Yes! to Adventure Summer Camps

Thanks for an incredible 2024 summer!

Stay tuned for more information about our 2025 summer camps

Inscripción de campamento de Mountain Roots 2024

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SAY YES! TO ADVENTURE

Getting outdoors, staying active, connecting with friends, and sharing adventures in nature is just what kids are craving. 
The 2024 Mountain Roots Summer Camps are a collection of outdoor, trip-based adventure camps that explore rivers, forests, mountains, meadows, animal habitats, farms and other outstanding natural places around the Gunnison Valley. Through discovery, campers explore nature, earth science, water, botany, survival skills, growing and cooking food, and more! We are outdoors in all weather, and we travel by bike, walking and hiking, and in the Mountain Roots 15-passenger van. Small groups, enthusiastic outdoor educators, and fantastic destinations – right in our own backyard - make our summer camps a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

WHAT’s IN STORE FOR 2024

We’re listening! We asked and you, the parents and families of our summer campers, gave us some fantastic suggestions about how we can improve our program. Here’s what’s in store for 2024:

— BIG WIDE WORLD, our most popular trip-based adventure camp, will be offered in both Crested Butte and Gunnison.

— DIG, PLANT, GROW, a favorite pick for younger children, is now offered as a full day and will travel to off-site destinations in our van.

— JUNIOR NATURALIST - New! Offered one week only, June 3-7, Monday through Friday in Gunnison. Get a certificate!

2024 THEMES ARE HERE!

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We have new themEs each year TO PROVIDE a summer of fun for your children!

Week 1: Take Flight! (June 10, 11, 12, 13)

Welcome back to camp! During our first week, we will shift our gazes to the sky to appreciate all of our feathered friends and the role they play in our ecosystems.

Week 2: Pioneer Week (June 17, 18, 19, 20)

Week two will take us back in time to the colonial era and the origins of Crested Butte and Gunnison as Old Western mining towns. We will explore the natural resources that made this pocket of the Rocky Mountains such an alluring place, and try our hand at some old fashioned cooking, leatherwork, soap or candle making, woodcarving, traditional pioneer games, and more.

Week 3: Survive and Thrive (June 24, 25, 26, 27)

Hives, dens, dams, blubber, camouflage - just a few of the habitats and adaptations that we will investigate as we consider how our friends in the animal kingdom make this planet their home. 

Week 4: Fun in the Sun (July 1, 2, 3 )  - no camp July 4th

It’s getting hot in here! Enjoy the high altitude rays, develop a new respect for our sun, and uncover the secrets of solar energy and discover the wonders of photosynthesis through hands-on experiments with light and shadows, outdoor games, solar-powered crafts, and even solar oven cooking.

Week 5: Where Would We Be Without Water? (July 8, 9, 10, 11) 

A Mountain Roots favorite! During water week we will dive into the precious resource that is so sought after in arid regions like ours. We will learn about conservation practices while enjoying the natural bodies of water - rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes in our own backyard.

Week 6: Wildflower Power (July 15, 16, 17, 18)

Crested Butte wasn’t named Colorado’s Wildflower Capital for nothing! We will enjoy the beauty of our valley during peak wildflower bloom, appreciate the pollinators that make it possible, discover their amazing adaptations, medicinal and cultural uses of flowers, and use flowers for arts and craft activities.

Week 7: I Dig History (July 22, 23, 24, 25)

We will dig into ancient history by examining rocks, fossils, and other archeological artifacts that help us better understand our past. 

Week 8: ¡Cultiva! A World of Flavors (July 29, 20, 31, August 1)

You’ll experience a variety of colors, flavors, foods, and perspectives this week - the Hispanic/Latinx and Cora communities have a strong presence in Gunnison Valley and a rich history with food and farming. What other cultures and influences are shaping the past and present of food and farming? Guest speakers and destinations will bring their stories and ideas to share campers and counselors as we celebrate and uplift the many voices of our community.

Week 9: Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Utes  (August 5, 6, 7, 8)

The Ute people are Colorado’s longest continuous residents, and they have thrived here through their deep understanding of, and a connection to, the Colorado landscape and environment. As nature lovers, it's crucial we take time to appreciate the original stewards of our land. This will be a very special week for both campers and counselors to explore Ute traditions that have preserved this beautiful region for centuries. 

Week 10: Farm to Table Harvest Festival! (August 12, 13, 14, 15)

You made it! To celebrate the end of summer camps, campers will plan and host a Harvest Festival for parents and friends. Expect lots of fun, games, food, and music as we enjoy the friendships that were forged over the season.

Our most popular camp!

This full day trip-based adventure day camp takes campers on nature-based adventures every day throughout the valley where they will explore forests, fields, and farms, rocks, rivers, and reservoirs, mountains and meadows, canyons and kitchens, plants and animals. Includes earth science, nature discovery, botany, survival skills, and more with local expert guest speakers and guides.

get on the WAITLIST

Now, Dig, Plant, Grow is a full-day camp for younger children, where the flow of the day and the activities we do allow them to discover nature in the playful, informal setting of our gardens and other nearby outdoor settings. We explore life cycles, plants and animals, insects, forests, weather, water, soil, sun, and more.

Through hands-on activities, we plant and grow an organic vegetable garden, play outdoor games, and do nature-based arts & crafts. Using fruits and vegetables from our garden and local farms, we make and eat delicious and healthy snacks. Dig, Plant, Grow will travel to nearby destinations like rivers and ponds, woodlands and trails, flower-filled meadows, and farms. We’ll also include unstructured free play in nature and a daily rest /quiet time.

get on the WAITLIST

NEW FOR 2024

Mountain Roots is excited to present a fun opportunity for Gunnison 3rd through 5th graders the week before summer camp starts. Inspired by the Junior Ranger program offered by the National Parks Service, we have developed a Junior Naturalist program. Kids will complete challenges each day to earn their official Mountain Roots Junior Naturalist Certificate at the end of the week. Challenges might include leaf identification, starting a fire, mushroom foraging, bird and wildlife observation, tracking, and more.

get on the WAITLIST

We believe all kids should have access to the outdoors.

Scholarships are available.

If you need financial assistance in order to send your child to camp, we can help. And, we knwo it can be hard to ask for help. We have tried to make our process simpler and less invasive for you. If you are requesting a scholarship, follow these steps:

1. Complete the registration form

2. At the end of registration, fill out the scholarship request. Think about how much you are able to pay towards camp fees.

3. Do not pay. Skip.

4. Someone from our team will be in touch with you to discuss your award and provide you with a code to use at checkout.

5. Check out and pay using your code.

Questions about summer camp? Please contact kristen@mountainrootsfoodproject.org

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