We are grateful for the time and energy you have invested in getting to know kids, and we look forward to hosting you this summer. As you prepare for your trip, please use the links below to access necessary summer trip documents. More links and information will be added as we approach next summer, so stay tuned and please visit this page often.
If you have any further questions, please give us a call (719-867-3622) or drop us an email (wilderness@wilderness.younglife.org). We look forward to hosting you this summer!
Summer 2024
- Wilderness Ranch will be running 9 weeks of adventure camp trips and backpacking trips in 2024. See dates and trip prices on our website!
- Content on either adventure camp trips or backpacking trips can be fully developed and delivered by our guides, by your trip leaders, or some combination of the two.
- Club and lunch are on the schedule for arrival and departure days!
- 2 leaders are required for every trip with more than 7 people for both backpacking and adventure camp trips.
- If a camper requires evacuation back to camp or further medical attention, one leader will come off with the camper, regardless of how many leaders are on the trip.
- Have a point person set up at home to help with logistics if a camper or leader needs to be taken off trail and travel home separately due to COVID.
- YL Connect Camp can be used for registration, payments and trip management tools. A standard registration template has already been added to your YL Connect account and is ready to be customized for your trip.
Required Documents
- YL Connect Camp is required for summer 2024. The YLCC Arrival Form replaces the registration packet/A form excel document. Training materials on YL Connect Camp are available through Learning Guides as well as a Quick Guide with videos. The Arrival Form specific information can be found here.
- Health, Consent, and Release Form (YL6007)
- Health Form Travel Paperwork
- 25-Day Action Form
- 10-Day Action Form
- 24-Hour Call In. Your guides will call you the morning before your arrival to introduce themselves, pray for you and your friends, and touch base with you on a few things!
- New! Parent/Guardian Guide to Wilderness Ranch - we're asking ALL parents please read and sign.
- Leader Screenings
- Summer Camp Leader Orientation (2024 version!)
- Wilderness Ranch specific Trip Leader Orientation Video (2024 version!)
- Noah' Ark Rafting Waiver (for adventure camp trips only)
Additional Resources
- Permission to Leave Camp Early
- CampRes System
- Electronics at Camp
- Controlled Substance Policy: As a reminder, use, possession or distribution of illegal and non-medical authorized drugs and/or alcohol is not allowed on camp property or in connection with any Young Life event. Young Life can send individuals home from camp or an event at their own expense and without refund for violating this policy. Young Life may also report violations of this policy to law enforcement as well as to a minor’s parent or guardian. Refer to policy AS-802 for more information.”
2024 Trip Leader Content
- WR Content Outlines Content outlines trip leaders may choose to use during the week of adventure.
Trip Preparation
Arrival & Departure
- Care for participants at camp starts with who gets on the bus/van. It is very important to ensure that everyone on the trip has completed the Young Life Health Screening before getting on the bus to camp.
- Backpacking and adventure camp trip arrival will be from 8-9am Day 1.
- On the morning of your arrival, please call the camp office (719-658-2288) from the town of Creede or Lake City, depending on which direction you're traveling. After proceeding from Creede or Lake City to camp, your trip will be met and held at the fork to FS Road 521 (about 1.7miles from camp) until cleared to go into camp for Welcome.
- Backpacking and adventure camp trips will depart basecamp on Day 6 between 2-3pm.
- Wilderness Ranch HIGHLY RECOMMENDS your trip spend the night somewhere near camp the night before arrival to help everyone better acclimate to the altitude and reduce the risk of altitude sickness incidents.
- There are a number of hotel/lodging options in Alamosa, CO (2 hours from camp) and a few in South Fork, CO (1 hour from camp).
- SETTLE UP: As soon as trips arrive at Wilderness Ranch on Day 1, we need the trip responsibile party to come to the office for financial settle up and turn in health forms, medications, and phones/ smart devices. The quicker we get this done, the quicker the leader can rejoin the group and continue getting ready for the week on adventure.
Leader Application
Make sure you have a YL Volunteer Application on file for every leader, that they have been background checked, and are current in Staff Resources. Not only is this required by Young Life to operate your area, Trip Leaders will also be required to sign off on the following affidavit on their A-Form: "I certify under penalty of perjury that the volunteer leaders and staff listed on the left are included in YL's Staff and Volunteer Roster, and as such, each of those leaders have submitted an application, obtained three or more references, submitted to background checks as required by YL, reviewed and executed Young Life's Statement of Faith, and have received training on child protection and safety as well as training on required mandatory reporting situations. I further certify that I have their YL Applications and related documents on file in our local Area."
In case you need it, HERE is the Young Life Application. Thank you in advance for complying with Young Life HR policies, which in turn meet the CO Childcare requirements. If you are not familiar with YL's Screening Compliance Policy and Process, please start HERE. If you have leaders who need to be re-screened or updated, start HERE.
Camper Medications
Think ahead about camper medications. ALL medications (including over-the-counter meds) must be collected during arrival to Wilderness Ranch and can only be dispensed by our guides, who are Med Admin certified. To help streamline the medication process, here are some thoughts for you to share with campers and their parents:
- Leave medications at home if at all possible. Our guides will have med kits with some over-the-counter medications.
- Bring only prescription medications that the camper needs and will take. These MUST include doctors notes and prescriptions AND be in original RX bottle.
- We strongly recommend collection of all medications at the time of departure.
Health Forms
A sufficiently complete YL Health form is required at Wilderness Ranch for all campers and leaders. Wilderness Ranch operates outside of the Colorado Physician's Signature waiver.
- All campers under the age of 18 need a physician's signature on their health form
- OR any participant (camper or leader) regardless of age with any pre-existing conditions need a physician's signature on their health form.
Please make sure the doctor signs the Physician Signature Form printed from the online application, then faxes the document to the number provided on the form. If using the PDF/paper health form, a printed form must be taken to the doctor's office for them to sign in the Health Care Recommendations box. Attached sports physicals do not suffice.
HEALTH FORM TIPS:
- Please remember you need a printed copy of the Travel Short Form or an extra copy of paper health forms for travel to AND from camp.
- Guests arriving without physician-signed health forms will need to stop at a clinic on your way to camp to be seen by a physician, and will create significant delays and logistical problems in getting your trip off to a good start.
