr]

Can't say for sure why they did away with the bath house, but the first guess would be $$$$.  Maintenance costs, and the last time we used it it was not in the best condition, so reconstruction was probably needed.  There's just more profit in $100+/night  motel/lodge/cabin accommodations than even a pay shower.

[chisos muse]

Any tricks from the old hands on how to shower at the Basin campsite?   I've used a sunshower in the past which I've hung from a nearby-tree.  My site was pretty secluded so nobody could peek-a-boo while I was lathering.   Are there now restrictions to doing this?  I visited the Chiracahua Monument  in AZ 2 years ago for the umpteenth time but I noticed a sign there then that said no discharging of "grey water" such as you get from sun-showering.  How about washing up in that doo-hickey big sink between the men's and ladies' bathroom?  (I could never figure out what those big faucets in the sinks were for anyhow.)  OldJeepr or anyone.  Why was the former shower facility eliminated?  Seems doggone stupid.

The big sinks in between the rest rooms are for washing dishes. Most people brush their teeth and wash their face in the regular bathroom sink, and wipe up somewhere secluded. I usually bring baby wipes. My grown kids did this and had no complaints. After our Chisos hiking, we drove to RGV for showers. I let them do 10 minutes.  I know it's out of the way, but a beautiful drive!

[Robert]

Any tricks from the old hands on how to shower at the Basin campsite?

Hang a solar shower in a Teepee Shower tent while standing in a plastic laundry tub (to collect gray water). It looks like they have a floor that can be purchased separately but seems overpriced. I got this setup for my wife (which she greatly appreciates it) and we have used it at other parks that don't have showers. She usually just warms some water up on the stove and puts in into the solar shower bag.

Paha Que Teepee Shower http://www.amazon.com/Paha-Que-Fiberglass-Shower-Outhouse/dp/B000EWGEDQ

Drain Capture Floor http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062VZBU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000EWGEDQ&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=09Y7T7AK6666VV55E5DE

This may violate some regulation so you may want to check.

Oldjeepr- I  had a memory of taking showers in the Basin back in the 60's near the motel units. Thanks for confirming it.

[walter]

Yosemite has a nice showering facility at Curry Camp.  Bryce Canyon has showering by inserting quarters.  So does Mather Campground at the Grand Canyon.  Whazzup with the Basin?  The concessionaires at these places seems to be doing pretty good financially with the separate shower set-ups.  I've hiked to the South Rim and back in one day on 4 separate occasions in the month of September.  What kept me going was knowing there was at least a Sun Shower awaiting me at my Basin site.  After a long hike who wants to drive to RGV or Study Butte?  That's nuts.  Now I'll be hiking at the end of November and there probably won't be time for the daylight to get the Sun Shower hot enough.

[walter]

Thanks, Al for the Walgreen's No Rinse shampoo mention and the baby wipes.  I'll check it out.  (BTW I read somewhere that the soldiers in Iraq ask their relatives to send cartons and cartons of baby wipes to them so they can "bathe" in that dusty desert environ.)

[Homer67]

Shower?  We don't need no stinking shower!

[rosco]

wait for campers in a large RV to run an errand. 

sneak in and shower. 

"Leave No Trace" so you can do it the next day. 

[Frau]

i agree: we don't need no stinking shower...more fun w/o!! Why expand the carbon footprint???