camp alexander Boy Scouts of America, Pikes Peak Council main 719.745.3254 PO Box 450, Lake George, CO 80827 Fax 719.352.3636 Table of Contents CAMP ALEXANDER WELCOMES YOU TO COLORADO! 1 MISSION 2 INTRO TO CAMP ALEXANDER 3 WEATHER 3 STAFF 4 2015 LEADERSHIP TEAM 4 PLANNING AHEAD Plan the Work, Work the Plan 5 HOW TO GET TO CAMP 5 2015 CAMPING SESSIONS: 6 2015 FEE SCHEDULE 6 VISITORS 6 CAMPERSHIPS 7 PAYMENT SCHEDULE 7 REFUND POLICY 7 CAMPSITE SIZES 8 ADULT PERSONAL TENTS 9 CAMPSITE REQUIREMENTS 9 MERIT BADGE REGISTRATION 9 ARRIVING AT CAMP 10 MONDAY CHECK IN 10 WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP 11 SPECIALTY PROGRAMS 12 HIKING TRAILS 12 WHITE WATER RAFTING TRIP 12 CAMPFIRES 12 ORDER OF THE ARROW 13 SENIOR PATROL LEADERS COUNCIL 14 THEME DAYS 14 ADULT LEADER ACTIVITIES 15 ADDITIONAL FREE LEADERS 15 TROOP TIME ACTIVITIES 15 FLAG RETIREMENT CEREMONY 15 ORIENTEERING KIT 16 TROOP PIZZA SOCIAL 16 FAMILY NIGHT 16 CARE PACKAGES 16 SERVICES 17 HEALTH & MEDICAL RECORDS 17 MEDICATIONS 17 HEALTH AND PRE-CAMP CONDITIONING 18 CPAP’s 18 YOUTH PROTECTION 19 RESOURCES AT CAMP 20 ADULT LEADER & SPL HANDBOOK 20 CAMPSITE EQUIPMENT RESOURCES 20 COTS 21 HELPFUL TIPS 21 LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS 21 EARLY CHECKOUT 22 INDIVIDUAL VISITOR MEALS 22 SPECIAL DIETS: 22 TRADING POST: 23 MAILING ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER 23 POLICIES 24 CAMPER MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS 24 PARKING 25 RECOMMENDED DISCIPLINE 26 BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE GUIDELINES 27 LOCAL ATTRACTIONS 28 Camp Alexander Welcomes You to Colorado! Dear Scout Leader, Camp Alexander is embarking on its 70th year in operation and will be serving over 3400 campers this coming summer. As always the camp is here for your unit as a resource for your program. We view camp as a support for your unit program to use the patrol methods and ideals of scouting. Our staff desires to provide an avenue for challenging outdoor skills that builds teamwork amongst your troop. With Pikes National Forest as our backyard the camp serves as a base for you to fully explore Colorado. The camp is located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains at 8200 ft surrounded by 11 Mile Canyon, South Platte River and the Pike National forest. Your campsite may be located on top of Cardiac Hill or in Rankin’s Gulch, but all sites will enjoy the natural hills and rock terrain of the canyon. To complement the natural beauty of Colorado we will once again have a talented staff for you comprised of scouters from different states and even international staff members. We will once again offer 8 sessions of week long adventures this summer. Planning such a major event for your troop can seem daunting but please do not worry as these guides are your best resource to planning small parts. These small tasks will build to provide your troop with a “Mountain Top Experience” during their stay at Camp Alexander. Through research with past attendees we have discovered that 90% of what Summer Camp Coordinator’s wished they knew prior to camp was printed through our leaders guides. The Pikes Peak Council Camping Program is proud to be a part of your unit’s efforts in serving the youth of your area. Thank you, Cameron Ackley Rod Emenaker Camping Director Council Camping Chairman 1 PLANNING GUIDE This guide is designed to be used by the unit to plan travel, calendar, and resources in order to ensure a successful summer camp at Camp Alexander. This planning guide encompasses only planning aspects of Camp Alexander and no program. The design is to publish the document in the early fall to assist with the planning stages of the camp experience. A second guide will be released in January containing all the program activities at for Camp Alexander. PROGRAM GUIDE TO COME JANUARY 15, 2015 MISSION Camp Alexander will provide a unique and steadily expanding “Colorado Mountain-Top Experience” emphasizing life skills and instilling Scouting values in Scouts, volunteers, and others throughout the Pikes Peak region and surrounding communities. PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY Boys should not be overburdened with work. Encouragement should be given to each Scout to have at least one merit badge period “off” each day, which will maximize enjoyment and minimize fatigue. Merit badge sessions at Camp Alexander are designed to be only part of the Scout’s day. Additionally, our program areas offer free/open time activities and special events throughout the week. 2 INTRO TO CAMP ALEXANDER Camp Alexander is located in the beautiful 11-Mile Canyon in Pike National Forest approximately 45 miles west of Colorado Springs, and two miles south of Lake George, Colorado. Camp Alexander is between 8200 and 8600 feet elevation. The camp area consists of hills, low mountains, and valleys covered by a mix of Ponderosa pine forests, high-altitude grasslands, and wetland vegetation along our lake and stream. There is an abundance of wildlife including black bears, raccoons, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, deer, elk, coyotes, snakes, and bald eagles. We firmly believe that summer camp is an opportunity to do more than earn merit badges. It is also a time for a boy to learn more about himself, develop his leadership skills, build character, and enjoy the mountain environment. Your Scouts will have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of programs, ranging from Aquatics to Shooting Sports, from Nature to Mountain Hiking, from Rock Climbing to the First Class Center. Your troop experience should also include hiking/biking in the beautiful 11-Mile Canyon that surrounds Camp Alexander so your boys may experience the beauty of Pike National Forest. It is the goal of Camp Alexander Staff to make sure that each Scout has a great camping experience, and is able to accomplish all of his set goals, while still having time to enjoy the mountains of Colorado. We look forward to serving you and we’ll do our best to make your summer camp experience a very memorable one. WEATHER The weather at Camp Alexander is usually very nice with warm days, 75 degrees and cool nights, around 40 degrees: we have seen snow during the summer months so Be Prepared! If you are coming in the month of June please be prepared for some cold nights in the 30’s. A scout’s sleeping bag that worked at a southern camp will not be adequate for Colorado cool nights. AVERAGE TEMPERATURES JUNE Average High: 75°F / Average Low: 38°F JULY Average High: 80°F / Average Low: 44°F 3 The one thing that makes or breaks a Scout camp is the staff. Camp A consistently has the best staff of any camp I’ve been to. Derek Ho, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 2 STAFF All camps have facilities and similar programs, so it is the staff that makes the biggest differ- ence. Our camp team prides itself in finding the best skilled people to fill the roles in camp. We begin this task in the fall planning stages, 10 months prior to your arrival. We search for the best and brightest talent to fill each role to ensure you receive the best service possible. If you have scouts with great skills and positive attitude please share them with us and we can both succeed! 2015 LEADERSHIP TEAM CAMPING DIRECTOR Cameron Ackley– Oversees the entire operation at camp to include the traditional summer, high adventure, rafting, cub resident, and year round program and properties. This is his 9th year working at Camp Alexander with 2015 being the 2nd summer as the Camp Director. Cameron enjoys music, running, snowboarding, and being in the outdoors of course. He also likes to think he is Batman so you can find him in the Bat Cave or out roaming the camp fighting crime! 4 PLANNING AHEAD Below are steps to use to create a successful summer camp experience. Please use them as a tool in your planning stages. 1. Read this guide completely 2. Schedule a parents meeting 3. Hold PLC to review program guide 4. Plan your units program schedules 5. Complete medical forms 6. Conduct pre-camp swim test 7. Register Merit Badge Sessions 8. Review Sunday check-in list 9. Arrive at camp happy and ready for FUN! HOW TO GET TO CAMP Directions to Camp Alexander from Colorado Springs, CO Take Highway 24 west to the town of Lake George. Entering the town of Lake George, take the first left onto County Road 96. (If you cross the river, you have gone too far) Follow County Road 96 (about 1 mile) to the 11-Mile Canyon Entrance. Turn right into 11-Mile Canyon and proceed to the Forest Ranger Station. Tell the gate attendant that you are heading to Camp Alexander, as entry fee is free. Follow 11-Mile Canyon past Riverside Campground about 2 miles (watch for oncoming traffic!). Look for the camp entrance on the left. Follow the road to the parking lot where a staff guide will greet you and take you to your campsite. Camp Phone # 719-748-3254. **Please note: The physical address is not computable with Google Maps or any GPS units as it is not a true postal address. You can use Lake George city as a reference point and then follow the directions below. CAMP ALEXANDER 5 2015 CAMPING SESSIONS: We go to Camp A for the same Session 1:……Jun 7-13 Session 5:……Jul 5-11 reason that others drive for half Session 2:……Jun 14-20 Session 6:……Jul 12-18 Session 3:……Jun 21-27 Session 7:……Jul 19-25 a day or more to get to Camp Session 4:……Jun 28-Jul 4 Session 8:……Jul 26-Aug 1 A.