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Camp Activities
Camp Lifestyle
Activities @ Camp Pond to Pines
Look forward to fun and games all week long!
Free Play
Arts & Crafts
Swimming
Boating
Fishing
Fishing
Coming Soon!
Swimming
Coming Soon!
Arts & Crafts
Coming Soon!
Boating
Coming Soon!
Free Play
Structured activities help children develop their attention and understand rules, but they also need free play. The combination of unrestricted play and the outdoors has tons of benefits and at KEEN camp, we encourage it!
What is free play?
Free play means a child chooses for themselves what they play, with whom, with what objects, and how. In other words, our campers choose, create, and organize games according to their own preferences and fields of interest. They follow their own ideas without having a specific objective or result in mind.
What are the advantages of free play?
Free play fosters a child's overall development by building their self-confidence, their social skills, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking. It encourages them to feel confident in making independent choices and using teamwork to engage with their peers.
What does free play look like at KEEN camp?
We schedule in free play time every day at camp. This is typically anywhere from 30 mins to an hour after lunch that the campers can look forward to each day. Campers are provided with various toys, materials, and natural props to utilize in their own creations and games. KEEN staff remains observers and monitors of safety rather than facilitators (although we love when we're invited to play too)!
Activities @ Mountaineers Camp
Weeks packed with high adventure!
Backpacking
Camping
Canoe/Kayak/SUP
Whitewater Rafting
Swimming
Horseback Riding
Rock Climbing
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing and ziplining are two challenging, yet thrilling activities offered at some KEEN Mountaineers camps. Both activities are organized by professional guiding companies and are located in the Leavenworth, WA area.
Rock Climbing during KEEN Camps
"Climb On!" is a rick climbing command used in the top rope style of climbing practiced at Mountaineers Camp. This means that the climber, who is wearing a harness and helmet, is attached to one end of the climbing rope, the rope runs to the top of the rock wall, through an anchor, and back down to the belayer, who is also wearing a helmet and harness, who, through a belay system, takes in all the slack in the rope as the climber ascends. it is the belayer's job to keep the rope taut while the climber is ascending and to lower the climber down when they have completed the climb.
Ziplining during KEEN Camps
Ziplining refers to a tree-top course that is connected by cables that participants zoom down, while attached with a harness and other gear. We use the decline of the slope between tree platforms to accelerate down. Braking is built into the course and is done without the participant's aid. This high-flying adventure includes special challenges and games and some prizes!
Swimming
It wouldn't be summer camp without water fun and swimming! We have tons of opportunities throughout all of our adventure camps to beat the heat. Whenever swimming takes place, we have a certified KEEN lifeguard supervising the activity or we use staffed public facilities with lifeguards who supervise swimming.
Where do we swim during camps?
On a Mountaineers camp, we swim in whatever body of water we hear calling our name, whether it be a public pool, a lake, a stream, a river, or the ocean. Providing the weather is non-threatening and warm enough, or slow and without currents, we like to jump in whenever we get the chance.
When swimming in the ocean, KEEN lifeguards will define swimming boundaries such as depth limit and distance from shore. In landlocked alpine lakes, we will find a rocky or sandy beach and take the cold plunge!
canoe/kayak/sup
Coming Soon!
Horseback Riding
Coming Soon!
Backpacking
Hiking is the foundation of our adventure camps. During backpacking trips and day hiking excursions, our campers learn how to read a map, how to keep themselves warm and dry in inclement weather, put their teamwork skills to use, and become Leave No Trace (LNT) champions, leaving the wilderness better than they found it. Campers discover their inner strength, build physical stamina, and find their place within nature by traveling by foot into beautiful wilderness areas.
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What's the difference between backpacking and day hiking?
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Day hiking and backpacking are essentially the same: walking outdoors carrying what you need with you. The difference lies in the time spent engaging in the activity. Day hikes only last a few hours or one day, where you return home or to your established basecamp (see basecamping). Backpacking includes a minimum of one overnight, where you carry all of your camping supplies with you in a large backpack, typically several miles away from a road or trailhead.
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How much time is spent day hiking or backpacking at Mountaineers Camp?
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Day hiking is typically included in every Mountaineers camp and can be a short hike to a climbing crag or a full day to a backcountry lake. We carry a smaller backpack (like a school backpack) filled with water, snacks, rain gear, and flashlight (see gear lists for the 10 Essentials). We're usually home or back to camp before dark. Backpacking involves time packing up camp, several hours of hiking, setting up a new camp, and an evening enjoying the mountain scenery. Backpacking trips sometimes involve repeating this process over several days.
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How much camping, backpacking, or outdoor experience do I need?
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Many of our campers have never been backpacking before and many are new to mountain travel and adventure. No previous experience is needed! KEEN leaders will be teaching you everything you need to know. We teach or enhance skills in outdoor cooking, tent camping, backcountry hygiene, and Leave No trace. Check out our page on Camp Readiness to ensure your camper is prepared for a week away from home.
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How fit do I need to be to attend a Mountaineers Camp?
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First, choose a camp that includes the activities that you desire. Most camps can be rated moderate, meaning no outdoor experience is required, but an average level of fitness is preferred. Difficulty varies by camp and you are welcome to contact the camp director to see if your camper is a good fit for a specific program. Regardless of the trip, we hike/paddle at a pace all in the group can maintain and we stay together as a group. We also take frequent water and snack breaks throughout the day, including a larger lunch break. On backpacking trips, communal gear and food are split evenly between campers and staff so that no one is carrying more weight than is manageable.
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What is day hiking like at Mountaineers Camp?
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Day hiking is traveling on or off established trails with a smaller "day pack" with only the 10 Essentials (list can be found on the gear list page).
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A day hike means we leave and return from our basecamp, which is either an establish campground or our homes in Ellensburg (depending on the program). The length and time spent hiking depends on our goal of the day. Day hikes can include hiking on dirt trails, boardwalks, or small rock scrambles to lookouts.
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What is backpacking like at Mountaineers Camp?
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On backpacking trips, we fully immerse ourselves in nature, hiking several miles away from towns, roads, and civilization. We are self-supported, carrying all of our essentials on our backs (packing lists and recommended gear can be found here). Since we must carry all of our belongings, it is crucial for our gear to be as light as possible. A packed backpack will weigh 25-45 pounds, depending on your body size and ability. Total pack weight should not exceed 1/3 your body weight. Prior to venturing out on trail, we will "trim" certain items that are unnecessary, like tent bags, packaging, etc.
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Leaders will teach campers how to fit backpacks and how to properly put them on and take them off to avoid injury. We will teach them how to use all the features for maximum comfort and weight distribution, as well as how to pack for efficiency and comfort. If fitted properly,your shoulders should carry very little weight.
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Once on trail, a KEEN leader will hike at the front of the line, while the other brings up the rear. All throughout the day, leaders are monitoring the group for energy levels, blisters, dehydration, etc. Typical backpacking trips do not exceed 4-6 miles per day, depending on elevation and group ability.
Whitewater Rafting
Some of KEEN's Mountaineers Adventure Camps include a whitewater rafting experience. This tends to be one of the most anticipated activities of the week!
Rafting at Mountaineers Camp
All of our whitewater rafting trips are outfitted by Orion Rafting, a professional guide company out of Leavenworth, WA. After gearing us up with wet suits and shoes, lifejackets, and helmets, we'll board a bus and head to the launch site. A raft guide will give us a riverside safety talk and then we're off, paddling our way through beautiful scenery and through thrilling rapids. The guides will coach us through each rapid, telling us when to paddle and when to paddle harder for maximum thrills. There will be places to swim and float and epic water battles will commence!
What programs include whitewater rafting?
During day trip programs, Mountaineers will raft the exciting Wenatchee River with Class II-III rapids (Challenge Accepted & Cascade Trippers). If you want something longer, more challenging, and more thrilling, sign up for our 7-day Oregon adventure, where we spend 5 days on the Deschutes River, paddling and navigating some of the best whitewater in the state (Cascade Quest).
Camping
Many people are unfamiliar with the idea of an "adventure camp" and have not attended a sleepaway camp like this! Mountaineers Adventure Camp is step beyond traditional resident camps, like 4H or Scouts. But isn't quite as intense as a wilderness program like Outward Bound or NOLS.
Mountaineers Adventure Camp is a safe transition opportunity for teens who are new to adventure travel and a great experience for those who want to challenge themselves. We'll leave behind the cabins, dining halls, showerhouses, and creature comforts of traditional summer camp life in favor of the wild, rustic life in the mountains.
What is a tripping program?
Tripping programs involve traveling to new places, sometimes daily, to explore mountains, rivers, and beaches across the beautiful Pacific Northwest. In some programs, you will return home each night (Challenge Accepted, Cascade Trippers). In other programs, you will return to a campground basecamp each day to revel in the day's triumphs with your friends (Basecamp Explorers). And in some programs, you'll be gone all week, spending each day moving further and further into the unknown with your new best friends (Wilderness Wanderers, Cascade Quest).
Are we outside the entire week?
KEEN leaders teach campers who to become self-sufficient and how to safely live outdoors in nature. We live in tents, cook over camp stoves, practice Leave No Trace ethics, and learn who to properly layer clothing to stay warm and dry in every weather condition.
What kind of lodging do we use?
We sleep in 1-3 person backpacking tents. Tents are heavy pieces of gear. While we encourage everyone to bring their own tent, it is encouraged that campers buddy up to save on carrying the entire weight of their tent by themselves by splitting it with a new friend. Extra gear is stored in vehicles for the duration of the backcountry experience.
Where do we stay while on trips?
1. Frontcountry campsites: typically at larger campgrounds, these sites are pubic federal or state maintained locations that have potable water, bath houses, flushing toilets, and food storage options.
2. Dispersed campsites: typically located on BLM or Forest Service land, these have flat ground for tents and pit toilets, but do not have running water or other amenities.
3. Backcountry campsites: these sites are located miles from civilization and typically have a small, open pit toilet or no toilet at all (we dig catholes), no potable water (we filter our drinking water), and require more strict backcountry Leave No Trace methods to avoid disturbing the surrounding ecosystem.
Can I bring my cell phone with me?
KEEN leaders will often use their cell phones to check downloaded maps and trail beta to ensure direction, location, etc while in the backcountry or to contact people for assistance or information during a trip. While campers are permitted to bring their cell phones with them, we do encourage some ground rules during programming.
1. If parents/guardians require information/updates during programming, they are asked to reach out to staff rather than their camper. This ensures the correct information gets shared and limited cell service doesn't create false panic between kid and adult.
2. During the day, cell phones are to stay packed away or on airplane mode. They are amazing for taking photos and we encourage campers to make those memories. However, we are typically out of cell service range and keeping phones on airplane mode will ensure the battery last longer. Cell phones are permitted at night and audiobooks, music, or downloaded movies are great tent activities after "lights out". Remember to pack headphones so you don't disturb anyone else! A portable charger is recommended to ensure phone battery will last the entire week.
What kind of tasks can we anticipate at camp?
Campers share lots of tasks throughout the day/week, including but not limited to: setting up and packing up their tent, cooking communal meals, cleaning up and dishes after meals, fetching and filtering water, pumping up paddleboards, and more.
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