White Pine Wilderness Academy is located in the riparian corridor of the White River next to the Butler campus in the town of Rocky Ripple.
Our mission is to address the effects of Nature Deficit Disorder through reconnection to place, community, ancestry, traditional cultures and skills.
Our summer camps are our most popular program offering week long immersions into a simpler time.
Phone: (317) 774-6360
Address: 841 W 53rd
Website: www.whitepinewilderness.org
Email: [email protected]
Type of Camp: Day
Gender of Campers: all
Dates: May 27 to July 26
Hours: 9 am to 4 pm
Ages: 4 to 17
Q&A with White Pine Wilderness Academy
What makes White Pine Wilderness Academy unique?
Our camp provides a delicate balance of structure, connection, challenging experiences and fun. Most kids find that White Pine becomes their ‘happy place’.
What activities are offered at White Pine Wilderness Academy?
We are offering 4 Pathways this summer:
- Healers explore Herbalism, Foraging, Homesteading and Caretaking.
- Protectors train in Strength, Movement, Fighting and Play.
- Survivors work with their hands exploring the mediums of Fire, Wood, Stone, Feather n’ Bone.
- Providers explore Archery, Wood Splitting, Cooking and Crafting Musical Instruments.
What is the camper-to-counselor ratio?
4 to 1
How much time do the campers spend outside?
100%
Does White Pine Wilderness Academy provide lunch/snacks or do parents need to provide them?
We often have wild foraged food, tea and snacks. Please pack a lunch.
What is the typical daily schedule for campers?
- Drop off is 30 minutes of Village time allowing campers to pick up on projects from the day before or just explore and play.
- Opening Circle includes gratitude, movement, song and story.
- Morning Guild time lasts from one to two hours, this is where campers train in the Pathway that they chose.
- Lunch is open campus.
- Afternoon patrols head out on the land for a couple hours to explore, play, harvest materials, go on scouting missions.
- Return to campus around 3 pm for campus caretaking.
- Closing circle reflecting on the adventures of the day happens just before and during our rolling pickup.
How old are the counselors and how are they trained?
Our staff are with us year round teaching our Forest School and After School programs. They are adults and most of us are parents of students that attend White Pine. They are fully trained and certified wilderness mentors, survivalists, herbalists, trackers, and first responders.
What accommodations are made for campers with special needs?
We work with a wide range of physical and developmental needs. Please call and we’ll see if we can work together to make our camp a good fit for your child.
