Cheley Camp

Cheley Camp is a summer camp for boys and girls in Estes Park, Colorado. It was founded in 1921 by Frank H. Cheley. Cheley Colorado Camps is one of 46 Colorado camps accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), which sets standards for programs, staff training and qualifications, facilities and more. Counting day and residential camp rosters, an estimated 9 million American kids will go to camp this summer, according to the ACA.
Camp life
Each summer, Cheley operates two, 27-day-long sessions for about 500 children per session, ages 9 to 18 and a five-day-long family camp.
The camp is divided into eight different units: Lower Chipeta (Girls; Ages 9-11), Chipeta (Girls, Ages 12-14), Senior Chipeta (Girls; Ages 14-17), Lower Ski Hi (Boys; Ages 9-11), Ski Hi (Boys; Ages 12-14), Haiyaha (Boys; Ages 14-17), Girls' Trails End (Girls; Ages 12-17), and Boys' Trails End (Boys; Ages 12-17). At Trails End, there is a mix of younger and older campers, and all campers stay in covered wagons. Trails End tends to have more of a laid-back, intimate feel.
Cheley offers campers a variety of different activities, including hiking, horseback riding, outcamping, backpacking (not offered in lower units), rafting (not offered in lower units), mountain biking (only offered in senior units and Trails End), crafts, archery, riflery, fishing, sports, climbing, and challenge course. Many activities such a riding, hiking, backpacking, biking, and outcamping all have patches you can earn by learning and demonstrating the basic knowledge and skills used in the activity.
All meals are eaten in a dining hall. There are four different dining halls: Girls' Camp (Lower Chipeta, Chipeta, Senior Chipeta), Boys' Camp (Lower Ski Hi, Ski Hi, Haiyaha), Girls' Trails End, and Boys' Trails End. All meals are family style. The traditional meal of spaghetti is always served on the first night. On some days, campers who are hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, outcamping, or doing an all-day/overnight horseback ride will eat lunch/dinner/breakfast out on the trail or campsite. They either eat a meal they cook over a fire, or "bulk," which consists of tortillas, bagels, salsa, peanut butter, jelly, and cheese.
On Sundays, campers enjoys a breakfast of donuts. They then clean up their unit and get ready for chapel. Cheley chapel is non-denominational and consists of quotes, reflection, musical acts, songs, and a message given by a staff/alumnae/Cheley family member. After chapel, campers return to their unit for lunch, then head to the lodge to choose their activities for the following week. After choosing activities, campers participate in various activities such as free time or playday (where a unit joins their corresponding unit of the opposite gender to play different games and sports). Dinner consists of a cookout. On normal Sundays, campers go to Vespers, a time for individual reflection, reading, writing, or any other quiet activity.
Cheley offers a "Campers in Leadership Training" program for campers entering their junior or senior year in high school, otherwise know as "CILT." CILTs receive a light yellow Cheley kerchiff and live normally for most of the session. However, for one week they travel into a lower unit and act as a counselor and mentor to younger girls.
For 15 years the facility has sponsored a week-long camp for seriously burned children.
In 1958 it hosted the National Student Council Leadership Conference including 200 students from 34 states. Week-long "Family camps" have also been offered. Families stay together in covered wagons. Don Cheley was interviewed by National Public Radio (NPR) about the arrangements.
Eleanor Cheley (d. 2005) served as "Camp Mom". She didn't hike, ride horses or camp out, but set high standards for "1,000 kids every summer" with rules about "no food fights, snakes in beds, initiation rites, bad language, alcohol, smoking, sex or drugs."
Traditions
At the beginning of the term, each unit comes up with their own "Code of Living," a code of character traits by which each camper in that unit strives to live by during that term. All unit members sign the code of living, and receive a Cheley kerchiff. Counselors wear dark blue, campers wear light blue, and CILTS wear light yellow. Returning campers give their old kerchiff to their counselor, so it may be presented to them at the ceremony.
On the second Sunday of each term, all Cheley units come together at the main camp pavilion for "All-Camp Campfire." At All-Camp, each unit presents a skit, songs are sung, and all the counselors present a skit of their own. The night ends with a dance party and an all-camp friendship circle, which includes the singing of each unit's song and taps.
Recent Changes
Recently, there have been changes made to many camps. Kids "are allowed to do more and spend more, and parents are informed of more". Cheley has posted around 75 images each day to allow parents see activities in the camp.
There have also been more parents joining their kids at summer camps. Cheley started its first family camp back in 1985. Parents say summer camp is one of the few places where they can spend one-on-one time with children without the troubles of cooking, driving or planning activities. And most argue that it offers a relatively inexpensive vacation.

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