Thanks for the info! We had been looking at Camp Hale in Oklahoma (had a pretty good experience there last year), but it's now closed as well. Orr in NW Arkansas is down to 3 sessions. Not looking good for camp this summer, unfortunately.

We also have a group that is supposed to go to Philmont - our troop's last trek two years ago was canceled due to the fires.

Messiah's Ranch outside of Bryan remains open. I think a handful of groups cancelled their events for June, but the camp facility is still open and accepting group reservations.

Hopefully they are planning July or August treks. June's was cancelled.

Worked at the old Strake back in high school and while at A&M, had a great time. Don't know if they still have any openings but the Swamp Base outside of Lafayette,La is open and that can provide a very different experience in kayaking the Atchafalaya Swamp for 60 miles. Operated by Evangeline Area Council.

TexasAggie73 said:

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Worked at the old Strake back in high school and while at A&M, had a great time. Don't know if they still have any openings but the Swamp Base outside of Lafayette,La is open and that can provide a very different experience in kayaking the Atchafalaya Swamp for 60 miles. Operated by Evangeline Area Council.

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My son actually opted for Space Camp, which as of right now, his week is supposed to be the first session of the summer.

His troop was supposed to go to Northern Tier, but he decided he didn't want to make that trip. I'm not sure what the current status is. And now it looks like Camp Strake is a no-go. I feel bad for the other kids in his troop.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed he can still do Sea Base next summer. But with no school calendar, everything is up in the air.

Thankfully, he got his Philmont trek in last summer. Between the fires and now this, it's been a rough few years for that camp.

AggieFrog said:

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Thanks for the info! We had been looking at Camp Hale in Oklahoma (had a pretty good experience there last year), but it's now closed as well. Orr in NW Arkansas is down to 3 sessions. Not looking good for camp this summer, unfortunately.

We also have a group that is supposed to go to Philmont - our troop's last trek two years ago was canceled due to the fires.

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I don't have personal experience but have heard Trevor Reese Jones in the DFW area is a good camp.

That stinks about Philmont but have heard they're doing treks just later in the summer than people originally intended. We had a crew headed for boundary waters and pushed it a year because we couldn't control the environment on the ride up. Add in I had 2 of my 3 adults that ended up not being able to take work, and that decision was more or less made for us.

We had been scheduled for Lost Pines in Capital Council, but they cancelled all of their "normal" summer camps.

I've also heard great things about Swamp Base. That's one of the locations we might have to add in for our high adventure cycle.

Part of me wonders if this year at camp will be more healthy in the past as kids and leaders will be more required to wash hands/sanitize more often, and generally kids are probably more accepting of handwashing right now.

Iowaggie said:

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Part of me wonders if this year at camp will be more healthy in the past as kids and leaders will be more required to wash hands/sanitize more often, and generally kids are probably more accepting of handwashing right now.

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I think the biggest health benefit from camp is more with regard to their mental health.

At this point mental health for the kids and parents.

AggieFrog said:

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I think the biggest health benefit from camp is more with regard to their mental health.

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My family got word last night on their report date for work at Bear Creek. They started dancing and celebrating. That's a major part of our lives that nobody wants to miss out on.
I'm super excited for the camps that are working hard to make things happen for these kids in this craziness.

Daughter's a counselor at Sky Ranch camp (Christian based) out of Van, Tx.

She works at the camp in Colorado all summer and leaves 5/30 to start. They delayed a week, but they're a go.

Other 2 daughter's are heading to Pine Cove as long-time attendees. Pine Cove looks like it's a go 6/1 and beyond.

This is interesting because I never grew up going to camps. 4h leadership camp once in high school. Lots of VBS at various churches, and one terrible experience in Brownie day camp. Got stung by wasps.

My kids never went to just spend time camps. They did do special interest camps including boarding camps when I felt they were old enough. I think 5th grade on the best I remember. And day camps before that.

My son did basketball camps locally, Spurs camp, and week long dorm camps at several colleges. Back then UIL did not let you do camps after 8th grade.

Both did YOSA summer strings and local summer strings camps. Daughter went to Brevard for the sumer on scholarship and did stay in the dorm orchestra camps at Baylor and SMU pretty much every year as soon as old enough.

But going to a camp to just play is not part of our culture. And I can tell we must be the exception. So I hope you can find places for your kids. Also pretty sure their wont be music or sports camps this summer.

A bunch more camps and day camps in my area canceled for the summer today. I'm interested to see if all the ones in Texas end up opening or not.

Waldemar pulled the plug this morning.

We are scrambling to get our kids in Kanakuk.

Waldemar cited all the restrictions being placed upon camps and required social distancing, etc. That they wouldn't be able to do normal camp things. Is that true? Seems like if that were true, more camps would be cancelling. I guess Waldemar has the money to cancel a year, while others don't.

RVAg02 said:

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Waldemar cited all the restrictions being placed upon camps and required social distancing, etc. That they wouldn't be able to do normal camp things. Is that true? Seems like if that were true, more camps would be cancelling. I guess Waldemar has the money to cancel a year, while others don't.

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Yes

The vimeo they put out is private through their camp in touch system, but you have the right gist of it. They will allow their oldest campers to go for their final year, but I have no idea how that will in any way be the experience they expect.

Already signed up for Kanakuk.

I mean I sort of expect LoneHollow to follow here along with Stewart, they all are really closely related.

My son is signed up with a couple buddies to go to T Bar M in July. TBarM has been nothing but full steam ahead on the summer from the beginning (other than having to shift the first coupe of camp weeks to later in the summer). I'm curious about the different reactions from camp to camp.

RVAg02 said:

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My son is signed up with a couple buddies to go to T Bar M in July. TBarM has been nothing but full steam ahead on the summer from the beginning (other than having to shift the first coupe of camp weeks to later in the summer). I'm curious about the different reactions from camp to camp.

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Yeah, I'm following just the main ones around Hunt, and loosely PineCove as that's one my neighbors use.

The Waldemar news was a big shock, they were planning on the situation being more or less the same camp experience, but delayed. To do a 180 like this was just so unexpected.

culdeus said:

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RVAg02 said:

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My son is signed up with a couple buddies to go to T Bar M in July. TBarM has been nothing but full steam ahead on the summer from the beginning (other than having to shift the first coupe of camp weeks to later in the summer). I'm curious about the different reactions from camp to camp.

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Yeah, I'm following just the main ones around Hunt, and loosely PineCove as that's one my neighbors use.

The Waldemar news was a big shock, they were planning on the situation being more or less the same camp experience, but delayed. To do a 180 like this was just so unexpected.

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Good buddy of mine has a nephew that is working at PineCove this summer. He is there now getting ready. Reported back that there will be "lots of social distancing". Spreading out the sleeping, no three legged race, etc.

culdeus said:

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RVAg02 said:

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Waldemar cited all the restrictions being placed upon camps and required social distancing, etc. That they wouldn't be able to do normal camp things. Is that true? Seems like if that were true, more camps would be cancelling. I guess Waldemar has the money to cancel a year, while others don't.

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Yes

The vimeo they put out is private through their camp in touch system, but you have the right gist of it. They will allow their oldest campers to go for their final year, but I have no idea how that will in any way be the experience they expect.

Already signed up for Kanakuk.

I mean I sort of expect LoneHollow to follow here along with Stewart, they all are really closely related.

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My girls are devastated about the Waldemar news. This has been a really bad day in what has been months of really bad days for them.

I will say I understand where Waldemar is coming from and also glad the Hilltoppers will get to spend their last year at camp. From the sounds of things, "camp" this year is going to be a very different experience for everyone. No dining together. No group gatherings.

unmade bed said:

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culdeus said:

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RVAg02 said:

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Waldemar cited all the restrictions being placed upon camps and required social distancing, etc. That they wouldn't be able to do normal camp things. Is that true? Seems like if that were true, more camps would be cancelling. I guess Waldemar has the money to cancel a year, while others don't.

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Yes

The vimeo they put out is private through their camp in touch system, but you have the right gist of it. They will allow their oldest campers to go for their final year, but I have no idea how that will in any way be the experience they expect.

Already signed up for Kanakuk.

I mean I sort of expect LoneHollow to follow here along with Stewart, they all are really closely related.

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My girls are devastated about the Waldemar news. This has been a really bad day in what has been months of really bad days for them.

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We had about 2 hours of solid tears. Two 2nd term Comanches here.

Encourage you to look at other options. Kanakuk has 2nd term spots, I know it's pretty big jesus-y but I mean jesus-y is better than nothing. I did K-1 four years in the 90s.

https://www.kickapookamp.com/

My daughter is still planning to send my granddaughter to Kickapoo Kamp, which is south of Kerrville - her date is in late June. (And my daughter is very much on board that covid-19 is a serious situation).

I did Kanakuk for four years. One at K1 and three at K2 back when it was four week sessions. They are awesome and Joe White and his group do a great job.

My kids do two week sessions at Ozark and they are also awesome, they absolutely love it.

Obviously Sam Torn is an Aggie as well.

They have rejugggled the camps again and k1 and k2 are back to 4 weeks. I went all the way thru in k1 in the 80s-90s

I was 83 to 86. Last year was summer before 9th grade. I got back the day before two-a-days.

I majored in football, my man Keith Chancey worked our butts off. Good times.

Ok now I know why we never did these. We took week or ten day summer vacations as a family for the same money. You guys are rich.

3rd Generation Ag said:

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Ok now I know why we never did these. We took week or ten day summer vacations as a family for the same money. You guys are rich.

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Not all summer camps are that expensive! My daughter's done one in another state that was half that price and was amazing. You just have to look around.

The cost of my first Boy Scout week long camp in 1963 was $15.00 and raised half the fee with a troop fund raiser.

kellyb94 said:

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I was 83 to 86. Last year was summer before 9th grade. I got back the day before two-a-days.

I majored in football, my man Keith Chancey worked our butts off. Good times.

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Also had Chancey for football specialty probably summer '83. You ever watch him run a 40? I hand clocked him in the high 4.3's - looked like he was running is sped up double time.....

Watched yes, never timed but it was obvious he was flying. He is a machine. In the evening sessions for conditioning we would play a game of continuous motion football, can't remember what they called it. Joe would play many evenings as well . Had some good conversations with both. Didn't realize at the time that I would remember them all these years later.

Even though Circle Ten Council is currently looking to hold summer camp, our troop committee elected to forgo summer camp this year. This was a bit painful for me personally, I am on the Council Risk Management Committee. But out troop is extremely organized, and already looking at alternatives to work on rank advancement issues. My son and I may do a Maverick camp, but my wife is pretty against it.

Philmont---I am on staff this summer, well one week in July as a "visiting forester", so technically on staff. They are moving forward, and planning on a July 1 start date, but it is not a given. They are meeting this coming week with the Secretary of Health for New Mexico to review their reopening plans. As of the staff update on 5/22, they are holding off announcing staff arrival dates until after this meeting. A couple weeks ago all potential staff had to fill out and availability survey. One question was availability with a July 1 start date, and an August 1 start date with at Sept. 7th shutoff either way. I am keeping my fingers crossed, but we'll have to see.

Who can manage a Sept 7 shutdown? One worry I'm seeing is TEA might pull kids in early this year if they get power hungry.

Put my kid on waitlist at Longhorn. Looks like many people are over the fear mongering because the camps are packed.

queso1 said:

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Put my kid on waitlist at Longhorn. Looks like many people are over the fear mongering because the camps are packed.

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Wouldn't be shocked if the wait-list at longhorn was multi year. A few of the hunt camps you are lucky if you can get them in from birth.