General Questions
What technology are campers allowed to bring and use?
Watches are fine, but besides that we will collect cellphones, ipods, etc. at check-in, and return them at pickup. Please leave technology at home for your camp week.
How often can campers communicate with their parents? How about sending mail or packages to campers?
Phone calls home are things we try to avoid at all costs to allow campers to really have “their” experience during the week. Some exceptions to this would be family emergencies and birthdays. All phone calls in or out are done via our main phone line. If mailing packages please do not include food or candy.
What is your philosophy around special needs and what accommodations are possible?
We are very open to working with campers who have special needs, and have had great learning experiences for students and staff alike. As each camper is an individual, we ask for communication with families in advance of registration in our programs to ensure that we are able to provide a great experience for your child at our camps. Currently the dining hall is the only wheelchair accessible building on site due to our mountain side campus. Please note that our facility is not gluten or nut free due to our open air kitchen, but we do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Homesickness
Some kids feel overwhelmed and homesick at first. This phase can be very taxing for parents, especially if your child is sending letters to you sounding miserable. We have found over the years that if you want your child to get through this phase it is best to set a steady, consistent, and firm course when communicating with them. What seems to work best is to lovingly assure your child that they can make it and that “this too shall pass.” It is also helpful to set reasonable goals and follow through on them. (For example: “We will talk again next week after you have been through a few more days. I’ll be here.”). 99% of the time homesickness passes and the growth opportunity really sets in. We never send campers home for reasons related to homesickness and please remember departures due to homesickness are not refunded.
Click here for more on Assessing Summer Adventure Camp Readiness*
Diversity and Equity at Camp W
We are always on a learning journey regarding our role in raising awareness and implementing best practices regarding equity, diversity and inclusion. Challenges that arise at our programs and in our organization will be resolved to the best of our ability; we are committed to providing a responsive environment. We cannot promise to do this perfectly, but we are willing to engage and always continue learning.
We believe that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
We value respect for the whole human family in its wide diversity. This includes the uniqueness we bring into community as influenced by our nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, spirituality, sexual orientation, body shape or size, economic status, or physical ability. As we move towards widening the circle of accessibility in nature connection, we recognize that at this time, our programs do not accommodate all physical, emotional or cognitive needs.
Please note that equity and diversity topics will be addressed at our programs by instructors and directors as needed. Some possible examples:
Program Agreements that emphasize treating people well in terms of our differences
Developmentally-appropriate response to racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, etc. with individuals or groups as needed
Normalize appropriate exploration and natural curiosity around these topics
Ecosystems, including humans, require diversity to thrive. We find that people learn best in environments where they have a sense of healthy safety and belonging.
How do you divide groups in summer camp?
Campers are placed in cabins on “Pondside” or “Hillside” which each focus on masculine or feminine energies. Both sides are gender inclusive, and a campers placement is determined by what the camper and their family feel is the best fit for them. Upon registration, parents/guardians will provide information that will be used to make living unit placements. Campers are placed in cabins with other campers of a similar age. We honor and respect all human beings, and strive to create a culture of inclusivity where that is felt here at camp.
Students are placed into small cabin groups with 2-3 instructors. If you requested that your child be placed with a friend at registration, we do our best to honor that request and sometimes we are not able to meet every request. Requests for students of significantly different ages to be grouped together will not be accommodated. We like to keep our groups small so that the projects and activities can be tailored to meet the groups' needs, interests, and abilities.
Wilderness Mentoring and Nature Connection
We call our natural flow style of teaching “Wilderness Mentoring.” Our goal is not only to teach kids about nature but more importantly to help them develop deeper connection to nature, their friends, and themselves while having wild fun outside.
Who are the instructors and what kind of training do they have?
Our instructors are seasoned outdoor educators, school teachers, and grandparents who encourage each students’ respect for self, others and nature. We have First Aid and CPR certified, seasoned wilderness professionals, adventure guides, teachers, camp alumni, and look forward to being at overnight camps!
Click to READ ABOUT OUR STAFF
Health and Safety
Our Commitment to Safety
We are committed to your child’s safety while enrolled in our camp programs. Each of our new and returning employees is required to personally participate in pre-camp training sessions covering a broad range of topics, including safety protocols and policies.
We know that policies and training alone are insufficient. To keep your camper safe, Camp W also:
Has an emergency and medical response plan in place that is specific to each location
Ensures that the Summer Program Director is a certified Wilderness First Responder
Ensures that every summer Camp Director AND all instructors are CPR and Wilderness First Aid certified
Requires Criminal Background Checks for ALL staff and volunteers
Requires Sexual Offender Background Checks for ALL staff
Requests and checks both personal AND professional references for ALL staff
Medications?
We have fully trained medical professionals on-site and on-call MD at all times, an infirmary available as needed. In addition, all lead instructors have Vermont state required medical certifications.
If a camper has a medication, it will be checked-in and kept in the infirmary, being administered as needed. For exceptions such as epi-pens or if we will be away from our infirmary, instructors for each group will carry medications. In case of emergency, there is a hospital within 15 minutes from camp.
What is the size of the camp? What are the staff-to-student ratios?
Our overnight camps are designed for a group of 80 campers each week, but our facility capacity is 2 times this. Our staff to student ratio is typically 1:4 with a complete full-time staff, seasonal staff, and volunteers who offer additional instructor support. This leaves us with lots of potential for individual attention and plenty of space for each camper to roam over our 200+ acres.
What is the plan during adverse weather?
We love being outside, but in times of truly adverse weather we have a lodge, cabins and emergency vehicles ready.
Is swimming allowed?
Swimming is permitted at our camps pool. Campers will also have a chance to get wet to cool down in nearby streams & our trout pond as they climb, slide, and launch themselves off our “iceberg” during hot days, when canoeing, or in our Watersports program.
Swim Test Policy:
Only campers who can prove they have the ability to swim safely in the deep end of the pool will be allowed to swim in the deep end. All other campers will be restricted to only swimming in the shallow end of the pool. There are two ways campers will be allowed to swim in the deep end of the pool:
1.) Bring proof of their current swim level to camp from approved outside vendors.
2.) Campers will need to take and pass a swim test at camp. The test will consist of the camper’s ability to complete all of the following requirements:
Jump into the deep end of the pool
Swim 1 full lap of the pool
Tread water for 2 full minutes
Food and Lodging
What are the accommodations for bathrooms and showers?
Bathrooms are composting toilets that utilize a state of the art urine diversion system designed by our friends at the “Rich Earth Institute” with regular sinks for hand washing and showers are available on campus, and when we journey further away we will teach safe procedures for using nature bathrooms or “FacilaTREEs” utilizing Leave No Trace methods.
Where do campers sleep?
Campers will sleep in Adirondack cabins, tents, under tarps or in primitive-built shelters as we build them. Sleeping groups will be separated by gender identity with instructors nearby at all times.
What dietary restrictions will you accommodate? Can campers bring their own food?
Our menus are vegetarian and will accommodate many different dietary needs. Pre-documented, pre-existing health conditions that are noted on the Health Form we will do our best to accommodate.
Day campers should bring their own food, water, and snacks each day. Food brought by overnight campers will be confiscated due to the danger of attracting hungry wildlife to our primitive campsites in the backcountry. Due to our open air kitchen and backcountry cooking environment we are not able to be 100% nut or gluten free, but do our best to accommodate all needs.
What will meals be like?
Food at camp will be nutritious, tasty, and using local ingredients whenever possible. We have a professional chef on-site with a Masters Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics! Our amazing kitchen staff prepare group sit-down meals, on-the-go meals for in the field on days we venture further from camp, and also meals that involve campers so they can learn methods of both indoor & outdoor cooking. We eat 3 main meals and offer 2/3 snacks depending on the day. Overnight campers aren’t able to bring their own food.
Registration Details
What scholarships are available?
All our scholarships are generated from the sliding scale-fees of our programs and private donations. So, anyone who pays over the minimum fee for a program is making a donation to our scholarship fund. We also have scholarships available to apply for each summer through gifts from Southern Vermont Solar and Ashcraft Family Trust, and Brandon Houlihan Memorial Fund.
We approve scholarships in the order that we receive the requests.
What is your cancellation and refund policy?
Typically, we do not cancel programs due to inclement weather; however, we reserve the right to do so if roads are closed due to hazardous conditions. Program fees for individual programs that are canceled due to inclement weather will not be refunded. Camp W will not refund tuition when a camper has to be sent home for anything other then a severe medical emergency. If you are canceling an enrollment for any reason our refund policy is as follows:
Should you choose to cancel an enrollment for any reason, our refund policy is as follows:
1. If you cancel 60 or more days prior to the program starting date, you are entitled to a full refund, minus the deposit of not more than $200.
2. If you cancel between 59 and 30 days prior to the program starting date, Camp W will retain half the program tuition in addition to the deposit
3. If you cancel fewer than 30 days prior to the program starting date or after the program has begun, there will be no refunds.
**No refunds will be given for homesickness related withdraws.
***Over half of our total expenses for the year are spent prior to any on-site programming, and are covered entirely by tuition, which includes the $200 non-refundable deposit.
Immunization Policy
In order to attend camp, all campers must fill out the immunization section of the online health form or complete and mail to Camp W the Vermont Department Health Medical or Religious Exemption Form EVERY YEAR. Camp W does not accept Philosophical Exemptions.
Visit the State of Vermont Department of Health website for their Religious Exemption form:
Travel and Logistics
What are the logistics for drop off and pickup days?
For our Sunday start-of-camp we ask that you arrive between 1:30am and 3:00pm depending on your drive time that morning. For Saturday pickup, we ask that you arrive between 10:00am-12:00pm. Weekend Programs are 9am Saturday – Noon on Sunday and school year programs are 9-3pm or 4pm. Day camp is 9-4pm with early and late care options.
Getting to Camp: What travel options are available?
We don't currently offer regular shuttles for campers, but there is a passenger train that stops in downtown Brattleboro as well as a major bus lines. We can pick up your camper for a fee as outlined in our Family Manual. Please email us if you have questions about getting campers to Camp W.
If you are a first time visitor to our camp or just need a friendly reminder how to get to Camp W then use the directions below based on which direction you will be coming from to find us.
FROM I-91 NORTH
Head north on I-91 N toward Exit 2 0.3 mi
Take exit 2 for VT-9 W toward Brattleboro/Bennington 0.2 mi
Continue straight 0.2 mi
Turn right at Western Ave (signs for Vermont 9 W) 1.3 mi
Turn left at Greenleaf St 0.7 mi
Slight left at Hinesburg Rd 0.7 mi
Take the 2nd left to stay on Hinesburg Rd 1.8 mi
Turn right at Melchen Rd 0.8 mi
Take the 1st left onto Waubanong Rd 0.3 mi
FROM I-91 SOUTH
Head south on I-91 S toward Exit 2
ake exit 2 for VT-9 W toward Brattleboro/Bennington
Continue straight 0.2 mi
Turn right at Western Ave (signs for Vermont 9 W) 1.3 mi
Turn left at Greenleaf St 0.7 mi
Slight left at Hinesburg Rd 0.7 mi
Take the 2nd left to stay on Hinesburg Rd 1.8 mi
Turn right at Melchen Rd 0 .8 mi
Take the 1st left onto Waubanong Rd 0.3 mi
FROM TROY NEW YORK
*AVOID directions that attempt to bring you via Barrows Rd as its not a through road*
Head east on NY-7 E toward John Snyder Rd 16.1 mi
Turn right at NY-7 E/Mapletown Rd 0.9 mi
Continue onto VT-9 E/W Rd 3.4 mi
Slight left at W Main St 2.5 mi
Continue onto VT-9 E/Molly Stark Trail/Woodford Rd 36.0 mi
Turn right at Greenleaf St 0.7 mi
Slight left at Hinesburg Rd 0.7 mi
Take the 2nd left to stay on Hinesburg Rd 1.8 mi
Turn right at Melchen Rd 0.8 mi
Take the 1st left onto Waubanog Rd