Rocky Mountain Challenge

An application only program

Complete Interest Form Here!

Rocky Mountain Challenge


Rocky Mountain Challenge (RMC) has been one of our most transformational programs for decades.

Hundreds of campers have been challenged and stretched beyond what they believed to be their limits on this program to find God in ways they never knew possible. Our most extreme and life-changing adventure program at Eagle Lake, it pushes campers to their limits as they grow physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. Campers must unite as a team to successfully conquer a series of challenges and obstacles set before them.

Campers will also need to develop and display courage, leadership, trust, and decision-making skills through initiatives, Scripture reading, application, and deep discussions.  This is not an easy program, but all campers that have committed to giving it their all have completed it. If you’re looking for a fun two weeks, this might not be the program for you. However, if you’re looking for your life to be transformed and taken to the next level in your own growth and development and walk with the LORD, you will find it in RMC. Are YOU up for the challenge??

One of the facets of the RMC program that makes it so challenging is the element of the unknown. The majority of the elements and activities are unspecified until the campers experience them firsthand. This is much like our own individual journeys, where we do not always know what is coming next in our lives. Trusting God in the stress of the unknown is just one facet of this program. Therefore, to maintain the integrity of the experience, we do not fully communicate what happens on RMC to the campers ahead of time. Our highly trained staff will be with the campers, facilitating and monitoring their process and progress throughout. As the environment is mountainous terrain at over 9,000 feet of elevation, campers will want to be in good physical condition prior to coming on this program. 

Due to the challenging nature of this program, registrants must receive pre-approval from Eagle Lake’s Excursions Director prior to submitting their registration. Elements of this program include: 

  • Navigating tight, confined spaces
  • Strenuous hiking
  • Carrying heavy loads
  • Operating at unconventional hours
  • Fasting
  • Learning to rely on the group when the counselors are removed from the traditional relational role and act as program facilitators instead

 

If you are interested in registering for RMC, please fill out the interest form above. Afterward, our Excursions Director will review your form and contact you shortly!

It is our desire that no child misses out on an Eagle Lake Camp experience because of financial circumstances. Financial aid, in the form of a partial assistance scholarship, is available to those in need. Click here to apply.

 

What is RMC all about?
RMC is designed as a challenge for young adults as they desire to dig deeper into ownership and accountability for their faith and lives. RMC provides a series of unconventional wilderness experiences that challenge campers to test their perceived limitations, learn from their experiences, and discover the working of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

On RMC, we see campers learn to listen and work with their peers, move past their perceived limitation, and even practice leaning into the Holy Spirit to turn frustration into new growth. Their time on RMC provides tangible examples of very real life challenges and frustrations. Through their experience with RMC, we hope to instill in your camper a deep trust in the character and presence of God as well as foundational skills they can take forward with them in life.

 

God’s Design for Stressful Experiences
“When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they have come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence.”
(James 1:2-4 JB Phillips)

When circumstances test our faith, courage, integrity, love, skill, or ability to endure, we often experience stress. This principle of stress is God’s mechanism for developing maturity in His people, individually and collectively. We are designed to respond to stressors in our lives. Whenever we respond well, we experience positive growth; whenever we respond poorly, we are hindered by negative growth. It is our objective to use experiential education to present these principles.

It is important to realize that different areas of our lives can be influenced by stress. According to Luke 2:52, Jesus grew mentally, physically, socially and spiritually.  We are no different; in order for each of us to become complete, mature individuals, we must undergo development in each of these realms. Stress, and our responses to it are vital to our growth. For in them, we catch a glimpse of God’s plan. In His sovereign love and wisdom, He has built stress into nature and life. We face obstacles and hardships by design, for by these things God develops our character and our relationship with Him. Historically, our campers on this program face challenges differently and at different points on the program. Some are impacted physically, while others are impacted emotionally. For the group to be successful, campers must lean on God and each other when in need. This impacts them socially as interdependence is needed in ways our culture often communicates disapproval of.

 

Why Challenging Wilderness Camping?
Above all, challenging wilderness experiences provide a wealth of personal learning opportunities. It is an education in living. Personal awareness is enhanced. One’s consciousness of self, others, and God becomes vividly real. Values are tested; new insights and skills can be applied immediately; tangible, practical application of the Scriptures can be made. God’s principles for living become very meaningful and applicable as a person’s real needs begin to surface, and coupled with repeated group discussions and times of personal reflection, provide for continual re-evaluation and produce godly growth for the individual.

This is our premier program for transformation. Come experience the challenge and be prepared to grow in ways you wouldn’t expect possible in two weeks.

 

This camp uses National Forest Land for part of the programming. Eagle Lake Camps operates under a special use permit from the Pikes National Forest. 

Arrival/Departure



Arrival by car

Please note: cell phone service is not available along much of Rampart Range Road; it is a good idea to print directions rather than rely on your smart phone’s GPS.

CHECK-IN TIMES:

Check-in occurs on Sunday afternoon. To avoid crowds, we space out check-in as much as possible. Please see the following times we need you to arrive to check-in your camper.

Check-in times based on LAST NAME

A-C: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

D-H: 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM

I-M: 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

N-S: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

T-Z: 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Arrival by plane

For campers arriving by plane, Eagle Lake is pleased to offer complimentary shuttle accommodations to and from Eagle Lake for campers flying into the Colorado Springs airport (COS).

  • Reserve your Eagle Lake shuttle by logging into your online registration account
  • Submit your exact flight information to be added to the Eagle Lake shuttle roster. Eagle Lake can only transport campers with an active, confirmed shuttle reservation
  • Please schedule your flight to arrive between 10:00 and 1:00 on opening day, and depart between 8:00 and 11:00 on closing day

Departure

CHECK-OUT TIMES:

Check-out occurs on Friday morning. To avoid crowds, we space out check-out as much as possible. Please see the following times we need you to arrive to check-out your camper.

Check-out times based on LAST NAME

A-D: 8:30 AM– 9:00 AM

E-K: 9:00 AM– 9:30 AM

L-Q: 9:30 AM– 10:00 AM

R-Z: 10:00 AM– 10:30 AM

Pick up authorization

Don’t forget your photo ID for pick up! To ensure each camper’s safety we will check photo IDs to make sure it matches one of the names on the pick-up authorization form (see pick-up authorization below) before releasing a camper. To authorize a friend/family member to pick up your child from camp, please login to your registration account and complete the Pick-up Authorization section.

Availability

Check most up-to-date availability on our registration site.
You may need to create a login to view available dates.

Dates Available
Jun 16 – Jun 28 Check availability
Jul 21 – Aug 2 Check availability

FAQs

What you need to know


Overnight Camps
If a camper is on prescription medication, the medication is required to be checked in with the nurse at registration.All medications, including vitamins, must be in the original container or will not be accepted. All medication, including vitamins, must be listed on the Eagle Lake physical form by the prescribing doctor. We do not allow any camper to keep medications on them except specifically requested by the physician.

Our medical staff distributes all medication at the time it needs to be taken by the camper. Please do not have campers bring over-the-counter medication to camp, as our camp infirmary is sufficiently stocked to meet the general needs of headaches, coughs and scrapes. If you have any questions about a specific medical situation, please call the camp office.

If a camper is on one of our Excursions, he or she will need to check any medication in with the nurse, who will then give the medication to the counselor to administer at the appropriate time.

 

Overnight and Day Camp Programs: Financial aid, in the form of a partial assistance scholarship, is available to those in need. Financial assistance is approved by application only. Visit our Campership page to apply.

To qualify for financial aid, your camper must have an active Eagle Lake registration secured with a $50 deposit (while the deposit is typically non-refundable, in the case that a registration must be cancelled due to insufficient financial assistance, the deposit will be refunded).

 

If your camper is coming to Colorado Springs by plane or bus, we will provide transportation to and from Eagle Lake on the opening and closing days (Sunday and Friday). We do not provide transportation from Denver International Airport or pick-ups for Colorado Springs residents. The only way we can ensure transportation for your camper is for you to enter your camper’s flight information online in our transportation module, found on your online account, or to reserve the appropriate charter. All travel information must be received within two weeks of your camper’s arrival. In the event that you do not communicate your camper’s transportation needs and reserve the correct shuttle online in a timely way, we are logistically unable to provide transportation for him or her and cannot be held responsible. All campers must have a set airline/bus arrival and departure time in order to be included on a transportation run; because of tightly-scheduled arrangements, we cannot pick up campers flying stand-by.

During Camp check-in, you will have the opportunity to check-out the following equipment items from Eagle Lake for no cost. If you do have these items at home, we recommend you bring your own.

  • Sleeping Bags
  • Sleeping pads
  • Backpacking Backpacks

Additionally, hiking boots are strongly encouraged and are not provided by Eagle Lake.


My son can't wait to go back next year with his two younger brothers and has already invited friends to join him! —Heidi, SD

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