FAQ's

Where are you located?
Mountain Camp Woodside is located on the campus of the Woodside Priory School in Portola Valley, CA. We are off the Alpine Road Exit on 280 and just 10 minutes from Stanford. Please click here for a link to Google Maps.
302 portola rd, portola valley, ca 94028, usa

Is it possible for me to tour Mountain Camp Woodside? Yes. We offer Open Houses throughout the spring.

Our dates for 2012 are:

• January 29th
• February 12th
• March 18th
• April 15th
• May 6th

Camp Tours start at 1pm and 2pm Please meet us in the Founders Hall at the Woodside Priory School. Potential campers are more than welcome to accompany parents!

Are meals provided at camp?
Yes. Mountain Camp Woodside serves breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. Resident Campers eat all their meals at camp and Day Campers are provided with lunch and snack. Day Campers also have the option of enrolling in our Extended Care beginning at 8:00 a.m. (includes breakfast) and/or ending at 6:30 p.m. (includes dinner). Meals are designed to be nutritionally balanced and counselors assist campers in making healthy food choices. Mountain Camp Woodside is able to accommodate some common food allergies but please contact the office with specific questions.

Can I request a group/bunk mate for my camper?
We do our best to accommodate group and bunk requests. There is a place on your application to list requests. Group and bunk requests are easier to honor when they are made in advance and involve campers of a similar age and school grade.

How are camper groups determined?
We organize our camp groups largely by school grade. This allows our campers on the younger side of their grade to remain with their school friends. Sometimes, for personnel or behavioral issues, we may choose to separate campers into different groups.

If my child is enrolled in Horseback Riding, when do their lessons take place?
If your camper is enrolled in Horseback Riding, they will be driven by our camp staff to the Spring Down Equestrian Center each afternoon for their lesson. This lesson falls during one of the Free Choice Activity times in the afternoon and will be your camper's activity during that time during the week. Your camper will still have two Free Choice Activity periods to choose different activities for the session.

If my child is enrolled in Swimming Lessons, when do their lessons take place?
Swimming lessons are taught daily at 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. If your child is enrolled in these lessons, you will be contacted to schedule a time prior to the start of your session.

If my child is not enrolled in swimming lessons, will they still be able to swim?
Yes! Swimming is offered daily during Free Choice times and campers are welcome to sign up if they wish. Campers also swim once a week with their age group. Free Choice and Age Group swim times do not include structured lessons but instead focus on games, play and having fun!

What if my child is not a skilled swimmer?
Our pool staff members are all certified lifeguards and do extensive training on our particular pool. There is a shallow end of the pool and campers must pass a swim test to swim in the deep end of the pool.

Where do Resident Campers sleep?
Our Residential Campers sleep in our modern dormitories. Campers typically sleep 2-4 to a room with counselors sleeping in neighboring rooms. There are bathrooms, showers and common areas in the dorms.

Do Resident Campers have access to laundry?
Resident campers have access to our laundry facilities in the dormitories. Both the boys' and girls' dorms are equipped with new washers and dryers and counselors are available to help out campers doing laundry for the first time!

What is the ACA?
Mountain Camp Woodside is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and we adhere to their strict guidelines. The ACA is a community of camp professionals that is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults through the camp experience. Founded in 1910, the ACA is the only nationally recognized body which accredits all types of camps throughout the United States.

Cancellation Policy/Can I get a refund?
Our Cancellation / Refund Policy are as follows:
*Cancellations made prior to May 1st: All payments returned except registration fee.
*Cancellations made after May 1st: Deposit and registration fee are non-refundable.
*Cancellations after June 1st: No refund unless a replacement can be found. If replacement is found, all payments returned except deposit and registration fee.
*In the event of severe injury or illness preventing camper from attending camp which occurs 10 days or less from start of camp: Family and Mountain Camp Woodside share a 50-50 loss (excluding non-refundable deposit and registration fee).
*Camper sent home for disciplinary reason or because of homesickness: No refund.

What is your Federal Tax I.D. Number?
Our federal tax ID for tax purposes is 36-4585271.

How many sessions do most campers stay for?
The length of time a camper spends at camp varies. Some campers just come for one week many stay for 3 weeks or more while some campers come to camp for the entire summer! We do many different, special activities each session to keep things interesting for our campers that are coming for multiple weeks.

Can I visit camp during my camper's session? Is there a parent program?
We have found that parent visits disrupt the flow of camp life and therefore we do not typically offer them. If you have a Resident Camper staying for multiple weeks, you are more than welcome to visit or take your camper home with you for a Saturday-Sunday stay. Please contact our office if you are interested in doing this.

We do offer a Parent Program every Friday at 4:00 p.m. to give parents a chance to see some of camp life. During the Parent Program, we talk about our week, sing a few songs and show our Session Slide Show.

Can I have someone other than a legal guardian pick up my camper?
Yes, but you must list each person authorized to pick up your child on our Alternate Adult Pick Up form. You can find this form on the My Account link just to the left.

If my child is flying to camp, how should I arrange this?
Campers should fly in and out of the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Campers can be picked up by our staff at SFO. Please complete an “Out of Town Travel Form” with your child's flight information on the My Account link just to the left.

What should I do if my child needs to be dropped off late/picked up early/miss a day of camp?
If your child will be dropped off late, please contact the office so we can arrange for them to meet their group. If your child will be picked up early, please contact the office so they will be ready with their belongings when you arrive. If your child will not be at camp on a given day, please contact the office so we can communicate their absence to their counselors and activity leaders.

Will my child have a place to store their belongings?
Yes. Resident campers can store their belongings in their dorm room. Day Campers are assigned a locker and may leave their belongings in it for the duration of their session. Lockers must be emptied between sessions.