HOW DO I PRONOUNCE MINARY?

It is pronounced “Min-AIRY”, not “MY-nairy.”

WHAT TO WEAR, WHAT TO BRING?

1. The dress code for Minary is “mountain relaxed” – jeans, khakis, shorts, turtle necks, warm shirts and anything but dresses, coats and ties.  Layers are your best bet.  Bring your favorite hiking shoes for the afternoon walks.

2. You may also want to bring a warm jacket… especially if you are thinking of joining the star gazing tour on the lake.  If you are particularly cold-natured, gloves can’t hurt either.

3. Bring a flashlight!  This will better enable you to get from the lodge to your cabin in the evenings.

4. Bring a camera!  If you haven’t experienced this part of California before, you are in for a spectacular, breathtaking treat.  Binoculars and alarm clocks are a good idea, too.  

ABOUT STANFORD SIERRA CAMP

5. Accommodations are two bedroom units which share one bathroom.  They are comfortable, yet quite rustic.  They are located 100 to 200 yards from the main lodge.  You will be paired up with another attendee and for those who are new to the conference, we will try to pair you with someone who has previously attended.

6. Fallen Leaf Lake is at 6,200 foot altitude.  You may experience some reaction to the high altitude, especially when you first arrive.  Slight shortness of breath is common.  It helps to drink lots of water and be aware of an added kick from alcohol at this elevation!

7. Remember that the weather in the Sierras in September can go from one extreme to the other.  The mornings and evenings can be downright chilly, and the days can be quite warm.  Again, layers are best for the climate.   

8. The “Fountain” sells Stanford Sierra Camp clothing, gift items, sundries, coffee, etc.

9. We will have our meals in one large dining hall that features round tables of 8-10.  Mealtime is yet another great opportunity to network and socialize with fellow attendees.  The food is quite tasty too. 

WHEN TO ARRIVE  

10. If you are coming from the East coast, we encourage you  to consider coming in the day before and staying at a hotel either near your airport or in South Lake Tahoe.  Please pay careful attention to the distance to the closest airport so you allow the proper amount of travel time. 

11. If you need driving directions to reach the Stanford Sierra Camp, please go to the Registration page.  Closer to the conference date, we will send out a group email to attendees – this is a good opportunity to share travel plans and look for people to share rental cars if you are interested. 

12. There is a Business Center available at the conference center.  You can send and receive faxes and emails.  There are pay phones in the Lodge, but no phones in the individual rooms.  The Business Center sells telephone calling cards.  Phone messages and faxes are posted on the central bulletin board.

13. Depending on your service provider, cell phones do work at the Stanford Sierra Camp but it is sometimes difficult to get a good connection.  

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

 14. One of the best things about the Minary Conference is you can count on lots of time for great networking and the opportunity to get caught up on the latest and best tools in alumni education. 

15. The Planning Committee has organized a full agenda.  To make it work, we ask that everyone be on time to the various meetings so we can stick to the schedule.  You can find the most current agenda on the web site.

TO PREPARE FOR THE CONFERENCE

 16. About a month prior to the conference all who have registered will be asked to fill out an "Offer and Ask" form in order to establish areas of common interest. This information will be used at the conference in one of the opening sessions.

 17. We also encourage you to bring copies of recent publications and marketing materials to share with others.  We will provide ample table space for the materials.  This is a great way to learn what others are doing and to steal great ideas!

CONTACT INFORMATION

 18. Here are the details about where you will be:

Minary Conference – October 5-8, 2008

Stanford Sierra Camp – Conference Center

130 Fallen Leaf Road

Fallen Leaf Lake, CA 96151

Postal Address:

P.O. Box 10618

South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158-3618

Tel: (530)541-1244

Fax: (530)541-2212

If you have any questions, please contact any of the Planning Committee members. We are all dedicated to the goal of making this the best Minary Conference ever!