It's hard to describe how much our family loves Mountain Camp. My oldest son is 14 and my youngest is 12 - they've both been going to MC every summer since they were 8 years old. As a mom, here are some of the things I most appreciate about Mountain Camp: - Kids get to choose their own adventure. Campers spend their day rotating around the four areas of camp with their age group. At each area, they get to choose which activity they'd like to do. (And there are TONS of activities to choose from!) Counselors do a great job of encouraging them to try new things, but in the end, campers get to do whatever sounds most fun and exiting to them. There's no competition in the activities so kids don't have to worry about choosing what they're good at - they can just think about what's most fun to them. In an age where their days at home are scheduled minute by minute, I love that my boys have the freedom to build their dream day, every day, at camp. - At Mountain Camp, safety is first, but there are plenty of opportunities for kids to get dirty, take risks, and to push the limits of their comfort zone. I love that when I pick my boys up after a week at camp they have dirt under their nails, skinned knees, a bag full of filthy clothes, and HOURS, literally hours, of stories about how they earned those badges of honor. The counselors and staff are extremely safety conscious and they make sure all the kids know and live by the safety rules. But MC provides a rare chance for kids to run, jump, play and spend time in nature. They're not "training" for anything, or competing in any way, but they are pushing their bodies and brains in all kinds of new ways that, to me, represent the best kind of "fitness". - The counselors are amazing! Each camper has two cabin leaders who really look out for their kids all week. My boys have had amazing counselors each year. They also really love getting to know the activities counselors. MC hires lots of counselors from other countries (all of whom speak perfect English) so it's a great chance to get to know people from other countries and cultures. The counselors do a wonderful job of creating a real sense of community at camp. There are no cliques and certainly no bullying. Each year my kids come home with brand new friends and when they describe those relationships, they often seem more deep and meaningful than the friendships they have at home with people they've known for years. - The camp itself is beautiful. Tons of big trees and an amazing waterfront beach. It feels like the campers have the whole lake to themselves most of the time. This is not a luxury camp. Kids sleep in rustic cabins, eat in an open air dining pavilion, and basically don't touch pavement the whole time they're there. It's a rare opportunity to really experience nature and to not worry at all about material things. I could go on and on, but I think the most important thing for parents considering MC to know is just that your kids will come home from camp changed in some really wonderful ways. Each year when we pick our boys up we notice that they are more confident, more self sufficient, and just plain HAPPIER thanks to their time at Mountain Camp. Giving your kids the gift of sending them to Mountain Camp is something you just won't regret. read more

My family loves Mountain Camp and it's the highlight of my children's summer. My 13-year old daughter has attended for 4 years and my 9-year old son attended for the first time this year. Both my children have severe, epi-pen level food allergies (to peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, legumes, soy milk and egg). Mountain Camp is the only camp that was willing to take on my children for two weeks and have a detailed allergy protocol in place. In advance of camp, I communicate with the culinary team to understand the menu for the session (they have a wide variety of food from around the world and different lunches and dinners every day). I partner closely with the wonderful chef and kitchen team to ensure the menu is safe for my kids (and I bring replacements for items which are not). I trust the team completely and my daughter reports that they are the safest camp she has been to (she has been to sleep away camp in Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand and in school outdoor education camps in California). Both my daughter and son have a warm relationship with the chef and go to her directly, most often for second servings! We have not had any incidents and the camp is incredibly responsive in our experience. We are grateful to Mountain Camp for their kindness, diligence and the magic that makes this summer camp so special for all the campers. See you next year! read more

This is the second year my child attended Mountain camp. She has food allergies and the first year, out of an abundance of caution, I sent her with food just in case she felt she could not eat the food served. Turns out she did not need the food. Bolstered by this positive result, we did not send her with food this year. Yesterday, two days before she was scheduled to return home, I received a call that my daughter self administered her Epi pen after consuming an allergen. My husband and I raced two hours to meet my daughter at the ER in Placerville and decided to bring her home, letting the staff know of our decision. The following day, after leaving an email, voice mail and text, the camp director finally called us mid afternoon. Apparently a health emergency does not warrant a before noon check in. I confirmed my daughter's recollection, that their head kitchen staff gave my daughter a gluten free cookie, insisting it was free of egg, the item she is severely allergic to. My daughter, having been raised to be overly cautious, asked the staff member twice to check and confirm. The staff member insisted it was safe and did not bother to check. My daughter ate the cookie, suffering an allergic reaction within seconds. She travelled with a counselor and a nurse to the ER and waited for us to arrive. That she was scared is an understatement. Mountain camp is a beautiful camp staffed by well meaning people. They are not, however, capable of ensuring your child's safety when it comes to food allergies. The camp was well aware of my daughter's allergies. She was the only one at the session that they had to show special concern. The head kitchen staff member selected a cookie that looked identical to the safe cookie, but never bothered to double check that she had made the right choice. In fact, the cookie was correctly labeled as gluten free but not vegan, which should have been the tip off. Her carelessness led to a medical emergency for my daughter one which was completely avoidable. After discussing further with the camp director, it became doubly clear that they have ineffective policies in place and no redundancy. They have no business claiming that they are safe for campers with food allergies if they can't even be trusted to double check. My daughter trusted the staff member as she would an aunt or other family adult friend. Despite her positive experience in other aspects of the camp, we will not return. I do not advise other parents with food allergic children to have them attend unless you have confirmed that they have out in place basic safety and redundancy protocols for their camp, including staff training. Even then I would think twice or encourage against it. read more

This review is for the Mountain Camp up near Lake Tahoe. My child attended a two-week session last summer. It was his first sleep-away camp. He had a terrific time! Everything was great -- the activities, the counselors, the kids, the location, the facilities, the food, all of the equipment, etc. I am very attentive to safety issues and this camp passed muster with me. This camp is expensive, but camps like this aren't cheap to run. If you want your kid to have a great camp experience, Mountain Camp is a good bet! read more

Amazing camp for kids to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. The lake is amazing! My kids loved it and felt at home. The counselors and staff work hard to provide an unforgettable experience for the kids. I highly recommend Mountain Camp! read more

My son adores this camp. On a gorgeous lake in the Sierra's, water sports (kayaking, fishing, sailing, etc.) are plentiful. The camp is very well run, and we've been pleased with the counselors and organizational processes. We couldn't have hoped for a better first sleep-away experience. My son was heartbroken to miss it this year due to the Covid closure. read more

My 13-year old son is returning to Mountain Camp this summer for his third time. It is an outstanding experience. He had never been away from home before when he went at age 10. He went for two weeks and when we went to meet him at the bus home, the first words he uttered, even before fully stepping off the bus were "Can I please go again next year?!" In short, it's a magical outdoor setting and they have tons of activities to suit every personality type. Water sports. Archery and fencing. Arts and crafts. Even a radio station the kids can work at. This summer by 9-year old son will go for his first time and he can't wait. And be sure to sign up for the bus service which takes the kids there and back, saving you a long drive. read more

Truth be told, I haven't attended Mountain Camp since around 20 years ago. But I have such fond memories of it, I have already insisted to my husband that our (future) child go there. I'm sure things have changed a bit, but my favorite things were learning archery, singing camp songs (by Jimi Hendrix, the Lemonheads, and the Who, for example), getting a pair of Chuck Taylors, and painting a mural in the nurse's station (I wonder if it's still there!) Such great memories. read more

Mountain Camp rocks! My sons have been attending Mt. Camp for the last four years and are returning again this summer. I LOVE the fact they don't allow gameboys, iPhones and other technologies - it's good for the boys to unplug, roll in the mud, climb trees like monkey's and experience new found independence. The first summer they attended I personally checked it out myself, upon my arrival I was handed a cool glass of lemonade and greeted with a warm smile. I like the self serve first aid station equipped w/ sunscreen and band-aids. I love the spirit where kids can be kids. read more

Mountain Camp - Gio hanging with the boys! - Summer Camps Near Me - Moraga, California

My son has been attending Mountain camp for 2 years now, and he had an amazing experience both times. He loves all the activities offered in MC, the food is mouthwatering, the care they receive is terrific! All his counselors his year were foreigners and this was not an obstacle for all the kids to enjoy themselves! MC ROCKS!! read more

This seemed like the perfect first sleep-away camp. They have a dvd that they'll send you and if you still have questions, there are numerous parents in your area who will be happy to host evening meetings to answer questions. The camp itself is in a beautiful, isolated, mountain setting, within easy walking distance to a lake that has little other traffic. There are countless activities available and great food and the kids are so busy, they have little time to miss electronic devices. My biggest problem is that the counselors allowed the entire cabin to continually bully my child the entire week. Apparently, this is not a good camp for any child who is intelligent as mine was mocked almost every time he opened his mouth. The counselors were aware of the behaviour and even joined in the mocking at times. At the end of the week, parents are emailed a survey to get feedback on how the child perceived camp and whether we would return next year. I was honest in my assessment that my child truly enjoyed the activities, the setting of the camp and the food but that bullying had been a daily issue. Four months later, no one from the camp has ever contacted me to discuss the experience. I would definitely recommend this camp for children of average intelligence who love sports and outdoor activities. This is not a good camp for kids with above average intelligence since they'd probably be as miserable as mine was. read more

I have been part of the Mountain Camp family since I first attended when I was 12 years old. I spent three years as a camper, two as a CIT, and eight as a counselor. Needless to say, I love Mountain Camp. The location is perfect. It's isolated and rustic, but still comfortable, and it's on the most beautiful lake in the world. Amazing sunsets, sailing, windsurfing, swimming on the dock, stand-up paddleboarding, and (more recently) waterskiing and wakeboarding, set in an ideal mountain setting. As a camper, my favorite thing about camp was the staff and the friendships I made. Many of my best friends are still people I met at camp when I was a teenager living in the bay area. Everyone at Mountain Camp cares so much about each child's experience - I have spent enough time in the camp office to know that every single parental concern is addressed by a member of the leadership team, all year round. Kids just have so much fun being outside, away from technology, with their friends and counselors. I can't wait until I have kids so I can send them to Mountain Camp, and I'm so glad it is still as fun and well-run as it was when I was a camper. read more

Our 3 kids love it. Our oldest will be back for his 4th year this summer. We've always had only friendly and energetic counselors and no problems with our kids. They come back tired, dirty, sun tanned and full of great stories, songs and memories. Life as a kid should be full of rich experiences. This place definitely serves it up. read more

My sons attended Mountain Camp for many years, and were CIT's for 3 years each. They have always had a fabulous experience, and couldn't wait to return each year. Thank you so much for giving both of my boys experiences and memories they will enjoy their entire lives. read more

I attended this camp as a child when it was in the Santa Cruz mountains. I wanted my kids to have a similar experience. Their location in the El Dorado National Forrest iThey are situated on a beautiful lake setting in the middle of a Forrest. This is the highlight of my kids' summer. They have endless choices of activities during the day. There are multiple lake activities, a very impressive ropes course, fort building, music (my son picked up guitar last year). Each day the kids can build their ideal itinerary. The counselors are very well trained and come from all over the world. Both kids always return more confident, independent, and excited about their adventures. I highly recommend this camp. read more

Both of my kids went to camp from age 9 to their teens. They truly loved the experience and they really build self esteem in middle school aged kids, who can be overwhelmed by the school and peer pressure experience. Our son ended up being a counselor and loved working at the camp through the summer during his college years too. I can't say enough about the quality of a summer experience at this camp and how great they are. Plus they both loved the food and didn't miss being us! read more

My son attended 2 years ago. He requires daily prescription medication. We followed the instructions for providing the medication to the camp exactly. We were horrified to find out when he returned that he had not been given his medication for the entire week. The failure to provide him with his medication hindered his ability to fully participate in or enjoy camp activities, and on the whole, his experience was a negative one. I write this review as a warning to other parents whose children require daily medication. I don't know if our experience was an outlier or if this has happened to other children as well. You are entrusting these people with your child's health and well being, so you deserve to know that they have failed at least one child in the past. read more

My kids have attended Mountain camp for the last 7 years, my son 5 years as a camper and 1 year as a CIT. My daughter is returning for her 3rd year and can't wait for all the fun activities. Favorites are sailing, tubing, water carnival, water trampoline, volleyball, mountain biking, mountain scooters, kayaking/canoeing, science, overnight camping trips, newspaper, guitar, dodgeball, archery, dance, and arts & crafts. The camp offers so many more activities and my kids have had the opportunity to try all of the over 40 activities offered by Mountain Camp. They love the counselors, who really make camp super fun for the kids. Everyone says the food is great, and the camp offers alternatives for dietary restrictions. I like that my kids are in a safe environment, well supervised by college age or older highly trained counselors and staff. The setting is serene and beautiful in the mountains surrounded by lakes. The activities are non-competive, fostering warm and lasting friendships. My daughter is looking forward to seeing her friends from camp again this summer, and they keep in touch all year round. The camp is "electronic-free", offering a much needed respite from the constant connection some kids have today and also in school. I highly recommend Mountain camp for a super-fun summer experience in California! read more

My daughter just had her first overnight camp experience last week - 9 years old. She was sold from the moment she saw the on-line sales videos highlighting all the camp has to offer. We were equally excited for her. She attended this camp without bringing a friend - which was both a risk, but also a great opportunity to branch out. We let her take the bus to camp (a major bonus to her) and we chose to pick her up (so we could see the facilities firsthand). Mountain Camp is a classic rustic, co-ed outdoor camp. It kept her beyond busy doing all sorts of things she would never experience at home, or at a day camp (water trampoline! ropes course!). She came home exhausted - in a good way. She cried when we left camp feeling so sad the experience was over. She also needed a really good shower and a clean set of clothes. :-) We had complete faith in the program, the directors and the counselors. The prep "webinar" was a great tool to get new parents up to speed. The on-line website clearly manages all the forms you must complete. The daily communication about what's going on at camp - and that we can email our child!!! - all kept us informed and happy. We are incredibly pleased with our child's overnight camp experience. At first, we gulped at the expense but realized the life-long impact overnight camp has on a child. This was one area we didn't want to skimp! It had to be the best - selfishly we'd like for this to become an annual tradition. Lucky us, and lucky her! She came home beyond happy and exhausted. We plan on booking again next summer - and more likely to be a 2 week stay. read more

This will be my son's fourth summer and my daughter's first summer at Mountain Camp. I was interested in finding a camp with an outstanding program where my kids could be themselves in an environment fitting for summer. I want my kids to have a chance to grow on their own in a setting that fosters that growth. Mountain Camp has proven to be that place for my son. He looks forward each summer to spending two weeks away from his friends and family, being himself and having a great time. My daughter, age 8, can't wait for her turn to go. As for the camp itself it is in a beautiful and private setting. Some of my favorite aspects of the camp are the open air dining area, the waterfront and just the general atmosphere of the camp itself. The staff are fabulous and enthusiastic and plentiful. The directors know what camp is all about. Campers can pick their activities and try all sorts of new things. Probably the most important part of camp, which Mountain Camps gets, is just giving kids a chance to be in the outdoors, interacting with each other, guided by the staff, and having a magical time. My son never wants to leave after his two week stay! read more

My daughter has attended three different summer camps over the last five years, and while she loved the other camps, this one was terrible. We're not extremely picky about the facilities (which were okay, not great), the activities (again, not great - a comparatively small selection of activities, cheap equipment, disorganized) or the food, but the killer was that most of the counselors seemed disinterested at best. My daughter said her counselor didn't try to hide her dislike of the children, and told them that she hated the job, she just took it for the chance to spend the summer in the US, but didn't fully appreciate that she would be stuck in the woods "in the middle of nowhere" with so many kids. I would never send another child to this camp. On the plus side, it's inexpensive, but in this case you don't even get what you pay for. read more

I can't say this was a great experience for my son...not even an OK one. He is an outstanding kid, great athletic ability, good leadership skills, etc. I know this from previous school and team experiences. He has been to other camps and is ecstatically happy when he comes home...even getting camper of the week from another camp at Tahoe. He struggled through the week and was very happy to get home. He felt the counselors were just OK, the food mediocre, and nothing for snacks...you just had to wait for the meals. There was never a follow up letter from the camp about the week, how my son did, or how it was perceived he did. This camp was not a good match...very disappointed. read more

This is the most amazing camp EVER!!! Our kids love all the activities (waterskiing, sailing, paddle boarding, ropes course, mt. biking, arts and crafts and SO much more!). The camp is at Icehouse Lake in Pollock Pines. The water temperature is ideal and the sunsets provide the perfect backdrop for the evening program. We go for a weekend every year as a family and the kids go on their own for a week as well (begging for us to send them for multiple weeks). Everyone who works at Mt. Camp is top notch and many return year after year. I trust them completely. They do everything they possibly can to make each camper's experience spectacular. Our kids are there right now and I'm a bit jealous! I can't say enough great things about this place. I'm not one to post on Yelp but felt compelled to do so here because this camp is truly exceptional. read more

My 12 year old son couldn't wait to sign up again this year for a two-week session. He chose to go last year without any school friends opting to make new "camp" friends and the experience was life changing. His cabin mates and counselors made for a wonderful experience. The camp's focus on outdoor activities and celebration of each individual camper is a welcome counter-point to the competitive sports camps he is involved in otherwise. read more

My 11 year old son will be returning for his 4th year at Mountain Camp! He absolutely loves it. He likes the councilors, the activities and even the food! Mountain Camp is Eli's #1 summer priority and we plan our summers accordingly. (He tells me session 4 is the best.) He has a great time no matter whether he attends camp with friends or alone. And, he always tries something new. The camp encourages campers to try new experiences and sets them up for success. read more

My daughter attended Mountain Camp last year for the first time after the camp she previously loved, Kistler Ranch Camp, closed. She had an incredible experience and is returning this year along with her two younger sisters. The camp is not only beautiful (I went to camp as a child and wish I could have gone here) but also has endless activities. My daughter liked them all but loved the rope course the best (which surprised us since she isn't our most active child). She also loved the evening campfire - she brought her guitar and ended up performing with her cabin in front of the whole camp! We received a Mountain Camp calendar a couple months ago and it is handing up in her room - it is amazing that they make a different calendar for each session so the campers are in many of the photos in the calendar. It is a daily reminder to her of the great experience she had and she is beyond excited to go again this year. Thank you so much for the incredible memories and look forward more in future years! read more