Early registration opens at 6:00 am on November 19 for 2024 campers and YMCA of Greater Seattle members. General registration begins at 6:00 am on November 21. More details are coming soon.

We plan to provide youth with an overnight experience at Camp Orkila and Camp Colman. In addition, at Camp Orkila, we plan to offer kayaking, specialty, and day camp programs. We will also offer teen leadership programs at both camps. 

We create meaningful small and large group experiences at camp. Individual cabin groups will have 10 campers and 2-3 staff members. Most programming occurs within cabin or sleeping groups and at least one other cabin group, up to 4 cabins. There will be a mix of cabin group, large group and all-camp activities.

From archery to art, challenge courses to campfires, campers will create lasting memories through a variety of activities. But there is much more that happens at camp on a deeper level! It is as much about exploring the outdoors as it is about self-discovery. Through expeditions, arts and crafts, marine science, kayaking, and challenge courses, kids and teens learn and grow on many different levels with the support of well-trained staff dedicated to engaging kids and creating equity in the outdoors. 

Camp serves nutritious, well-balanced meals. A vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free option is available at every meal. Healthy snacks consisting of fruit and other items served in the afternoon. Water consumption is encouraged throughout the day. Cabin groups will eat all meals together in our dining hall facilities. 

You can make a maximum of one cabinmate request. Cabinmate requests must be mutual, from the same program, and similar ages.  

Open spots will be released to participants on the waitlist in the order they signed up. Once a spot has been released, the first participant on the waitlist will receive an email with a link to register. The link will be active for five days before moving on to the next participant in the waitlist queue. Once summer sessions begin, the response time will be adjusted to 24-48 hours for waitlist response time. 

Cancellations received by May 1 are eligible for a refund of fees less the non-refundable deposit. Any cancellations or refund requests received after May 1 (via email or in writing) are not eligible for a refund or credit. Extenuating circumstances may be reviewed and potentially approved at the discretion of the YMCA. Approved refunds are processed via original payment method. No refunds are granted for participants who are late arrivals, no shows, or who are asked to leave their program for behavioral issues.

We are committed to making YMCA camps and outdoor leadership programs more accessible for everyone. 

Pricing Options

We have lowered our pricing options and developed a voluntary sliding fee schedule. Simply select the price most appropriate for your family. Your selections are completely confidential and do not impact the quality of your camper’s experience. 

• Price A reflects the full price of sending a camper to the program selected. This level represents the full price of camp operations, including support for long-term maintenance, repairs, and facility enhancements.  
• Price B is partially sponsored by funds generously contributed by our supporters to help families unable to afford the full price of the program.
• Price C is the lowest price, funded by generous contributions donated by our supporters to the greatest extent possible. 

Your Support Matters

Thank you to families who volunteer to pay Price A! You are helping the Y ensure our camps and outdoor leadership programs continue to thrive. With your support, we have made critical improvements and repairs to our overnight camps and outdoor leadership programs that ensure all participants have the best experiences possible — like new bath and shower facilities, ADA accessibility, new educational facilities, and high-adventure programs. With your support, Y camps and outdoor leadership programs can continue to be accessible for all now and in the future, especially for those who need us most. 

Independent of what price you have selected, if you would like to support our camps and outdoor leadership programs in an even more meaningful way, please consider making a one-time or recurring donation in any amount.

Financial Assistance

Our goal is to remove barriers that prevent anyone from participating in our programs, including financial barriers. If our lowest prices still create a financial barrier that prevents you from participating in our programs, we invite you to fill out a financial assistance application.  

Once we have reviewed and approved your application, you will receive an email confirming the percentage you have been awarded. That percentage will be automatically applied to your account and reflected in your final balance. You may also choose the financial assistance option and pay a $50 deposit during registration, then apply for your award at a later date. 

Camp Orkila’s and Camp Colman’s staff are the heart of our camp. All program staff who run camp activities have individual areas of expertise to share with campers. Cabin counselors are selected for their experience working with children, judgment, maturity, and caring attitude. 

We recruit staff from around the world, who serve as role models for campers by demonstrating strong leadership skills that reflect the mission, commitment to equity and justice, and the core values of the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Through role modeling and by creating challenges that foster individual and group development, we provide campers with the opportunity to leave camp with a better understanding in the values of respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring. 

Staff must complete the application and interview process as outlined by the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Staff must have current First Aid and CPR certifications and pass a national background check. An instructor on expedition courses has a wilderness first aid certification or higher. 

Interviews are conducted with at least two references. Cabin counselors generally complete eight days of training, and directors and trip leaders complete an eight-day director’s training in addition to all-staff training. Training topics include: cultural humility and restorative justice, child behavior management, positive discipline techniques, games, age-appropriate programming, emergency procedures, values-based programs, bullying & child abuse prevention, and health and safety management. 

At the YMCA of Greater Seattle, we are committed to becoming an anti-racist and inclusive gathering space where people of all colors, religions, genders, and backgrounds are welcomed and have the opportunity to succeed, be healthy, and thrive. For us, that means closely examining what we do – our systems, hiring practices, partners, contracting, and all of our processes, programs, and locations – to ensure we are learning, adapting, and doing all that we can to build a more equitable, healthy, and just community in the future. 

Restorative Justice Practices at Camp 

To limit instances of bias at camp and to respond in a way which aligns with our organizational values, camp is focused on implementing restorative justice practices into the curriculum, daily routine, and culture. Our staff teams will be trained to add social and emotional learning aspects into all programs, create community, and facilitate conflict resolution. These practices will be introduced to and practiced by campers throughout their camp experience through intentional community building activities like teambuilding and values sessions. We are committed to building strong communities within our camps and assisting campers in dealing with conflict in a healthy and productive manner. We aim to address the root of behavioral issues and conflicts at camp by finding solutions which use restorative practices as the foundation for overcoming conflict and addressing bias. 

From the moment campers arrive at camp, staff work to build an inclusive space with clear expectations. Additionally, we partner with parents and guardians on strategies for working with camper's individual behaviors. Should behavioral support be needed, camp staff will make every effort to call the family starting with the primary contact, then the emergency contact. 

We know that certain behaviors can cause lasting harm. We do not tolerate bullying: aggressive behavior that is intentional, is repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength, and bigotry: making derogatory comments, including making fun of the individual or individual family's national origin, religion, sexuality, ethnicity, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender; threatening bodily harm to the individual or individual’s family/friends. 

When the welfare of the camper, other campers, or camp property/equipment is jeopardized, the parent(s) or guardian(s) may be notified to pick up their camper at their own expense. Travel arrangements will always be made in advance with the parent or guardian. Program fees will be forfeited. In the case of a serious incident, the campers involved will not be invited back to camp for future experiences. 

Additional information about our community expectations can be found in the summer handbooks for both camps

We strongly recommend all participants, staff and volunteers do the following before arriving:

1. Be up-to-date with Covid-19 vaccinations, OR 

2. Receive a negative Covid-19 test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival .  

Any person who chooses to wear a mask is supported in doing so. Facial coverings/masks will not be required for participants and staff.

Masks may be recommended for public health protection in certain circumstances, such as: 

• Exposure to someone with Covid-19.

• Symptoms consistent with Covid-19. 

• Spending time in crowded indoor settings where physical distancing is not possible.  

• Individuals with increased risk for severe Covid-19, e.g., medically fragile campers, immunocompromised individuals.  

• Staff caring for campers with disabilities that prevent them from wearing face coverings. 

Masks may be required for public health protection in certain circumstances, such as: 

• A person who has tested positive for Covid-19, has completed 5 days of isolation, is returning to camp activities after their symptoms have improved AND they are without fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. These individuals MUST wear a well-fitting mask for days 6-10 OR have a negative antigen test after the 5th day of isolation so as not to wear a mask (a positive test requires the individual to continue to wear a mask for the remainder of their 10-day isolation period).        

• If there is an outbreak or cluster of cases at the camp. 

• If there is a surge of disease. 

• In designated healthcare settings. 

L&I requirements to protect worker safety still apply. Employers cannot prevent employees from wearing a face mask if they choose (SB 5254). 

Camping & Outdoor Leadership's eligibility criteria and health screening processes will be updated as needed to minimize, as far as practical, the risk of transmission of Covid-19 occurring in programs. 

The requirements for participants will depend on best practices at that time, as determined by: 

• Guidance from federal and local health authorities, like the CDC 

• State health departments for schools, camps, guided recreation activities, and businesses  

• The types of tests, vaccinations, and other screening tools considered to be highly reliable and widely available at that time.