Overnight Tent Camping at Alpengirl

Teen Adventure Travel Camp

Many people are new to the idea of a "teen adventure travel camp" and have never attended a camp like Alpengirl before.

Alpengirl is a step beyond a Scouting type camp and a step beyond close to home traditional residential camps, yet, not quite the step of something more advanced and wilderness based like Outward Bound or NOLS.

Alpengirl is a comfortable first step for campers who are new to teen adventure travel. Alpengirl is a great next step in adventure away from home for campers ready to challenge themselves, try new things, see new places and meet new people. At Alpengirl, you'll be leaving the usual summer camp cabins, camp nurses, flag ceremony and mass produced camp food behind.

Alpengirl is a confident step up in outdoor skills and leadership for returning campers.

Alpengirl is a teen trip and travel camp

A “Trip & Travel Camp” is a resident, overnight, sleep away camp program that operates without a permanent base, location, structure or facility.

Alpengirl groups travel in passenger vans sometimes with a trailer for gear and food storage. The van along with our gear is with us almost all the time at camp.

We travel as nomads in search of ADVENTURE!

We live outdoors and adapt to changing weather and conditions

We teach campers how to be self-sufficient and how to live outdoors with nature. We set up tents, cook on camp stoves, practice Leave No Trace camping and learn how to properly layer our clothing and adjust ourselves for changing weather and itineraries. 

We sleep in 4-person backpacking style tents

Campers share tents together and for the first half of camp, tent mates are assigned by camp staff. As a group, campers will decide after the first half of camp how the rotation of tent mates will change. If you are joining us with a friend, expect to share a tent with new friends during the first half of camp. Sleeping as a group under the stars on a tarp in good weather is also encouraged.

We use 3 types of campsites

Typically in a single camp session itinerary, we’ll use a combination of all three types of campsites listed here:

1. “Front country” campsites are public campgrounds where we have pre-assigned campsites with neighbors and campground hosts nearby, running potable water, and private outhouses or flushing toilets.

2. Privately owned land campsites typically means that the land owner acts as campground host and may visit with us and provides us with access to running potable water and private outhouses. 

3. “Backcountry” campsites are in wilderness or remote areas where we will purify our water before drinking and learn and practice basic Leave No Trace camping skills such as how to select a campsite and how to go to the bathroom and keep clean outdoors.

Alpengirl is a multi-adventure camp

We DO NOT backpack every day during camp. Almost all of our camp session itineraries do include backpacking because it sets a strong foundation how we travel outdoors and learn to support each other when things get challenging or out of our comfort zone. Typically we spend some days backpacking and other days are spent trying other adventure sports such as rafting, riding or climbing.

We lighten our load for backpacking

We DO NOT carry all of the packing list gear with us during our backpacking trips. We limit things that campers may carry in their backpacks while backpacking. Campers will be taught how to properly pack, adjust and carry their backpacks. Each person will carry personal clothing, personal snacks and a share of their tent and some group food. The weight of the pack varies greatly depending on size and ability of each person, some stronger and more fit campers will carry more weight than campers who are smaller or less fit. Backpacks are meant to be worn snug tight on the hip bones so that the weight is distributed on your skeletal structure (not on your shoulders) and balance is increased. If campers are still developing hips, we sometimes can create hips by tying their fleece jackets around their waist to give the pack something to hold onto and avoid overloading shoulders. Read more about backpacking and day hiking at Alpengirl.

Camper cell phone use is limited during camp

We often have the ability to use cell phones during camp and camp staff will need to use their cell phones for business purposes during camp, however, it is a camp rule that campers will not be using their cell phones during camp. The exceptions are when campers call home upon flight arrival, campers call home prior to flight departure and campers call home on the day before camp ends on most sessions. We do encourage campers flying to camp to travel with a cell phone and charger.

We practice Leave No Trace camping skills

We’ll gain a sense of stewardship by connecting with the natural world on the road less traveled while at camp together. Leave No Trace (LNT) outdoor camping skill basics that minimize the impact on our natural environment are taught right from the beginning on all Alpengirl trips. On our very first day of camp, campers will be introduced to LNT skills and Alpenguides will continue to teach and enforce these travel and camping guidelines throughout camp. The LNT basics are:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors.

"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt...we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." ~ President Lyndon B. Johnson, upon signing the Wilderness Act, 1964

A typical day at Alpengirl

6:30 LOD (Leader Of The Day, a camper) wakes up for hot beverages with the Alpenguides to review the upcoming days events.

7:00 Campers wake, use bathroom, brush teeth, fill water bottle.

7:10 Yoga with relaxation for about 20 minutes.

7:30 - 8:00 The group goes over the days' events with LOD, the group gets ready for the day.

8:00 Breakfast is served.

9:00 Group ready to depart for adventure activity.

10:00-4:00 or 5:00 p.m. Adventure!

6:00 Dinner is made by cook group and guides, sometimes starting with appetizers to feed the group quickly while cooking is underway.

9:15 p.m. is a time for reflection or group games. By 9:15 the group should be ready for bed with all gear stowed and tents ready for sleeping.

10:00 Reading, writing and talking in tents.

10:30 Lights out and no more laughing and whispering and general silliness, the Alpenguides are worn-out and we have a full day of more fun tomorrow.

Campers assist in all aspects of camp living

Campers mix and mingle throughout every day at camp and we all share responsibility for group chores such as gathering water, doing dishes, cleaning up and cooking. At the beginning of camp, girls are assigned to work groups: cook, dish, general clean-up, water. There are usually 3-4 campers in a group and the group stays the same throughout camp, but, rotates to a different chore each day at camp.