Over half of our campers come to camp requesting to be in cabins with friends from home. We do our best to honor these requests as long as both campers have requested to be together. Campers that come to camp with existing friends have a great experience, however, camp is also a place where new lifelong friendships can be formed.

When are cabins actually together?

Campers in a cabin will eat meals together, travel together at evening program, and participate in after campfire activities as a group. We host a lot of campers, but the feel is still small. Campers choose all of their activities on their own. They participate in activities with kids of similar ages, but they are able to do activities with campers from other cabins.

Making new friends is easy

Kids are encouraged to venture out of their comfort zones in order to try new activities, and meet new people. Being comfortable around unfamiliar people is a valuable skill that we hope all campers can improve on each summer. Our counselors complete 7 days of training prior to camp starting. A significant portion of this time is devoted to helping them create inclusive cabin and activity environments. On the first night of camp, counselors hold cabin meetings, organize team building games, and ensure that everyone has time to positively connect.

Leaving the cabin friend requests behind 

It might be nerve-racking to send a child to camp without the close support of friends from home. Meeting new friends is a part of the summer camp experience that translates into an important life skill. There isn’t a more supportive environment than camp for kids to form new relationships with peers.

Food in the Forest

We often get questions about the food at camp. It’s quite a challenging task to serve quality food to so many people three times a day. Our kitchen staff happily prepares over 1500 servings a day, and we’re not even counting dessert. These are the answers to our most common food questions.

1. Where does the food come from?

We have a food service supplier based in Sacramento that comes to camp two times a week for deliveries. Our food service director also purchases fresh fruit from once a week from a fruit stand off highway 80.

2. What if someone has a special diet or allergy?

We accommodate many speciality diets including those eating vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Our meals are peanut free, except for the peanut butter and jelly which is located away from the main eating area.

3. Do they serve vegetables up there?

Of course. In addition to the healthy sides at dinner, there is a fully stocked salad bar in our lodge complete with fresh-cut avocados, bell peppers, side salads, spinach, lettuce and more. Campers can create their own salads at lunch and dinner.

4. What about fruit?

Fresh fruit is available throughout the day and campers are welcome to grab apples, watermelon, plums, or whatever else is available whenever they want. We also serve fresh blueberries, strawberries, and granola every breakfast.

5. My kid is a picky eater, what if they don’t like the meal?

Peanut Butter and Jelly, Peanut Butter, and Just Jelly sandwiches are always available for campers. Our counselors certainly encourage kids to try things and eat our main entrée, but when all else fails, the PB&J can save the day.

6. What are some of the meals?

Some examples of each meal include…

Breakfast – Eggs, sausage, hash brown, granola, greek yogurt, cereal, blueberry scones

Lunch – Hot dogs, veggie wraps, chili, grilled cheese, hamburgers, chicken fingers

Dinner – Pulled pork, grilled chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, tacos, enchiladas

Camper Age Groups

Mountain Camp has programs for campers entering 2nd grade through their senior year of high school. We manage this wide age range by dividing the camp into thirds for each session. The oldest third are called Alpiners, the middle third are Trackers, and the youngest third are known as the Blazers. These groups can vary from session to session depending on the overall distribution of ages during a given week. We try not to define any specific age to a group because a camper might be a Blazer in a session of mostly older campers, but a Tracker in a session of mostly younger campers.

Blazers Rule

The youngest kids in camp sometimes require a little bit of extra support, and for many of them, this is their first experience away from home.  Our counselors have specific training to make sure that Blazers have a successful camp experience. This includes helping Blazers navigate the large camp environment, stay clean, manage homesickness, and stay involved. Mountain Camp also designates two male and female staff members as Blazer coordinators. These coordinators actually travel with the Blazer group to all activities to ensure that these young campers are signing up for their preferred activities, and generally having a good time.

The Youngest Campers

We allow the youngest campers to pick their own activities. Even though the day is structured, there is an element of choice and flexibility that allows all campers to get involved in the activities they prefer. From archery to wake boarding, we have equipment that fits campers of all sizes. No matter the age or size, Mountain Camp is set up for everyone to have an amazing experience.