Yes, SNARL is open year round for use
Maybe. Check CalTrans for Highway conditions
Yes, SNARL is open to researchers from any academic institution
Yes, SNARL is open to university classes from any academic institution
Yes, see our resources for Conferences, retreats, meetings and workshops and contact us at vesr@nrs.ucsb.edu to discuss your needs
With some exceptions, SNARL cannot be used for commercial purposes, outdoor recreation, weddings, or fundraising events. SNARL is not open to the public at most times but please contact us at vesr@nrs.ucsb.edu for more information
If you are a university researcher, instructor or student and you are in the area for a visit that is associated with your teaching or research (i.e. field trip reconnaissance, writing retreat, etc.) you are eligible to submit an application and reservation to visit SNARL. If not, you are not eligible to stay at SNARL
Our first priority is to accommodate university researchers and classes, however if you are a university researcher or instructor and have dependent family members we will make every effort to meet your needs if space is available
We do not offer regular public tours, but please reach out to the Reserve Director or Education Coordinator for questions regarding special group tours
Yes, we do have office space available that may be added to your SNARL reservation
The town of Mammoth Lakes is a 10-15 minute drive from SNARL. It is a resort community with many restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and small businesses
We have basic first aid kits onsite at SNARL as well as an AED. Mammoth Hospital is approximately 12 minutes from SNARL and can handle most emergency needs.
We provide beds, but no bedding, so please bring your own bedding (either sheets and blankets, or a topsheet and sleeping bag and a pillow). Our kitchens are fully stocked with cookware, but you will need to bring your own food
SNARL is home to a wide variety of wildlife ranging from birds to bats, small mammals (chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits are common) as well as larger mammals (mule deer, coyote and occasionally black bears).
Yes, every person visiting SNARL needs to sign our waiver
Minors are persons under the age of 18, and waivers need to be signed by the legal parents or guardians of those individuals
Yes, we offer a variety of afterschool programs, school year field trips and summer programs as well as custom programs. Please contact our Education Coordinator for more information
Only individuals with approved applications and reservations may camp at SNARL (includes sleeping in your vehicle), and only when other housing facilities are not available
If you are approved to camp at SNARL, you may pitch a tent only in the designated camping area
We have sensitive habitats at SNARL and we prefer that you do not put up hammocks or slacklines without guidance. Please reach out to the SNARL Director to discuss your needs
Yes, we have one ADA accessible housing unit at SNARL (Lupine House) and our Page Center facilities and lab facilities are also ADA accessible
We do not provide food service or catering, but you may arrange for catering services with one of several catering companies in the local area. Please contact us at vesr@nrs.ucsb.edu for more information
Please park only in marked parking spaces at SNARL. Please do not park off the pavement, in Handicapped spaces if you do not have the necessary documentation, do not park in EV charging spaces if you are not charging an EV, do not park in fire lanes or other areas where parking is restricted, do not park in front of garages, under the basketball hoop, in front of the garbage dumpster or in front of the Directors residence. When all available parking at SNARL is full you may park along the south side of the entrance road facing the highway. Please reach out to the Reserve Director with any further questions regarding parking. You may not be able to park directly in front of your housing unit, but it is a very short walk across the entire campus.
Please do not park off the pavement, in handicapped spaces if you do not have the necessary documentation, do not park in EV charging spaces if you are not charging an EV, do not park in fire lanes or other areas where parking is restricted, do not park in front of garages, or in front of the garbage dumpster, in front of the Directors residence, or under the basketball hoop. Please reach out to the Reserve Director with any further questions regarding parking
Yes, we have several EV charging spots at SNARL. Please only park there while charging your vehicle
Please put all trash in the garbage dumpster located near the big garage at SNARL
Corrugated cardboard, paper, metal, plastic (#1 and #2), glass and aluminum, glass, and plastic beverage containers
There are trash and recycling containers in each unit, and they should be regularly emptied into the garbage dumpster and recycling bins in or near the large garage at SNARL
We have a common use washing machine in the laundry room in the large garage that is available to SNARL users for $1 per load. Please use only the biodegradable laundry soap provided. There are 2 sets of clotheslines, one between Cottonwood and dorm, and one behind Meadow, where you can hang clothes to dry
You must request permission in advance from the Reserve Director if you would like to have a visitor on campus. All visitors will need to be added to your RAMS reservation and will need to sign a waiver. You are not allowed to invite visitors to stay overnight in SNARL housing without advance permission from the Reserve Director, and adding those persons to your RAMS reservation.
There are absolutely no open fires allowed at SNARL. There is a common use BBQ near the Headquarters building for use. BBQ tools are in a drawer in the Headquaters kitchen. Please clean and return those BBQ tools after use, and please thoroughly clean the BBQ using the steel brush after use
We do not allow users to bring pets to SNARL with the exception of service animals. If you plan to bring a service animal to SNARL please contact the Reserve Director in advance of your visit
Sections of the SNARL lab are available for use by researchers and classes, but you must add the lab use to your reservation and contact the Lab Manager in advance of your visit so that we can discuss your plans and make sure that you have completed the required UCSB lab safety training
We have a variety of standard lab equipment available for common use in the lab. Please see our lab description and contact our Lab Manager for more information and to discuss your needs
If you plan to receive packages at SNARL please make sure that they are shipped using UPS or FedEx, as they are delivered directly to SNARL every day. Mail and package delivery through USPS is less reliable, and we are not able to forward mail or packages after you depart
There is very limited cell phone reception at SNARL, but users can switch their phones to WIFI calling and make and receive calls on their cell phones over the internet. There is good cell phone reception on Mt Morrison Road near the cemetery before entering SNARL
If you need to use the SNARL shop or tools please contact our Operations Manager to discuss your needs and we can figure out a plan to help you
Yes, our water at SNARL comes from a well and goes through a filter. We test the water annually and it is safe for drinking
Please reduce your speed upon entering the SNARL gate to 25 MPH or less. Please follow the signs to reduce speed to less than 15 MPH as you enter the SNARL campus. We have active elementary school education programs and there are often children onsite. We also have abundant wildlife ranging from small mammals to deer, coyotes and bears. Reduced speed helps to protect children and animals
If you need to print something please contact our Administrative Assistant and you can email her the files to print and she will record the number of pages and add the printing costs to your reservation
We do not allow fishing within the boundaries of SNARL, but fishing is allowed in Convict Creek outside of the SNARL boundaries in accordance with CalFish and Game regulations
If you have any additional questions please reach out to us at vesr@nrs.ucsb.edu
If you use the resources at SNARL for any part of your work (datasets, laboratory, housing, writing retreats, etc.) we appreciate you acknowledging SNARL in your publications. Please include SNARL’s DOI in your acknowledgement – 10.21973/N3966F and send us a copy of your work so that we can help to promote your research and include it in our SNARL publications database.
Drinking alcoholic beverages by individuals under the age of 21 is prohibited at SNARL. The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) prohibits the illegal use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol on university-owned properties. Anyone found using illegal substances or abusing legal substances will be asked to leave. Please see the UCSB alcohol and drug program for more information
The University of California prohibits the use, possession and sale of marijuana in any form on all university property, including university-owned and leased buildings, housing and parking lots. Marijuana is also not permitted at university events or while conducting university business. This policy applies to SNARL and Valentine properties.
On Nov. 8, 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64 legalizing the use of recreational marijuana among people over the age of 21. It is important to understand that Prop. 64 does not change UC policy; marijuana remains prohibited on all university property including SNARL, and at all university events, except for approved academic research. Please see the UCSB policy on possession or use of cannabis products for more information.
We have a basketball hoop, a volleyball court, a bocce court and a horseshoe pit. There are also trails around the reserve for hiking and many nearby hiking areas outside of SNARL, as well as skiing, mountain biking, hiking and fishing in the Mammoth Lakes area
We do not have a cleaning staff at SNARL and require all of our users to keep their housing units, offices, common spaces and lab spaces clean and to thoroughly clean housing units upon departure. Please see our cleaning checkout list here.
Please see our Rates and Payment page for more information on Rates and how to pay. We cannot accept advance payment and we will invoice you following your stay.