Simply indicate this on the registration form, medical form, or the confidential behavioral form. Our trained staff is accustomed to these situations and will take appropriate steps to be sure your camper is safe and cared for.
This may be more common than many parents are aware, even among older teenagers. Simply indicate this on the registration form, medical form, or the confidential behavioral form. Our trained staff have discrete methods to help campers solve issues that may arise from these situations. We do our best to keep this personal matter private from the other campers. If bed wetting is a known regular issue we ask campers/parents to bring TWO sleeping bags (one that the camper has packed with their gear and the other that is provided to our staff at the time of check-in). Your camper's counselors will have the backup sleeping bag on standby, should it be needed. Our staff will then clean the soiled sleeping bag and hold it as the backup. To aid in the discrete handling of this matter, it is highly recommend that the sleeping bags be matching or of the same color.
Simply indicate this on the registration form, medical form, or the confidential behavioral form. If the camper's diet restriction is something that may be found in a large number of meals on our menu (Example: meat, sugar, gluten), we ask that you contact our office to coordinate with our kitchen staff to supplement where needed. Parents may be responsible for added expense or effort involved with this accommodation.
While it is always recommended that the camper stay for the entire program, we do our best to accommodate situations with schedule conflicts. Please contact our office to discuss your individual situation.
No. Because we are a wilderness camp it is not recommended that campers have food or drinks in their packs or sleeping area. However, healthy snacks and enjoyable treats are important to the program. Campers are removed from most of the general comforts that they are used to at home, snack shop is at the heart of our daily routine. An ice-cold water or Gatorade can seem life-changing at the moment. Sending ample money for your camper is recommended. Our snack shop items are priced reasonably and any funds not spent will be refunded back to you at check-out. Snack shop services are generally offered twice daily.
Yes. Any lost or found items are displayed to campers at the close of each program. Unclaimed items are held for 1 week and then re-homed or discarded of. We highly recommend that camper's items be marked with their name or initials. Many campers do not want to claim that items belong to them. Marked items make it easy for staff to recognize who an item belongs to.
We are an Independent Baptist Camp. However, we welcome campers from all backgrounds, locations and walks of life. Campers come from all over the United States and from a diversified group of homes and backgrounds. We are happy to say that campers will all find a welcoming staff that understands diversity. While we do not look down upon people with differing religious views, parents should be aware that campers will be exposed to Bible preaching and teaching that aligns with our doctrinal statement.
Each program has a different schedule. At the time of registration you will receive an automated confirmation email. This email has several important links attached to it, including a letter from our director with important check-in and check-out details. Please reference this letter for exact times.
This form is to help be prepared for the the unlikely event of your camper needing medical attention. Should this situation arise, we make every effort to contact parents and involve them in this process. If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, this gives us all the necessary information that our emergency room would need in order to check-in a patient.
Our dress code for campers is simple. Loose fitting clothing covering from the shoulders to the knees and everything in between. Additionally we ask that campers do not wear clothing printed with vulgar vocabulary or potentially offensive images.
Each program has a unique "What To Bring List". At the time of registration you will receive an automated confirmation email. This email has several important links attached to it, including a "What To Bring List" that is specific to your camper's registration.
You can visit our Online Parent Center and scroll down to the "Camper Documents" section. Choose the program that your camper is registered for and download the appropriate "What To Bring List".
This is a traditional name for a small pan set designed for cooking over a fire. This should be lightweight and personal sized. Plastic is not appropriate as it will melt over a fire.
This is cooking fuel used during some of our teen programs. It is a BLEND of both propane and butane. Other single fuels such as propane by itself or butane by itself are not suitable. If your camper is flying to camp, they will not be able to bring this fuel on the flight. You can visit our Online Parent Center and purchase fuel through our website. We will hold the fuel in the camper's name until they arrive.
Both hatchets and pocket knives are generally permitted in "CHECKED BAGGAGE" ONLY. Fuel is prohibited. If your camper is flying to camp and isobutane fuel is on their "What To Bring List", you can visit our Online Parent Center and purchase fuel through our website. We will hold the fuel in the camper's name until they arrive.
Along with a long list of items, essential oils are an item that can be abused and used in an unsafe or harmful manner. If your camper has medical issues that are treated with essential oils, our staff can administer essential oils with written instructions from the parent or guardian. In such cases, our staff will hold on to the essential oils and campers will not have them in their possession during their stay.
It depends upon the length of your program. A simple answer is, a COMPLETE change of clothes for each day. However, if your camper is enrolled in our 20-day switchback program or is attending multiple weeks of teen camp, our staff will launder each camper's clothes weekly. In such case, they will need just one week's (7 days) worth of clothing.
TEEN CAMPERS: All of their items must fit in or on a SINGLE backpack.
JUNIOR CAMPERS: During these programs campers do not have to carry their personal items on their back in a backpack. Their gear and luggage will be loaded onto a trailer and transported to a trailhead near their assigned basecamp. They are permitted to have multiple bags or suitcases.
TEEN CAMPERS: No. Because of the fact that all of their items must fit in or on a SINGLE backpack, this will not work. A professional backpack not only has more room, it has a frame designed to properly disperse the weight to a campers hips and shoulders to reduce pain or possible injury.
JUNIOR CAMPERS: Yes.
TEEN CAMPERS: Because of the fact that all of their items must fit in or on a SINGLE backpack, this is optional. If a camper wants to bring a pillow, please consider a specifically designed backpacking pillow that is small in size or inflatable in nature.
JUNIOR CAMPERS: Yes, this is encouraged.
We use the King James Version (KJV) for all preaching and teaching. Please be careful not to confuse this with the "NEW" King James Version (NKJV). For teen programs, it is recommended that they have a SMALL compact Bible as they will be carrying it from time to time in their backpack. It is also HIGHLY recommended that they have their Bible in a Ziploc bag or other water-tight bag. Due to the fact that the Bible could be damaged by weather or other elements, it is NOT recommend that campers bring a Bible that has sentimental value (Example: A grandmother's Bible, family heirloom, etc.).
They will have chapel services each evening. If they are staying for multiple weeks, laundry services are done once a week.
As each program has uniquely designed and organized lists, it is HIGHLY recommended that you follow the list for your camper's specific program, including the water bottle/canteen details.
A rain fly is a very important part of a backpacker's gear. It is a small rain cover designed to help protect and keep items dry in a backpack. The size of your pack determines the size of your rain fly or pack cover. When choosing a rain fly, please be aware of the size of your backpack. If you are renting a backpack from us, the sizes are listed on our website in the "Rental" section. Rain flies are available at many sporting good stores and can be easily be found on Amazon.com.
Yes. Campers may want to consider having a selection of different options including shorts and pants. This helps with hot days and cool nights, along with adjusting for different activities such as canoeing or walking through briars and brush.
First decide what program you would like to sign-up for. Then simply follow the registration links to easily register online. You can make payment with a debit card, credit card, checking account, or with PayPal.
No, you cannot attend camp with your camper. Exceptions are made for our staff, as they have gone through a background check and a thorough vetting program, along with a staff training program. This policy is for the general protection of our campers and for the overall success of our programs.
Yes, absolutely. We do our best to honor as many of these requests as we can. As a rule, we generally try to separate siblings unless otherwise requested.
Great question. It depends on several factors, but most often on the length of the program. Because we are a wilderness camp and are removed from most of the general comforts that campers are used to at home, snack shop is at the heart of our daily routine. An ice-cold water or Gatorade can seem life-changing at the moment. For that reason we recommend a larger than normal amount of snack shop money. Our snack shop items are priced reasonably and any funds not spent will be refunded back to you at check-out. Snack shop services are generally offered twice daily.
Simple. Visit our Online Parent Center and find the link entitled "Registration Adjustment Form".
We ask that you do this via email. Simply send an email to the camp office at TheWildernessCamp@gmail.com indicating that you would like to cancel the registration for your camper. Please be sure to provide your name, and the camper's name. This email must be sent from the email address that we have on file for you (the email address you provided at the time of registration).
Our refund policy allows for refunds if the cancelation is more then 30-days prior to the first day the camper is scheduled to arrive at camp. In which case a full refund will be issued, minus any bank or credit card fees that may have been deducted by the processing company (generally 3%).
These codes are issued by our office for very specific purposes (Example: scholarships, staff child discount, Pastor or Missionary child discount, group registrations, etc.). You will not find these codes by searching the internet for a discount code. Please contact our office if one of these situations may apply to you.
Yes. This is common amongst our teen programs. Simply register using the option "Multiple Programs". You can choose the "Weekend Care Program" option if your camper will be staying the entire time. Our staff will launder your camper's clothing over the weekend and make sure they are ready for the start of the next program on Monday. If you plan to pick your camper up on Saturday at the close of a program and bring them back to camp on Monday for the start of the next program, please do NOT select the "Weekend Care Program" option on the registration form.
Simply click the appropriate option on the registration form at the time you register your camper. A backpack will then be reserved for your camper. If you have already registered and did not do this, you can visit our Online Parent Center and click the link , "Registration Adjustment Form".
The Switchback20 program is a 20-day program. While we do offer other programs with different lengths of stay, we only offer a 20-day Switchback program.
No. The Switchback20 program is uniquely designed for teenage boys ages 12-16. However, we do offer 6-day character building programs that are for both boys and girls. Please see our list of programs for more information.
During the last phase of the program, campers will engage in a "group wilderness project". Often this will include the supervised use of a hatchet. Campers must turn in their hatchets to our staff at the time of check-in. Please note that sometimes these hatchets do not return in the same condition they arrived in. For this reason we recommend that campers do NOT bring hatchets that have a sentimental value (Example: Grandfather's family heirloom).
Both hatchets and pocket knives are generally permitted in "CHECKED BAGGAGE" ONLY. Fuel is prohibited. If your camper is flying to camp and isobutane fuel is on their "What To Bring List", you can visit our Online Parent Center and purchase fuel through our website. We will hold the fuel in the camper's name until they arrive.
Our "Online Parent Center" offers an opportunity for parents/guardians to send mail directly to campers via an online form. This mail is then processed by our office staff, printed, and provided to the camper.
Campers have limited opportunities to respond or communicate back home. On the first weekend, they are provided with pen and paper and encouraged to write home (this is optional and they are not required to do this). Their letters are then digitally scanned by our office staff and emailed to the address we have on file for the parent/guardian. On the second Sunday, they are offered the opportunity to have a 5-minute phone call home. These are the only planned times during the program that campers are able to communicate home. Exceptions are made for emergency situations.
Parents are always welcome to call or email our office at any time and speak with our staff about the wellbeing of their camper.
Most of this is largely based upon parenting methods. We trust that you as a parent know your son and how to best inform him. However, we have some suggestions that may help you in this effort.
The last 24 hours of the Switchback20 program is an amazing time for campers. They share their new goals and express the change that has been made as well as encourage each other to stick with their commitments. Campers prepare to face the reality that they are going to soon re-enter the environment where they will have to make daily choices to stand for Christ and live right. The program closes with a camper/parent picnic and award ceremony. This is a very fulfilling and exciting time for both parents and campers. We understand that not all parents will be able to attend. When possible, we highly encourage this time as a supportive reunion with your camper.