Logistics

Guidelines for Camp during the  COVID-19 Pandemic

Our plan is to do overnight Science Camp with COVID precautions, including masks indoors, socially distanced sleeping arrangements with windows open and air filtration, keeping students in their school cohorts as much as possible, all staff vaccinated if possible, sanitation measures, and modifications to our programs. 

IF overnight camps become impossible due to rising rates of transmission, we hope to still be able to at least do day camps - with only a picnic lunch (or lunches brought from school), no indoor dining or overnight stays. 

Below are the current guidelines from the CDC, California, and Inyo County, as well as Guidelines from the American Camping Association. Once completed, our reopening plan will also be posted here with more detail about specific modifications and precautions we will undertake at camp.

CDC Guidance for Operating Youth Camps - updated May 28, 2021

The purpose of this tool is to assist directors or administrators in making (re)opening decisions regarding youth programs and camps during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to check with state and local health officials and other partners to determine the most appropriate actions while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. 

California Department of Public Health: Guidance for Overnight Camps

This document provides public health recommendations that are expected to apply throughout the summer of 2021 and will be reviewed regularly by CDPH. CDPH will depend on community monitoring including testing of unvaccinated persons to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. This guidance will remain in effect through September 2021 unless otherwise indicated by CDPH. The recommendations should be followed unless stricter guidance is provided by local public health officials or other authorities. 

Inyo County Health Department - update August 2021

INYO COUNTY, CA, August 6, 2021 –The State of California is currently experiencing its fastest increase in COVID-19 cases during the pandemic with case rates increasing ninefold within two months. The highly contagious Delta variant is currently the most common COVID-19 variant causing new infections in California.
In Inyo County, we have seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases over the past month. 
See website for current conditions and upates.

Camp Operations Guide - Updated 6/21/21

This field guide is designed to provide camp directors and staff with a practical guide and tool kit to implement specific recommendations provided by the CDC in relation to risk reduction at camps. The objective of this field guide is to provide educational materials for camp staff to reduce potential exposures to and spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the virus that causes COVID-19. The recommendations provided here are designed to be implemented for various types of camps (e.g. adventure/touring; day, resident, backcountry, weekend) and geographic locations and pertain to camps in geographical locations under low and medium mitigation conditions, according to federal guidance. Any recommendations in this guide should also coincide with a given camp’s communicable disease plan.