Camp is a HUGE experience for campers – especially if they have never gone before. It can feel exciting and adventurous, but it can also be worry-inducing and daunting if you don’t know what to expect. Talking to your camper about what they will encounter on a day-to-today basis at camp is as important as registering and completing your forms on time.

Schedule

Even though camp days are jam-packed with activities and fun, we stick to a schedule to allow campers to develop and sink into a routine at camp. 

While most days follow this schedule, there are special program days that campers might participate in during their session. Special Program Days are typically surprises that are broken during wake-up and morning prep times by staff members. Here are the Special Program Days: 

Maccabiah is an all day all camp color competition where 4 teams take part in various competitive events and relay races all day. 

4th of July at camp is an action packed carnival style day filled with swimming, face painting, bouncy houses, cotton candy and popcorn, and more 

Mayhem Day is an all day camp activity where campers who aren’t at camp for the 4th of July get to experience all the fun of the carnival. 

On Yom International, our international staff have the opportunity to run stations that showcase their culture and activities from their home country.

Activities

We do our best to get campers to all of our activity offerings multiple times during their session. We are a “challenge by choice” program, which means that while we encourage campers to try all the activities, they are not pushed to participate in activities they do not want to do. Campers participate in activities with same-aged, mixed-gender, and mixed cabin groups. During a Traditional Session, we attempt to get all full-session Ranch Program campers to each activity at least twice during their session. Chugim (choice) periods offer opportunities to go to activities again. Campers enrolled in a Specialty Camp, either EQ (Equestrian Camp) or OA (Outdoor Adventure Camp), will focus on activities in their chosen specialty during 3-4 out of the 5 activity periods of a typical day. All Mini Campers will still participate in an abbreviated traditional session schedule and will participate in a rodeo-style equestrian experience, with the opportunity to ride. Here is a list of many, but not all, of the activities, offered at camp: 

• Archery
• Arts & Performance
• Court & Field Sports
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Israeli Culture & Judaics
• Low & High Ropes Course
• Mountain Biking (5th & older)
• Music
• Onsite Campouts for ALL campers
• Offsite Trips (8th & older)
• Rikkud (Dance)
• STEM
• Swimming (onsite pool!)
• Teva Farm & Garden
• Team Building
• Tie Dye 

Activity Limitations Inclement weather during the session can require that some activity periods be canceled. We will do our best to reschedule activity groups for certain activities such as horseback riding, archery, pool, and ropes course, as time and schedules allow. Please note that Mini Campers are scheduled at least once for all activities that they are eligible to participate in. These programs are a “taste of camp” experience, and the short time frame does not often allow for campers to get to do many of the activities more than once or participate in all of our special program days. 

First Time Campers We’ve created a guide to all things Ranch Camp for first-time families and campers to use as they prepare for camp. You can find it a little further down the page! In addition to the guide, our Assistant Director of Camper Wellness is dedicated to first-time family and camper communication and the first-time camper experience. Schedule a meeting here. 

In addition to our scheduled activities and program, the Ranch Camp team strives to connect campers — mind, body, and spirit — to their Jewish heritage, the Jewish community, and to the natural world around them. Ranch Camp provides campers with spiritual and innovative Jewish programming, including: 

• Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday night) services in our outdoor Pavilions
• Saturday morning services in beautiful and peaceful Eddie’s Corner
• Musical Havdallah looking out over the front meadow or at the campfire
• Spirited Shabbat song sessions Israeli dance, music, and culture
• Supervised Kosher Kitchen 

Surrounded by nature and the warmth of old and new friends, campers experience Judaism as never before. Together they share Jewish rituals and traditions and better understand the special way in which we are all connected to one another – connections that will last a lifetime. 

We seek to have campers access Judaism in a way that fits them best. We have special traditions that are both a part of Judaism as well as linked with the history of Ranch Camp. We incorporate our mentality of ‘challenge by choice’ into everything we do. Want to take part in lighting the Shabbat candles? Come up and join our staff, praying alongside them and maybe even getting to do the actual lighting! Want to lead a song for Shabbat services? Jump on stage and take part. We aim to weave Judaic values into every part of camp, getting campers to learn and appreciate an aspect of Judaism while having fun and bonding with new friends. 

Services are held at camp in observance of Shabbat on Friday night and Saturday morning, and Havdallah on Saturday evening. They are run by campers and staff and are inclusive to everyone. Ranch Camp is committed to being a home for all Jews, and for those who are willing to respect and support the Jewish faith and people. Ranch Camp provides an environment where campers and staff can observe Shabbat according to their own traditions but we are not Shomer Shabbat as a community. 

Food is a key part of the camp experience and we eat three meals together daily as a community. We also have snacks twice daily between meal times and fruit is always available in the dining hall.

We can accommodate a wide range of dietary restrictions including but not limited to: vegetarian, gluten-free, celiac, corn-free, dairy-free, and a wide variety of specific food allergies. Our kitchen and dining hall is a nut-sensitive facility. We do serve products made in facilities that process nuts.

Worries about your picky eater? Worried about your picky eater? Schedule a meeting with Rachel to discuss strategies to prepare your camper, and talk through any food concerns.

How do we accommodate high stakes dietary needs?  

• We do not serve any nut products at Ranch Camp. 

• We serve the special/dietary needs food at a separate station, with separate kitchen utensils, and separate servers, so it does not get confused with the other food, and it stays away from cross contamination. 
• Since we serve our meals buffet style, after we say the Hamotzi, we dismiss our campers with dietary needs first, in order of: Celiac/Gluten free first, corn free next, then dairy free, and then all other special diets. This way, the campers can make their plate before any cross contamination could occur, and these campers get the food that they need. 

Food/Dietary Needs on the Trail: If your camper is attending a trip this summer, whether it is the shorter 4 day Toshavim trip, the full 21 day experience of Teen Village, or somewhere in between, we provide the same accommodations for dietary needs that we do at camp. However, since it’s backpacking, the food may look different!  

• The food and cooking equipment still follows Kosher rules, though, for the most part, trail food is vegetarian. 
• For allergies, especially gluten free & celiac, we provide a completely different set of cookware and keep the food stored separately, to avoid cross contamination. 

Our cabins become a home away from home for your camper while at camp!  All our cabins have bunk beds and shelving for campers to unpack and set up as their own, as well as electricity. Each cabin houses 10 – 14 campers and 3 – 4 staff members. Our oldest campers participating in TASC live in TASC Village, a cluster of platform tents with canvas siding and cots for each camper. Bathhouses are a short walk, under a minute, away from each cabin and include single-stall toilets and showers, and heated water. Cabin living is one of the best aspects of camp!

South Village is home of the Chalutzim Unit (2nd – 4th grade) and half of the Metapsim Unit (5th – 6th grade) is a 7-cabin village with beautiful, rustic red cabins is the historic heart of camp and reminds us that camp was originally a working Colorado ranch.   

North Village is home of the other half of the Metapsim Unit and the Toshavim Unit (7th – 8th grade), is a 6-cabin village with a modern feel. Each of these cabins has a wrap-around porch perfect for sitting and relaxing with your friends in the shade on a hot summer day. 

Cabin Routines

Each cabin’s staff sets morning and evening routines to transition campers out of bed or into bed, as well as many cabin-life routines. This might look like a shower schedule, sharing the next day’s schedule, one-on-one or group check-ins, a ritual like meditation or story time, flashlight time, and then lights out. The cabin might have a rotating chore chart. Each Cabin will have a “Brit,” a contract, at the start of their session to set ground rules. We establish behavior and social expectations and lay the groundwork for future conversations on the subject, should the need arise.   

Our staff are experts in understanding the social dynamics of each cabin and coaching campers in friendship building. Each day, campers will connect with their cabin mates, but also join activity groups that help expand their social experience.  

Ranch Camp Inclusion Statement

In alignment with our mission, vision, and values, JCC Ranch Camp is committed to the fundamental principles of

personal freedom, equality of opportunity, and human dignity. We strive to create a community that welcomes

diversity. We invite and engage all those who wish to participate including, but not limited to, people of any: race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, family structure, ability, marital status, culture, and spirituality. We will continually challenge ourselves and others in an environment of mutual concern and respect for the free expression of all individuals. Inclusion permeates our center. Inclusion is belonging.

Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Inclusion Statement

Ranch Camp shall ensure that all personally identifiable and medical information relating to an individual’s transgender or gender non-conforming status shall be kept confidential in accordance with applicable state, local, and federal privacy laws. All representatives of Ranch Camp, both paid and volunteer, shall not disclose any information that may reveal a camper’s transgender status to others, including other parents/guardians and other camp staff, unless legally required to do so, or unless the camper or staff has authorized such disclosure. All campers have the right to discuss and convey their gender identity and expression openly and to decide when, with whom, and how much to share private information. When contacting the parent/guardians of a camper, Ranch Camp staff should use the camper’s legal name and the pronoun corresponding to the camper’s gender assigned at birth unless the camper or parent/guardian has specified otherwise. Every camper has the right to be addressed by a name and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity. Regardless of whether a camper has legally changed their name or gender (or undergone any surgical or hormonal transitions), Ranch Camp will allow such campers to use a chosen name and gender pronouns that reflect their identity. It is recommended that Ranch Camp staff privately ask campers how they want to be addressed at camp and other programs and in the camp’s communication with the camper’s parent/guardians. If the camper or staff has previously been known at Ranch Camp by a different name, Ranch Camp leadership staff will direct Ranch Camp staff to use the person’s chosen name and appropriate pronouns. Campers will be bunked in cabins by their identified gender as indicated on their CampMinder application.

Our #1 priority is the emotional, physical, and spiritual health, safety, and well-being of our campers. To ensure we can keep all campers safe, we have:

• On-Site Mirpa’ah (Health Center) staff including a registered nurse or physician available 24/7.  
• Multiple daily health calls (during open clinic hours)  
• Air-conditioned Mirpa’ah with overnight capacity  
• Urgent Care facilities 25 minutes away in Falcon, CO, with open hours every day.  
• Several major hospitals (St. Francis Hospital, Colorado Springs; SkyRidge Medical Center, Denver; Children’s Hospital, Parker) within a 45-minute drive.  
• Flight for Life is available, 24/7.  
• Local ambulance support within 10 minutes.  
• Camp entrance monitored by video surveillance camera.  
• On-site security presence with a professional security guard.  
• All spaces at camp are equipped with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.  
• Staff and campers review and practice emergency procedures within the first 24 hours of each session.  
• All staff are trained on emergency procedures, lost camper, major injury, intruder, active shooter, and disaster preparedness as well as CPR/First Aid certified.  
• Staff are background checked through multiple agencies, screened through personal interviews, and reference checked.  
• Staff are given continuous performance evaluations throughout the summer.  
• Staff participate in 10 – 17 days of pre-camp, on location, Staff Training with a pre-camp distance learning component.   
• Accredited by the American Camping Association.  
• Annual Compliance with State Fire Inspection, State Licensing, and Health Inspections. 

Going to camp for the first time is a HUGE deal. We’re so excited that you’ve decided to start your overnight camp journey. We have several resources for First Time Families and Campers to help you get to camp successfully. 

If you want to set up a time to talk through your first year at camp, please schedule a call with our Assistant Director of Camper Wellness, Rachel, through this link: https://calendly.com/rszurek/general-ranch-camp-inquiry

Information coming soon!

If you have not completed your camper forms, your camper may not be able to attend camp and you will not receive a refund. We require forms to be submitted well before your camper arrives to give our team enough time to review all the information and reach out to you if clarification or additional communication is needed to ensure your camper has a successful and memorable camp experience. 

Find more specific information on how to fill out all the forms in the Summer Handbook! 

Instructions for Forms

• All Forms are due May 1st, 2025. 

• The Physician Form and Immunization Forms must be signed and dated by your camper’s doctor within ONE YEAR of the first day of their session. No exceptions. 

• Anything counts as a medication if it is: prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins/supplements, homeopathic medications, essential oils, and anything else that can be inhaled, absorbed, or ingested while the child is attending the program. 

• And therefore, MUST be listed on the physician form as a medication if you plan on bringing it to camp. EVEN IF IT IS OVER-THE-COUNTER OR A SUPPLEMENT.  

• We CAN NOT administer any medication that is not listed on their Physician form with matching information on the packaging/label and prescription itself. We CAN NOT accept medications at drop off if they are improperly documented. (Sorry for yelling, it’s just that a lot of people get this one wrong😊) 

• Deadlines- ALL FORMS ARE DUE MAY 1st, 2025!! 

• Examples of properly filled out forms- include examples 

• Your Forms are located here! Click on “Forms and Documents.” Forms in Green = accepted. Forms in Red = not complete, or not accepted due to incomplete or incorrect information- review, redo, resubmit. 

• MEDICATION POLICY: This is a big one that has a lot of important details. If your camper will be taking medication at camp, PLEASE read through page 10 in the Summer Handbook. 

For emergencies on drop-off day, please call the camp office or the emergency number at 720-644-6382. 

Arrival Dates 

Arriving by Bus

The bus will be picking up campers at JCC Denver, in the lower lot. 

We’ll welcome campers in the following arrival windows: 

• Campers with medications: 9:00 – 9:30 AM
• Campers without medications: 9:30 – 9:50 AM 

If you have siblings, please plan to arrive in the earlier arrival window. Also, keep in mind that the entire arrival process takes about 20 minutes per family. 

The bus will depart to camp at 10:05 AM. 

When you arrive:  

• Please park your car in the designated spots in the lower lot of the JCC. 

• A staff member will greet you and direct you to the check in table where you will sign your camper in. Bring luggage with you to the check in table! 

• After the check in table, you will drop off luggage and proceed to the Health Screening table. At this table: 

• • Your camper will participate in a brief health screening.  

• • You will check in any medications that your camper will be taking at camp. 

Arriving by Car

We’ll welcome campers to camp in the following arrival windows:  

• Minis and Chalutzim (2 – 4 graders): 9:30 – 10:15 am
• Metapsim and Staff/Wranglers in Training (5 – 6 graders and ITs): 10:15 – 11:00 am
• Toshavim and Tiyulim (7 – 10 graders): 11:00 – 11:45 am  
• Teen Village: 9:30 – 10:00 am

When you arrive:  

A staff member will greet you and direct you to an arrival lane. In this lane, you will:  

• Your camper will participate in a brief health screening.  

• Check-in any medications that your camper will be taking at camp. 

After the health screening, you’ll be directed to drive up the front road to unload luggage at your designated luggage drop-off spot, park, and join in on arrival day festivities! If you do not want to stay, you will still unload luggage at your designated luggage drop-off spot, but you’ll be directed to a Hug and Go drop-off lane.   

Arriving by Plane

A member from our team will reach out to you to organize logistics based on your camper’s flights. We always have a staff member meet your camper directly at their gate as they deboard the plane, and they will help your camper navigate through the airport. The staff members will be provided with your contact information to communicate the safe arrival of your camper. When we provide you with the staff information, please provide that information to your airline so our staff members are allowed through security and to the gate. 

When you arrive, your camper will receive a short health screening, we will collect any documented medication, and you may help your camper move into their bunk. All families will need to depart camp by 12pm. 

General Arrival Reminders:  

• All medications need to be in their original packaging, cannot be expired or expire while your camper is at camp, must be documented correctly, and documentation must exactly match what is on the medication bottle itself. Any medications that do not meet these specifications will not be accepted.  

• Please leave “as needed” sorts of medications and remedies (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, teas, etc.) at home. We carry most over-the-counter medications in the infirmary (in both pill and liquid form). 
• If anyone in your family is feeling ill, we ask that they please wear a mask or stay home.  

For emergencies on drop-off day, please call the camp office or the emergency number at 720-644-6382.   

Departure Dates 

There is no departure bus back to Denver. All campers must be picked up at Ranch Camp or have a flight scheduled. 

Departing by Car: 

PICK-UP WINDOWS AT RANCH CAMP   

Minis and Chalutzim (2 – 4 graders): 9:30 – 10:00 am    

Metapsim and Staff/Wranglers in Training (5 – 6 graders and ITs): 10:00 – 10:30 am    

Toshavim and Tiyulim (7 – 10 graders): 10:30 – 11:00 am   

Departing by Air: A member from our team will reach out to you to organize logistics based on your camper’s flights. We always have a staff member take your camper directly to their gate and wait with your camper until the plane has taken off. The staff members will be provided with your contact information to communicate the safe departure of your camper. When we provide you with the staff information, please provide that information to your airline so our staff members are allowed through security and to the gate. 

Schedule an Info Call with us! 

• General Inquiry- “I don’t know much about Ranch Camp yet, and am interested in registering, but I want to know more”: https://calendly.com/rszurek/general-ranch-camp-inquiry 

• First Time Camper Call- “My Camper is attending Ranch Camp or overnight camp for the first time and are a little nervous, or think it would benefit them to speak with someone from camp” : https://calendly.com/rszurek/camper-check-in-calls  

• Pre-Camp Check In Call- “My camper has questions about camp before arriving”: https://calendly.com/rszurek/camper-check-in-calls  

General email: ranchcamp@jccdenver.org 

For in-depth information on Communication, please make sure to read our RC 101 on Communication! 

Our summer office hours are Sunday through Thursday 9:00 am – 6:30 pm and Friday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. Our office is closed on Saturdays in observance of Shabbat. Our office is also closed between each session on June 8th, June 23rd-24th, July 14th -15th, and August 4th-5th.

Summer Office: Mid May- Mid August 

• Hours: Sunday – Thursday 9:00-6:00pm (closed for lunch 1pm-2pm), Friday 9am-4pm (closed for lunch 1pm-2pm), Saturday closed in observance of Shabbat 

• Main Office: 303.648.3800 

Before Camp:  

• An email confirmation of your arrival transportation selections.  

• An introduction video from your camper’s counselors with your camper’s cabin number.  

During Camp: 

Progress Note: All parents and caregivers will receive an email in the second half of their camper’s session with a progress note about your camper’s unit and cabin. If your camper is at camp for a full session, this progress note will also include an individualized update about your camper.   

First Time Camper Call: If your camper is attending Ranch Camp for the first time, you’ll receive one call within the first week of their session. 

• If you have a camper attending a Mini Camp or ShaiVenture, you’ll receive your “First Time Camper Update Call” on day 3 or 4 of your camper’s session at Ranch Camp. 

• Additionally, all parents and caregivers will receive an email in the second half of their camper’s session with a progress note. 

Stay Connected: Follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, stay updated on our weekly blog, check out hundreds of photos of your camper’s session posted every other day on CampInTouch, and write letters to your camper! 

After Camp:  

• A Unit Directory with all the names and contact information of the campers in your camper’s unit  

• An end of summer survey to help us improve Ranch Camp  

Although we do our very best to ensure that your camper returns home with all the items they came to camp with, lost and found is inevitable. We will do our best to reunite you with any lost items in line with our lost and found guidelines:  

We will have a lost and found table on departure day. Please make sure to take a look through before you leave with your camper. 

All lost and found items that ARE LABELED with a camper’s first and last name will be available for pick up at the JCC in Denver in August after the camp season closes. 

• We will provide a photo album of all of the labeled lost and found items. This will be available on CampInTouch in August after all sessions are through. 

• Unfortunately, it is not likely that we can help you reunite with your lost item during the summer. 

• If you have lost a high value item, please reach out to us. Chances are, we have it and have noted it. 

If you are an out-of-state family with labeled lost and found, please let us know, and we can mail your lost items to you. We will charge your CampInTouch account for any required postage. 

All lost and found items that ARE NOT LABELED with a camper’s first and last name will be donated to a local thrift store or charity after the camp season closes. 

We CANNOT search for lost items that are not labeled with a camper’s first and last name. Ranch Camp is not responsible for lost or damaged personal property 

First Time Camper Guide:  

We made this resource for both campers and their families! We recommend looking through this together, and having a conversation about any questions or concerns your camper has. After reviewing it, we recommend scheduling a meeting (phone or video!) with Rachel, our Assistant Director of Camper Wellness, if you or your camper want to meet a friendly camp face, or get all your questions answered! 

First Time Camper Guide 

If your camper is attending Ranch Camp for the first time, you’ll receive one “First Time Camper Update Call” within the first week of their session. (If you have a camper attending a Mini Camp or ShaiVenture, you’ll receive your “First Time Camper Update Call” on day 3 or 4 of your camper’s session at Ranch Camp). Additionally, all parents and caregivers will receive an email in the second half of their camper’s session with a progress note about your camper’s unit and cabin. If your camper is at camp for a full session, this progress note will also include an individualized update about your camper. 

More information coming soon!

Are you coming from out of state? Pack lighter and leave your linens at home! Sign up to receive camp-provided linens – sign up for 2025 linens is coming soon!

Packing Tips: 

For more in-depth information, see our RC101: Packing email! Highlights: 

• Clothing, shoes, gear, bedding etc. sent to camp should be casual, comfortable, and ok to get dirty. 

• All campers will need closed toe shoes to participate in camp activities. 

• Luggage will be unpacked onto shelves/cubbies and should be able to fit under the bunk bed