FAQ's

Where are you located?

Mountain Camp Woodside is located on the campus of the Woodside Priory School in Portola Valley, CA. We are off the Alpine Road Exit on 280 and just 10 minutes from Stanford. Please click here for a link to Google Maps:

302 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028, USA

Is it possible for me to tour Mountain Camp Woodside?

Yes. We offer Open Houses throughout the spring.  The Open House / Camp Tour dates for 2016 are:

• January 10th
• February14th (yeah...Valentine's Day...)
• March 13th
• April 10th

Camp Tours start at 1pm and 2pm, please meet us in the Founders Hall at the Woodside Priory School. Potential campers are more than welcome to accompany parents!

Are meals provided at camp?

Yes. Mountain Camp Woodside serves breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. Resident Campers eat all their meals at camp and Day Campers are provided with lunch and snack. Day Campers also have the option of enrolling in our Extended Care beginning at 8:00 a.m. (includes breakfast) and/or ending at 6:30 p.m. (includes dinner). Meals are designed to be nutritionally balanced and counselors assist campers in making healthy food choices. Mountain Camp Woodside is able to accommodate some common food allergies but please contact the office with specific questions.

Can I request a group/bunk mate for my camper?

We do our best to accommodate group and bunk requests. There is a place on your application to list requests. Group and bunk requests are easier to honor when they are made in advance and involve campers of a similar age and school grade. If the group request involves campers in different school grades, the older camper has the option of moving into the younger camper’s group.

 Some thoughts on requests:

Rethinking Cabin Friend Requests – Making Friends at Camp is Easy

Over half of our campers come to camp requesting to be in rooms with friends from home. We do our best to honor these requests as long as both campers have requested to be together. Campers that come to camp with existing friends have a great experience, however, camp is also a place where new lifelong friendships can be formed.

When are bunk / roommates actually together?

Campers in a bunk / room will eat meals together, travel together at evening program and participate inour evening program as a group. We host a lot of campers but the feel is still small. Campers choose all of their activities on their own. They participate in activities with kids of similar ages but they are able to do activities with campers from other bunks / rooms .

Making new friends is easy

Kids are encouraged to venture out of their comfort zones in order to try new activities and meet new people. Being comfortable around unfamiliar people is a valuable skill that we hope all campers can improve on each summer. Our counselors complete an intensive training program prior to camp starting and a significant portion of this time is devoted to helping them create inclusive group and activity environments. On the first night of camp, counselors hold cabin meetings, organize team building games and ensure that everyone has time to positively connect.

Leaving the bunk, friend requests behind

It might be nerve-racking to send a child to camp without the close support of friends from home. Meeting new friends is a part of the summer camp experience that translates into an important life skill. There isn’t a more supportive environment than camp for kids to form new relationsips with peers.

How are camper groups determined?

We organize our camp groups largely by school grade. This allows our campers on the younger side of their grade to remain with their school friends. Sometimes, for personnel or behavioral issues, we may choose to separate campers into different groups.

If my child is enrolled in Horseback Riding, when do their lessons take place?

If your camper is enrolled in Horseback Riding, they will be driven by our camp staff to their horseback riding facility each afternoon for their lesson. This lesson falls during one of the Free Choice Activity times in the afternoon and will be your camper's activity during that time during the week. Typically, the lessons are 3pm to 4pm. Your camper will still have three Free Choice Activity periods to choose different activities for their camp session.

What does my camper need for horseback riding?

The only thing that your camper will need for their horseback riding is a pair of long pants that they can leave at camp for the duration of their camp session. (Please no sweat pants.)

Their riding helmet and boots will be provided by the horseback riding facility. If your camper has their own helmet and boots, they can leave these at camp as well. (Please label them.)

If my child is enrolled in Swimming Lessons, when do their lessons take place?

Swimming lessons are taught daily after camp is over. If your child is enrolled in swimming lessons, you will be contacted with your scheduled time slot.

What is the swimming test?

On the first day of camp, each camper will participate in our swim test. This mandated ACA accreditation requirement offers our lifeguards and camp staff the opportunity to assess each camper's swimming ability and identify who will require special attention (and possibly a life vest) during their swimming activity periods while at camp. Their evaluation of each camper's ability is focused on keeping your child safe during their time at Mountain Camp Woodside. Camper safety is our number one concern.

If your child does not wish to go swimming or participate in the swim test, they do not have to. However, if they do wish to swim, they must first take the test.

If my child is not enrolled in swimming lessons, will they still be able to swim?

Yes! Swimming is offered daily during Free Choice times and campers are welcome to sign up if they wish. Campers also swim once a week with their age group. Free Choice and Age Group swim times do not include structured lessons but instead focus on games, play and having fun!

What if my child is not a skilled swimmer?

Our pool staff members are all certified lifeguards and do extensive training on our particular pool. There is a shallow end of the pool and campers must pass a swim test to swim in the deep end of the pool.

Where do Resident Campers sleep?

Our Residential Campers sleep in our modern dormitories. Campers typically sleep 2-4 to a room with counselors sleeping in neighboring rooms. There are bathrooms, showers and common areas in the dorms.

Do Resident Campers have access to laundry?

Resident campers have access to our laundry facilities in the dormitories. Both the boys' and girls' dorms are equipped with new washers and dryers and counselors are available to help out campers doing laundry for the first time!

Is Mountain Camp Woodside accredited by the ACA?

Mountain Camp Woodside is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and we adhere to their strict guidelines. The ACA is a community of camp professionals that is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults through the camp experience. Founded in 1910, the ACA is the only nationally recognized organization that accredits all types of camps throughout the United States.

Cancellation Policy/Can I get a refund?

Our Cancellation / Refund Policy are as follows:

• You are welcome to change sessions as needed at no cost, provided there is space available in your desired session, and the session length is greater or equal to the currently enrolled session. If you switch to a session that is shorter in length, the below policy applies.
• All cancellations or changes must be submitted in writing.
• All cancellations made prior to March 1st: Tuition returned, less $50 cancellation fee.
• Cancellations made between March 1st & May 1st: Tuition returned less $250 non-refundable deposit for Day Camp or $500 non-refundable deposit for Resident Camp.
• Any cancellations made after May 1st: No refund.
• We highly recommend purchasing Camp Tuition Insurance to cover your expense in the event you should need to cancel. Camp Tuition Insurance is available through Travmark or AMSkier.
• Campers sent home for disciplinary reason or because of homesickness: No refund.
• Campers sent home due to illness or injury: No refund.
• No refund on unused Flex-Plan days.
• For swimming lessons: All cancellations must be received two (2) weeks prior to your camper’s swimming lesson in order to receive a refund. No refunds for swimming lesson cancellations with less than two weeks notice.
• For horseback riding lessons: All cancellations must be received two (2) weeks prior to your camper’s horseback riding lesson in order to receive a refund. No refunds for riding lesson cancellations with less than two weeks notice.

What is your Federal Tax I.D. Number?

Our federal tax ID for tax purposes is 36-4585271.

How many sessions do most campers stay for?

The length of time a camper spends at camp varies. Some campers just come for one week, many stay for 3 weeks or more, while some campers stay for the entire summer! We do many different, special activities each session to keep things interesting for our campers that are coming for multiple weeks.

Can I visit camp during my camper's session? Is there a parent program?

We have found that parent visits disrupt the flow of camp life and therefore we do not typically offer them. If you have a Resident Camper staying for multiple weeks, you are more than welcome to visit or take your camper home with you for a Saturday-Sunday stay. Please contact our office if you are interested in doing this.

We do offer a Parent Program every Friday at 4:00 p.m. to give parents a chance to see some of camp life. During the Parent Program, we talk about our week, sing a few songs and show our Session Slide Show.

Can I have someone other than a legal guardian pick up my camper?

Yes, but you must list each person authorized to pick up your child on our Alternate Adult Pick Up form. You can find this form on the My Account link just to the left.

If my child is flying to camp, how should I arrange this?

Campers should fly in and out of the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Campers can be picked up by our staff at SFO. Please complete an “Out of Town Travel Form” with your child's flight information on the My Account link just to the left.

What should I do if my child needs to be dropped off late/picked up early/miss a day of camp?

If your child will be dropped off late, please contact the office so we can arrange for them to meet their group. If your child will be picked up early, please contact the office so they will be ready with their belongings when you arrive. If your child will not be at camp on a given day, please contact the office so we can communicate their absence to their counselors and activity leaders.

What if I need to pick up my Day Camper early?

If you have to pick your camper up early, not a problem.  Be sure to let our staff know during check-in that your camper will be picked early so we can get them on our "early pick-up" list.   There are a handful of natural breaks within our daily schedule that will make it more convenient for you and will make sure that your camper gets to finish his/her camp activity.  Those breaks are:

• 10:15am
• 11:15am
• 12:20pm - 1:45pm (lunch time)
• 2:45pm
• 3:45pm

Will my child have a place to store their belongings?

Yes. Resident campers can store their belongings in their dorm room. Day Campers are assigned a locker and may leave their belongings in it for the duration of their session. Lockers must be emptied between sessions.