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ØØ     Are the trips co-ed? YES

ØØ     What’s the minimum number of campers? 4

ØØ     What’s the maximum number of campers? 10

ØØ      How old are the campers on the trips? 12-17 for the one week backpacking, climbing and two week split sessions.  Our longer and more challenging trips tend to attract older campers, we do our best to group campers of similar ages together, and will work with you in finding a trip with an appropriate age group. 

ØØ      Who will be leading the trips? All trips will be led by two counselors with extensive experience in backpacking and outdoor living skills, and at least one will be certified in wilderness first aid (WFR). Female guides will be present on trips with female campers and male guides on trips with male campers (or a combo as needed).  Our trip staff undergo Camp Augusta’s full 25 day training program in addition to wilderness specific training. 

ØØ      Can my camper do both a wilderness trip and attend a regular session of camp? YES.  Consider our trips

Sessions 1 and 2 combination trip – Camp Augusta Session, Backpacking, and Canoeing.  Sessions 5 and 6 combination trip – Camp Augusta Session and Backpacking at Grouse Ridge
If these do not fit your schedule you can certainly register for a regular session and for a wilderness trip.

ØØ     When will we know if the trips will run? Early to Mid February or as soon as we have a minimum of campers to run with a registration form and deposit here at camp.    

ØØ    What if my camper is the only one of their age/gender on the trip? There will be support from a staff member guide of the same gender on all trips that have mixed genders.

ØØ     How will they get food or water? 11 days is a long time – will they be able to pack that much food in?

• Packing for a backpacking trip is an art and our guides are very skilled. Weight is distributed according
• to the size and ability of each camper. There will be ample food brought along, and equipment for filtering and purifying water. For the 11-day hike, there will be a food drop. The packs will be 40-50 lbs a piece, and the guides will be prepared to take on extra weight in the event of injury or illness.

ØØ  What are they going to do in the evenings?  The magic of the Augustan spirit will be alive at nights as well. In addition to making camp and prepping food (both large endeavors), there will also be Evening Embers style chats and games. Camper engagement is a high priority, and boredom will have no seat at the table.

ØØ      Will they be bringing stoves to cook on? Sometimes. Camp stoves are light, efficient and use only small amounts of natural gas fuel. However, when campfires are allowed in certain areas, they are preferred for cooking and activities. Throughout the hikes, campers and counselors alike will be applying Leave No Trace principles.

ØØ      Where will they be sleeping at night while they’re camping? The groups will mostly sleep under the stars.  For the unlikely case of rain, a tarp will be brought along to create shelter. Boys and girls will sleep in different areas of the camp to help ensure privacy.  On coastal trips rain may be more likely, and heavier tents and tarps will be used.

ØØ      How far away will the campers be from emergency care? Although distance from professional medical care will depend on the trip location and on the stage of the trip, at least one counselor leading the trips will be certified as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and thus has been trained to provide medical care and make evacuation decisions in the wilderness. The wilderness staff will carry a satellite phone to consult with the camp nurse or to use in the unlikely event of an emergency.

ØØ      Do the campers need to provide their own backpacks? What about biking, climbing gear? No, we will provide the campers with backpacks, bikes and any other equipment that is necessary for a specific trip. If a camper has his/her own equipment, however, they are certainly welcome to use it.

• **Note all personal equipment will be inspected by a Camp Augusta trip leader for approval prior to the trip to ensure quality and safety

ØØ      How much will all the equipment they need to purchase for the trip cost approximately? The main costs are for clothing, a few pairs of hiking socks, a strong fitted pair of hiking boots, and 2 water bottles. Most campers will already have some of this. If you need help finding good boots, we can recommend places and brands. Remember to start wearing them EARLY to break them in!! On average, we expect that a family would likely need to spend approximately $200 to ensure that the camper has adequate footwear and clothing (if the above mentioned equipment is not already owned). Consult the Wilderness Trips Packing List for more info.

ØØ      My camper needs medications; who will be responsible for those? During the “at camp” portion of the trip, the nurse will administer the medication. During the “wilderness” portion, the trip leader with a WFR certification will administer all medications.

ØØ      What kind of food will they be eating? Is it balanced nutritionally? Most definitely. Our trip menus  will follow the guidelines of the National Outdoor Leadership School including pasta, grains, oats, legumes, etc. It will be planned in advanced and prepared by the campers and counselors conjunctively during the trip.

ØØ     What kind of planned activities are involved with the trip? It depends upon the trip. All trips involve some indent hiking, most will include optional swimming at some point. Team endeavors to orienteer and read maps, setup and take-down camp, and cook together are also included. Evening.  Embers will happen in the evenings. The days will be packed!

ØØ      What types of outdoor skills will my camper be learning? Map and compass skills, shelter creation, outdoor cooking, Leave No Trace practices, safe waste disposal, meal planning and packing, and more.

ØØ      What kind of training has the trip leader had in this type of activity? Trip leaders carry a range of certifications depending on which trips they are leading. Climbing guides carry an AMG (American Mountain Guide) certificate and others may carry a WFR (Wilderness First Responder). All of our leaders are experienced, seasoned backpackers with many years of trips under their belts. If you would like more information regarding specific trip leaders please feel free to contact us here at Augusta to find out more.

ØØ      If my camper is homesick, do they have the option of returning to camp? Overcoming adversity is one of the many benefits of spending time in the backcountry, and one of the primary roles of the counselors is to provide mental, emotional and physical support for the campers. As returning to camp mid-trip would affect all campers and staff involved, this option is available only in the case of a serious injury, serious illness and severe weather conditions.

ØØ     What if something happens in the family, how will you contact my child if they need to know something? The trip leaders will have a daily check-in with the camp office via satellite phone. If it is a very serious issue that your camper MUST know about, the trip leaders can be notified this way.

ØØ      In what circumstances would a trip be canceled or end early? (i.e. drop outs/weather) Enrollment drops to less than 4 campers, extreme weather conditions (heat, cold, rain), serious injury and/or illness.

ØØ      My camper wants to know how they will be able to use the bathroom? Little business is easy and can happen anywhere there is cover enough to make a camper feel comfortable. Big business involves a hike, a shovel, and some toilet paper.

ØØ      Will my camper get snacks? How will food be stored to be safe from wildlife? Healthy snacks are an integral part of health and energy management, and will be a daily staple. Storage during the night involves bear-proof containers that are hung from trees to be inaccessible and far away from where campers and staff are sleeping.

ØØ     Can my camper still take the bus to camp? Yes.

ØØ      What about Lazy Dog? Does my camper still need store money? Only if they are planning to do a split session trip and will be attending regular camp for part of their experience. Lazy Dog will not be available on the trips due to obvious logistical problems. If this is a problem for your camper, we can happily provide information on how to get in touch with Lazy Dog in order to acquire one another time.

ØØ      How will rock climbing gear be transported? Gear is high efficiency and leaders are experts in packing only exactly what is needed. Ropes and anchoring gear will be packed in backpacks along with everything else.

ØØ     What if a camper is misbehaving?  What’s the process there?  Do they have to stay with the group for the rest of the trip? Behavior management is one of our many specialties---all standard success counseling methods will be in effect via the standard training that all of our staff receive.

ØØ      Since this is co-ed, where will my camper change clothes? Privacy can be created via tarp shelters or by seeking it in the woods. Respect for this privacy is a core value of team functionality on trips like these. Boys and girls will sleep in different areas of the same campsite.

ØØ     What happens if a camper is hurt or sick (e.g. sprained ankle or the flu) and can’t continue?  How does that affect that camper and how does it affect the rest of the backpacking campers? WFR includes extensive training in how to respond to minor injuries or illnesses such as these. For serious complications, the group has a satellite phone and back up plans for early return can be implemented.

ØØ     Will I be able to get updates on how they’re doing? Can I send mail with the counselor so that my child has mail to read throughout the trip? Leaders will check in at arranged times on the trip. If you would like info to be passed along to yourself, you may contact camp during the session and our office staff would be happy to provide you with the most recent update. However, we encourage you to treat contact with your camper the same way you would if they were attending regular summer camp. Forwarding of handwritten letters to the trip leader ahead of time to be distributed to the campers during the trip is a fantastic way to make your campers feel supported.

ØØ     My camper has specific food requirements (gluten free, allergies, vegan, vegetarian, etc.).  Will this be a problem on the trips? With advanced notification, we can easily make reasonable accommodations for this just as we would at regular camp.

ØØ      My child is a picky eater. Will this be a problem? Campers without legitimate personal or medical dietary constraints MUST be able to eat a regular and varied diet. If this is a serious problem, then participating in the trips may be something to reconsider and discuss with your camper.

ØØ     At camp there is a lot of choice about which activities you want to do. Will backpacking campers be forced to do activities that they don’t want to? Will they be forced to write in a journal, for example? It is far outside the realm of the Augustan philosophy to force any camper into an activity that they are aversive to. However, we do use our best skills to encourage, scaffold, support and facilitate participation in activities when we believe there is something worthwhile for the camper to gain.

ØØ     Will the kids ever be on their own?  Even to gather wood?  Should I be concerned about my teen attending with a boy/girl that s/he likes? We feel a high level of supervision is integral to maximize

• safety and fun during the trip. The “rule of three” used at Camp Augusta will be in effect—meaning that in the few non-bathroom related instances when campers are out of visual contact with the counselors
• (possibly gathering wood or water, for example) campers must be in a group of three. Campers will be required to wear an emergency whistle and to let staff know where they are at all times.  On some trips
• there will be the option of a short solo (time alone, staying in one place, for a few hours). This time for self-reflection is completely optional. Campers on solo will never be further than a 5 minute walk from
• staff and will be frequently visited by staff to ensure safety. For the rest of the trip, campers will never be away from staff for more than 10 minutes, and they will be required to let staff know where they are at
• all times. If any of this is a concern, please feel free to call or email us and we’d be happy to talk with you about our safety and supervision procedures.

ØØ      What kind of insurance does Camp Augusta have for these trips? Medical, emergency rescue and accident insurance are standard.

ØØ      Will the counselor(s) have experience working with teens? Yes, at the same level that all of our trained counselors have.

ØØ     What if my camper is recovering from an illness the week before?  Normally at camp, they could attend once the doctor says they are ok, so they could arrive a day or two late.  Is this possible with the wilderness trips?  If not, can I send them to the regular camp session instead and pay the difference? If in the event that a unique circumstance such as this unfolds, we will discuss the best options with you personally and decide on the best course of action together. Adjustments can sometimes be made, but will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

ØØ     Can I get tuition insurance for wilderness trips as well? Yes.

ØØ      Will my camper receive a wood cookie? The trips will involve a different kind of personal recognition for campers, which will be revealed while they are on the trip.

ØØ     Does this count as a year towards their 5 year box? Yes.

ØØ      What is the notification and evacuation plan should they be in a region with a forest fire? If the region was in the midst of a forest fire, then the trip would not run. If a fire broke out while the trip was already active, then the leaders would be notified via their satellite phone and would revert to a planned, alternate exit route and evacuate as soon as possible.

ØØ      Will park rangers and/or search and rescue be notified that kids are on a trip? The Forest Service will be aware of our trip and itinerary and have our contact information in case of an emergency.

ØØ      Will they be able to swim? Campers wanting to swim during the trip must receive a “level 3” rating on the swim assessment. A lifeguard certified staff will be need to be present for all swimming activities. Because most of our wilderness staff have this certification, swimming will usually be available on each wilderness trip.  Expect cold water, though!

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information or discuss any concerns you may have! We can be reached at wildernesstrips@campaugusta.org or by phone, at 530-265-3702.