THANK YOU
Before we jump in, we want to pause and thank you. Thank you for showing up in the lives of hurting teenagers with the HOPE of the Gospel. Thank you for sharing the LOVE of Jesus with them as you build friendships. Thank you for continuing to pursue them in the middle of chaos. The work is certainly not easy, but it is so important. We pray that your time at Lost Canyon will be a breath of fresh air and will provide your high school, middle school, and YoungLives friends the opportunity to experience adventure, laugh, and hear about the greatest Story ever told.
At Lost Canyon, it's our desire to reflect the full breadth of the Kingdom of God and those we serve, and believe it to be a vital part of the transformative experience of the Gospel. Christ’s love compels us to advance a culture of Diversity, Equity and Belonging at Lost Canyon. We acknowledge that a feeling of belonging is neither guaranteed or experienced by all who enter this place. Regardless, it is our core value to ensure that Lost Canyon is a place where every person is welcomed, known, heard, celebrated for the ways they uniquely reflect the image of God and has what they need to thrive.
This will be achieved through a posture of listening, learning, partnership and action. We are committed to this in every effort from the planning of trips, the events at camp, the recruitment and training of our staff and volunteers, and how we serve one another. We are so excited to welcome you and your friends to camp and can't wait to spend the week with you!
This Trip Leader Guide was created to be a "one stop shop" for your camp trip. As we get closer to summer, we will continue to update this guide; please bookmark this link and refer back to it frequently. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact Sarah Strong at sstrong@lc.younglife.org or call the Lost Canyon Office at 928.635.2900.
check out our camp promo videos!!
IMPORTANT documents
All of the following documents are required to be completed prior to your arrival at Lost Canyon. You will notice below that 2 of them are only for certain instances and thus are not required if you don't have a relevant camper. You can find additional support on completing these below in the "Helpful Resources" section.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
- Completed Arrival Form from YLCC for Leaders/Moms/Kids - (including: campers, leaders, housing, leader orientation, & health form status)
- Health, Consent, and Release Form
- Leader Screenings (Faith & Conduct/Criminal Background Checks should be up-to-date/not expired)
- Summer Camp Leader Orientation (must be complete before arrival at camp)
- Capernaum Parental or Guardian Interview (6054 - CAPERNAUM STUDENTS ONLY - to be filled out by leader & parent - parents need the leader email address before filling out)
- Capernaum Medication Guidelines - Trip Leaders
- Capernaum Medication Guidelines - Parents
- Permission for Camper to Leave Early (if you have someone that needs to leave earlier)
helpful resources
- YL Connect Camp User Guide
- Summer Camp Medication Requirements
- Summer Camp Medication Requirements (for Parents)
- Online Health Form Instructions (for Parents)
- Managing Online Health Forms (for Trip Leaders)
- Additional Health Form Information (paper forms, etc.)
- Charter Bus Agreement (recommended)
- Electronics
- Driving Directions to Lost Canyon
- Lost & Found Form
Program & Head leader Letters
Click on the link below for a word from our program directors and for themed outfits information!!!
- Program Letter - Session 1
- Head Leader Letter - Session 1
travel information
ARRIVAL: Arrival on Day 1 is from 2:00 - 4:00 pm PST. **Please call Lost Canyon once you are on your way to give your ETA and hear the final arrival reminders.
DEPARTURE: Departure on Day 6 is at 2 PM PST, directly after club. **Please schedule your bus to arrive NO EARLIER than 1 PM PST.
aRRIVING TO LOST CANYON
- On Day 1, call the Lost Canyon office at 928-635-2900 when you depart on the day you will arrive at camp to provide your final breakdown of campers and leaders, an update on food allergies or special diets, and your estimated arrival time.
- When you exit off I-40 onto N Grand Canyon Blvd (exit 163), please call the Lost Canyon office before proceeding up the hill to camp (pulling into McDonalds is a good holding point).
- Look for the Lost Canyon sign and then a canopy with head leaders.
ITEMS DUE AT THE WELCOME TENT
- Health Forms — any health forms that were not filled out online. Make sure you have copies for you return trip, the originals have to remain at Lost Canyon.
- Medications — Please see Summer Camp Medications Requirements above in the Helpful Resources section of this page.
- Electronics — Need to be stored in a container labeled with your area name/number. It's also a good idea to provide zip lock bags for each camper and a Sharpie to label with their name. Please make sure all devices are powered off.
Contracts, Spots, and Accountability
- Contact Sarah Strong (sstrong@lc.younglife.org) at the Lost Canyon Office to inquire about available beds.
- To request an increase or to trade spots, please contact Sarah Strong. Do not make these trades on your own.
- Visit the Camp Fees, Contracts and Accountability page in staff resources for more details.
- R1 contracts are due Jan. 15th via DocuSign (areas are financially responsible for $50 per spot).
- R2 contracts are due April 1 via DocuSign (areas are financially responsible for 90% of these spots).
dates & Tasks
10 days out - June 5th by 12:00 noon pst
The 10-Day Report is due 10 days prior to your arrival by 12:00pm (Noon) EST. This gives us vital information to prepare for you arrival and serve you and your team well.
48 Hours out - June 13TH by 10:00 am pst
YLCC ARRIVAL FORM: You will need to ensure your Arrival Form is updated and accurate in YL Connect Camp 48 hours before your arrival, by 10:00 AM on that day. Please be sure to have the following information updated for EACH PERSON. If you are stuck in that process, please review the YLCC User Guide linked in the "Helpful Resources (under Important Documents)" section of this page. When it is updated, please email Sarah Strong at sstrong@lc.younglife.org letting her know.
- Gender
- Involvement Role
- HC Form Status (Health Form)
- Housing Preference
- # of Times at Camp (if this is their first time, leave it blank)
MEDICATIONS
AREAS DISTRIBUTION MEDICATIONS
If your area is distributing medications while at camp, please note the following:
- All leaders distributing medications must take the ACH Medication Management Training. This training is good for three years.
- Each leader can only be responsible for distributing medications to ten campers (1 leader: 10 campers). Please ensure that enough leaders are trained for the size of your trip.
- Anyone distributing medications must fill out the Lost Canyon Medication Administration Sign Off Form and upload a certificate of their completed ACH Medication Management Training course.
- All medications must be stored in a lockable container or bag. You can find some options on this document.
AREAS TURNING MEDICATION'S IN TO THE INFIRMARy
If you prefer to turn in your medications and have the medical team distribute, then follow normal medication policies linked throughout this webpage.
faq's
We have collected the answers to some frequently asked questions that aren't previously answered in the sections above. If you have an idea to add to this section OR you don't see your answer, please reach out to Sarah Strong at Lost Canyon: sstrong@lc.younglife.org or 928.635.2900.
- Summer 2025 Activities | Differences between Types of Camp - Click the link above for a list of activities that will be offered this summer at Lost Canyon as well as a comparison chart between types of camps (Wyldlife, SR High, YoungLives, Capernaum).
- Linens - Lost Canyon will be providing linens this year to all campers and leaders including a pillow, pillowcase, sheets, blanket, and towel
- What to Pack - Please review the packing list or download it and share it with your campers. Themed outfit information can be found in the Program Letters in the Helpful Resources section just above.
- Thrift Rack - From Adam McGraw, our Retail Manager: Since Summer of 2021 , we have had a “Thrift Rack” at the LC General Store to provide some gently used YL apparel (or really anything YL branded) at a price that most everyone could afford ($1). We are able to donate to YL with the proceeds! We’d love to continue this again for Summer 2025 Camping, and need to start collecting items so that we have enough for 9 weeks. If you have some old YL items you’d like to donate, we’d love to take those off your hands and let some of your old YL apparel be enjoyed by someone new! Old camp trip t-shirts are a huge win! No pressure but if it’s something you’d like to participate in, just bring your clean YL branded clothing/items to camp and we’ll collect them in the back of the store. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me directly (amcgraw@lc.younglife.org). Thanks so much and looking forward to your time here at camp!
- Weather/Elevation - The elevation at Lost Canyon is approximately 7,000 feet above sea level. The air at this elevation contains less oxygen and is thinner than lower elevations. To better adjust to the altitude and avoid altitude sickness: Drink plenty of fluids, Always use sunscreen and wear sunglasses, Eat a high carbohydrate diet, Get extra rest for the first few days
- Additionally, we typically have warm days and cooler nights. Make sure your students are prepared with a rain jacket and a sweatshirt/sweater for those nights. Your weather app (looking at Williams, AZ) on your phone should give you accurate predictions for the most part of what to expect.
- Program Information - Please see the "Important Documents" section above for the Session Program letters. These will contain information about potential program events, themed outfits, etc.
- Forms & Health Forms - All required forms can be found above in the "Important Documents" section. If you are looking for supportive resources like "health form how-to's for parents" those can be found in that same section.
PREGNANT CAMPERS
National YL has recently updated the policy regarding attendance and participation standards for pregnant teens, teen moms, and infants at camp. These updates expand previous guidelines, which applied to pregnant teens and moms 6-12 weeks post-delivery and infants younger than 6 weeks old. In collaboration with our medical advisory board, risk management, and camping services, YoungLives leadership has made the following policy changes for Summer 2025:
- Pregnant teens and teen moms who are 8-12 weeks post-delivery at the camp start date must have a physician's signature.
- A physician's signature is required for all infants 8-12 weeks old at the camp start date.
- Teen moms less than 8 weeks post-delivery at the camp start date may not attend camp.
- Pregnant teens over 30 weeks may not attend WFR, LHR, Beyond Malibu, Malibu, or Wilderness Ranch.
- Infants younger than 8 weeks may not attend camp.
- Infants younger than 12 weeks at the camp start date may not attend WFR, LHR, Malibu Club, Beyond Malibu, or Wilderness Ranch.
Please review the updated policy linked above for additional details.
ACTIVITIES FOR PREGNANT CAMPERS:
Per the National Young Life Policy, campers who are pregnant CANNOT participate in the following activities:
- Water inflatables
- Bicycles
- Flume or water slides
- Obstacle courses
- Dodge ball/volleyball
- Skateboarding
- Wibit Park (inflatables in the water)
- Various relay activities that would be considered “contact”
- All challenge courses (zip line, ropes course, swing, climbing wall)
- Jacuzzi (The exception to use of the Jacuzzi by pregnant campers would be if the temperature has been reduced to safe levels and authorized by the camp physician and the camp director.)
- Any other activity deemed by camp staff or the camp director to be dangerous and/or high risk to the participant.