Where is camp located?

Mountaindale West Day camp is located in the Mountaindale area Northwest of Hillsboro and North of Highway 26. All camp activities takes place at the Mountaindale Program Center and property owned by the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington.

I currently have a Daisy, can she come to camp?

Yes!

What unit can my Daisy camper choose?

Your Daisy camper will need to choose the "Daisy Camp Explorer" when doing the online registration.

How do I get to camp?

As part of your camp fee, we provide a bus service. All campers must ride the bus. Only campers of full time adult volunteers are allow to ride up to camp with their parents.

Where do I get on and off the bus?

Our bus pick up and drop off are at Westview High school. You can get more information about this under our Transportation section.

Why is there a late bus fee? What does this mean?

We have started a late fee charge because in the past, we have had campers that are not picked up on time. Our bus coordinator can not leave the drop off point until EVERY CAMPER has been picked up. The bus coordinator has been at camp all day and has a child or children with them and would like to go home quickly. Our fee is a reminder that their time is important and it should be respected.

What do I bring to camp everyday? We suggest:

backpack or day pack
sack lunch & healthy snacks
appropriate clothing for weather conditions
sunscreen or bug spray (not to be shared with other campers)
a mess kit on the day or days your unit is cooking lunch
close-toed shoes are required - tennis shoes or boots preferred. DO NOT wear sandals, flip-flops, water socks, clogs, shoes with no backs or shoes with hole designs.
A coat, sweatshirt or raincoat (your choice) - The mornings can be cool and the weather is unpredictable

We ask that you DO NOT BRING electronics, medications extra items that are unnecessary. Medications should be turned in to the camp nurse and campers can see the nurse to take medications as needed throughout the day.

Do we still have camp if it rains?

Yes! We are in the outdoors enjoying a "camping experience" and weather is part of that. We suggest that all campers plan for the weather conditions and bring appropriate items.

Can my mom/dad visit me at camp?

For the safety of all campers, we only allow Mountaindale Day camp registered adults, campers, PA's and siblings to be at our camp. We are a closed gate camp (which means that you must have a pass word to be allowed on to the camp property). We do not allow unregistered individuals up to our camp without our prior knowledge, usually only planned visitors such as firemen, special events personnel and health inspectors are allowed.

Why can't I wear sandals or a tank top?

Due to the terrain of the mountainside, your safety and comfort is very important. Dirt trails throughout the camp offer a true outdoor experience and closed toed shoes (like hiking boots or tennis shoes) are a must. There are rocks, shrubbery and twigs that could poke you if you were to wear sandals. Also, tank tops are not allow because many of the trails have shrubs, bushes and trees that hang down and some (like stingy nettle) could pose a small risk of getting poked. We also know that some campers need the extra coverage from the sun to help prevent getting sun burned.

Can I be in a unit with my friends/troop?

Only Brownies may request one buddy and we will do our best to put you together. Part of coming to camp is making new friends and as a Girl Scout, we all find new adventures and new friends at all our events. We encourage our campers to explore the possibilities.

Can I go to my orthodontist / dental / medical appointment when I'm at camp?

We ask that all appointments be made either during another week or after camper pickup hours. If you must go to an appointment during the camp day, we ask that you KEEP THE CAMPER HOME for the day. We do have a closed gate policy. Trying to find a camper on the 50 acre camp is challenging and can take time and we may not be able to provide someone to find your camper's unit and your camper at the needed time. Also, we cannot allow non-registered camp individuals to hike around our camp due to our insurance policy restrictions.

What do I do if I have special dietary restrictions?

We ask that you note any restrictions on your registration. If you would like to e-mail us as well, you can do that through this website by going to the Contact us section. We will try to accommodate your needs as much as possible. We do offer vegetarian options and we have implemented a PEANUT FREE KITCHEN. No peanut products will be used in our kitchen at Marilyn's. But this does not mean that our whole camp is peanut free. We have over 400+ individuals at our camp and we can not possibly know if they have any peanut products with them.

When do I need to have a signed permission slip?

Permission slips are used for many Girl Scout events. We require permission slips for certain events at our camp.

TO COME TO CAMP: The permission slip for coming to camp is part of the online registration.
TO STAY FOR THE JUNIOR OVERNIGHT: The permission slip for the Junior overnight will be sent home on the Monday of camp and we ask that you fill out, sign and send the permission slip back with your camper as soon as possible. We base our food on the number of permission slips the campers return and that we receive. The sooner we know, the better our planning.

What do I bring to camp if I get to do the overnight?

We ask that you limit items sent for the overnight, keeping in mind that you will need all necessary items for Thursday and Friday as well as overnight things. All items should be brought in one small bag or suitcase. Keeping items to a minimum helps us to make sure that your child's items make it to and from the camp. Lost items can lead to sad campers. To prevent this, please mark all items with the camper's name. We also ask that you remember that all the campers will be sleeping in the open meadow under the stars, so bring:

Sleeping bag - must be one that is warm and can provide good coverage to the camper
A small sleep pad if needed
A small tarp - used for the camper to put their sleeping bag on and enough to fold over them to keep the moisture off of them
Pillow
If your camper needs an item to sleep with, please make sure it is small and can easily fit in their sleeping bag during the night and in their bag/suitcase during the day.

We ask that you DO NOT BRING food, electronics of any kind, tents, or medications. Necessary medications should be turned in to the camp nurse and campers can see the nurse to take medications as needed throughout the day.

We provide Thursday's dinner, Friday's breakfast and Friday's lunch for all overnight campers.

Will we still have the overnight if it rains?

If the weather forecast calls for rain and it is raining during the day, we will not have the overnight. If there is a threat of rain, but no rain during the day, it will be up to the Directors to decide if the overnight is in the best interest of all campers. We have had a few times where once the overnight has started and all were asleep, a rain shower showed up. The Directors always have a contingency plan just for that possibility. So, unless it is pouring down rain, plan on staying. The Director will do everything possible to make sure that parents know if the overnight has been cancelled, so please keep all contact information up to date.

Can I come to camp if I'm not in a Girl Scout Troop?

Yes! We have several individuals who only come to our summer camps. You do have to become a registered Girl Scout in order to come to camp and to be covered by our insurance. When you do register, you are called a Juliette, which simply means that you are not part of an active troop. If you would like to join an active troop in your area, you can contact the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington http://www.girlscoutscrc.org or call them at (503) 977-6800 or Toll free at (800) 338-5248.

Why is everyone that registers for Mountaindale West placed on a waitlist?

We must place everyone who registers for camp on a waitlist because of the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington and the National Girl Scout requirement that everyone who comes to camp (adult, PA and camper) be a registered Girl Scout. Because our registrar and Adult Coordinator MUST check each and every registration to make sure they are in fact in the Girl Scout Database, we place everyone on a waitlist until this process is done. Every adult must also have had a background check done (required every 3 years). Once we have verified membership status and the background check of all adults, we can then move forward with the registration. At that point, all campers and PA's are sorted by Brownies, Juniors, PAIT's and PA's. All these groups are be subject to a lottery.

Why is a lottery needed? Can't all campers and PA's come to camp?

All campers and PA's are placed into a lottery every year. Once we have all the adults registered, we can then start the placement process for campers and PA's. Unfortunately, sometimes, not all campers can be accommodated. Our camp can only operate within the number of adult volunteers so that we comply with Safety Wise requirements. If we do not get enough FULL TIME adults that can accommodate all our campers, a lottery is the fairest way of placing individuals into camp.

Why doesn't the camp use a first come, first serve registration?

A first come, first serve didn't allow for individuals that may not have heard that our registration opened on a specific date, and thus, they would be penalized for that. We leave our registration open for at least 6 weeks so that the word can get out and everyone has a chance to register. We do close our registration on the last day listed.

What if I missed the registration period?

Our registration closes on the last day of the registration period at 6 pm that day. No more campers or PA's will be accepted at that point unless the camper or PA has an adult that is willing to work as a FULL TIME volunteer AND the camp still needs the adult help (We say "if the camp still needs them" because if we have a late volunteer, we may not be able to accept their help due to the fact that units have been formed and planning has been underway or done).

PLEASE NOTE:

If an adult would like to volunteer as a FULL TIME volunteer, the adult will need to e-mail the Adult Coordinator.

If only a camper or PA is wanting to still come to camp, and does not have an adult that can volunteer, the adult must e-mail the Registrar to be placed on a waitlist. If we do have a lottery, the waitlist will not be looked at for eligible campers or PA's.

Why Is the lottery needed?

The lottery might be needed for a couple of reason:

The most common reason for having a lottery for the whole camp is due to the shortage of Adult Full-time Full-week help.
We just have too many campers for the units.

*Please note that we have not had a full camp (Campers and PA's) lottery in over a decade.

Why is my child in or out based on the lottery?

As a camp, we feel that this is the best way to give everyone an equal chance to come to camp during a registration period. We have decided to hold a lottery instead of placing campers on a first come bases. This way, we keep our camp registration open for a specific period of time and then close the camp and do our lottery (if needed). Each camper has an equal chance of getting into camp with a lottery.

Are staff campers exempt from the lottery?

NO. When we do the lottery, all the campers for a given event (Brownies, Juniors, PAIT's and PA's) are placed into the lottery. We do this because if a full time volunteer cannot fulfill their commitment, and they do not come to camp, we then look at how their child would have been placed in the lottery (we look at the lottery number as if the child did not have a volunteer). If that camper would not have been in camp because of the lottery draw, then the child cannot attend camp and we go to our waitlist and see if the next camper in that event is still interested in coming. We do this until we have found a camper that can come.

Why are the staff campers given priority into camp?

Staff campers are given priority because without the adult help, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A CAMP. Mountaindale West is run entirely by VOLUNTEERS. No parent would volunteer for camp if their child wasn't guaranteed a spot at camp. Plus, for each volunteer, 6-8 other campers without volunteers are able to come to camp.

Does Mountaindale West have a childcare tax Id number I can use for my taxes?

NO! Mountaindale West is a DAY CAMP, we are not a daycare facility. We provide the girls with a camp/camping experience, we do not provide childcare. Mountaindale West staff volunteers are not state certified and our camp is not a certified daycare. Our camp will not sign or give out any tax information. Contact Council if you need further help.


Home General Information Volunteers Camper Information PAIT 1, PAIT 2 and IP Information - Units for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors PA Information Sibling Units Registration Info. Cookie and Nut Credits Lottery Policy FAQ All Forms Contact Us Direct Link to Registration	Where is camp located? Mountaindale West Day camp is located in the Mountaindale area Northwest of Hillsboro and North of Highway 26. All camp activities takes place at the Mountaindale Program Center and property owned by the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. I currently have a Daisy, can she come to camp? Yes! What unit can my Daisy camper choose? Your Daisy camper will need to choose the "Daisy Camp Explorer" when doing the online registration. How do I get to camp? As part of your camp fee, we provide a bus service. All campers must ride the bus. Only campers of full time adult volunteers are allow to ride up to camp with their parents. Where do I get on and off the bus? Our bus pick up and drop off are at Westview High school. You can get more information about this under our Transportation section. Why is there a late bus fee? What does this mean? We have started a late fee charge because in the past, we have had campers that are not picked up on time. Our bus coordinator can not leave the drop off point until EVERY CAMPER has been picked up. The bus coordinator has been at camp all day and has a child or children with them and would like to go home quickly. Our fee is a reminder that their time is important and it should be respected. What do I bring to camp everyday? We suggest: backpack or day pack sack lunch & healthy snacks appropriate clothing for weather conditions sunscreen or bug spray (not to be shared with other campers) a mess kit on the day or days your unit is cooking lunch close-toed shoes are required - tennis shoes or boots preferred. DO NOT wear sandals, flip-flops, water socks, clogs, shoes with no backs or shoes with hole designs. A coat, sweatshirt or raincoat (your choice) - The mornings can be cool and the weather is unpredictable We ask that you DO NOT BRING electronics, medications extra items that are unnecessary. Medications should be turned in to the camp nurse and campers can see the nurse to take medications as needed throughout the day. Do we still have camp if it rains? Yes! We are in the outdoors enjoying a "camping experience" and weather is part of that. We suggest that all campers plan for the weather conditions and bring appropriate items. Can my mom/dad visit me at camp? For the safety of all campers, we only allow Mountaindale Day camp registered adults, campers, PA's and siblings to be at our camp. We are a closed gate camp (which means that you must have a pass word to be allowed on to the camp property). We do not allow unregistered individuals up to our camp without our prior knowledge, usually only planned visitors such as firemen, special events personnel and health inspectors are allowed. Why can't I wear sandals or a tank top? Due to the terrain of the mountainside, your safety and comfort is very important. Dirt trails throughout the camp offer a true outdoor experience and closed toed shoes (like hiking boots or tennis shoes) are a must. There are rocks, shrubbery and twigs that could poke you if you were to wear sandals. Also, tank tops are not allow because many of the trails have shrubs, bushes and trees that hang down and some (like stingy nettle) could pose a small risk of getting poked. We also know that some campers need the extra coverage from the sun to help prevent getting sun burned. Can I be in a unit with my friends/troop? Only Brownies may request one buddy and we will do our best to put you together. Part of coming to camp is making new friends and as a Girl Scout, we all find new adventures and new friends at all our events. We encourage our campers to explore the possibilities. Can I go to my orthodontist / dental / medical appointment when I'm at camp? We ask that all appointments be made either during another week or after camper pickup hours. If you must go to an appointment during the camp day, we ask that you KEEP THE CAMPER HOME for the day. We do have a closed gate policy. Trying to find a camper on the 50 acre camp is challenging and can take time and we may not be able to provide someone to find your camper's unit and your camper at the needed time. Also, we cannot allow non-registered camp individuals to hike around our camp due to our insurance policy restrictions. What do I do if I have special dietary restrictions? We ask that you note any restrictions on your registration. If you would like to e-mail us as well, you can do that through this website by going to the Contact us section. We will try to accommodate your needs as much as possible. We do offer vegetarian options and we have implemented a PEANUT FREE KITCHEN. No peanut products will be used in our kitchen at Marilyn's. But this does not mean that our whole camp is peanut free. We have over 400+ individuals at our camp and we can not possibly know if they have any peanut products with them. When do I need to have a signed permission slip? Permission slips are used for many Girl Scout events. We require permission slips for certain events at our camp. TO COME TO CAMP: The permission slip for coming to camp is part of the online registration. TO STAY FOR THE JUNIOR OVERNIGHT: The permission slip for the Junior overnight will be sent home on the Monday of camp and we ask that you fill out, sign and send the permission slip back with your camper as soon as possible. We base our food on the number of permission slips the campers return and that we receive. The sooner we know, the better our planning. What do I bring to camp if I get to do the overnight? We ask that you limit items sent for the overnight, keeping in mind that you will need all necessary items for Thursday and Friday as well as overnight things. All items should be brought in one small bag or suitcase. Keeping items to a minimum helps us to make sure that your child's items make it to and from the camp. Lost items can lead to sad campers. To prevent this, please mark all items with the camper's name. We also ask that you remember that all the campers will be sleeping in the open meadow under the stars, so bring: Sleeping bag - must be one that is warm and can provide good coverage to the camper A small sleep pad if needed A small tarp - used for the camper to put their sleeping bag on and enough to fold over them to keep the moisture off of them Pillow If your camper needs an item to sleep with, please make sure it is small and can easily fit in their sleeping bag during the night and in their bag/suitcase during the day. We ask that you DO NOT BRING food, electronics of any kind, tents, or medications. Necessary medications should be turned in to the camp nurse and campers can see the nurse to take medications as needed throughout the day. We provide Thursday's dinner, Friday's breakfast and Friday's lunch for all overnight campers. Will we still have the overnight if it rains? If the weather forecast calls for rain and it is raining during the day, we will not have the overnight. If there is a threat of rain, but no rain during the day, it will be up to the Directors to decide if the overnight is in the best interest of all campers. We have had a few times where once the overnight has started and all were asleep, a rain shower showed up. The Directors always have a contingency plan just for that possibility. So, unless it is pouring down rain, plan on staying. The Director will do everything possible to make sure that parents know if the overnight has been cancelled, so please keep all contact information up to date. Can I come to camp if I'm not in a Girl Scout Troop? Yes! We have several individuals who only come to our summer camps. You do have to become a registered Girl Scout in order to come to camp and to be covered by our insurance. When you do register, you are called a Juliette, which simply means that you are not part of an active troop. If you would like to join an active troop in your area, you can contact the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington http://www.girlscoutscrc.org or call them at (503) 977-6800 or Toll free at (800) 338-5248. Why is everyone that registers for Mountaindale West placed on a waitlist? We must place everyone who registers for camp on a waitlist because of the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington and the National Girl Scout requirement that everyone who comes to camp (adult, PA and camper) be a registered Girl Scout. Because our registrar and Adult Coordinator MUST check each and every registration to make sure they are in fact in the Girl Scout Database, we place everyone on a waitlist until this process is done. Every adult must also have had a background check done (required every 3 years). Once we have verified membership status and the background check of all adults, we can then move forward with the registration. At that point, all campers and PA's are sorted by Brownies, Juniors, PAIT's and PA's. All these groups are be subject to a lottery. Why is a lottery needed? Can't all campers and PA's come to camp? All campers and PA's are placed into a lottery every year. Once we have all the adults registered, we can then start the placement process for campers and PA's. Unfortunately, sometimes, not all campers can be accommodated. Our camp can only operate within the number of adult volunteers so that we comply with Safety Wise requirements. If we do not get enough FULL TIME adults that can accommodate all our campers, a lottery is the fairest way of placing individuals into camp. Why doesn't the camp use a first come, first serve registration? A first come, first serve didn't allow for individuals that may not have heard that our registration opened on a specific date, and thus, they would be penalized for that. We leave our registration open for at least 6 weeks so that the word can get out and everyone has a chance to register. We do close our registration on the last day listed. What if I missed the registration period? Our registration closes on the last day of the registration period at 6 pm that day. No more campers or PA's will be accepted at that point unless the camper or PA has an adult that is willing to work as a FULL TIME volunteer AND the camp still needs the adult help (We say "if the camp still needs them" because if we have a late volunteer, we may not be able to accept their help due to the fact that units have been formed and planning has been underway or done). PLEASE NOTE: If an adult would like to volunteer as a FULL TIME volunteer, the adult will need to e-mail the Adult Coordinator. If only a camper or PA is wanting to still come to camp, and does not have an adult that can volunteer, the adult must e-mail the Registrar to be placed on a waitlist. If we do have a lottery, the waitlist will not be looked at for eligible campers or PA's. Why Is the lottery needed? The lottery might be needed for a couple of reason: The most common reason for having a lottery for the whole camp is due to the shortage of Adult Full-time Full-week help. We just have too many campers for the units. *Please note that we have not had a full camp (Campers and PA's) lottery in over a decade. Why is my child in or out based on the lottery? As a camp, we feel that this is the best way to give everyone an equal chance to come to camp during a registration period. We have decided to hold a lottery instead of placing campers on a first come bases. This way, we keep our camp registration open for a specific period of time and then close the camp and do our lottery (if needed). Each camper has an equal chance of getting into camp with a lottery. Are staff campers exempt from the lottery? NO. When we do the lottery, all the campers for a given event (Brownies, Juniors, PAIT's and PA's) are placed into the lottery. We do this because if a full time volunteer cannot fulfill their commitment, and they do not come to camp, we then look at how their child would have been placed in the lottery (we look at the lottery number as if the child did not have a volunteer). If that camper would not have been in camp because of the lottery draw, then the child cannot attend camp and we go to our waitlist and see if the next camper in that event is still interested in coming. We do this until we have found a camper that can come. Why are the staff campers given priority into camp? Staff campers are given priority because without the adult help, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A CAMP. Mountaindale West is run entirely by VOLUNTEERS. No parent would volunteer for camp if their child wasn't guaranteed a spot at camp. Plus, for each volunteer, 6-8 other campers without volunteers are able to come to camp. Does Mountaindale West have a childcare tax Id number I can use for my taxes? NO! Mountaindale West is a DAY CAMP, we are not a daycare facility. We provide the girls with a camp/camping experience, we do not provide childcare. Mountaindale West staff volunteers are not state certified and our camp is not a certified daycare. Our camp will not sign or give out any tax information. Contact Council if you need further help.

Layout © Lea Loo & Sarah Stricker; content © Mountaindale West Day Camp. Last Updated February 20, 2010