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WAC

Wilderness adventure camp

Mark your Calendars: 2025 Registration Opens January 28

Backpacking with Zephyr Point is back again and better than ever! Join us for Wilderness Adventure Camp. This unique summer adventure is designed to give participants of all ages an opportunity to experience the joys of backcountry camping. On this 3-night backcountry excursion, participants will hike and camp alongside our certified team of guides to experience the diverse forests, wide open grass meadows, granite cliffs and alpine lakes throughout the Lake Tahoe Region.

Wilderness Adventure Camp is an educational and exciting adventure for students of all abilities and experience levels. By the end of their course, participating students will be able to demonstrate their comprehension in areas such as backpacking, map and compass navigation, Leave No Trace ethics, and knowledge of Tahoe basin trees and wildlife.

Zephyr Point provides all backpacking equipment needed such as packs, tents, stoves, etc. See you outside!

LOOKING FORWARD TO ADVENTURING IN THE BACKCOUNTRY WITH YOU SOON!
AgeDates
Middle & High SchoolJune 29 - July 3
Middle & High SchoolJuly 6-10
2025 Rate
$495

Sample Schedule

This schedule is subject to change:

  • Day 1:
    • Camper arrival and check in
    • Gear & Health Check
    • Introductory Activities
    • Swim Tests
    • Lunch/ZP Coffee Shop Time
    • Gear Distribution
    • Dinner w/Gear Lessons
    • Evening Activities
    • Stay on site at ZP
  • Day 2:
    • Breakfast and pack up
    • Depart for backcountry
    • Introduce Daily Food for Thought
    • Start at Meiss Meadow trailhead
    • Lunch and Backcountry Lesson
    • Arrive at Meiss Meadow and set up camp
    • Dinner and Games
    • Dessert and Reflection
  • Day 3:
    • Breakfast & Daily Food for Thought
    • Pack up and head to Round Lake
    • Lunch and Backcountry Lesson
    • Arrive at Round Lake and set up camp
    • Dinner and Games
    • Dessert and Reflection
  • Day 4:
    • Breakfast & Daily Food for Thought
    • Pack up and head to Dardanelles Lake
    • Lunch and Backcountry Lesson
    • Arrive at Dardanelles and set up camp
    • Dinner and Games
    • Dessert and Reflection
  • Day 5:
    • Breakfast & Daily Food for Thought
    • Pack up and head to the vans at Big Meadow Trailhead
    • Lunch at the vans
    • Head back to camp for Gear Return
    • Potential Swim & ZP Coffee Shop Time
    • Pick up and goodbyes

Safety is a priority at Zephyr Point. All of our Summer staff is CPR and First Aid certified, and your child will always be supervised by certified American Red Cross lifeguards while swimming, kayaking, and any other activities by the water. In addition COVID-19 precautions will be taken as necessary according to state and county mandates.

Medical forms
All campers will be required to complete the 2025 Child-Youth Medical Form prior to the start of camp. This will be on your registration page and will open 45 days before the first week of camp. We will send email reminders to everyone. Camp Zephyr requires new, up-to-date medical forms each summer. We cannot let campers participate without receiving these forms prior to their arrival at camp.

Zephyr Point is accredited by the American Camp Association. This important accreditation highlights our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, enriching, and high-quality camp experience for all of our campers. The ACA accreditation process is rigorous, involving a thorough review of our programs, staff qualifications, safety standards, facilities, and overall camp operations. As an accredited camp, we have met or exceeded more than 200 standards for health, safety, and program quality established by the ACA, a leading authority in the camping industry.

We will provide ALL backpacking equipment (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack) and group gear (tents, stoves, etc). Campers will be responsible for providing some personal gear, such as clothing, hiking boots and personal cooking equipment (see packing list for more details). If you plan on bringing your own equipment, please take note of specific info about each piece of gear. Below is a packing list of everything else your camper will need!

Wilderness Adventure Camp PACKING LIST

Do I have to have everything on this list??

Everything listed on the packing list is carefully selected to ensure that your camper has a safe and enjoyable experience in the backcountry. That being said, if you find there are items that your camper typically uses a similar but different alternative to, ie. hiking shoes vs. boots, reach out to us and see if your option will do instead of what we have on the gear list. 

To Register click on the “Registration Portal” button at the top of the page. 

  • Non-refundable $100 deposit due with registration 
  • Registration and Balance due 14 days before event start date

For additional information, questions, or assistance registering, please call our Program Office at (775) 588-6759 ext 113.

Additional information:

Additional Details

Registered participants will receive a welcome letter email one month before the scheduled program. These will include lots of additional information about where to go for check-in, additional updated info, schedule, etc. If you have any questions, please contact the Program Department at 775-588-6759 ext. 113.

Yes, but this is typical for most outdoor spaces in the summer in Tahoe. We provide bug face nets for all of the campers and will have the proper medical supplies to provide relief. However, if you think your camper would be more comfortable with extra bug spray on hand and a bug bivvy to sleep in, we encourage you to send them to camp with those things!

Additionally, all of our guides are trained in animal safety protocols while in the backcountry.

Cancellation Policy (Overnight Camps): 

All deposits are non-refundable after payment is made. Cancellations one month before the start date of the program are eligible for a refund or transfer of entire registration fee minus deposit to a different program within the year.  Cancellations within one month before the start date of the program are eligible for a 50% refund or transfer of entire registration fee minus deposit to a different program within the year. Cancellation within two weeks of the start date of the program will receive no refund. Registrations paid will be eligible to transfer to a different program within that year.

Yes! We have had plenty of backpacking trips where we make a plan for campers who need their own food and cookware due to allergies or preferences and have not had any difficulties making these accommodations. Please be sure to indicate any of this on your campers medical form and feel free to reach out to us if we need to discuss accommodations in advance.

Zephyr Point may be required to cancel Wilderness Adventure Camps due to wildfire smoke under the following circumstances:

  • AQI 200+ forecasted for 2+ hours

Program staff will be monitoring AQI throughout the entire trip as well as taking in predicted wind patterns in order to have the best read on AQI. Zephyr Point relies primarily on AirNow.gov and Purple Air to monitor the various sensors in the area as well as Windy.com to monitor wind patterns. 

In the case that AQI predictions require the cancellation of camp, campers will be safely evacuated to the closest pick-up location on the scheduled route. We will do our best to notify parents as efficiently as possible in the case of cancellation to provide information about pick-up procedures.

Any time that Zephyr Point is required to cancel camp, campers will receive a prorated reimbursement for the days that camp was closed. We will do our best to process refunds within one week of the date of cancellation. Zephyr Point will automatically initiate the refund process, so there is no need to call the office unless it has been over 10 days since the cancellation.

PCUSA RAINBOW – Geneva Presbyterian ChurchAt Zephyr Point Youth Camps, we aspire to create a sacred space where all campers can learn, grow, and thrive in a safe and inclusive environment. We welcome and celebrate the diverse identities and experiences of young people and strive to facilitate an equitable camp experience for youth of all gender identities or expressions, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious or non-religious backgrounds, abilities or disabilities, and family compositions.