PACKING FOR AN ADVENTURE AT TIMBERLAKE

Choose your vessel! Trunks are good for staying organized and have nostalgic charm. However, they do not ship well and cannot be taken on the bus from NYC. If you choose to bring up a trunk in your car, just make sure it is no more than 19" tall so that it fits under the bunk. Duffel Bags are a good alternative.

Label Everything I figure each camper brings about 200 items, so that's over 20,000 items to be misplaced and mixed up at camp. If it's labeled, we can return it.

We provide laundry service every 7-10 days Each camper can contribute clothes to the “cabin” bag to be sent away to be cleaned and dried at a local facility.

Simple Living Think practicality, comfort, and affordability. Please let us know if you need support in borrowing any clothing or equipment before buying things brand new. Sleeping pads, hiking backpacks are all items we can loan out. We encourage kids to explore at camp which often means getting dirty and wearing practical clothes. Check out some cabin and toilet pictures at the end of this document.

Clothing

□ 7-9 pairs of underwear □ 6-9 pairs of regular socks (cotton or some other suitable material). Lightweight wool socks can be worn several days in a row, retain less odor and keep you warm when they are wet. □ 2 pairs of hiking socks to be worn with boots (allow for some shrinkage when they are washed and dried) □ 1 pairs of long underwear (separate top and bottom) made of polypro, wool or fleece/capilene….not cotton □ 1-2 long-sleeved shirts □ 2-4 pairs of shorts, at least one of which should be made of non-cotton material, loose fitting and cut above the knee, for hiking □ 2-3 pairs of long pants or jeans, at least one pair of which should be non-cotton. A comfy pair to easily move and exercise made of a cotton/poly blend or nylon that are rugged and dry quickly are ideal. □ 1 heavy sweater or light jacket made of wool or fleece that can be packed in a backpack. (Most of the summer is warm, but at night the temperature may drop into the forties.) □ 1 set of sleepwear □ 5-8 T-shirts □ 1-2 bathing suits □ 1 pair boots for working and hiking. Be sure boots fit well, are broken in and are comfortable before you come to camp. □ 2 pairs of sneakers, or one pair of sneakers and one pair of lightweight footwear/sandals.

Equipment

□ Duffel bag or trunk. Bunks will not fit a trunk that is over 19 inches tall □ Sleeping bag and stuff sack: synthetic fill (polarguard, quallofill, hollofil, etc.) with a nylon (not cotton) shell. We will have some for campers to borrow for their trip if needed. □ Foam pad for sleeping on trips. Avoid plastic air mattresses, which are too cold. We have plenty for campers to borrow for their trip if needed. □ Frame backpack (internal or external) with a capacity of 40 to 65 liters (depending on the campers size). Whether you buy or borrow a backpack, the most important thing is to make sure the backpacks fit comfortably. Adjust all straps to fit, fill the interior with some heavy stuff, and then walk around in it for a while to make sure it is comfortable. □ Rain gear: Nylon poncho (fits over you and your pack) or raincoat and pants. A good rainproof coat is expensive and is the number one item that gets left everywhere so consider a budget raincoat or poncho. Ponchos work well for hiking and romping around camp. □ For sleeping in camp, one of the following: (1) Two fitted and two flat cot-size sheets with 2 blankets; (2) sheets and one blanket and a sleeping bag that can be opened up to be used as a blanket; (3) a sleeping bag with two washable sleeping bag liners and one blanket. □ One pillow and two pillow cases. □ Eating utensils: Fork (or “spork,” a combination spoon and fork), bowl and cup. These will be used for cook outs and on wilderness trips. Non-breakable only please! □ Two sturdy water bottles or canteens of at least one quart capacity. Also an item easily left around…so no need to buy brand new. Camp will have one available for your camper to borrow as an extra one for their trip too. □ Laundry bag, mesh if possible-When the laundry service goes out as a cabin, it is easier if each camper has a personal bag to contribute. □ Flashlight or Headlamp with to new and spare batteries. Your camper may like a headlamp- style of flashlight, which keeps their hands free. For your primary flashlight I recommend a headlamp. The Energizer ones work as well as the Petzl for half the price. □ Toilet articles in some kind of mesh or heavy duty plastic zip-lock bag; including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and biodegradable shampoo in a plastic bottle. Pack enough for the entire summer. □ Non-aerosol insect repellant □ Sunblock □ 2 bandanas – these are used for games and many other things we call them “Aps” for “All Purpose”. □ 1 towel (labeled) □ Medications/vitamins (enough for the entire stay at camp) to be given to the nurse the first day of camp. □ Stationery with stamps already on envelopes in plastic ziplock bags to keep the envelopes from sticking shut in humid weather. □ Pens and pencils □ A wool blanket or stadium (labeled). Staying warm is staying healthy and blankets are cozy and warmer than a fleece for our evening Council Fires and events. □ Wool or fleece warm hat.

Optional Items □ A daypack for day hikes and in-camp use. A little draw-string bag to sling on your back works well for a book, notepad, water bottle, light, fleece, etc. □ Inexpensive film camera. We take cabin pictures during the summer. □ Musical instrument (able to stand up to the rigors of being stored in the lodge by the stage) □ Fixed-blade, sheath knife (no longer than 4” and with non-serrated blade) with sharpening stone □ Compass □ Sketch pad, crayons/pencils (labeled) □ Leather gloves for work projects (labeled) □ Sunglasses with a keeper strap □ Book-Reading is great and every child should have access to a book or graphic novel. We have a library with some popular books. We would prefer if you left magazines at home. □ Games - Quick, easy and small board games/Rubics cubes are welcome. Collectible card games (CCGs) where cards are valuable (like “Magic The Gathering”) are to be left at home. □ Sewing kit-We may sew, but this item is not "crucial", considering we have an extensive arts and crafts area. □ Dress-up items/costumes for skits-We have a fun costume room at camp for campers to borrow from but bring a favorite. Masks that hide the face are not allowed. □ Rubber boots for in-camp rainy days and for times in the barn □ Mosquito Screens -soft-mesh mosquito netting; this comes in standard sizes and can be tacked and draped around camper bunks as needed). We haven't had much trouble with bugs, but some kids like to use these to create more of a private space and that's fine.

Items that MUST be left at home by law, Camp regulation, or F&W policy: × Hatchets × Guns of any kind × Large and/or many-bladed knives × Knives with blades longer than 4 inches × Candles × Cell phones, electronic games, digital cameras and other electronic devices (iPods, MP3 players, video recorders, Kindles, etc.) × Breakable bottles × Aerosol sprays × Valuable and irreplaceable items × Food of any kind-Don't help your camper smuggle in candy! Seriously, it just attracts rodents. No care packages full of edibles will be accepted and will be confiscated and disposed of. And yes we do check! × Note: When prohibited items show up at camp, they are removed from the camper and only returned when the camper is going home. In the case of food, it will be disposed of directly.

J1 and A1 campers should follow the General Packing list, with the following caveats: • Clothing: J1/A1 campers will be on the same 8-day laundry schedule as the rest of the camp, so it is important that they have enough clothing to get them between laundry periods. That said, if you would like to send them with fewer socks, underwear, and T-shirts than are listed on the General Packing List, we will leave it to your discretion.

• Backpack. For longer sessions or for camps that stress wilderness travel, we recommend internal frame backpacks. These can be expensive, however, and we do not necessarily recommend them for J1/A1 campers. Please contact us to arrange to borrow a pack. You may also borrow any comfortable overnight backpack from a friend instead of buying a new one. The Army Surplus Store, outlets, Goodwill, thrift stores and friends/relatives are worth exploring for equipment. Whether you buy or borrow, the most important thing is to make sure new backpacks fit comfortably. It is important that a backpack is large enough to hold a camper’s sleeping bag as well as personal and group items needed for each trip unless the sleeping bag can be tied to the outside of the backpack. Adjust all straps to fit, and then walk around in it for a while to make sure it is going to be comfortable.

Why Go Cheap/Free? ü Borrowing from a friend or family builds relationships.

ü Camp is not easy on clothes/gear.

ü The less envy-making our gear is, the less comparing kids do, and the fewer conversations the counselors will have to facilitate about what we wear.

ü Think how liberating it would be if you didn't care what state your camper's clothing came back in, because most of it was on its second life from the thrift store.

Where it's worth getting the right stuff: Wool socks: Cotton socks get stinky fast and when they are even a little damp they are useless. Wool can be worn for several days, and quickly hand washed and dried. Pack some that are lightweight everyday socks, not just for hiking. You can layer them for a hiking trip. Don’t forget to label your socks!

Backpack: Your camper will use a backpack that holds a sleeping bag, raingear, fleece, some group gear, and enough clothes for at least a four day trip. We have backpacks for anyone to borrow (on a first come first serve basis) so please don’t feel as though you need to purchase a brand new pack if you only plan to use it this once.. If you foresee a life of camping, it's worth going to a store and be fitted by a specialist. Here is a link to advice from REI If you don't, you might want to consider a pack like this 55 liter under-$70 pack.

Hiking Boots This can be a big investment. If your camper is not planning to hike much outside of camp, I recommend getting boots that your son likes and will wear outside of camp. You may also want to go with a budget pair while they are still growing.

Knives One of the most frequent questions is "what knife to bring?" If you already have a knife, make sure it has a locking or fixed blade and with a blade length of ideally 3-3.5" (absolutely no more than 4").

We have knives at camp that they may borrow especially if this is a new activity and they are not sure it is something they may want for the future. The multi-use knives usually do not have a locking blade which is why we ask that they not be brought to camp. If you choose to bring a knife it’s important to have a good one, but please don’t spend a lot of money! In fact, the knife we recommend is one of the cheaper items you bring to camp.

We have different ages and experience at camp and all campers will take a knife test before using knives at camp. Younger and less experiences campers are directly supervised in whittling and carving by staff that will collect and keep the knives after the activity is finished (this is why it’s important they are clearly labeled). Older and more experienced campers may carry their knives with them and use them when a counselor is present.

Knife Guidelines: 1) It should be a sheath knife or it MUST have a locking blade if it’s a folding knife. 2) The blade may not exceed 4″. 3) The handle should be comfortable and fit well into your hand. 4) The blade shouldn’t be serrated.

Please purchase either this Mora knife – click This link or one that has the same qualities.

Since you’re buying such an important tool, getting ahold of a whetstone (a sharpening stone) to help you keep it sharp is a good idea too. You can get a nice coarse/fine double sided one for less than ten dollars.

Finally, make sure once you have your new knife that you get your name on it somewhere! If you can use engraving tool, write it along the side of the blade, or scratch it into the handle. Whatever you do, make sure it’s clearly yours!

If you’re new to knives, please don’t experiment with it without experienced adult supervision! We’ll teach each camper how to use it safely in person.

We train and test our staff and campers to use these tools properly. Incorrect posture or other safety breeches will result in the temporary suspension of knife privileges until they have been re-tested.

Summary: Leave valuables at home. Label everything. Think practicality, comfort, and affordability. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need support in borrowing any clothing or equipment before buying things brand new.

An empty cabin waiting for your arrival! Most have a wall that is open. Bunks have a small shelf space and room for your trunk/duffle under the bunk bed. Camp mattresses are single sized and a few inches thick. This is one of our newer F&W KYBOs. It is a composting toilet system. Some are themed (“Haikubo”, “Dragon”) and some provide more privacy than others. We say “Knock Knock” loudly when approaching so a user can have privacy. We use sawdust and toilet paper after using them and clean them every day on a rotating chore schedule.

A rugged and cozy wool blanket is important for staying warm in camp. A “Stadium Blanket” is a softer alternative that will work just as well.