Summer Camp FAQs
- When does camp start and finish?
- What should campers bring?
- What should campers NOT bring?
- Do I need to send money with my child?
- Are there any souvenirs for my child?
- Does my child need to bring anything to participate in activities?
- What if my child cannot or does not wish to participate in certain activities at camp?
- What kind of accommodations will my child be sleeping in?
- Can you explain how cabin requests work?
- What is your staff-to-camper ratio?
- How can I contact my child while they are at Camp?
- May I drop off letters for my child ahead of time?
- May I email my child while at camp?
- May I fax letters to my child?
- May I talk to my child on the phone during Camp?
- May I visit my child during the week at Camp?
- How can I pay for summer camp?
When Does Camp Start and Finish?
Please note that all summer camps, except Teen #1, begin on Sunday at 4:00 pm. Teen #1 starts on the Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm. In order to properly prepare the facility and registration staff, the front gate will not open until 5 minutes prior to these times. Please do not line up at the gate more than 30 minutes early, and be careful not to block local traffic. The checking-in process should be done within 30 minutes, at which time the campers will start their program, and parents will need to leave.
All summer camps, except Teen #1, end with a Round-Up that begins at 6:00 pm (sharp!) Friday evening, and all family and friends are welcome to come and enjoy this wrap-up event. We also invite you to join us for a barbecue supper at 5:00 pm (prices are very reasonable). Teen #1 ends with a Round-Up and barbecue lunch on the Saturday, starting at 11:00 am. After the Round-Up, parents will check-out with the camper's counselor and will be free to go.
What Should Campers Bring?
Here's what you should bring with you to camp. Please mark your name on all items you are bringing to camp. Remember, we can have very hot days, but there can be very cool ones, too, and the evenings are cool, so send clothes that are appropriate for both.
- Sleeping bag
- Pajamas
- Pillow
- Bag for wet clothes or dirty shoes
- Raingear
- Long pants and closed-toe shoes for horseback riding
- Everyday dry shoes (runners)
- Boots with an approximate 1/4 heel (Horsemanship Plus)
- Hiking shoes or good runners (Extreme Team)
- General clothing (4 sets)
- Dress clothes for banquet
- Bathing suit and swimming towel
- Hat (protection from sun)
- Hand towel and face cloth
- Soap, toothbrush/paste, shampoo, comb, etc.
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent (non-aerosol)
- Water bottle
- Bible (if you have one)
- Camera - optional (inexpensive or one-use)
What Should Campers NOT Bring?
Each year there are at least a couple of campers that choose to bring cell phones, mp3 players, or expensive cameras, and inevitably at the end of the week they are not able to find them.
We ask that parents make sure the following items are not brought to camp with your camper. Please understand that many of these things are for the safety of all campers, and that items with value can get lost or stolen. We will ask campers to hand in any of the following items if they bring them, and we will return them at the end of the week (assuming they are legal items for the camper to have).
- Money
- Electronic Devices (eg. Cell phone, iPod, radio, Discman, mp3 player, Gameboy, etc.)
- Digital cameras or videocameras
- CDs or DVDs
- Indecent or revealing clothing or bikinis (modest two piece is ok)
- Knives
- Guns
- Gum
- Cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol (please note that smoking is NOT permitted at summer camp)
Do I Need to Send Money with my Child?
No! Your camp registration includes treats from the tuck shop each day, so you won't need any extra money for that. The other items in the store (TR clothing, water bottles, CDs, etc.) will only be for sale on the first and last days of camp, so you can do your shopping as soon as you're done signing in or when the camp ends.
Are there any Souvenirs for my Child?
Each camper will be sent home with a camper T-shirt, especially designed each summer. The General Store will be open (at registration and pick up) to purchase clothing, notepads, water bottles, etc. There will also be a DVD of your camper's week and a Photo of your camper that you may purchase on the last day of camp. These may be pre-ordered on your application, which will save you a few dollars.
Does my Child Need to Bring Anything to Participate in Activities?
Your child will not need to bring any equipment (eg. helmets, bikes, skateboards, harnesses, etc.), as Timberline Ranch provides all the necessary equipment for our activities. Our equipment is up-to-date, safety tested, and quality assured. We also take preventative measures with our helmets by sanitizing them after each use.
If your child would like, they are welcome to bring their own elbow, knee, or wrist guards.
What if my Child Cannot or Does Not Wish to Participate in Certain Activities at Camp?
Your child will not be forced to participate in any activity in which he or she does not feel comfortable participating in or is physically unable to. For safety and proper supervision, it is required that your child be present at all activities. For example, if your child does not wish to participate in archery, they will not be made to participate but will still need to be at the archery range with his or her group.
What Kind of Accommodations Will my Child be Sleeping in?
The cabins accommodate 8 campers and 1 counselor, with a few exceptions. The cabins are divided by gender, and girls and boys do not share a cabin. Each cabin will have one counselor, of the same gender, that will sleep in the cabin with the campers.
Can you Explain how Cabin Requests Work?
Each application form has room for one request. If your child is coming with a friend, please place their name in this box.
As cabins are arranged according to age, we ask that campers only request someone who is within a one year age difference. If campers are farther apart in age it makes it difficult for the counselor to communicate and design a cabin program specific to a certain age group.
Please understand that we do our best to accommodate all requests. However, they are requests, and as we are dealing with 120 campers, we may not be able to fulfill each one.
What is Your Staff-to-Camper Ratio?
The ratio of campers to a counselor is, on average, 8 campers per one counselor. Overall, the approximate ratio of campers to staff is 2:1.
How can I Contact my Child While they are at Camp?
You can send your child postal mail to the following address:
Child's First & Last Name, Camp Session
c/o Timberline Ranch
22351 - 144 Avenue
Maple Ridge, BC
V4R 2P8
May I Drop Off Letters for my Child Ahead of Time?
Yes! We welcome parents to write letters ahead of time and bring them on registration day. Please make sure to clearly indicate on the envelope(s) which day or days of the week the letter or letters are to be delivered, as well as the camper's first and last name.
May I Email my Child While at Camp?
We are currently working on a new system for camper emails that will hopefully involve no cost to you. We have not been pleased with the third party system we used the last two years, and we are trying to develop our own system to handle emails. However, we do ask that parents do not abuse this system by sending many emails throughout the week. Please keep it to one or two per camper per week and to at most one page or less. They are only gone a week, and they will survive without hearing from you every day! Campers will receive a printed copy of the email you send, but they have no access to a computer to reply or to read anything online.
May I Fax Letters to my Child?
We ask that people do not use our fax line for camper letters, as it causes a lot more work sorting them from all of our other faxes, labeling them, etc.
May I Talk to my Child on the Phone During Camp?
Homesickness is a natural and common occurrence while at camp. Phoning home, while making the child feel better for an instant (sometimes), invariably increases feelings of homesickness not only for that child but for other children around that camper (especially those who didn't get a phone call). In our experience, homesickness is most prevalent at the beginning of the week and usually subsides before mid-week.
There are also not enough phones or time in the schedule for 120 campers to call home or receive phone calls. However, in the case of an emergency, our Program Director will be able to arrange contact with your child.
May I Visit my Child During the Week at Camp?
We ask that you do not show up to visit your child during the week. Besides the worsening of homesickness that this can cause for the child and other children who don't receive a visit, campers are involved in a very full activity schedule, and visits can be very disruptive. In the case of an emergency, alternate plans must be arranged and approved by the Program Manager (604-463-9278, ext. 22) prior to family or friends arriving.
How can I Pay for Summer Camp?
If Registering Prior to April 30:
Payment Option 1: A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $50 must accompany registration (cheque or money order only). The balance must also accompany registration (cheque post-dated no later than April 30).
Payment Option 2: The total camp fee must accompany registration (cheque, money order, Mastercard, or Visa).
If Registering After April 30:
The total camp fee must accompany registration (cheque, money order, Mastercard, or Visa).
Please note:
- If you are paying by cheque or money order, you have seven days from your registration date to send in your payment. Otherwise, your registration will be cancelled. We reserve the right to cancel registrations without notice after the seven days.
- All payments must accompany the registration form when mailing it in. If paying by the 2-cheque payment option, both cheques must be sent in together.