During the academic year, Aspen Camp (AC) welcomes an influx of local students from the valley who take advantage of the lodging and grounds for their annual field trips. All the students, parents, and teachers who attend participate in a deaf studies class, where they learn the basics of sign language and begin their journey of deaf awareness. In addition, the other AC programming augments classroom curricula through experiential and outdoor education. For example, the teepee village is a great venue to learn about American Indian heritage and early US history.

AC hosts the students from Aspen Elementary and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, as they explore the riparian environment along the nature trails at the camp. This two-day overnight trip gives the students an opportunity to experience the wilderness in a safe setting, share stories over smores and a small bonfire, and potentially see some wildlife. Sightings of elk, foxes and bears are common. A favorite stop is the beaver dam, which offers a close-up look at how animals utilize their environment to survive.

Students from Basalt Middle School participate in a very different overnight program. Through experiential education they build self-confidence, learn to work as a team, and often discover new things about themselves as a result. The students are engaged in various group activities, face the challenge course, and most work up the courage to cross Snowmass Creek on the Burma Bridge.

No matter what programming teachers organize with their AC Program Coordinator, the students will benefit greatly from this unique experience. AC tailors the programs around the students, their ages and abilities. All are welcome to participate. Please contact the camp for a tour and a meeting to outline a program in outdoor education and/or experiential learning that enhances your curriculum.