Beyond the Oregon Trail - Summer Series
May 04 - Jul 12, 2026
Current Holder
Eric Vandereems
Homestead Claim
Forged in the First Winter
Everyone Wants What I Hold
Aspects refreshed May 15, 2026
The Homestead Claim emerged from the first winter of the Stumptown Settlement, when the original pioneers realized that merely marking boundaries was not enough - they needed proof of who had actually survived and improved their land through the brutal PNW winter. The original document was carved from a fallen Douglas fir that had withstood three harsh winters, and its annual rings symbolized the endurance required to truly claim a piece of the settlement as one's own.
A rough-hewn wooden deed document, approximately 8x10 inches, with burnt edges from countless campfire readings. The surface bears carved annual rings - each ring represents one full season the claim has been held. A weathered pioneer rope binds the document, and the front displays a carved axe mark representing the original claim driver. The wood is stained with mud and weather, showing the true character of PNW wilderness survival.
Homestead Claim serves as the foundational tag that other players must defeat to establish their own permanent presence in the settlement. It creates connections between all leagues in the series by representing the ultimate goal: not just winning a single round, but establishing a lasting territorial claim that other challengers must respect and attempt to overcome.
Tag Details
Tag History
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Your series bag tag moved from #8 to #23 based on your top 2 rated rounds from the last two completed series weeks.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Your series bag tag moved from #11 to #8 based on your top 2 rated rounds from the last two completed series weeks.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Your series bag tag moved from #8 to #11 based on your top 2 rated rounds from the last two completed series weeks.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Your series bag tag moved from #11 to #8 based on your top 2 rated rounds from the last two completed series weeks.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Carved from a Douglas fir that outlasted three winters, the Homestead Claim is less a prize and more a wooden performance review. It demands you earn its muddy respect, or it’ll burn you like a campfire reading. This deed has an axe to grind and zero patience for anyone who can’t handle a little PNW weather.
Eric Vandereems staked his claim on Tag #11, the Homestead Claim. It’s a wooden performance review carved by a Douglas fir with an axe to grind. He survived the course, but defending this deed against the coming winter? That’s a different episode entirely.