IMPORTANT UPDATE from Russell Linsky – see his post here.
SCHEDULE UPDATE from Russell Linsky – see his post here.
What is Dory Hill?
When: September 6 – 8, 2019
It’s the 10th annual Dory Hill – camping with pinball machines and 75+ of your pinball friends! There’s a Friday night Flip Frenzy Tournament (new format this year!) and 18 hole PinGolf on Saturday with PinGolf Finals on Sunday.
While WPPRs are certainly awarded, the vibe is far more relaxed than any other pinball event. It’s super social with lightly structured tournaments and campfire cookouts! People bring games that you don’t usually see on location and decorate the space around them, competing for ‘Best Themed Cabin.’ (see more about bringing a game and voting on best decorator)
Competing is not required, though I hear it is more fun..
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Dory Hill – check out this interview with Steve Trujillo on The Little Kings Pinball Podcast.
Cabin / Campground Reservations & Other Accommodations
Yes – we can still fit you in! But let us know ASAP!
DO NOT CONTACT BASE CAMP DIRECTLY FOR RESERVATIONS.
If you are interested in attending please email Ryan Wanger & Russell Linsky ASAP! We have booked the ENTIRE campground this year and if any of you stragglers still need a spot, Ryan & Russell are working to squeeze you in. As of August 6th there are a few open cabin bunks and ‘unoptimized’ campsites that could be better configured if we knew you were coming.
If you’re not the camping type, there are also other lodging options just 10 minutes down the road in Black Hawk, CO. Bonus if you enjoy gambling as many of them are casinos.
- Ameristar Black Hawk
- There’s actually a dirt road that goes directly from the back of Ameristar to Base Camp. Weird, but it works.
- Trip Advisor Black Hawk Hotels
Campground Location, Amenities and What to Bring
Update from Russell: Base Camp is asking for a detailed list of who is staying where. This is due to problems with certain sites in the past. So, if you’re staying on site, I must know where. There is no random “crashing” or popping a tent allowed. So, please help us clarify who is staying on which site. Email Russell if you’re planning to stay on site.
Our weekend of pinball and camping is held at Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon (campsite formerly known as Dory Hill), 661 CO-46, Black Hawk, CO, 80422 – not far outside the Denver-metro area.
This kind of camping is not what you’d call ‘roughing it.’ It’s car camping with power at every cabin and RV site to plug in the pinball machines, well-maintained bathroom and showers as well as a convenience store that sells just about everything you could have forgotten at home.
What to bring – This event is rain or shine so it’s wise to bring the following (basic car camping gear):
- Tarp – for your campsite
- Cold weather clothes – it gets cold at night/early morning
- Dress in layers like any good Coloradan – it gets hot during the day
- Rain gear and an extra pair of shoes and socks in case they get wet. The PinGolf course is spread throughout the campground so you’ll be walking in the rain/snow (though hopefully not).
- Lantern or flashlight (it gets really dark!)
- Camping chairs
- Water coolers, food & drink
- Toiletries, towel, flip-flops to get to and from the shower (bathrooms are newly renovated, so really nice for a campground)
- Cash – for any fees you haven’t yet paid & dollar games of course!
- Ashtrays – very important if you smoke, no cigarette butts this year!
- Trash bags – please try to keep your site spotless this year
If you’re bringing a game – be sure to pack the following:
- Extension cords
- Tarp, bungee cords and clamps – staple guns are not allowed this year
- Pinball tools & extra parts – especially for installing legs, leveling games and general game maintenance
- Dolly for moving games around
- Packing/moving blankets
A note about cell service: T-Mobile gets great coverage but other carriers may be spotty. AT&T gets zero service. There is free WiFi near the convenience store.
- Convenience store selling drinks, snacks, ice cream, canned goods, firewood, tobacco, camping supplies, toiletries, souvenirs and coffee
- Liquor store selling beer, wine, liquor and ice
- Convenience & liquor store hours: 7am – 10pm
- Laundromat and large sink for washing dishes.
- Hours: 7am – 9pm
- Gas pump with both unleaded and diesel
- Clean showers and bathrooms
- Free WiFi (when in or near the convenience store)
- ATM
Friday Campground Check-In and Machine Setup
For check-in on Friday, whoever is the official renter of each site much check-in at the front desk of Base Camp. They will have a list of the official renters. You will have to leave a credit card for a security deposit, and cabin folks with receive a key. If there is no damage, the site is clean etc. you should not be charged anything.
If you are bringing a game, please have it setup and operational by 6:30pm on Friday at the latest. Modern games should be set to 3 balls, and set to tournament mode. (this will need to be changed to 5 balls for Saturday/Sunday) We will have a “drivers’ meeting” at 7:00pm where we will go over any additional details. The Friday side tournament should begin promptly at 7:30pm. I anticipate this will run until 9:30, followed by finals.
See full event schedule.
Be a Friend! Bring a Game!
The games are provided by you, the community – we can’t do this event without them! If you have a fully working game to bring (unique and rare games encouraged), please let us know.
Many games are setup on cabin porches but if you don’t have a cabin this year, don’t worry. There will be plenty of spots available onsite – just let us know what you’re bringing and we’ll find a sheltered spot for your machine.
Games will not be announced ahead of time. Please speculate amongst yourselves. 🙂
Best Themed Cabin Award
Note – using staple guns to secure tarps and decor to cabins is NOT allowed.
Please use rope, bungees and clamps. 3″ C-clamps should do the trick.
I (Snow Galvin) have only attended Dory Hill 9 and when it was explained to me that people decorate their porches to compete for Best Themed Cabin honors, I was so intrigued. Picture the typical pinball player. Now picture how they might go about decorating a campsite for an immersive Skateball experience. Cool, right? Kinda weird? Definitely thrifty.
But Dory Hill 9 decor was a bust! Seriously guys. I was let down.
Where was the 007 martini bar (Goldeneye) complete with lighting and dangling mylar stars? Where were the disco jellyfish (Barracora) dancing with streamers and starfish overhead? Where was the tikihut with LPs playing and an actual sand floor (Surfer)? I had heard so many stories.
But that’s not happening this year. Not for Dory Hill X! Step it up or I’m for sure going to win that first place medal.
Curious about cabin dimensions? It’s 63″ between the posts, 66″ inches deep, 9′ to the pitch and I would estimate 11′ wide. See picture for more clues.
Tournaments
NEW THIS YEAR – Pre-registering for tournaments is required.
A note from Russell: We are trying to remove any bottlenecks to the check-in process. Nobody will be allowed to play in any events if they have not paid their tournament entry fees. It’s $50. You will be able to pay upon your arrival. But, please pay your tournament fees in advance. If you haven’t yet confirmed your attendance with me and paid your tournament entry fees, please do so at your earliest convenience. We are also trying to get a feel for how many people will be attending, so PLEASE, confirm and pay if you’re coming. Email Russell to let him know you’d like to play.
See full event schedule.
There will be a $10 Friday night Flip Frenzy Tournament and the main event ($40) is 18 holes of PinGolf on Saturday, followed by A, B and C Division Finals on Sunday. In 2017, we had 75 players, and it is sure to be even larger this year.
Big thanks to Bill Reeves (aka Quiet Leather) for making all the medals this year – A, B & C Division (1st-4th), Flip Frenzy (1st-4th) and 1st/2nd for Best Themed Cabin all take home finely crafted medals!
Friday Night Flip Frenzy
6:30pm – 7:15pm: Last minute registration at the Pavilion for people who did not already pay tournament entries.
7:15pm: Everyone meets at the Pavilion. We’ll give a little welcome speech, go over rules for the weekend. Then we will go over the rules for the Friday night tournament.
See full event schedule.
Qualifying: 7:30pm – 9:30pm. $10 entry.
Flip Frenzy format, lasting exactly two hours.
Finals: Top 8 qualifiers, starts 10 minutes after the end of qualifying.
The Flip Frenzy format works as follows: you wait in a queue until you reach the front. Then you are assigned a two player match, playing as Player 1. After it ends you return to the pavilion to report the winner, and are immediately assigned another two player match – this time as Player 2, on a different machine, against a different opponent. After it ends, you again report the winner and go back to the end of the queue. Repeat for two hours.
Players are ranked by wins minus losses. Win your games, but be quick about it! The Top 8 advance to a direct play finals.
Saturday & Sunday PinGolf (Main Event)
Cost to enter: $30 entry + $10 facility fee
Saturday: Division Qualifying (A, B, C Divisions)
Begin anytime after 10am. All 18 holes must be completed and scoresheet turned in by 8pm.
9:30am-10am: Last Minute Registration
If you are planning to play and will not be at the Campground by 10am, you must pay in advance. Please reach out to us. Do not expect someone waiting around at the registration table to handle late arrivals – we’ll all be off playing!
10am: Instructions and Group Photo
Everyone gathers at the Pavilion for the tournament rules & group photo. We will start on time. We do not offer wake up calls or white glove pinhead herding services. It is your responsibility to be at the Pavilion on time.
Tournament begins after the group photo! It’s up to you and your self-formed group to play your assigned games. Once you’ve finished, turn in your scoresheet and the rest of the day is yours (though please surrender any game you’re playing to anyone who still needs to play it for their round). Play the course at your own pace but make sure you turn in your group’s scoresheet by 8pm!
Format: 18 holes of Pingolf. Play in a foursome, traveling around the campground playing each game on the pre-defined 18 hole course once. All games will be set to 5 balls and have a posted target score or objective. Record the number of balls (ie: strokes) it takes to reach the target.
Players will be ranked by fewest number of strokes. Top 32 will advance to A Division Finals. The remaining players will be placed in B and C Division.
Sunday
A Division Finals starts at 9:30am.
B Division Finals starts at 9:45am.
C Division Finals starts at 10am.
Trophies and awards presentation at the conclusion of play (roughly 3:30pm).
A & B Finals
Four player groups playing three games, using pingolf scoring. Top two advance. Continue until down to the last four players. Lowest score of the final round is the winner.
Players who do not advance, will continue to play out the remaining positions in four player groups.
C Finals
Form foursomes and head out for a round of 6-9 pingolf holes, recording each hole on your scorecard. Final rankings will be by fewest total strokes.
T-Shirts & Hoodies – Pre-Order
Update – The pre-order is now over but Zach will have extras on hand.
A message from Zach Smith (aka Tilt-Hammer) who is kindly screen printing the super rad t-shirts and hoodies again this year. Sweet Dory Hill patch included with order!
I’m running a pre-order for shirts and Hoodies for this years Dory Hill in an attempt to not completely exhaust myself as I did for Dory Hill 9.
Zach Smith, Tilt-Hammer
Dory hill has been growing steadily over the years and trying to figure out how many shirts and hoodies needed is a daunting task. So I’ve created this pre-order so I have a better estimation of what is needed and so those that want shirts and hoodies can make sure they get one. The pre-order is live right now.
All the info is there on the site. All pre orders will receive a limited edition Dory Hill X Patch.
And don’t forget to use the checkout code LOCALSONLY so you don’t pay for shipping. If you don’t want to go through the website and want to pay in person please email here.
Thanks again everyone! And thanks to Russell for rescuing this amazing event! Can’t wait, it’s gonna be a blast!
If you are interested in knowing more about this event, there is an interview with Steve Trujillo here:
https://player.fm/series/little-kings-pinball-podcast/ep32-dory-hill