Short Desc:

Small group outdoor exploration.  In addition to the camps below, we offer a custom “Bubble Camp” for extended families or families who have expanded their bubble to include a trusted friend or neighbor.  If you have a group of 4 or more, complete the bubble camp interest list here.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re doing health screenings, have smaller groups, are practicing social distancing and mask wearing, avoiding shared supplies, and staying outdoors.  That means no van transportation, and instead children must be dropped off/picked up at the day’s trailhead.  Except for Bubble Camp, mentioned above, we’re sticking to older kids for now, because they have better capacity for the above precautions. More pandemic details in a blog post here.

  • Children may enroll in multiple weeks, but must take at least a week off in between camps.
  • Regular tuition is $260, but if that isn’t appropriate for your family, you can name your own price. If you’re enrolling multiple children, list the price per child, the internet will do that math.  *Like last year, we’ll ask anyone paying $150 or less to apply for the city-wide scholarship funds, linked below.
  • After registering you’ll need to complete both our Participant Agreement and a special acknowledgment pertaining to the pandemic, which are linked below.
  • If a week is full (”out of stock”), or if you are unsure, sign up for our waitlist – we almost always pull from it.

 ORIGINAL SHORT DESC

xxxxOutdoor Explorers is Discovery Southeast’s summer day camp. Camp is outside every day at Juneau’s many parks and trails, with much of our time spent in the Tongass National Forest.  We use our open format to allow for inquiry-based learning and plenty of unstructured time, with activities emphasizing local natural sciences. 

This year, we are making many adjustments in light of Covid-19, as explained in a blog post here. We will be opening registration for just 2 weeks at a time, with shorter days, smaller groups, and no shared transportation. The weeks of June 15 and 22 are open to 4th-6th graders and 7th-9th graders.

Parents need to drop-off and pick-up their child(ren) at the day’s trailhead.  We’ll stick with centrally-located trailheads, using Auke Rec and North Douglas no more than once a week.  

In addition to the camps below, we’re now offering a custom camp,°°Bubble Camp,°° for extended families or families who have expanded their bubble to include a trusted friend or neighbor. This supports already-defined groups, even younger kids. The idea is for children to play and explore with those they’re already exposed to, or simply let families have more say in their children’s groups.  Complete the bubble camp interest list here.

Please review the details, participant agreement, cancellation policy, and specific changes required for the pandemic in the “Description” tab below.  Some highlights:

  • Children may enroll in multiple weeks, but must take at least a week off in between camps, with no more than 3 weeks total at this time.
  • We plan to split groups into smaller sub-groups of generally 4-8 kids.
  • Grades listed are the grades the child is going into this fall, for now just 4th-9th. 
  • Camp will be from 9 AM-2PM or 9:30am-2:30pm
  • Regular tuition is $260, but if that isn’t appropriate for your family, you can name your own price. If you’re enrolling multiple children, list the price per child, the internet will do that math.  *Like last year, we’ll ask anyone paying $150 or less to apply for the city-wide scholarship funds, linked below.
  • After registering you’ll need to complete both our Participant Agreement and a special acknowledgment pertaining to the pandemic, which are linked below.
  • If a week is full (”out of stock”), or if you are unsure, we highly encourage signing up for our waitlist ASAP. We plan to pull from the waitlist to open up additional groups each week, as well as if a child cancels. 

 

Camps:

We’re only opening a few weeks at a time, because so much changes weekly right now. In addition to the camps below, sign up for a custom Bubble Camp here, for you extended family or expanded ” bubble” of those you interact with.

June 15th-19th

Kids entering 4th-6th Grade  Dirt & Rocks Week! 9 am- 2 pm

We’ll be spending the week learning about why dirt and rocks are so important and how they shape our ecosystems.  Prepare to get a little muddy and make space for a few new rocks in your collection!

Kids entering 7th-9th Grade Adventure Hikes Week! 9:30 am- 2:30 pm

Each day we will head out to a new location and take on a new adventure! We will focus on team-building, goal-setting, orientation skills, environmental stewardship, and of course having a lot of fun along the way. This week is all about the joy of hiking. Get ready to get out and get moving, both on-trail and off-trail. 

June 22nd-26th

Kids entering 4th-6th Grade Oceans & Streams Week!  9 am- 2 pm 

Ocean, streams, rivers, lakes and even rain. Grab your tallest pair of boots and join us for a wet and wild week in Alaska’s great rainforest. This week we’ll be focusing on Juneau’s aquatic ecosystems and all the fun they have to offer.

Kids entering 7th-9th Grade Outdoor Skills and Leadership Week! 9:30 am- 2:30 pm

Do you have the skills to thrive in the wilderness? This week we’ll be building shelters, identifying edible plants, learning navigation and outdoor leadership skills.