Our 11 year old daughter had nice introductions to rock climbing and
camping last summer and would like a more intense experience in
similar areas next summer. We are looking for a summer program that
teaches outdoor skills (e.g., rock climbing, white watering,
orienteering), is girls only, and does not attract/permit blow dryers,
makeup, or annoying teenage girl attitudes.

We've reviewed the web sites for Outward Bound, National Outdoors
Leadership School, American Mountain Guides Association, and the
American Camping Association. The only outdoor-oriented programs not
focused on troubled teens seem to be Girl Scout programs. However, we
suspect that those programs may not be very demanding with respect to
either skill development or physical challenges.

There seems to be class of summer experiences known as "travel" camps.
These look interesting in concept, but we did not see any that permit
kids as young as ours. We're prepared to send our daughter pretty much
anywhere if we are convinced that she'll be safe, have fun, and will
come away with a deeper appreciation and respect for the outdoors
generally and some skill particularly.

We're quite familiar with the "generalist" camps (i.e., camps that
offer 20 or 30 different activities--from archery to soccer to crafts
to swimming to drama) and are not interested in that kind of
experience.

Can you recommend a few programs worth investigating further?

---

Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 01 Nov 2002 18:02 PST

Hello Atlasshrugged,

I located this adventure camp. Please take a look to see if I am on
the right track.
http://www.alpengirl.com/adventures.html

Thanks

--Bobbie7-ga

---

Clarification of Question by atlasshrugged-ga on 01 Nov 2002 18:26 PST

Yes, you are on the right track. Of course, we'd love to have a
handful or so of qualified choices, so we'd appreciate any more sites
like this one. BTW: We forgot to mention that we want to avoid any
strong religious affiliations (so the Alpengirls site is still a good
hit).

Thanks.

Hello Atlasshrugged,

Thank you for you question.

My search returned the following results for adventure type camps for
girls:


Alpengirl

“Adventurous summer camps for teenage girls 
Alpengirl is the ONLY summer camp for teen adventure committed 100% to
girls! Our cutting-edge summer camp program is designed for motivated
girls interested in adventure sports perfectly blended with fitness
and wilderness. Two and three-week teen camps in Montana, Washington,
and Alaska”

Alpengirl Website
http://www.alpengirl.com/adventures.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Camp Green Cove

“Camp Green Cove is a traditional, but unique summer program for girls
age 6 to 17. Located in the Mountains of Western North Carolina, we
emphasize outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing,
sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. We
believe in fun, adventure, safety, and great instruction.”

Camp Green Cove, established 1945.
P.O. Box 38, Tuxedo, NC 28784.
Toll Free: 1(800)688-5789.
Fax: 1(828)696-8895.
E-mail: greencove@greencove.com

Camp Green Cove
http://www.greencove.com/

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hawk Circle Wilderness Summer Camp 

“Wilderness adventure program operating expeditions in the United
States focusing on authentic Native American Wilderness Skills in a
personal growth, safe setting; coed & separate gender camps.
Activities include: tracking, survival, firemaking, shelters,
awareness games, hiking, plants and trees, campfires, cooking,
storytelling.”
 
Address: P.O. Box 506, Cherry Valley,
NY 13320; Phone: 
607) 264-3396 
E-mail: Office@Hawkcircle.com 

Camp starts June 23 and goes until August 17, 2002. Sessions are one
or two weeks long, for ages 10 to 17.

Hawk Circle Wilderness Website
http://www.hawkcircle.com/aboutus.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Adventure Teen Travel

Adventure Teen Travel Teen Camping, wilderness travel and adventure
vacations to destinations in the Rocky Mountains, Atlantic and Pacific
coasts, France and Europe.
Summit Centre, 202-56 Lincoln Park,
Canmore, Alberta,
Canada T1W 1N8 ;
Phone: (877) 990-TEEN 
E-mail:info@adventureteentravel.com 

“Adventure Teen Travel is a wilderness adventure program. 
Teen adventure vacations to destinations in the Rocky Mountains,
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, France and Europe. Activities such as
hiking, heli-hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, canoeing, sea
kayaking and white water rafting. Outdoor co-educational & girls only
programs that are suitable for participants of all levels. See
wildlife such as moose, elk and bighorn sheep in their natural setting
of the Canadian Rockies.”

Adventure Teen Travel
http://www.adventureteentravel.com/

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Turtle Island Preserve

Turtle Island Preserve is a 1,000 acre nature preserve and educational
facility in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains near Boone, NC.
Inspirational forests, clear streams and diverse flora and fauna are
the setting for REAL experiences.

1443 Lonnie Carlton Road,
Triplett, NC 28618
Phone- 828.265.2267 
E-mail:mail@turtleislandpreserve.com 

Turtle Island Preserve is a non-traditional summer residence camp with
separate sessions for boys and girls and founded by Eustace Conway,
celebrated outdoorsman. Accommodations include tipi and Adirondack
shelters. They have a 4:1 camper-staff ratio.

Turtle Island Preserve
http://www.turtleislandpreserve.com/index2.htm

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Girls Wilderness Rock Climbing - Advanced Rock Climbing

This eleven-day adventure in Leavenworth, Washington, is for girls who
have completed the Girls Rock Program or completed the Girls
Wilderness Beginning Rock Climbing course.

Girls Wilderness Rock Climbing
http://www.passagesnw.org/climb.html

Girls Wilderness Backpacking and Hiking Programs 
http://www.passagesnw.org/pack.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Additional information that may interest you:

********************************************

Choose your adventure at Adventure Pursuits.
http://www.apadventures.com/intro_to_adventures.html

********************************************

If you want adventure hiking, camping, rock climbing, wilderness
skills and canoeing in South Africa, Teen African Adventure Camp is
ideal. Although this camp is coed and for older teens, I wanted to
include it as an alternative for the future.
Teen African Adventure Camp 
http://teenafrika.topcities.com/index.html

********************************************

Trails Wilderness Schools offers 15 a wide variety of programs.
Although they don’t mention having all girl groups, it’s worth a call
to find out.The programs they offer include Alaska adventures, Alps
Adventure, rock-climbing and white-water rafting just to name a few.
http://www.trailsws.com/programs.html

Summer (June-Aug) 
Trails Wilderness School
Teton Valley Ranch
Box 123
Jackson Hole-Kelly, WY 83011
Phone: (307) 733-0124
Fax: (307) 733-5441 

Trails Wilderness Schools
http://www.trailsws.com/programs.html

********************************************

Whitewater Summer Camps and Camp RAFT

Although it’s coed this is what they say “Students and staff camp in
their own tents (tent rentals available), with the young women and
women guides camped together in their own circle, and, not far away,
the young men and male guides camped in their own circle.”
http://www.whitewatervoyages.com/schools/summercamps.html

********************************************

Search Criteria:

adventure camps
outdoor skills camps
rock climbing camp for girls
white watering  “girls camp”
orienteering camp adventure
rock climbing white watering girls camp
wilderness programs +camp
adventure programs
Eco-adventure camp
wilderness adventure camps for girls

I hope you find this helpful and if there is anything that I've
written that needs clarification, please ask before you rate this
answer.

Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by atlasshrugged-ga on 03 Nov 2002 06:26 PST

Bobbie7-ga,

Thanks for the responses, but our biggest challenge is finding
programs that meet all our criteria, including the proper age level. 
As mentioned previously, our daughter is 11 years old.  Several of the
programs you found (e.g., Alpengirl) are targeted at girls 12 to 14. 
Thus, given the age cut-offs, they are not viable options.  Your
thoughts?

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 03 Nov 2002 06:56 PST

Hello again Atlasshrugged,

Thank you for you clarification request question.

I went over the camps I located for you and this is the summary of age
of the camps that meet the age requirement.

Camp Green Cove 6-17
Hawk Circle Wilderness Summer Camp 10-17
Turtle Island Preserve accepts from ages 8-16
Girls Wilderness Rock Climbing Ages: Girls entering grades 7 & 8
Girls Wilderness Backpacking and Hiking Programs: Girls entering
grades 5-6

These two camps are not in the age requirement.
Adventure Teen Travel 12 and over
Alpengirl 12 and over

The camps that I included under the title “additional information that
may interest you” were added as interesting options for you to check
out for future summers.

Today I will do some more research and see what I can come up with and
I will get back to you when I have more options.

Thank you for your patience,

Sincerely,
 
--Bobbie7-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 03 Nov 2002 14:06 PST

Hi again,

After more than 4 hours of research, I have only located one more camp
meeting your requirements. I tried multiple search strategies but to
no avail. It seems that a non religious, girls only adventure or
wilderness camp for 11 year olds is very scarce.

Deep Wilds Wilderness Adventures for Children and Teens

Coyote Camp has two sessions, one for boys and girls 10-13 years old
and another for teens ages 13-17
“Coyote Camp is an opportunity young people ages 10-17 to learn
outdoor leadership, wilderness skills, nature awareness and the
philosophy of living close to the earth. They learn ancient skills of
survival and awareness including building our own natural shelter.”
http://www.deepwilds.com/CoyoteCamp.htm

Schedule 2003
http://www.deepwilds.com/Schedule.htm


These following programs are for 10-11 year olds but it is not
mentioned if they are for girls only.

Appalachian Adventures 
ages 10-11 Rock Climbing, Caving, Canoeing, Flatwater Kayaking,
Rappelling, Ropes Course

Wilderness Explorer 
ages 10-11
Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Canoeing, Flatwater Kayaking, Backpacking,
Caving, Ropes Course, Service
http://www.groa.com/2002/2002SS.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Camps for 12 year olds or coed for 11 year olds are plentiful.
Here aree some examples:

For girls only but from age 12-14 

Highlights: Ropes Course, Rock Climbing
On/Off Road Biking, Day Hiking, Lake Kayaking
Whitewater Rafting
http://www.trailmark.com/negirls.html

These camps fit the age requirement but are coed:
http://www.campresource.com/camps/camp_listing.cfm?CampID=271
http://www.theroadlesstraveled.com/
http://www.aave.com/

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm sorry that I could not locate more camps to choose from, not
because I did't try but because they don't seem to be available. I
hope your daughter likes one of the camps I did locate fitting the
specified requirements.

Sincerely,

Bobbie7-ga