About
Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp offers activities such as archery, arts and crafts, camp fire, an evening program, performing arts, hip hop, swimming in both a pool and a lake, and volleyball. Campers can also take part in backpacking, hiking, a challenge ropes course, disc golf, gold panning, horseback riding, lake kayaking, mountain biking, mountain boarding, paddle boarding, rock climbing, shelter building, and whitewater rafting. The camp includes specialized program tracks in mountain biking, rock climbing, and outdoor living skills, as well as a leadership training program.
• Ages: 8–17 years old
• Schedule: Sessions of two weeks or longer
Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp is led by Lisa and Scott Shaffer. The camp has a leadership training program for returning campers who are at least 14 years old and attending for two weeks or longer. Its mission statement says that it helps boys and girls grow better connections with people, nature, and their potential by helping them take another step toward a happy, healthy adulthood through the development of critical life skills. The camp has limited enrollment of only 120 campers and does not offer Wi‑Fi, phones, iPads, or computers, which one parent described as “Electronics Rehab.” The camp picks up and/or drops campers off at the Reno airport.
Outside Magazine and The LA Times have recommended Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp, Outside Magazine named it one of its five favorite camps in the U.S., and Newsweek put it on its list of the nation’s best camps. Parent testimonials describe campers returning home asking to extend their stay the following summer, mention experiences such as rock climbing, mountain boarding, crafts, hip hop, sleeping in a tipi, hiking, and cooling off in mountain lakes, and note that campers meet kids from all over the world. One parent of a child with Down syndrome reports that the staff make him feel welcome and ensure his success with close supervision and supportive, enthusiastic staff. Multiple parents describe the camp as a special place for their children and say their campers want to return each year.
Last updated May 11, 2026.
• Ages: 8–17 years old
• Schedule: Sessions of two weeks or longer
Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp is led by Lisa and Scott Shaffer. The camp has a leadership training program for returning campers who are at least 14 years old and attending for two weeks or longer. Its mission statement says that it helps boys and girls grow better connections with people, nature, and their potential by helping them take another step toward a happy, healthy adulthood through the development of critical life skills. The camp has limited enrollment of only 120 campers and does not offer Wi‑Fi, phones, iPads, or computers, which one parent described as “Electronics Rehab.” The camp picks up and/or drops campers off at the Reno airport.
Outside Magazine and The LA Times have recommended Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp, Outside Magazine named it one of its five favorite camps in the U.S., and Newsweek put it on its list of the nation’s best camps. Parent testimonials describe campers returning home asking to extend their stay the following summer, mention experiences such as rock climbing, mountain boarding, crafts, hip hop, sleeping in a tipi, hiking, and cooling off in mountain lakes, and note that campers meet kids from all over the world. One parent of a child with Down syndrome reports that the staff make him feel welcome and ensure his success with close supervision and supportive, enthusiastic staff. Multiple parents describe the camp as a special place for their children and say their campers want to return each year.
Last updated May 11, 2026.
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