Prepare for Your Time at CCO

• Traditional Camp Packing List
• Mini Camp Packing List

• Adventure Backpacking Packing List
• Adventure Horse Pack Packing List
• Adventure Odyssey Packing List
• Adventure Rafting Packing List 

• Trekker Camp Marrowbone Packing List
• Trekker Hike to Climb Packing List
• Trekker Surf N Turf Packing List
• Trekker Teton Packing List
• Trekker Wind River Packing List

• LIT Packing List
• SIT Packing List
• CIT Packing List
• WIL Packing List
• WIT Packing List
• Expedition Leadership Packing List
• BLT Packing List

Day Campers should be prepared for changing weather; please pack multiple layers (sweatshirt, rain jacket, sweatpants, etc.).

Campers will need the following each day:

• A backpack (campers travel around the property throughout the day)
• Two (2) water bottles - labeled with name
• A lunch and snacks (please avoid packing nut products)
• Closed toed shoes
• Rain gear
• Sunscreen - labeled with name
• Lip Balm
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Hand Sanitizer (optional, must be labeled with name)
• Face mask (disposable or washable, must be at least a two-layer face mask that covers the nose, mouth, chin) Why? This is in line with our infectious disease protocol. 

It is strongly suggested that all camper items are labeled with their name. 

What Not to Bring: 

The following items are prohibited to be brought by campers: alcohol, tobacco, drugs, weapons, pocket knives, expensive items, money, sports equipment, pets, or electronics. 
We strive to offer children a unique outdoor experience. Please help support us in this mission by not allowing campers to bring cell phones, digital cameras, iPads, smart watches or electronic games as they detract from the experience.  If campers opt to bring personal toys or stuffed animals, they will be expected to be responsible for them at all times. 

Camp Chief Ouray is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. 

2025 Parent Handbooks

Overnight Parent Handbook

Mini Camp Parent Handbook

Day Camp Parent Handbook

April 16, 2024 Recording 

For Overnight Camp:

All payments must be in the camp office 30 days before arriving at camp. Camp Chief Ouray reserves the right to cancel any registration if the balance due is not received 30 days before the program’s start. Forms and payments are completed online in your CampInTouch account. We strongly suggest you copy all documents and checks mailed to the Camp Chief Ouray office.

Registration and Deposits for 2024

• Deposits are required for registration into programs at Camp Chief Ouray. $100 per week of the program guarantees a spot.
• Programs that ask for applications are not charged deposits until all steps are completed, and the camper is accepted into the program.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

If we are required to limit or cancel sessions per the Colorado Department of Health or Grand County Public Health, you may roll over, donate, or be fully refunded all monies paid.

If a family decides to cancel their registration:

• 30 days or more before your camp session, you may roll over, donate, or be fully refunded all monies paid.
• Less than 30 days before your camp session, you may roll over, donate, or be refunded fees paid minus the deposit.

For Day Camp: 

All payments must be in the camp office seven days prior to arriving. Camp Chief Ouray reserves the right to cancel any registration if the balance due is not received by seven days prior to the start of the program. Forms and payments are completed online in your CampInTouch account. 

Refund & Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your camper’s registration, please contact us as soon as possible so your camper’s spot can be given to another waiting camper.

If we are required to limit or cancel sessions per the Colorado Department of Health or Grand County Public Health, you may roll over, donate, or be fully refunded all monies paid.

• Refunds will be made if cancellations are made with at least seven days' notice, unless there is a balance due. Payments will be rolled over to other weeks the camper is registered for.
• Cancellations with less than seven days' notice will be charged a $30 cancellation fee.
• Refunds will be issued for medical reasons only with written verification from a physician.
• There will be no refunds if a child goes home early in cases of illnesses that happen at camp, disciplinary action, bullying or homesickness.
• Missed days during a session will not be refunded or credited.

Camp Chief Ouray wants to make sure anyone who wants to be at summer camp has a way of attaining it. We do this in many ways; individual scholarships, partnerships with organizations, and third-party sponsors.

You can download the scholarship application here. You can also submit the scholarship application online by registering first and then completing the ‘Scholarship Application (optional)’ under ‘Forms and Documents’ of your CampInTouch account. We are happy to answer questions about any of these scholarships or questions about camp at chiefouray@ymcarockies.org or by calling 970-887-2648.

Seleccione aquí para la solicitud en Español

The following are the healthcare billing procedures should your camper need emergency services provided outside of the CCO health care system:

Insurance and Payments

The healthcare provider will directly bill your insurance company. As the primary provider, you will receive statements. It is your responsibility to get payment to the healthcare provider according to their terms. If your camper is seen in the emergency room, you will receive a physician’s fee statement and an emergency room fee statement separately. If seen in the clinic portion, all procedures are on one statement. If ambulance transportation is provided, a separate fee statement for the Grand County EMS will be mailed to you. Fees charged will vary depending upon the medical services provided. Emergency room fees are substantially higher than the clinic fees. 

Pharmacy Services

The local City Market Pharmacy will provide pharmacy services. If your camper requires prescribed medication, the pharmacy staff will bill your insurance directly whenever possible. If the pharmacy cannot bill your insurance company, the prescription cost for your camper will be charged to the Camp Chief Ouray account. The prescription receipts for individual charges will be mailed to you. Upon receipt, we request reimbursement payment (checks payable to Camp Chief Ouray).

Your camper’s health and safety are our priority. Having health forms before your camper arrives at camp is critical for our health care staff.

Physician's Examination

The Colorado state law requires each camper to have a physical within 12 months of the camper’s last day at camp. The physical form must be completed, signed, and dated by a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner, including the examiner’s address and telephone number, or by state law; the camper cannot attend camp.

The medication section of the Physician’s Exam form acts the same as a prescription when appropriately completed by your provider. This means that your physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner must complete this section the same way they would write a prescription. Ensure that the lower doctor’s signature section is completed, signed, and dated.

Health History Form

This is required by Childcare Licensing.

Immunization Record

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) lists all required vaccines you can view here. If your camper is not up to date on all required vaccines, you will be required to submit a medical or non-medical exemption which you can learn more and gather the form here. The update to required vaccines and exemptions applies out of state campers as well.

Childcare Licensing requires that camper’s immunization record be on the provided Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Certificate of Immunization Even for out of state campers. Dates may be written on the form provided in your CampInTouch account or a copy of your child’s official Colorado record may be uploaded.

Healthcare Authorization

This form would accompany your camper to the doctor’s office, giving healthcare permission to the Medical Center.

Camper/Guardian Behavior Expectation Agreement

Read, sign and submit this form for all campers, it establishes expectations of conduct during our programs.  It must be signed by both the camper and the parent/guardian.

Information for Counselors

This is a simple “fill in the blank and submit” form that is given to your camper's counselors before you arrive.  Please give the counselors as much information as possible to make your camper's CCO experience the best.

Colorado Fourteener Intitiative Waiver

Campers participating in certain Leadership and Training Programs will need to complete the Colorado Fourteener Intiatitve Waiver to participate in volunteer projects. 

Estes Climbing Waiver

Campers participating in the Adventure Odyssey camp will need to complete the Estes Climbing Waiver. 

Headwaters Trails Alliance Agreement

Campers participating in certain Leadership and Training Programs will need to complete the Headwaters Trails Alliance (HTA) Agreement for volunteer projects. 

Hike to Climb Waiver

All participants in Trekker Hike to Climb must complete the Hike to Climb waiver. 

Horsepack Waiver

Campers participating in the Adventure Horseback and Wrangler in Training programs must complete the Red Feather Guides and Outfitters' waiver. 

Rafting Waivers

• Campers participating in a rafting trip MUST have the Mad Adventures Rafting Agreement completed online and signed by both the participant and a guardian. This includes Counselor-in-Training participants.
• Campers doing overnight rafting, including Adventure Rafting and Specialist-in-Training programs, MUST have the Colorado River Center Waiver completed, signed, and submitted.

Our health care staff are seasonal and reside in the Health Center during each camp season between the last week in May through Labor Day (until the camp season ends). They may be contacted during this time. The year-round administrative staff can make notations regarding specific health needs for your camper’s records during the remainder of the year.

Camp Health Center

Our health care staff contacts parents/guardians if a camper's illness or injury requires treatment by the camp's clinic physicians, if there is a fever of over 100 degrees, vomiting associated with other symptoms, more than two episodes of diarrhea, head or spinal cord injuries, or if the camper is retained in our Health Center for 24 hours. Our resident camp nurses will communicate with the clinic and parents regarding the diagnosis, any necessary medications, and after-care treatment. Camp staff will communicate with parents and guardians if other issues arise during the session.

Taking Medicine at Camp

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for the common cold, stomach ailments, headaches, cuts, and abrasions are stocked in our Health Center and administered by our Health Center staff according to our camp physician’s standing orders. Contact the camp office if you need more specific information.

Medications and homeopathic treatments are dispensed by our Health Center nursing staff or specially trained staff at the Health Center daily after breakfast, lunch, dinner, and before evening vespers.

Emergency Services

Middle Park Medical Center is 15 minutes away from camp and utilized for emergency services. It offers 24-hour care and consultation. The Middle Park Medical Center is fully staffed 24 hours a day. Grand County EMS services provide ambulance service for emergencies. A staff member will accompany your camper during their transport and the entire clinic visit.

Campers are seen through the emergency room portion of Middle Park Medical Center. The clinic portion cannot always schedule appointments for our campers. The only exception is for any maintenance injection, such as allergy shots. If your camper requires this medical treatment, please call the camp office.

Non Emergency Services

Our camp travel staff provides transportation to and from the clinic for non-emergency trips. A staff member will accompany your camper during their transport and the entire clinic visit. In non-emergency cases, you may wish to take your camper home. You are welcome to discuss this option with our camp nurse.

Trip Services

Health and safety procedures for Adventure/Trekker Trips and Leadership Training Programs are as follows:

• Staff members are trained in Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder and carry a first aid kit on all trips.
• Staff are trained in evacuation procedures and equipped with maps identifying the closest ranger stations.
• Staff members carry GPS Garmin InReach devices with messaging capabilities to contact the camp office and emergency personnel.
• If staff members cannot tend to an emergency, 911 is called. For our wilderness evacuation procedures, please get in touch with the camp office.

Mental Health Services

If a camper confides in our staff the intent to do self-harm, our protocols require us to call mental health services in the county for professional support, which may result in a trip to the Emergency Room. Per our protocols, camp staff is prohibited from transport in these situations. The Grand County Emergency Medical Services or the Grand County Sheriff will transport the camper. Camp staff would accompany the camper in both cases. Any calls home in this situation would come from Mental Health Services and the licensed provider.

Colorado Child Care Services

Child care services are essential in supporting families, and strong families are the basis of a thriving community. Your camper’s education, physical, emotional, and social development will be nurtured in a well-planned and well-run program. 

Licensed facilities make every effort to provide children with a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, physical or sexual abuse may occur. If you believe your camper has been abused, you should seek immediate assistance from the county Department of Social Services. The telephone number to report child abuse in Grand County is 970-725-3331.

For additional information regarding licensing or if you have concerns about a child care facility, please consult:

Colorado Division of Child Care
1575 Sherman Street
Denver, 
Colorado 80203-1714

303-866-5858

All campers will receive a health screening. You will drive through a series of stations upon arrival at the CCO entrance. Expect a long line of cars. 


The healthcare screening consists of but is not necessarily limited to lice check, temperature check, and health screening, with questions regarding your camper’s current health condition. We will need to access each camper’s scalp to conduct the lice check properly. 

Both parent and the camper must talk with the nurses when handing over medication. Campers arriving with medications or homeopathic treatments must be prepared to hand them to the Health Center staff in their original containers.

Bringing Medicine to Camp

Colorado state law stipulates that only medications prescribed by your health care provider may be dispensed at camp. 


Any medicines your camper takes, including but not limited to any maintenance medications; behavioral disorder medications; antibiotics; herbal, homeopathic medicines; vitamins; eye/ear drops; inhalers; epinephrine “epi” pens, etc. must be listed (including dosage) on the Physician’s Exam. 

If medications are added or changed after the exam, you must bring the medication in the original pharmacy container noting the RX number and physician name. If this is not possible, you or your health care provider will need to provide us with a prescription.

Please send all medications to camp in their original container stating the RX number and physician name. The only exceptions are inhalers and epi-pens, which Health Center Staff must be informed of and can be carried by the camper. Homeopathic treatments must come with parental and physician consent in the original container.

Taking Medicine Home

Parents/guardians will pick up all medications your camper brought from the Cabin Counselor. Campers traveling home by bus or airplane will have their medications returned before their trip home.