2015
After 35 years of Awesome Adventures, our key inspiration continues to be the happy faces of our campers. Interacting with friends and the great outdoors have both, unfortunately, become an unfamiliar experience. Many studies show the benefits of interaction with our natural world relating to lowering anxiety, improving physical and emotional well being, and improving cognitive skills, yet our ever growing schedules often preclude time to be outside. Our mission, as always is to keep this important experience a regular part of children s lives. We look forward to connecting your child with the outdoors this summer. The Mountain Workshop Family The Mountain Workshop Difference There are so many summer program options for kids today, everything from sports and arts camps to day programs at the local Y. Mountain Workshop programs are different and provide campers 8 to 16 with rare opportunities to experience real adventures first hand in safe and well supervised outdoor settings. Rock climbing, caving, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, paddle boarding, and whitewater rafting are just some of the great activities that they will remember their entire lives. We ask each camper to commit to the Awesome Contract which centers around the Four Respects (Themselves, Each Other, The Environment, Our Equipment). We guide each group through an adventurous week of collaboration and shared experiences.
Day & Day / Overnight Combination Programs Awesome Adventures day and overnight combination programs offer real adventures to kids of all ages and ability levels. All activities are designed to provide each child with the right level of challenges and opportunities. We focus on teamwork as much as individual achievement while teaching the value of community and collaboration. Whether joining us for a week of day programs and/or an overnight under the stars, your child will experience adventures and create memories that they will treasure for a lifetime! Activities Your child will experience rewarding and challenging outdoor activities including; hiking, rock climbing, caving, kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, and standup paddle boarding. For our oldest groups, we offer a 5 day program that includes a two-night camping trip. Our Leaders and Safety Safety is our primary consideration at all times. It is the bottom line in all decisions regarding the outdoors. While outdoor activities do entail certain risks, we greatly reduce the chances of injury with strict guidelines and thorough instruction. Our staff is certified in First Aid, CPR, Lifeguard and/or Waterfront Lifeguard, Wilderness First Aid. Our entire staff all is trained in the safety aspects of the activities according to industry standards. We are extremely proud of our excellent safety record. Camper Pick-up and Drop Off Our day camp and overnight combo programs pickup and drop-off locations are located in Ridgefield and Wilton, CT. We also offer a shuttle from Westport, CT to our Wilton bus pick-up. Our staff and buses will meet campers at at 8:00 AM or 8:30 AM and drop-off at 3:30PM or 4:00 PM (depending on location). See program schedules for specific times. Transportation Day program campers travel in certified school buses driven by licensed bus drivers. Our Combo program and Shuttles travel in 15-passenger vans driven by Mountain Workshop s trained drivers.
Day Programs MONDAY - FRIDAY Awesome Adventures 1 Ages: 8 to 9 Adventure Hike, River Tube, Moby Canoe, Cave, Raft Adventure For our youngest outdoor enthusiasts, Awesome Adventures 1 is where it all starts with our introductory level activities! Join us if you are ready to learn new skills and try things you might not find in other summer camps. The Leave No Trace program theme adds education awareness for the environment to the adventure. Brave some rapids river tubing, race to the finish on a rafting adventure, explore a cave and be ready to have lots of fun!! Awesome Adventures 2 Ages: 10 to 11 Adventure Hike, Paddle Board, Cave, Voyageur Canoe, Rappel Our flagship program, Awesome Adventures 2 is where it all began. Formally known as Original Awesomes, thousands of local students have taken part in exploring an underground cave, paddling a 30ft canoe, rappelling a 40ft cliff, and stand-up paddle boarding. Each day participants take part in amazing adventures while learning about how the great state of CT was formed and how all living and non-living things in the natural world are connected! Awesome Adventures 3 Ages: 12 to 13 Adventure Hike, Kayak, Rock Climb, Paddle Board, Canoe Adventure Join us for a week of increased challenges with Awesome Adventures 3. Five days of highenergy adventures in a different location every day. We ll learn new skills, try new activities, and fill every minute with games and fun! Each day you will learn survival skills in the outdoor settings we visit. Rock climb the best CT has to offer, stand-up paddle board on CT s largest lake and much more!!! Day Program Schedule Ridgefield pick-up ~ 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM ~ East Ridge Middle School Wilton pick-up ~ 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM ~ Cider Mill School Program Weeks: 6/22-26, 7/6-10, 7/13-17, 7/20-24, 7/27-31, 8/3-7, Westport pick-up ~ 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM ~ St. Luke Parrish Annex Program Weeks: 7/6-10, 7/13-17, 7/20-26, 7/27-31, 8/3-7, $600 a Week
Day / Overnight Combo Programs MONDAY - FRIDAY Awesome Adventures 4 Ages: 11 to 13 Hike, Kayak, White Water Raft, High Ropes Adventure Circuit, Cave Camping 2 Nights Is your child ready to camp out? This is an introduction to our expedition programs. Your camper will get two days of local day programming, and then they pack-up and ship off for caving, white water rafting and an adventure ropes circuit in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. They will also gain skills in setting a camp site, camp cooking and camp craft. Program Weeks: 7/6-10, 7/13-17, 7/20-24, 7/27-31, 8/3-7 Ridgefield pick-up ~ 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM ~ East Ridge Middle School Wilton pick-up ~ 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM ~ Cider Mill School $875 a Week Awesome Adventures 5 Ages: 13 to 15 Hike, Rock Climb, White Water Kayak, Zip-Line Canopy Tour, Paddle Board Camping 2 Nights While most day camps do not have programs for 14 and 15 year olds, we do and we are excited about our Awesome Days 5 with 2 overnights. We spend 2 days locally, a day of rock climbing and a day of paddle boarding. Then we hit the road and we head North for a zip line canopy tour, whitewater kayaking and hiking. Combined with 2 nights of camping, Awesome Days 5 is filled with some of the best adventure activities you can find in the northeast. Program Weeks: 7/13-17, 7/20-24, 7/27-31 Ridgefield pick-up ~ 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM ~ East Ridge Middle School Wilton pick-up ~ 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM ~ Cider Mill School $875 a Week Register @ www.mountainworkshop.com 203~797~1435
Expedition Programs Again in 2015, Mountain Workshop will not be offering Awesome Adventures Expeditions with pre-determined dates. This decision was made based on lower than normal enrollment and unrecoverable up front costs. The good news is we will still offer the Expeditions for group bookings. We can run any of our Awesome Expeditions for any age group. We just need a minimum of 6 campers to make it happen. Based on the need for booking the programming and locations in advance, we would need to have 100% commitment by March 1st, 2015. Over the last few years we have had a few groups of friends spend a week of summer vacation together having many Awesome Adventures. Call us for details 203-797-1435. Exciting and challenging overnight camp expedition trips for teens ages 11 to 16. Destinations throughout the northeast, including the Adirondacks, Berkshires, Maine, Martha s Vineyard and Nantucket. It s sure to be an adventure you will remember for the rest of your life! Choose from whitewater kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, sailing, caving, rock climbing or biking. With the guidance of our trained and certified leaders, you ll see incredible sites, meet great people, and learn new skills. Prior experience is not necessary for any of our overnight camp expedition trips, only your good attitude and your love of the outdoors. What To Expect Campers will be part of a small group living together and participating in challenging activities. Following the precepts of experiential education, campers will be actively involved in decision making, leadership, setting camp, meal preparation, clean-up and route finding. Campers will be asked to set goals for themselves and the group. To achieve goals, a commitment to be a positive team member is required. One, non-negotiable, program element is individual and group safety; inappropriate or unsafe behavior will be dealt with swiftly by the trip leaders. We will be staying in campgrounds, backpack shelters, or hostels. For trips that include camping, we will be sleeping in single gender 3 or 4 person tents. Tents are provided by Mountain Workshop. Campers need to provide their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad. What Mountain Workshop Provides All meals (except first day lunch), all camping and program equipment (except bikes for bike touring trips), all fees and transportation are provided. A gear list is provided for each trip that includes personal clothing and gear required. Mission To build strong, responsible, self-reliant teens through outdoor experiences and adventure travel. We strive to educate and help develop self-confidence through safe challenges designed to take teens out of their comfort zones. Our goal is to help teens connect with the natural world and instill values that will create mentally and physically strong individuals and passionate stewards of the environment. Call Today for More Details on Group Expeditions
Adirondack Adventure Ages: 11 to 12 Cost: $1,500 7 Days Your adventure begins with a 4-day canoe expedition throughout the water system that makes the Adirondacks famous. You re then off to Crane Mtn for an underground cave adventure and a killer day of whitewater rafting! The Adirondacks are the perfect setting for a first Awesome Expedition. Bike Touring Island Adventure Ages: 11 to 13 Cost: $1,575 7 Days Martha s Vineyard and Nantucket provide the perfect setting for a summer bike trip. You ll be traveling up to 25 miles a day with lots of great things to see and do. We stay in amazing hostels, like the converted lifesaving station on Surfside Beach. Navigating and exploring the islands by bike is a memorable experience that lasts a lifetime. Come join us this summer!! Maine Island Adventure Ages: 13 to 15 Cost: $1,625 7 Days Your group will embark on a paddling adventure, in a 26 ft. voyageur canoe, along the eastern shore of Penobscot Bay. You ll explore and learn about geology and marine biology and paddle through the Merchant Row island chain. The remainder of the week will be spent rock climbing and hiking in Acadia National Park, and a visit to Bar Harbor! Anyone willing to try the lobster ice-cream? Berkshire Adventure Ages: 14 to 16 Cost: $1,650 7 Days Your adventure begins with a day of caving in one of the largest caves in the northeast with over a mile of underground passageways. We then travel to Massachusetts to summit Mt. Greylock, the highest point in the state and an epic rock climb! The second half of the week we will be whitewater kayaking and rafting on the Deerfield River. There is no shortage of adventure on this trip!!!
Day / Combo Programs Ridgefield Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 3:30PM East Ridge Middle School Awesome Adventures 1 (Ages 8-9) Awesome Adventures 2 (Ages 10-11) Awesome Adventures 3 (Ages 12-13) Awesome Adventures 4 (Ages 11-13) 7/27-31 8/3-7 Awesome Adventures 5 (Ages 13-15) 7/13-17 7/20-24 7/27-31 Wilton Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 3:30PM Cider Mill School Awesome Adventures 1 (Ages 8-9) Awesome Adventures 2 (Ages 10-11) Awesome Adventures 3 (Ages 12-13) Awesome Adventures 4 (Ages 11-13) 7/27-31 8/3-7 Awesome Adventures 5 (Ages 13-15) 7/13-17 7/20-24 7/27-31 Westport Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:00PM St. Luke Parrish Awesome Adventures 1 (Ages 8-9) 7/27-7/31 8/3-7 Awesome Adventures 2 (Ages 10-11) 7/27-31 8/3-7 Awesome Adventures 3 (Ages 12-13) 7/27-31 8/3-7 * Westport campers are shuttled by van to the Wilton program bus