FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SIERRA NEVADA JOURNEYS Summer Camp
Q: What kind of lodging will my child be staying in at Summer Camp?
Grizzly Creek Ranch Campus offers modern facilities that are clean and comfortable. All cabins have bunk beds, a sleeping area for counselors, and a half-bath. Showers and additional restroom facilities are available in each cabin village. Cabin capacities vary from 12 to 26 occupants. Yurts and tents are also used to house teen summer campers. The yurts are elevated to provide a comfortable, yet rustic, lodging experience. Yurt accommodations offer each camper a cot and storage space for their personal belongings. We will notify yurt campers one week in advance of your session. Both of the two-yurt villages, feature picnic tables and log benches for socializing, and an easily accessible portable restroom. Indoor restrooms and showers are conveniently located in the nearby pool house.
Q: Can my child be placed in a bunk with their friends?
Cabins are assigned within a week of the camp date. You may request a bunk mate preference either at registration or through CampInTouch using the bunk request form. Please note that while we do our best to accommodate these requests, we cannot guarantee them. Campers are placed based on their age, gender and cabin availability.
Q: What meals are served? What if my child has dietary restrictions?
Grizzly Creek Ranch Campus has a spacious lodge where campers eat three daily meals. All summer campers eat together. Meals are served cafeteria style with an opportunity for campers to get seconds. Campers receive an afternoon and evening snack as well as a dessert with dinner. If your camper has food allergies or restrictions, please be sure to indicate those on the Health History Form. We make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs. During the “night under the stars” campout, the meals are not in the lodge.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A deposit of $150.00 is required to secure your reservations for Summer Camp 2019. Deposits are non-refundable. Cancellations posted prior to the summer camp payment deadline June 1, 2019 will receive a refund of all paid camp fees paid to date, minus the deposit amount. Payment is due in full by June 1, 2019; if your account is not paid in full by that date, your credit card on file will be charged or your reservation will be cancelled and you will lose your deposit. Partial refunds may apply to cancellations made after the payment deadline, but before the camp start date depending upon the circumstances involved, the proximity to the start date and at the judgment of Sierra Nevada Journeys. No refunds will be made for cancellations made within 72 hours of the camp start date. Cancellations made during camp are subject to a complete loss of fees dependent upon the reasons for leaving camp early and at the judgment of Sierra Nevada Journeys. No refunds for dismissals from camp resulting from behavior-related or criminal actions. Refunds are not available for loss of programming, changes to programming made to accommodate weather conditions, or for other factors outside our control. On or before June 1, 2019, you may transfer to another 2019 camp if a slot is available. At the end of your child’s summer camp session, please consider donating any unused Camp Store funds to Sierra Nevada Journeys’ financial aid program to help pay for children from low-income households to attend camp.
Q: Can I change my session after I have registered?
At any time you may transfer to another camp slot if available. Balance will be adjusted accordingly. Please contact our Summer & Specialty Camps Manager at snjcamps@sierranevadajourneys.org or by calling 530-832-1085.
Q: Do you have a payment plan?
Yes, we have a payment plan. Simply select this option during registration.
Q: What if my child needs to take medication?
We have systems in place to make sure each child gets the medication they need. No camper is permitted to keep medications of any kind on them or in thier cabin. EpiPens and inhalers are the ONLY exceptions. This includes prescription drugs and over-the-counter items such as Tylenol, Sudafed, or cough drops. All medications that are brought to camp will be given to the qualified camp health staff on drop-off day. All prescription and over-the counter medications need to be sent in the original bottle with the doctor’s name, dosage, and usage instructions on the bottle, if applicable. Please put all medication bottles to be used during camp in a clear zip-lock bag with your child’s name and instructions for administration on it. Qualified camp staff will dispense all necessary medications as needed. All medications will be returned to you when you pick up your child.
Q: I'm concerned about my child being homesick. What should I do?
The best advice we can give you in helping to prepare your children for time away from home is to BE POSITIVE! The more encouraging and engaging you can be with them before camp, the more ready they’ll be for camp. Don’t treat homesickness like an issue to be swept under the rug. Confront it directly, let campers know it is normal, but try not to dwell on it. Focus on the great opportunities they will have at camp. Do not promise the helicopter rescue, “try it for a few days and if you don’t like it, we’ll pick you up.” Your camper will then only focus on the day you agreed to pick them up on and not the fun to be had while at camp.
Even though we do not allow phone calls home, encourage your camper to keep in touch by writing letters or taking pictures that can be shared once they are home. It is also important to understand that many times parents have a greater issue related to homesickness and separation than their children.