For Campers
Camp F.A.Q.s
We’ve complied a list of some of our most Frequently Asked Questions!
If this list didn’t answer your question, please email us at info@ramahoutdoors.org!
Where do Ramah in the Rockies campers come from?
As Ramah’s first specialty camp with wider appeal, we draw chalutzim (campers) from throughout North America who are passionate about the outdoors and want to practice outdoor adventure in a Jewish environment. Our chalutzim come from Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, New York, Boston, Washington DC/Baltimore, Tulsa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Diego, Houston, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and many more cities across North America and the entire world!
Where is the camp located?
To read more about our facilities and location, click here. Ramah in the Rockies is a 360-acre ranch nestled in the pristine Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Ramah in the Rockies is only 90 minutes from Denver, at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The ranch is surrounded by magnificent towering mountain peaks with three mountain-fed streams running through the middle of camp. We have on-site natural climbing walls, horse stables, numerous fields for sports, and hundreds of lush, verdant acres for our chalutzim (campers) to safely explore every day..
Ramah in the Rockies ranch is located approximately two hours from Denver International Airport, one hour and 40 minutes from downtown Denver, and one hour and 20 minutes from Colorado Springs. The drive is a scenic mix of highway and local paved roads. The last six miles to camp follow a well-maintained dirt forest service road.
Why do we refer to campers as chalutzim?
At Ramah in the Rockies we refer to our campers as chalutzim, which means pioneers in Hebrew. Ramah in the Rockies prides itself on being a rustic camp in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Everyone who joins our community feels they are helping to create a new Jewish community in an area seldom settled by Jews. In addition to exploring an original homestead house on the ranch that dates from the late 1800s, throughout the summer we explore trails and fields rarely touched by humans — just like the early Western pioneers. In addition, by referring to ourselves as chalutzim, we remember those who helped develop the land of Palestine into the modern State of Israel we know and love today.
What will I eat?
At base camp, all meals are prepared in our kosher kitchen by our professional culinary staff. We believe that the food we serve and eat should reflect our environmental values. A core part of what we do is “lift the veil” on the food at camp. We aim to serve sustainable food, taking into account where food is grown, how it is made (we try not to serve anything processed) and how it affects both our budget and our bodies. Whenever possible, we try to serve organic and locally-grown foods. On overnight excursions, meals are prepared by the group and cooked on camping stoves or over open fires. All excursion meals are kosher vegetarian and enjoyed by everyone! To learn more about the food at Ramah in the Rockies, take a look at Food Info
Can I bring my own food to camp?
Please do not bring food to camp. Only food provided by our professional culinary staff in the dining hall may be eaten at camp. Ramah in the Rockies is not only a kosher facility, but we are also in the middle of a vast wilderness area. We are only guests on this land which is inhabited year round by an array of wildlife that would love to sample our good food. No food will ever be stored or eaten in our daily living areas, sleeping tents and bathhouses. But don’t worry! We have an open snack bar available between meals with healthy options like fruits, homemade granola, popcorn, and other goodies. Any food brought into camp by participants or sent to camp in care packages will be donated to a local food pantry. If you have any special dietary restrictions or allergies please call our office at (303) 261-8214 to discuss further.
What gear do I need to bring?
Participants are expected to supply their own personal clothing and gear, including waterproof jacket and pants, a compact sleeping bag, and hiking boots. All communal equipment, such as tents, stoves, pots and pans are provided by the camp. While we encourage participants to bring their own internal frame packs, we provide extras for those who do not want to make the investment in such equipment. A full packing list can be found here.
What clothing do I need to pack?
The weather in the Rocky Mountains can change hourly. Often temperatures will reach 85 degrees during the day and 45 degrees at night. Therefore, it is important to bring clothing for both the warm days as well as the cool nights. A full packing list can be found here.
What does a typical day look like at Ramah in the Rockies?
Check out our “What Happens At Camp” page!
What does a typical session look like at Ramah?
Check out our “What Happens At Camp” page!
What are the sleeping arrangements?
At base camp, chalutzim (campers) sleep in large, sturdy platform tents according to their gender and edah (age group). Each tent holds up to 14 chalutzim and two counselors. Tents are equipped with bunk beds and cubbies for storage. Excursions give chalutzim the chance to sleep outdoors near a mountain stream, in an alpine valley, or along the banks of a river. Our camp provides lightweight tents or sturdy tarps to ensure that all participants stay dry and warm on their excursions.
How safe will my child be at base camp and on excursions?
Safety is our number one concern at Ramah in the Rockies. All instructors have undergone intense staff training that includes intimate knowledge of emergency procedures, communication, and how to avoid dangerous situations. Most of our staff maintain current certification in Wilderness First Aid (20 hour course) at a minimum, and all our head trip leaders maintain certification as a Wilderness First Responder (an 80 hour course) or are EMTs. Our directors conduct regular safety and security reviews and evaluation, and work closely with local officials to make sure our safety standards and practices are the best they can be. The health and welfare of our community will always be our top concern.
Are immunizations required?
Colorado law requires that children entering preschool and school be fully immunized, subject to limited exceptions. Accordingly, Ramah in the Rockies requires that, unless medically exempt as set forth below, all participants and staff participating in its summer programs be up to date on their MMR and Varicella vaccines. All participants and staff members are required to submit their immunization record prior to the state of the camp session each participate or staff member is participating in. As a private organization, Ramah in the Rockies is not required to recognize religious or personal exemptions. Ramah in the Rockies bases this on the responsibility to protect all children and adults associated with Ramah from infections that can be prevented or ameliorated by immunizations.
Packing List
Whether this is your first summer camp experience or one of many, there is always a sense of excitement and anxiety when it comes to packing and making sure the “right” gear and clothing find their way into our bags.
Our Printable Packing List includes both a bare-bones packing checklist as well as a Technical Gear Guide with information that will help you choose the right camping gear for your chalutzim (campers). For our JOLI and Sayarim campers who will be participating in more intensive masa’ot (backcountry excursions), please pay special attention to the items listed as required.
Top 5 – Bring To Camp
1. | Clothing that can play in the dirt |
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2. | Warm layers for mountain nights |
3. | High quality rain jacket |
4. | Warm bedding including a sleeping bag |
5. | Headlamp (flashlight) |
Top 5 – Won’t Need At Camp
1. | Electronic devices |
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2. | Food (no outside food allowed) |
3. | Inappropriate clothing |
4. | Valuables or large sums of money |
5. | Trunk or hard-sided suitcase |
Food Info
At base camp, all meals are prepared in our kosher kitchen by our professional culinary staff. We believe that the food we serve and eat should reflect our environmental values. A core part of what we do is “lift the veil” on the food at camp. We aim to serve sustainable food, taking into account where food is grown, how it is made (we try not to serve anything processed) and how it affects both our budget and our bodies. Whenever possible, we try to serve organic and locally-grown foods. On overnight excursions, meals are prepared by the group and cooked on camping stoves or over open fires. All excursion meals are kosher vegetarian and enjoyed by everyone!
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Shabbat | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aruchat Boker | Cereal, granola, and oatmeal, breakfast bar with yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit, and hard boiled eggs | Quick Breads, Cereal, Breakfast Bar | |||||
Aruchat Tzohorayim | Falafel, Pita, and Israeli Salad | Burrito Bar | Tofu Stir-Fry and Rice | Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup | Baked Potato Bar | Sandwich Bar with tuna salad, egg salad, and homemade hummus | Hearty vegetable soup, homemade challah, salad bar |
Aruchat Erev | Meat BBQ: Grilled Chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, green beans, and fresh salad | Pizza and roasted vegetables | Breakfast For Dinner! Eggs, Potatoes, Pancakes and Salad Bar | Mac and Cheese, garlicky zucchini and squash | Chili and Cornbread | Fish tacos or roasted salmon with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli | Baked Ziti |
Medical Info
Medical Information and Policies
Medical Questions? Email nurse@ramahoutdoors.org
Ramah Vaccine Policy
Ramah Medication Policy
Medication Packaging Instructions

Transportation
Transportation Questions?
Families are highly encouraged to download and read our 2019 Camper Transportation Quick Facts for a complete run down of our transportation systems.
Please contact transportation@ramahoutdoors.org with any questions about your child’s travel arrangements.
Campers Flying to Denver
Flights should land in Denver between 9:00 am-11:30 am.
Flights should depart Denver between 10:15am-3:00pm.
There will be campers wearing their camp shirts arriving from all over the US and overseas at Denver International Airport. Campers should look for Ramah in the Rockies staff wearing bright, neon shirts that say “Camp Ramah Staff”. We will have teams of madrichim (counselors) at the airport to meet campers at their gates. If your camper is arriving within our flight window, please instruct them to wait in the gate area. Many flights arrive very closely together and our staff may just be a few gates down meeting other campers before coming to your child’s gate. Campers and staff will then go together to baggage claim, where staff will help campers to claim their luggage.
If your camper is mature enough to go to baggage claim on their own, or if you are dropping your camper off at the airport, the Ramah Rally Point is located next to Baggage Claim #10 on the west side of the airport. Ramah staff will be waiting here to meet campers also. Campers travel to camp in vans or a bus depending on when they arrive.
Campers will get a snack in the baggage claim area and are encouraged to fill their water bottles. Campers also will receive lunch once they arrive at camp, or for late arriving campers, on the van on the way to camp.
Especially for Airline Travel
Please also include a change of clothing, sweatshirt, snacks for the flight, and any toiletries or medicine your camper might need on travel day in their carry-on bag in case your checked baggage is delayed. You may also want to give your camper a pre-paid ($25) credit card to use at the airport.
Unaccompanied Minors
If your camper(s) will be traveling as unaccompanied minors (UM), please use the following information to complete the airline’s unaccompanied minor form:
Designated Pickup Person: Camp Ramah
Camp Name: Ramah in the Rockies
Address: 300 S Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80246
Camp Phone: (303) 261-8214
Secondary Contact, if necessary: Rabbi Eliav Bock
Camp Name: Ramah in the Rockies
Address: 300 S Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80246
Camp Phone: (303) 261-8214
Campers Riding
the HEA Shuttle
Campers should wear their 2021 camp shirt and have their daypack with a filled water bottle, sun hat, and a sweatshirt with them.
Plan to arrive at the Hebrew Educational Alliance (HEA) parking lot between 9:00-9:30 am. The shuttle bus will leave at 10:00 am. No lunch is provided, as they will eat lunch at the camp. Campers will arrive at camp at 12:00 pm. They will then check-in and be welcomed by their madrichim.
The Hebrew Educational Alliance is located near I-25 and Hampden Blvd. The address is 3600 S. Ivanhoe St., Denver, CO 80237.
Driving to Camp
Please email transportation@ramahoutdoors.org to receive driving directions. Campers may be dropped off at camp between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm, and picked up between 9:30 am and 11:00 am.
The camp is approximately 1.5 – 2-hour drive from Denver.
Travel Updates/Changes
If your camper’s travel or UM (unaccompanied minor) status changes at any time before travel day, please update the online Travel Survey in CampMinder.
If the changes/updates occur on travel day, please call our office at (303) 261 -8214
We All Made It to Camp!
Communications
We understand how nerve-wracking it may be between seeing your child(ren) off and waiting to hear that everyone has arrived safely.
Although campers are welcome to call home from the Denver airport, our airport team’s primary focus is getting the campers from their arrival gates to baggage claim, collecting bags, loading them onto trucks, and ensuring all campers are on the shuttle buses for the ride to camp. Our staff will not be calling families from the airport. They will be in touch with our office to communicate any issues or to notify us of the shuttle buses departing the airport for camp.
Once all of our campers have reached the chava (ranch), we will send an email to our camper families letting them know that everyone has arrived safely.
Parents are welcome to be touch with our office at (303) 261-8214.
Family resources
This information is also available to registered families in the ‘Forms and Documents’ section of CampMinder.
2019 Camp Handbook
Camp Packing List

Our Music
Our Camp Song
Click here to learn the lyrics to the camp song – you’ll be singing along by the time you get to the chava (ranch)!
Shira & General Camp Songs
Before & After Shabbat
Weekday Teffilah
Shabbat Teffilah

Winter Office
Ramah in the Rockies
300 S. Dahlia St., Suite 205
Denver, CO 80246
Phone: (303) 261-8214
Fax: (303) 261-8210
Summer Office
Please call our summer office
at (303) 261-8214 to get directions.