Trip Highlights:
Our 6-Day California Summer Camp in Yosemite, also known as our High Country Adventure, is designed for participants ages 13-17 who are both new or experienced backpackers. (Note: youth will be grouped with like ages and between a younger and older group pending actual registrations.) Most trips travel from the Yosemite high country in Tuolumne Meadows to the Yosemite Valley. This Yosemite adventure includes camping and hiking beside high alpine lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and meadows. Most trips have an opportunity to summit a major peak and/or partake in some incredible sunsets among spectacular geological formations. Risk-taking and challenges, complimented by fun and support from others, leads to a positive youth backpacking experience and adventure for all.
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YOUTH PROGRAM ADVENTURE SHUTTLE
Lasting Adventures will be providing transportation from near the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the greater Bay Area to our Youth Backpacking programs in Yosemite National Park. Skip the long drive and traffic while helping save the environment.
All 2024 dates remain tentative until permitted 20-weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements outside of this timeline.
This is a Sample Itinerary only.
Day 1: Meet your Guides/Counselors between 12-1 pm. Get acquainted with the group and with gear, then have a group orientation and pack out. Hike 5.5 flat miles into Lyell Canyon and locate a campsite along the Tuolumne River. Evening games followed by campfire to strengthen bonds while goal setting and an introduction to the Yosemite wilderness and history through storytelling.
Day 2: After morning circle time (stretches, map review, goal setting, etc.) we will embark on one of our more strenuous days of uphill as we travel from 8,900′ on the Tuolumne River to 10,130′ at the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. Although a strenuous day, our trail breaks today reward us with stunning views of the Eastern Sierra vistas as we relax besides mountain creeks, wildflowers, and high alpine lakes. After traveling a total of 6.3 miles we will set-up camp in the Backpackers near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. Participants will enjoy the rewards at this ever-popular location within the Yosemite backcountry.
Day 3: The trail now meanders downhill 2.2 miles alongside Fletcher Creek before crossing the creek in a spectacular meadow where we will break for some group games. Another 2.3 miles and one more creek crossing will get us to Babcock Lake at 8,885′. Babcock Lake sits between 2 granite walls and offers a chance for fishing, swading, exploring. Afternoon activities followed by fresh fish tacos if we are lucky!
Day 4: Today we will get an early start for a long day on the trail. We will begin by continuing our gradual descent through the Yosemite backcountry as we drop to Merced Lake at 7,212′. Along the way there will be more spectacular views and after traveling approximately 4-miles we will take a lunch and a water break at the creek junction with Merced Lake. After lunch we will travel another 4.6 mainly flat and gradual downhill miles along the Merced River to a spot at Twin Bridges. Participants are rewarded with swading in a beautiful pool of water after this long trail day totaling near 9-miles.
Day 5: Today we will hike approximately 4 miles to Little Yosemite Valley at 6,140′, where we will establish camp. The afternoon will be spent wading in the river and enjoying the great outdoors.
Day 6: On our final day we will descend to the Yosemite Valley at 4,000′ via the famous Mist trail and passing directly by both Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall for a total of 4-miles. We will then head to the Curry Village parking lot to unpack, and celebrate in a pizza lunch.
Note: Remember this is only a sample itinerary only. No 2022 trips will include Half Dome.
Other: On all of our Yosemite summer camps, we have a daily circle time in the morning where youth engage in group games, share highlights, offer praise to each other, stretch, review maps and day itineraries, and set individual and group goals for the day. Also, whether breaking on the trail or in the afternoon or evening in the campsite, our Guides also facilitate additional opportunities for youth to develop a personal connection with nature. Problem-solving and initiative games are common as are smiles. As with all our Yosemite summer camp programs, additional outdoor skills are gained as we practice Leave No Trace principles and promote environmental stewardship throughout the length of our trip.
Drop-off/pick-up time & location: Our Sunday through Friday program begins at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitors Center at 12 pm on Sundays and ends at the Curry Village large parking lot by Bus Stop #14 at 12pm on Friday. Late arrivals can usually be coordinated but please let us know if you will be arriving after 1pm, as this may affect the group’s itinerary.
Scholarship Application – Every youth deserves this opportunity!
Our summer camp programs are purely recreational in nature and should not be confused with a wilderness therapy program. Our staff is trained as summer camp counselors, outdoor educators, and/or guides and they are not required or expected to have training/experience in therapeutic programs. Your child should individually have the desire to participate in this program and should not be sent against his/her will. Additionally all participants should have experience at sleepaway camps and/or being away from their parents/guardians for multiple nights. No refunds will be given for evacuations due to social, emotional, and/or behavioral reasons. In addition, there will be a minimum fee of $500 for any field evacuation due to said concerns.
In addition to full payment; final acceptance of any participant is subject to receipt and review of all the Required Forms. These forms are also attached to your confirmation email once you register online.
We will require an additional medical release for any participants on multi-day trips or any participant who is currently under the care of a physician for any ongoing disease, illness, or any other condition/factor that may be a concern on the trip.
Although we are able to accommodate many specific dietary constraints and choices, we prepare foods in a facility with peanuts, gluten, soy, and other major allergens, and are not certified as an ‘allergen-free’ facility. We take steps to limit the risk of cross-contamination, but we cannot guarantee that foods we prepare will be fully free of major allergens.
We have experience accomodating a variety of dietary choices and concerns, including, but not limited to:
If we have questions or concerns about the information on your medical form, we will call you the day before your trip to ensure we are packing foods you are able to eat without issue.
Lasting Adventures runs “traditional backpacking” trips. This is done without the use of porters, stock, or other outside assistance. You will be expected to carry all of your own personal gear and a share of the group gear and food in a backpack for the duration of this trip. The weight can be expected to be 30-50 lbs and no more than the recommended ⅓ of your body weight.
As needed, it is recommended that participants discuss their ability to conduct a backpacking trip with their doctor, including (but not limited to) the ability to carry heavy loads over long distances and strenuous and uneven terrain. Levels of difficulty listed on our website are relative and in no way an objective declaration of difficulty, and a regular physical exercise program is recommended prior to going on your adventure.
All trips are subject to itinerary changes for a wide variety of reasons including, but not limited to permitting, weather, forest fires, park or public land closures, and/or road closures. In most all situations we will offer an alternative itinerary of equal value and quality or a credit through the end of the following season. Payments are non-refundable for itinerary changes. If a trip is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control prior to its start date a trip credit equal to the full amount paid will be issued.
Due to the nature of backpacking, our guides work long hours. In order to provide the best possible experience to our guests and our guides, we limit the number of hours that our guides work to 15 hours per day. Guides will not be required to be available from 9 pm to 6 am, unless a different time period is agreed upon by the group prior to this standard break period. This varies on our summer camps, where our outdoor educators are available as needed at all times.
During time off, our guides will be available for emergencies, but should be allowed to rest and should not be considered available for other purposes outside of working hours. Please refrain from requesting non-time-sensitive assistance from guides during this period. Our guides are also entitled to take off 10 minutes every four hours, as well as 30-minute meal breaks every 5 hours, between 6 am and 9 pm. We appreciate your cooperation with these scheduling requirements.
Lasting Adventures understands that firearm laws and policies vary in every area we operate in. Regardless of local laws and policies, Lasting Adventures does not allow firearms on any of our trips. Participants who bring firearms will not be allowed to participate while in possession of their firearm.
For your protection and ours, we strongly recommend the purchase of Travel Insurance, which can provide you with coverage for trip cancellation/interruption (including COVID-19), travel delay, medical expenses, emergency assistance, airfare, and baggage loss/delay to protect your financial investment. We do recommend those with “cancel for any reason” clauses included and see here for a review of some of the Best Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Options presented by Forbes or Squaremouth.
Travel Insurance is the easiest and best way to protect both yourself and our smaller non-profit organization against last-minute cancellations. We will happily provide timely and accurate documentation for any insurance claim related to our trips upon request. Please note that when canceling a trip, your first course of action should be to contact the company responsible for insuring your trip.
Full payment is preferred for all Youth Summer Camps. During check-out, you may opt to pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking and the remaining 50% 30 days from departure. If choosing this option, you can either complete payment on your own with the self-service link in the confirmation email, or you will be billed automatically at or shortly after the 30-day interval for the remaining amount. Any new multi-day booking made at/within 45 days in advance will be required to pay in full. Feel free to contact us directly to set up any other payment plan. When registering online, expect to pay a booking fee of 3.0% (which is capped at $30) and a processing fee of 2.7% (no cap). These fees can be avoided when paying by check. For detailed information, see Payment Options.
Lasting Adventures reserves the right to cancel trips. If a trip is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, a trip credit equal to the full amount paid will be issued. Lasting Adventures is not responsible for additional expenses incurred while preparing for the trip.
Cancellations of any trip can be made without penalty within 48 hours of the initial booking. After 48 hours, our standard terms and conditions apply. To cancel, please email us at staff@lastingadventures.org or leave a voicemail at 800-513-8651. This policy does not apply if the booked trip occurs within 96 hours of the initial booking.
Fire/smoke cancellations are considered circumstances beyond our control. If your chosen travel insurance does not cover fire/smoke cancellations, a credit equal to the full amount paid will be issued. In this case, you will be required to submit proof of the purchase of said travel insurance. If we cancel during your adventure with us, we will refund a credit equal to the number of days not used. In both cases, these credits will be lifetime/transferable.
Departing From a Trip: Once a participant has joined a trip and the trip has begun, no opportunities for refunds or credits will be possible, regardless of the reason for departure. Costs associated with assisting a participant with evacuating from the wilderness will be passed on to the participant. Travel Insurance (below) is strongly recommended.
Minimum Participants: Our Summer Camps have a four-person minimum. Should we fall short on these minimums, we will contact you 30 days in advance of your scheduled start date with options that may include switching to another trip/date and/or a single-participant surcharge.
Infectious Disease Policy (including COVID): Any participant, on any program/trip, with any sign/symptom of a potential illness will not be able to participate, and no refund/credits will be given. Many forms of Travel Insurance cover these circumstances. We ask that you screen yourself and/or your child prior to participation and contact us to cancel should any sign of illness be present. Health screenings can be expected on all youth programs.
Half Dome & Other Summits: Reaching the top of a summit, such as Half Dome, is a risky activity which can be made far worse by inclement weather. While we aim to get everyone to the top, summiting is not guaranteed. Lightning and rain can be deadly on exposed summits, and our experienced guides may have to call off a summit bid if weather conditions are unfavorable.
Once you book a trip with Lasting Adventures, the value you paid is valid towards switching to another trip in the current or the coming year, pending available spaces on the new trip. Changes to your booking and conversion to a credit must occur more than 30 days prior to your original start date. Changes within 30 days are subject to fees. Once changed to a lifetime credit, credits are non-refundable and are a dollar-for-dollar value.
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