Packing List
CWES SUMMER ADVENTURE
Rock Island Camping Trip
Please bring the following items to ensure that you have a great time at camp. For more information please call us at (715) 346-2937. We will provide you with sturdy backpacks and tents to be used during the trip. Please make sure not to bring new hiking boots, as this will result in you getting blisters. Wear your boots for a few weeks before the trip to break them in so that you are comfortable on the hike.
Clothing
5-7 Pairs of socks
5-7 Pairs of underwear
2-3 Short-sleeve shirts (non-cotton) for hiking
2 additional shirts
2-3 Pairs of shorts
1 Rain Jacket
1 windbreaker
1 Long sleeve non-cotton shirt for hiking
1 Long sleeve shirt for evenings
1 Sweatshirt or sweater
1-2 pairs of non-cotton hiking pants
1 pair of pants for evenings
1 Pair of pajamas
1-2 Bathing suits
1 baseball cap or other style hat for hiking
Bedding
Sleeping bag
Pillow (an optional small pillow is best)
Shoes
Hiking boots for backpacking
Sturdy water sandals
Bathroom Items
2 Towels for bathing and the beach
1-2 Washcloths
Soap, shampoo/conditioner
Toothbrush/toothpaste & Hairbrush/comb
Other Important Stuff
Water bottle (a durable one)—or buy one at CWES
School size backpack or daypack
Sunglasses
Sunscreen-Coppertone Sport, SPF50 (blue bottle)
Flashlight or headlamp
Optional Items
Camera (Please label disposable cameras with camper’s name)
Insect repellent lotion
Letter-writing material and stamps
Book, journal
Do NOT Bring
Illegal drugs, alcohol, firearms, knives, any sort of weapon
Expensive jewelry
Designer clothes
Food, candy, pop, or gum
Walkmans, ipods, or radios
Cellular phones or pagers
Hand-held electronic games
Any thing else that would be considered inappropriate for a camp setting (i.e. portable computers, etc.)
*You do not need to bring first aid supplies like band-aids, aspirin/non-aspirin, or antibiotic cream; our staff will have those available.
Medications: If you have non-prescription or prescription medications to take while at camp, please bring them in a clearly labeled, original container. (State law requires that all medication brought to CWES be in their original container.) Written instructions must be provided for dispensing the medication. If you can bring your info sheet on your medicine from your pharmacy, it is very helpful to us as an extra reference. All medications will be kept locked in the Health Lodge to ensure the safety and privacy of campers. Trained health staff will dispense medications. Asthma inhalers, bee sting kits, insulin injection needs, glucose tablets, and glucogen kits can be kept with the child or counselor that works with the child.
Lost and Found: Please be aware that CWES is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please put your child’s name on EVERYTHING they bring to camp. This helps our camp staff tremendously with lost and found items.
Trading Post: We will collect campers’ money on the first day of camp so they don’t have to worry about it, deduct what they spend each day, and return the remaining balance at the end of camp.
Clothing selection and packing strategies
Trip Participants;
Greetings from the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES). When you’re on the trail or water, you must be prepared to try something new...living light. This means that the less gear you carry, the better your trip will be. You should also be aware that if you are on a trip anywhere near water, you will most likely get wet during the adventure. Be sure to make your clothing choices with this in mind. If you have questions about the information below please call us at 715-346-2937.
Your dirty clothes bag can be as simple as a small plastic grocery bag. The best pants you could bring on the trip are a (non-cotton) nylon or gortex style wind pant to go over a pair of shorts. This will protect your legs from the sun and mosquitoes. These types of pants are very light, and dry easily. If all you have are blue jeans bring them along, but remember that if jeans get wet, they take a long time to dry. However, jeans are better than no pants at all.
Two long sleeve (non-cotton) t-shirts work great. One should be heavy weight as nights can be chilly, even in the summer. The other should be lightweight in case of warm, muggy weather. Bringing a light jacket is good, but it should be made of fast drying material, like nylon, if at all possible. A big rain poncho works well for rainy days. A bandana can be used as a headband to stop sweat from dripping in your eyes, and a hat is strongly recommended to protect your scalp and face from the suns powerful rays. We will be spending a lot of time in the sun on all trips, thus putting on a lot of sunscreen. If you purchase sunscreen buy nothing less than SPF 30. Coppertone Sport in the blue bottle is waterproof and the best sunscreen we have found. Sandals with a strap that will keep them on your feet (not flip flops) work well for in water, hiking boots for backpacking, and a light pair of camp shoes (running or tennis shoes) work well for night activities. At night you want to take your sandals or hiking boots off to air out and put on a dry pair of shoes.
Blue jean shorts will work the same as blue jean pants, heavy and challenging when wet. Try to bring a pair of quick drying shorts or a swim suit bottom to use on your trip. The items that dry the quickest are the best when on the trip. You will want to bring a small plastic flashlight and mosquito lotion (no sprays as they will go off in your pack). If you wear glasses bring an extra pair with you, especially if your vision is bad without them. It is also recommended to have a glasses strap to keep them attached to you in case of a canoe tip over, or you stumble while on the trail. A camera would be good to have to retain your memories, and please bring any inspirational quotes or readings. Most nights we will have a sharing circle to talk about ourselves and what we experienced that day. Put items like journals, cameras, and other water sensitive equipment in zip loc bags to protect them from condensation.
When packing your gear, use the roll method of packing. This method of packing is used by many people who backpack across Europe. The roll method is to fold your clothes into a square and then roll it into a shape much like a rolling pin. This will allow you to organize clothing when you pack your dry bag or backpack, which we provide at CWES. Practice at home and compare the difference to conventional packing. Pack only what you need, practice roll packing, and check off your gear as you pack it. If you bring excess gear, you will have to leave extra’s at base camp.
See you soon!