sierra nevada journeys portola

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Grizzly Creek Ranch - Family Camps

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Sierra Nevada Journeys

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5900 Grizzly Rd

Portola, CA 96122

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Ready for a summer adventure like no other? Get ready to dive into the ultimate summer camp experience just 50 minutes north of Truckee, CA. Now in our 14th year, we're all about creating unforgettable memories and fostering personal growth. At our camp, we have it all: top-notch facilities, a dynamic team of instructors and counselors, and a whole lot of fun waiting for you. From classic camp activities to our special focus on social-emotional learning, every moment with us is bound to be packed with excitement and learning. Calling all teens. We have sessions designed just for you, tailored to your interests and passions Our overnight, week-long camps run from Sunday to Friday, with prices starting at just $1,210. Book now and get ready for the summer of a lifetime. Learn more at sierranevadajourneys.org/camp. …

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Overall the campsite was nice, however, I was concerned about the gas powered heat and air system in the cabins and the lack of carbon monoxide detectors. It was shared the heater in our cabin hadn't been turned on in quite sometime. A camp staffer tried to turn the heater on but was unsuccessful. The next day we managed to get the heater to work but it made loud noises and reeked of a natural gas smell. This is concerning and I hope SNJ and Grizzly Creek Ranch addresses this issue soon. I hope SNJ and Grizzly Creek Ranch use whatever grants or other funding they receive to eliminate the need for natural gas in the cabins. It's dangerous! I felt safer using the floor heater provided.

Business Owner

May 14, 2024

Thank you for sharing your concern. To clarify, there ARE carbon monoxide detectors in all the cabins and buildings (it is a matter of building code and safety laws). There is no natural gas to Portola and the Sierra Valley region; businesses in the area are all on propane. Any time you start a heater, it is common to smell a hint of propane. Isn't it wonderful to have heating in a cabin? There are also restrooms in each cabin and shower facilities in each cabin grouping. Having stayed in a cabin at camp last weekend, I was warm and comfortable. Compared to many of the camps and cabins from my childhood, I was impressed with the cabins.

Great place to drop off your kids to learn more about being stewards of the environment. They learn in a beautiful natural setting with XL conservation in mind. This summer camp is great for elementary to high school students to teach them team building and leadership. When there is availability, you can rent these cabins and lodge out for company retreats or family reunions. Beautiful, relaxing spot in the mountains near Portola. Short drive from Reno.

See all photos from Leanh E. for Sierra Nevada Journeys

This is such a beautiful campus filled with amazing staff. It is such a great learning environment for everything from science to leadership. I went here this past week and met so many amazing new people, learned so many amazing new things, and grew so much as a leader.

See all photos from Shealyn K. for Sierra Nevada Journeys

This was my 11 year old and 9 year olds 2nd year at summer camp and who knew they could have an even better time. Loved the activities, the counselors, the food, the location...you named it they loved it. The entire hour home was spent discussing people, activities, stories and their favorite things. So grateful this is so close! Easy to see why it sells out so early. Great job!

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Sierra Nevada ‘journeys’ for underserved youth continue with ranch acquisition

Aug 2, 2022 | Project Highlights

Since 2010, kids from California and northern Nevada, including youth from low-income families, have been enjoying the outdoor programs provided by Sierra Nevada Journeys at Grizzly Creek Ranch. Thanks to a $1 million Proposition 68 grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the nonprofit was able to purchase the 462‑acre property, meaning the fun, educational journeys into nature will continue well into the future.

“We are deeply grateful for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for investing in our mission and the youth we serve,” said Sean Hill, chief executive officer with Sierra Nevada Journeys. “With their generous support, we were able to purchase Grizzly Creek Ranch and create a permanent home for inspiring and serving underserved and underrepresented youth across California and Nevada, including right here in Plumas County.” 

Camp purchase advances outdoor access for all

Nearly 55 percent of the more than 200,000 kids who have attended the Grizzly Creek Ranch have been from families with financial barriers and 70 percent are students of color, making Sierra Nevada Journeys an ideal pathway to advance California’s Outdoor Access for All Initiative . The nonprofit is able to accomplish this by offering scholarships to families in need through the help of private donations.

“For over a decade, Sierra Nevada Journeys has served students with high-quality experiential education and the acquisition of the campus will secure this educational asset for generations to come,” said Kevin Goss, board of supervisors chair with Plumas County. “The County encourages Sierra Nevada Journeys to continue to serve students from low-income families and acquisition of the campus should ensure accessibility to programs for underserved students across the region.”

SNC Grant, donations made land purchase possible

While most of the money was raised through donations, the $1 million grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy made the $5.5 million acquisition a reality. The transfer of ownership to Sierra Nevada Journeys also means the property will remain undeveloped, protecting the scenic Sierra Valley land, including a 50-acre riparian area, pond, intermittent stream, alpine meadows, and Big Grizzly Creek, which is a water source for the Middle Fork Feather River (part of the California State Water Project).

Under a long-term management plan formed with the Feather River Land Trust, the property will continue to flourish as a critical habitat for the many species that call it home.

Grizzly Creek Ranch boosts local tourism, economy

On an economic front, keeping Grizzly Creek Ranch in the hands of Sierra Nevada Journeys will allow the nonprofit to preserve the year-round economic boost it brings to Portola and surrounding towns. By employing roughly 65 people, the Ranch is one of Plumas County’s top employers.

“The ranch is a significant economic impact to eastern Plumas County bringing in year-round and seasonal staff, students, families, other groups, and tourism,” added Goss. “It’s also an opportunity to secure an environmentally sensitive watershed area.”

With the recent acquisition, Sierra Nevada Journeys will not only look to preserve the present-day natural benefits of Grizzly Creek Ranch, but continue the educational, outdoor journeys for children of all walks of life well into the future.

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Reno-Sparks kids evacuated from Sierra Nevada Journeys camp as fires burn near Portola

Children attending Sierra Nevada Journeys camp near Portola, Calif., were loaded onto school buses at 10 p.m. Monday and returned to Sparks as four fires burned in Plumas County.

The fires, called the Gold Complex Fire, are estimated at more than 1,600 acres, burning south and northwest of Portola. They were sparked Monday afternoon by lightning as thunderstorms swept through the recreation area 50 miles from Reno. 

Sean Hill, CEO of Sierra Nevada Journeys, said he watched and worried as plumes of smoke rose in the distance from 515-acre camp.

“I kept watching and every adjacent property except ours was being put on evacuation orders,” Hill said.

“I was talking to Plumas Emergency Services every 15 minutes. They were weighing giving us (emergency) buses, with them deploying help and responding to all the communities.”

Even though officials said the camp was safe for the time being, Hill pushed back. A plan had been set up last year to have Portola school buses pick up his campers in case of emergency.   

“I’m a dad and safety is everything,” Hill said. “It didn’t take long for us to know it was the right choice to leave versus potentially facing an evacuation in the middle of the night.”   

Hill said that by 10:45 p.m., the buses were loaded with the 180 campers and most of the staff.

And that’s when camp, although in the dark and on a bus, went back to being a little bit normal.

“I heard a lot of hushed conversations between the kids,” Hill said. “And we had camp songs."

Sierra Nevada Journeys met with parents at a gym in Sparks late Monday into Tuesday morning. About a dozen students were still at the school gym on Tuesday morning.

Hill said he was waiting for updates Tuesday on the situation in Portola.

Grown-Up Getaway Camp

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Grown-Up Getaway Camp

Are you ready for a unique summer camp experience, designed exclusively for adults? Sierra Nevada Journeys has just the thing, a perfect unwinding weekend awaits you, with no responsibilities other than showing up with your friends. Join them from August 16 - 18, 2024, for a weekend in the mountains, free from all of those responsibilities.  

Sierra Nevada Journeys is planning a unique weekend filled with all the nostalgia and bliss you experienced as a child at summer camp. It will be an action-packed weekend of fun, activities, and social time. Alternatively, you could simply take an afternoon nap in a lawn chair under the famous giant yellow pine trees of Plumas National Forest.

The Sierra Nevada Journeys Outdoor Education Camp, located 50 minutes north of Reno in Portola, Calif., offers a refreshing retreat. It stretches over 515 acres of forested land, providing an experience that feels worlds apart, though only minutes away. The camp features 16 cabins, each equipped with its own bathroom and shower facilities, and can accommodate up to 12 people in bunk style. Gather your group of friends and adult family members, and plan an unforgettable memory-making trip.

$300 per person includes accommodations, meals, cocktails, activities, and programming for two nights, Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, August 16 to 18, 2024.

Register at https://www.sierranevadajourneys.org/grownup-getaway-camp .

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Sierra Nevada Journeys Outdoor Education Camp Portola, CA

Bring your community group and their families to camp..

Watch the following video with Cyndy Gustafson, board chair at Amplify Life, a nonprofit that serves children and adults with disabilities, and how they recently participated in Family Camp. Cyndy shares her experience of safely bringing her group to camp.

Are you in charge of a community group or a retreat? Or, do you belong to a church group, on a board, or part of a nonprofit that would like to bring your groups safely together for teambuilding or leadership training? These examples are just a few examples of how communities come together to build connections, teams, and unity.

Sierra Nevada Journeys Outdoor Education Camp is the perfect location to bring your group together as family units to safely participate in a variety of camp and teambuilding activities.

Community Camp is your opportunity to reconnect and spend time enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

Stay in our cabins, explore the outdoors, and participate in camp activities. With 16 cabins and four yurts, we have plenty of accommodations to fit groups of up to 264 people.

Sierra Nevada Journeys follows local public health and American Camp Association guidelines in planning and hosting programs at camp.

With vast open spaces, 515 acres to be exact, we have plenty of room to create innovative outdoor programs. Additionally, the lodge boasts two large meeting areas where people can gather for meals and workshops.

Adam Yarnes Chief Operating Officer [email protected] 530-832-1085

ABOUT sierra Nevada Journeys Outdoor Education Camp

Camp is surrounded by magnificent vistas, valleys, and meadows located in the Plumas National Forest. From our high ropes challenge course to the forest and river ecosystems, Camp is breathtaking and the ideal location for exploring nature.

It is fully ADA accessible and located in Portola, CA, just 45 minutes from Reno, NV, and two hours from Sacramento, CA.

The lodge and cabins have modern facilities and are clean and comfortable. The camp has heated cabins with their own restrooms. Shower facilities and washer and dryers are easily accessible. We offer a spacious dining hall, patio area with a fire pit, amphitheaters, various activity centers for programming, multiple campfire sites, and a spacious lawn for play and learning. A health center is centrally located on campus and all staff are CPR/First Aid certified and have passed federal and state background checks.

We conduct our outdoor school program Overnight Outdoor Learning , run an overnight, week-long summer camp , host community groups, and offer facility rentals.