Camper Health & Wilderness First Aid

Campers are required to be healthy upon arrival to camp. They must arrive at camp physically and mentally well, with the ability to participate in all camp activities, and without injury or communicable illness. Due to living, eating and sleeping in close proximity at camp, we must start with and maintain a healthy environment for the group. Because of the wilderness-based nature of Alpengirl's adventures, there are no base camp facilities nor extra health care staff hired to care for campers who are ill or injured and unable to participate in daily camp activities.

Upon registering a camper, parents agree to contact Alpengirl if any medical or health conditions change before the start of the camp session which might affect the camper's ability to join us, fully participate at camp, or that might affect others in the group.

Health Benefits Of Camp

The beauty of our camp is living in the great outdoors in a small group of 10-13 wilderness lovin’ adventuresses. We’re breathing in the fresh air, soaking up the sunshine and taking time to bask in the sights and sounds of nature without distraction from our regular day-to-day life at home. At camp this summer we hope to practice “checking out to check in.” We’ll connect with our group, rely on our Alpenguides and peers, and we’ll recognize and hold onto all the good that we receive from being outdoors in a small, supportive, female empowerment group.

Stay At Home Guidelines

Unfortunately, illness, injury and other unforeseen events may occur prior to camp that would prevent a camper from starting camp. In this case, please notify the Camp Director right away and discuss if there are any special arrangements that can be made to have the camper join us at a later date. Stay at home guidelines for illness:

  • If the camper has had a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath or any other communicable disease symptoms - stay at home, call us. 
  • If the camper has a cold, earache, migraine headache, rash, is vomiting or has diarrhea - stay at home, call us.
  • If the camper is just not feeling well, unusually tired, low activity level, pale, lack of appetite - stay at home, call us.

*COVID-19: Health leaders have declared an end to the pandemic and we have adjusted our policies as such:

  • Testing: We are not requiring pre-camp testing for COVID-19. Our camp staff will not be administering tests for COVID-19 at camp.

Camper Health Screening & Staying Healthy

Upon arrival on the first day of camp, each camper receives a 1:1 camper check-in with an Alpenguide where temperatures are taken, medications are collected (over the counter and prescription), and verbal health screenings are conducted to assess the camper's physical and mental health in order to start camp with us. 

Once every camper is checked in, the Alpenguides review with the group how to keep germs to ourselves by not sharing water bottles, utensils, chap stick or food leftovers, and by covering coughs/sneezes. Alpenguides also review how to stay healthy at camp by teaching and monitoring frequent and proper hand washing practices using soap and water, regular use of alcohol based hand sanitizer, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, and by instructing campers to report any sickness, aches or pains to an Alpenguide right away.

Sick/Injured Campers At Camp

Campers, if you were to develop an illness or get injured at camp, your Alpenguides would need to know about it right away in order to take actions to help you and the group. We can’t read your mind, so we need your help in determining the solution for your discomfort and the overall health and safety of the group. We expect you to be proactive with stating your needs at camp. This includes telling us when you are feeling sick, tired, angry, sad, hungry, constipated, or are having menstrual cramps.

If you tell your Alpenguides that you have a headache, you will probably be asked you how much water you’ve had, how much food and sleep you’ve had, and if anything in particular is bothering you at camp. Your Alpenguides will probably ask you to drink water and they may be able to give you ibuprofen. Then they will see if you need rest, food or shade, or if you’re OK to continue with the group and they will check back in with you a little later to see how you’re feeling. If you still have a headache when they've checked back in with you, they will ask more questions and follow up with you.

If you have moderate to severe signs or symptoms of a flu-like illness such as fever, vomiting or nausea we will be more concerned. We will follow current guidelines and isolate you from the rest of the group, provide care to you and take you to a local medical care facility and then we'll follow the recomendations provided to us by local health services and providers.  

If your injury or illness prevents you from participating in activities as planned, it is a big concern to us. Some parts of the scheduled camp itinerary can be opted out of in order for you to get back to feeling better. For example, if you aren’t feeling well, the camp staff could ask you to rest in the shade while camp dinner is being prepared by the cook group. But other activities are not so easy to opt out of without causing a big itinerary disturbance. For example, if you can’t walk while carrying weight, backpacking isn’t an option for you and you’ll need to see a doctor right away in a nearby town or back at home.

If your illness, chief complaint, pain, or discomfort increases over time or regularly prevents you from participating, we will have a plan in place with your parents to take you to a hospital or return you home for more care than we are able to offer during camp. We will try to accommodate you in every way we can, however, if your injury or illness is extended or reoccurring and exhausts the staff’s responsibility to care for the rest of the group, we will have no choice but to return you home for the care you need.

If a camper tests positive for any communicable disease, we will be in conversation with the camper's parents about next steps, that could include early departure from camp (see the 24-HOUR PICK-UP NOTICE section of the Terms of Registration). 

Trip & Travel Insurance

Accidents, injuries, illnesses and other events or situations can occur before or during camp which may prevent you from starting or staying at camp with us. Your family can incur costs and/or losses due to trip delay, cancellation or interruption or early termination, medical treatment or evacuation on a trip or otherwise, or costs incurred from cancelled flights, lost baggage, or other costs.

We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that parents consider purchasing trip and/or travel insurance that may include coverage for paid program tuition or other fees and cover some of the costs and/or losses as described above. NOTE: Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) plans may require purchase within 7-21 days of paying a trip deposit.

Camp families can choose any 3rd party insurance program or company that they prefer in order to best protect their investment this summer. You can also select a plan through Travmark Insurance through your camper's Registration Form. If interested in purcharsing travel insurance after you have completed your initial Registration Form, please contact agent Mark Ceslowitz.

Alpengirl’s cancellation and refund policy and insurance information is provided in the Terms of Agreement section of the Registration Form.

Outdoor Medicine & Wilderness First Aid Certifications

Your Alpenguides carry a fully stocked first aid kit and are certified to provide you with wilderness first aid care but are not qualified to make medical diagnoses and must follow wilderness medical protocol as written by licensed medical doctors and approved for Alpengirls use. Alpenguides will assess your illness or injury and will determine if you need to see a doctor in order to continue participating in camp. If it is determined that you need to see a doctor for care because the illness or injury is beyond the camp staff’s level of training or ability to provide necessary care, Alpenguides will consult with your parents and either take you to a nearby clinic for examination by a doctor or return you home for parental and medical care. If you see a medical doctor while at camp, the doctor, your parents and Alpengirl must be in agreement that you are able to continue at camp without causing harm to yourself, the camp itinerary, and other campers.

What Is Wilderness First Aid?

Wilderness first aid certification courses are specifically designed for people who care for patients that are remote - over an hour's time away from an ambulance or hospital. Alpengirl is considered remote much of the time.

Each Alpengirl camp session has at least two Alpenguides that are both CPR and wilderness medicine certified. Alpengirl’s guides are required to have a minimum certification of Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and some guides may even have Wilderness EMT certifications.