Backpacking Readiness Questionnaire

Thank you for your interest in our Backcountry program! This program has been developed to give our older campers the opportunity to participate in an amazing, authentic backpacking trip. It is a fantastic option for many campers, but not for every camper. Backpacking participants need a  higher level of physical fitness and mental fortitude than those in our basecamp programs. They must be at average or above average fitness for a teenager and must enjoy physical activity. Along with the increased physical and mental challenge of our backpacking programs, participants will also experience fewer resources for support on a backpacking trip than at our basecamp. If your child struggles behaviorally, or with his or her physical, mental, or emotional health, then one of our basecamp programs would be a safer alternative to backpacking.

To to determine if our backpacking programs will be a good fit for your child, please read Camp Wojyla’s Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) for Backpackers and answer the following questions:

  • Does your camper meet all of the physical, mental, and emotional requirements listed in the EEC?

  • Does your camper understand what a backpacking trip will physically entail? This includes, but is not limited to: walking long distances on uneven terrain and at higher elevations while carrying a heavy backpack, moving campsites frequently, setting up and sleeping in tents, eating “camping” meals and snacks that participants will help prepare themselves, working as a team with other backpackers and instructors to support the needs of the group, and caring for personal hygiene needs outside.

  • Is your child free from any recent major  illness, injury, or dietary restrictions?

  • Is your child looking forward to the challenge of a backpacking trip?

  • Is your child willing to independently undertake basic physical conditioning to stay in shape or get in shape for the trip in the coming months?

  • Considering the bulleted information below, are you and your child willing to work together to facilitate his or her acclimation to Camp’s higher altitude before the start of the trip?

    • Our basecamp is around 7,800 ft above sea level and our backcountry trips travel and sleep at elevations significantly higher (8,000-13,500 ft). While we do our best to build time to acclimate into the trips, we strongly encourage campers and families coming from out of state to arrive in Colorado a day or two early to expedite this acclimation process. In addition, we recommend increasing water intake before and during the trip as another strategy to help with adjusting to the higher altitude. Finally, there are some short-term medications available that can assist those coming from lower to higher elevations; we encourage you to discuss this option with your primary care provider if you are interested.

We want to provide your child with the best Camp Wojtyla experience possible, and it starts here. If you answered “no” to any of the questions above, then a basecamp program may be a better fit. Of course, a single “no” is not an automatic rule-out, but does necessitate a longer conversation with our backpacking coordinator before finalizing a backpacking program registration.


Still not sure if backpacking is a good fit for your child? Click HERE to view our Backcountry FAQS!

Please feel free to email us at registrar@camp-w.com with any other questions you may have.