California Summer Camps - Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camps
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the frequently asked questions that we hear, and a short response. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
- What makes your summer camp unique, and why should we choose you?
- Where exactly are you located?
- What is your ratio of staff to campers?
- How big are your cabins and tipis?
- I see that kids stay in both cabins and tipis. How do you figure out who stays where?
- Do you have "real" toilets and showers?
- How do you select staff?
- Do campers get to choose the activities in which they participate?
- What do campers eat?
- Where do your campers come from?
- What's the ratio of boys to girls/girls to boys?
- Do you have a camp nurse?
- Are you accredited?
- My child has occasional problems with bedwetting. How do you handle that?
- My child is on medication. How do you handle that?
- How do you handle homesickness?
- My child did not use all of his/her camp store credit / did not go on a prepaid optional activity. Do we get a refund, and if so, when?
What makes your summer camp unique, and why should we choose you?
Great question! There are three things that makes Shaffer's High Sierra Camp unique and deserving your trust for this summer. First is our small size. With just 60 or fewer campers, you won't get lost in a crowd. Our intimate size lets you get to know just about everyone, and hopefully make friends that will last a life time. Second is our location. Nestled in California's splendid Tahoe National Forest on the peaceful headwaters of the North Yuba River and adjacent to the Sierra Buttes and the Lakes Basin Recreation Area, you are not only surrounded by incomparable beauty, but 70+ pristine mountain lakes, miles and miles of hiking and biking trails, and tons things to do. You won't get bored! And third is our focus on noncompetitive wilderness adventure activities that are designed to promote team-building and increase self-confidence by allowing campers to learn new skills and conquer challenges.
Where exactly are you located?
We're located about 45 minutes north of Truckee (toward Quincy, as opposed to east toward Reno). Our street address is 38782 Highway 49, Sattley, CA 96124. You can view and download our map and directions. If you use an online map service such as Map Quest, you should know that given our location in the Tahoe National Forest, such services frequently don't have our street address in their database. To get in the vicinity, however, you can enter the destination as "Sierra City" in California, Zip Code 96125. Sierra City is 10 miles west of the Camp on Highway 49.
What is your ratio of staff to campers?
It averages about 1 staff member per 5 or 6 campers, but varies according to activity. For some activities such as backpacking, mountain biking, and rock climbing, the ratio may be 1 staff member per 4 or 5 campers. For other activities such as Arts and Crafts, the ratio may be 1 staff member per 10 or 12 campers. In cabins, there is one staff member for each 5 campers. In tipis, there is one staff member for each 6 campers. These ratios are for on-duty staff members, and do not include administrators, kitchen staff or facilities personnel. We do not take all employees of the Camp and divide by the number of campers to come up with an unrealistically low ratio.
How big are your cabins and tipis?
Our cabins are divided into two rooms. Each room houses 1 staff member and up to 5 campers. Our tipis are quite large, 18' to 20' in diameter, and sleep up to 6 campers and 1 staff member. The tipis have a tarped floor and campers sleep on 5 inch thick mattresses.
I see that kids stay in both cabins and tipis. How do you figure out who stays where?
Generally, we try to assign younger campers to the tipis and older campers to the cabins. However, because campers are grouped by age as well as gender, if we have a large group of younger (9 to 11) or middle-aged (12-13) campers it sometimes makes more sense for us to assign that group to stay in the cabins, which can accommodate more campers.
Do you have "real" toilets and showers?
Campers use real flush toilets, not pit or portable toilets. There are also private showers with hot and cold running water.
How do you select staff?
We are fortunate to be able to draw from a very large pool of applicants to select the ideal staff. Each year, we have about 100 applications for each open counselor/activity specialist position. We look for people who show maturity, judgment, leadership abilities, and enthusiasm. All staff are personally interviewed by the Camp director(s), have their references checked, and undergo a background check. Read more about our staff and staff selection.
Do campers get to choose the activities in which they participate?
Yes! The first day, all campers go through a group problem solving activity on the low ropes challenge course as a structured way of meeting and getting to know the other campers. Campers also undergo a swim test so that we can assess their swimming abilities. Other than those activities, campers have a list of activities from which to choose each day. If they they have a favorite, they can return time and time again. Horseback trail riding and whitewater rafting are handled a little differently. Because we use professional outfitters, horseback riders and rafters reconfirm their desire to go riding or rafting two days before a trip.
What do campers eat?
To see a description and sample menu, click here.
Where do your campers come from?
Campers predominately come from the West Coast and California in particular, though we have had campers from the East Coast, Mid West, and South, in addition to overseas, including England, France, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Romania, Turkey, Angola, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
What's the ratio of boys to girls/girls to boys?
The ratio is roughly 50%/50%. We have had some sessions as much as 60% boys and 40% girls, and other sessions up to 60% girls and 40% boys.
Do you have a camp nurse?
Our health center is staffed with a nurse or doctor, who assists campers with administering their medications and providing basic first aid. We also have access to a Downieville health clinic and the Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee.
Are you accredited?
Yes, we're accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA). Click here to read more about accreditation.
My child has occasional problems with bedwetting. How do you handle that?
With discretion and sensitivity. We realize that few things can be more embarrassing for a camper than to have a problem with bedwetting. This is not an uncommon problem for the age group of kids who come to camp. First, we ask that you alert us to this issue on the Health Form that we ask all campers to complete. Second, we alert the camper's counselor and the camp nurse of the fact that this may be an issue for the camper. Staff are trained to be sensitive to the issue, and to be observant. If a counselor suspects there may be a problem, he/she will talk privately to the camper. We have spare sleeping bags that we can lend to a camper if his/her bag needs laundering. We can also help by reminding the camper to use the restroom before going to bed, and even waking him/her up if necessary. Counselors will also let the camper know that they would be pleased to walk him/her to the bathhouse to alleviate any fear that the camper may have of leaving his/her cabin or tipi at night. (The area around the bathhouse is lighted.)
My child is on medication. How do you handle that?
All medications, prescription and nonprescription, are checked in with the nurse and kept locked in the health center. There is an exception for certain medications such as inhalers and bee sting kits which must be kept with a camper for immediate application in a medical emergency. The nurse then assists in administering medications in accordance with instructions from a physician or parent, as appropriate. If your child is on Ritalin or similar medication, we require that he/she continues with the medication. Children receive skill and safety instruction in numerous activities where having their full attention is critical to their safety. Camp is not the time or place for your child to take a break from his or her medication. The nurse counts the doses of medications to ensure there is a sufficient amount for your child's planned stay.
How do you handle homesickness?
Some level of homesickness is common. Fortunately, severe homesickness is relatively rare. The first step we take is to train our staff to recognize homesickness. Our staff will talk to your camper to gauge how he or she is feeling and the degree of homesickness. We'll focus your child on the many fun activities yet to do at camp and keep him or her busy. Fortunately, most homesickness passes in a couple of days. There are a few things parents can do to help their children have a positive experience. First, we highly discourage calls to or from home. Children tend to experience separation anxiety all over again after calling home, actually making their homesickness worse. You can also help prepare your camper by avoiding telling him/her that you'll come and pick them up if they get homesick. Though the sentiment is nice, the reality is that this tends to undermine a camper's commitment to staying the course. Also, having a first-time camper spend the night at a friend's house before going away to camp can be beneficial. The ACA has some very good articles on homesickness and helping to prepare your child for camp. To read their article on homesickness, click here.
My child did not use all of his/her camp store credit / did not go on a prepaid optional activity. Do we get a refund, and if so, when?
Yes. You will get a refund of any unused camp store credit or prepaid rafting (assuming we were notified before we reconfirmed the reservation with the rafting company). Refunds are made by September 15, when we close our books for the summer.
Reserve Your Space RISK-FREE Today!
Because we're small with just 70 campers allowed to enroll at any one time, we do fill. So make your reservation risk-free today! If your plans change before May 15th, you can get a full refund. And if you enroll after May 15th, you may still cancel and receive a refund if you notify the Camp within 7 days of your enrollment, or the start of camp for your child, whichever comes first. And you are always covered by our Fun Guarantee!
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(Rev. 4/11/2010)
Operated under a Special-Use Permit on land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. We provide services, accommodations, and privileges regardless of race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, or national origin. Persons are employed on an equal basis to operate, maintain, or construct facilities for public use.
