COVID-proof programs
Our intent is to provide a safe and COVID free sleep away camp, one that you can plan for, depend on, and will not be cancelled. At times you may feel these practices to be overly cautious and that’s ok, that’s the point of calling it COVID-proof! We know that we are all in this together and we all must act responsibly in order to protect ourselves and our surrounding communities. But we also recognize that now more than ever we need to provide a safe and adventurous way for people to gather – we need camp!
We will be following current CDC guidelines and American Camp Association recommendations for best practices for implementation of CDC guidance.
Outside: At the heart of our camps are nature, adventure, and being outdoors. Our guarantee is as much time spent outdoors as humanly possible. This means that regardless of the elements we will be prepared to be outside. Our high school groups are likely to spend the entire week outdoors! – Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an expert to participate, our knowledgeable instructors will help to get you there!
Small Groups will be maintained for the length of the camp. Campers will have very limited exposure to individuals outside of their group.
Lodging options are subject to change, but may include a private dorm room, shared cohort room, group tent outdoors, personal private tent outdoors, or an open air tarp outdoors. Pillows will not be provided and if staying indoors should be brought from home. There will be a mandatory two day rest period in between guests using the dorms.
Shared van transport: We intend to run our camps in their advertised locations, accommodations may involve shifting drop off and/or pick up locations to trail heads, rather than a location that requires group shuttling. If group shuttling is required for any reason, it will be purposeful and a limited distance, face masks will be required at all times, and windows will be kept open to increase ventilation.
Food: Serving surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized before and after use. Individual serving portion items will be utilized to reduce the amount of shared food. Food will always be served by adults.
Face Masks will be required at all times in indoor/contained spaces (other than when sleeping). Masks are not required when participants are outdoors and can ensure a safe distance of 3 feet between other participants, this includes meal times. If participants cannot adequately maintain the proper spacing without masks on then masks will be required. If ever in doubt we will mandate mask wearing.
Hygiene: Each participant will carry a personal bottle of hand sanitizer for use when hand washing is not available. Shared surfaces will be sanitized regularly and avoided altogether whenever possible. Outdoor hand washing stations will be available around campus.
Socially distant spacing will be adhered to when eating and whenever else possible.
Increased sanitation procedures in all indoor spaces and bathrooms.
Borrowed gear will be cleaned and sanitized after each use and will have a mandatory rest (buffer) period of at least two days before going back into service.
Vaccinations are not required, but out of an abundance of caution are strongly encouraged. Experience Learning field staff are fully vaccinated, including the booster. There will be a question on the medical release asking whether your camper is vaccinated. This is for contact tracing purposes only.
Staff will follow all the same guidelines as campers. If a staff has tested positive or if they think they have been exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19 they will be removed from the program for the necessary quarantine period.
Staff will not be allowed to return to work until the following have been met:
- At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and
- At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
Note:
Staff who are not severely immunocompromised and were asymptomatic throughout their infection may return to work when at least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive viral diagnostic test.