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Parents' FAQs about the Youth Program

What is the Youth Program?
The Youth Program starts every day at 9:00 am at the Discovery Center, which is located just a short walk from the Dining Room on the path to the Pavilion. The program offers a wide range of activities for all age groups throughout the day until 5:00 pm. If you have too much fun with archery we can head over to the climbing wall to see if you can ring the bell up at the top. We also have a brand new confidence course built up in the woods to challenge people of all ages. If there are any questions about individual activities there are "Activity Books" located at the Discovery Center, the Front Office, and the Outdoor Shop. These books describe each activity in more detail.

What is Pack-A-Lunch (PAL)?
PAL is a lunch time activity in which the group goes for a hike on Ranch property or travels off the Ranch for a picnic really close by. At breakfast in the morning there is a table set up in the Dining Room where you can pack a lunch and bring it with you to the Youth Program. If the children are under 10, please make the lunches for them. If you prefer to have lunch with the whole family just let us know in the morning.

What if we can't make it to the Discovery Center at 9:00 or 1:00?
We staff the Discovery Center about 90% of the time with a counselor, so at any time you can stop by and we can get you hooked up with the rest of the kids who are having the best time of their lives. If no one is in the Discovery Center, stop by the Outdoor Shop and a person can radio the Youth Program to make the transition as easy as possible. The best times to hook up with the group are at 9:00am or 1:00pm.

Are parents allowed to participate in the Youth Program?
Absolutely! Any time parents want to hang out with the program they are enthusiastically welcomed.

Where do the kids go on the overnight?
We take the kids on about an hour-long hike to the North Fork Cabin. In reality it is only a 5-minute walk to the cabin from the Ranch (but don't give away the surprise). There is enough staff with radios and cell phones in case of any emergency or if kids just have to come home. We take care of transporting all the food and gear up there so the kids have plenty of energy to hike. A couple of things to remember to bring are a change of dry clothes, a hat, sleeping bag (we do have a few extras), and some good stories to tell around the campfire.

When and where do the kids go canoeing and fishing?
On Wednesday we load up the van and go for short drive to a 2-acre lake called Lake Levinski at the Big Sky Ski Area. It is actually a small man-made pond loaded with fish that has a shallow and a deep end. We usually keep everyone in the shallow end while participating. Everyone is equipped with a life jacket and paddle. A counselor is in each canoe and we have a picnic on the dock. It is a great time and usually we have 100% participation. All the counselors have Water Rescue training as well as Advanced First Aid and CPR.

How do we sign up for the Youth Program?
Actually you don't have to sign up. You can take the program on a day by day basis or hang out all week. All you have to do is swing by the Discovery Center to fill out a registration card for each person. The registration card will notify us of any dietary or medical needs that your child may have and also ensures that your child has your permission to take part in the Youth Program activities. The only activities that we do ask you to sign up for are the Pizza Dinner, Overnight Camping, and the Teen Hikes. We do the sign-ups Monday night at the Barbecue. You can also sign up in the Outdoor Shop later in the week.

What if our kids are signed up for a horseback ride and we are doing another all day activity?
The Youth Program is happy to accommodate people's needs by getting everyone to and from their rides on time and getting them back to whatever activity is going on. Just let us know in the morning when the ride is and we will take care of the rest.

Is there anything planned for the older kids?
Our Teen Program is specifically designed for the older guys and gals. We have a separate overnight camping trip as well as hikes off the Ranch. There are opportunities for the teens to venture off the ranch with some of our independent contractors to try rock climbing, whitewater rafting, or mountain biking. Give it a try and we guarantee that everyone will have an experience they will remember for a lifetime.

What if I still have questions about the program?
Stop by the Discovery Center if there are still questions that are unanswered. We will try to make the week as worry-free as possible. Just remember there are many other parents asking the same questions so don't feel like you are the only one. Track us down and ask away! We want to make sure the parents are having as much fun as the kids.