Pine Crest | Group Retreats

Trip Information

The following is information that might be helpful when considering visiting our site:

Accessibility at Camp

The YMCA welcomes participants of all abilities to our programs. Camp Pine Crest has accessible equipment and offers program adaptations for any individual with physical and developmental disabilities to ensure each person is included and integrated into the Camp Pine Crest experience. If any of your participants require the use of accessible equipment, program adaptations, of have an EA joining them for their Outdoor Education trip, please contact us to discuss and plan supports to be put in place.

Arrivals & Departures

Upon arrival at YMCA Camp Pine Crest, you will be greeted by a Pine Crest staff member that will assist you with checked in, confirm any last-minute details, provide you with all necessary information and complete any outstanding paperwork. After storing any bags, our staff will introduce themselves to the group with some games, complete a brief site tour, swim test if necessary, and lay out some ground rules for your visit. We ask that groups bring a bagged lunch for their first meal.
On departure day, we ask that your group moves out of their accommodations before 9:00 am. This allows our staff to clean rooms during the day to prepare for the next group. An indoor or covered storage area will be provided for your bags and belongings until your departure. YMCA Camp Pine Crest does not arrange travel to or from camp.

Health Care & First Aid

Chaperones act as guardians to participants on site and are responsible for participant medical needs including the administration of all prescription and over-the-counter medication. With the exception of Asthma puffers and Epi-Pens, all medication should be held by the group chaperones. Groups are asked to designate one adult chaperone to act as the First Aid Attendant to oversee first aid should an incident occur and to bring a vehicle to use in the event of a non-urgent emergency or to follow an emergency vehicle to the hospital. Camp Pine Crest does not stock over-the-counter medication for group needs and we encourage groups to bring an emergency First Aid kit.
YMCA staff are trained in Standard First Aid with CPR-C as a minimum and are available to provide assistance if required in the event of an emergency.
South Muskoka Memorial Hospital has an average twenty-minute response time for ambulance services.

How to Book

Contact us at pinecrestbookings@ymcagta.org. with your group size, age, and number of days you are looking to stay. We will get back to you with available dates and a rough cost estimate. Once your booking is confirmed, we will work with you to create a tentative schedule. All outdoor programming, including swimming, must be requested and confirmed in advance. We are happy to offer a full schedule of day and evening programming, or we can work with you to plan a schedule that includes your own programming and partial programming with YMCA Camp Pine Crest staff.

Meals

YMCA Camp Pine Crest serves three hot, nutritious and delicious meals a day. Breakfast includes a cereal and fruit bar, while lunch and dinner include an endless salad bar. An evening snack is served daily. We proudly prepare food for most dietary needs, restrictions, and allergies. There is no additional charge for these meals provided they are the exception and the requested forms have been submitted.
Please be aware that Pine Crest is a nut aware site and we ask that you and your participants do not bring any food that contains, or may contain, nuts.
To serve multiple groups at once, all groups on site eat in our dining hall at set meal times: 8:15 am breakfast, 12:30 pm lunch, and 5:30 Ppm dinner. Meals are served family style – one person from the table collects all the food for the table from the kitchen and participants serve themselves at the table.
Coffee, tea, and water are always available in our dining hall.
Groups are asked to bring a bagged lunch on the first day of their visit.
For special events, groups may upgrade to our banquet menu.
Contact us for more information about our menus, availability, and fees.

Outdoor Education Staff

Led by the Outdoor Centre Directors, the Camp Pine Crest Outdoor Education staff team is made up of dedicated individuals, all of whom are passionate about working with youth and children. All YMCA program staff maintain minimum qualifications of Standard First Aid with CPR-C and are trained on topics such as wildlife safety and healthy child development.
Waterfront staff are certified National Lifeguards and our climbing instructors are trained to meet ACCT standards. Not only are our staff members selected for their qualifications, but also for their enthusiasm, experience in all camp programs, and commitment to the values of the YMCA.
YMCA Outdoor Centre staff are on duty from breakfast to evening snack. Each group is assigned a YMCA staff coordinator whose role is to ensure your group’s needs are met.

Overnight Accommodation

All Season Lodges
These dormitory-style lodges house six rooms, each with two bunk beds. At maximum capacity, they can sleep 24 people. Our lodges also have a common area, indoor washrooms and showers, and a screened-in porch. These style accommodations are used for winter overnight groups.
Three Season Cabins
Our traditional cabins have five bunk beds; maximum capacity of 10 people. Each cabin also comes with shelving, a bench seat, electricity, lights, and a small fan. Shared designated washrooms and shower facilities are only a short walk away. Accommodations are allocated to groups by the Outdoor Centre Directors and determined by the needs of each group on site. Chaperones should plan to sort themselves into the accommodations allocated to the group. We do not have separate chaperone accommodations. Images and more information about accommodations can be found on the Facilities page.

Program Group Sizes

Larger groups will be divided into smaller program groups of approximately 15 participants. Each smaller group, led by a YMCA program facilitator, will rotate through activities on the group’s schedule.
For overnight groups, in the evening, we often come together for large group activities such as a field game or a campfire.

Rain & Inclement Weather

We ask that participants come dressed for the weather as we continue with outdoor programming rain, shine, or snow! In the event of a thunderstorm or severe weather, we have indoor spaces that we can move to while the storm passes.
Our staff are always prepared with rainy day plans and indoor activities to keep participants engaged and learning.

Sample Schedule

Overnight Visit

Day One
Time	Activity
11:30 am	Arrival, Site Tour & Community Meeting
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:45 pm	Program 1
3:00 pm	Program 2
4:30 pm	Free Time (Teacher Supervised)
5:30 pm	Dinner
7:00 pm	Evening Program
8:15 pm	Snack

DayTwo
Time	Activity
8:15 am	Breakfast
9:30 am	Program 3
10:45 am	Program 4
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:45 pm	Departure

Day Visit

Time	Activity
9:00 am	Arrival & Community Meeting
9:15 am	Program 1
10:45 pm	Program 2
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:15 pm	Program 3
2:20 pm	Program 4
4:00 pm	Departure

Teachers & Chaperones

The leadership provided by teachers and chaperones is one of the most important factors for a successful visit. Although YMCA Camp Pine Crest staff will be responsible for facilitating programs, your participants are accustomed to looking to you for guidance and support. As such, we encourage teachers and chaperones to take an active role in each program, acting as a positive role model for participants as they challenge themselves to try new things. Being part of the experience will also assist in transferring ideas and lessons learned by participants back to the classroom and everyday life outside of Camp Pine Crest. Chaperones are also responsible for the overall supervision of participants on site. Anyone under the age of 18 must be supervised at all times. This includes during meals, after evening program, throughout the night and during any free time while at Pine Crest. During scheduled programs, we ask that you assign a teacher/chaperone to accompany each group to support our staff and assist with group management as our staff lead the group through program areas.

What to Bring

When packing, the most important thing to keep in mind is that all programming takes place outdoors, rain or shine, with the exception of thunderstorms or other severe weather.

Year Round Overnight Essentials
Water bottle, sleeping bag & pillow, towel, toothbrush/paste, clothing suitable for season, deodorant, flashlight with extra batteries, watch, medications (check with chaperones), and pajamas.

Spring and Fall
Closed toed shoes, sandals with backstrap (flip-flops are a safety risk due to our rugged natural setting), rain jacket and pants, swim wear, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

Winter
Winter jacket & snowpants, winter hat & scarf, waterproof mitts or gloves, long underwear or warm base layers, insulated winter boots, warm socks, indoor shoes for dining hall, and sunscreen.