Camp Registration Information: In recent years at RMBL, we have found that camper demand exceeds our capacity. Instead of a first-come first-served registration, we have moved to a lottery process to enroll campers for the upcoming season. All campers, new and returning, are invited to enroll through this system.

Application Process: Parents/Guardians are asked to first complete the application by the deadline for each program. *This does not guarantee a spot in a session.

Priority will be given to students whose parent(s) or family members are RMBL scientists, staff or part of the RMBL community in other ways, and/or children who’ve participated in our science programs in previous years. Outside of those criteria, we will use a lottery system to fill remaining spots.

Initial admittance decisions and award decisions will be made approximately 2-4 weeks post the programs application closing date. Once notified, you will have approximately two weeks to accept the spots and pay the $25 non-refundable registration fee and program fee, in order to secure your child’s spot.

Please refer to individual program pages for additional registration details in coming months. If you have registration questions, please email youthscience@rmbl.org.

Parent Registration Help Guide 

First steps: 

• The initial website links will direct you to each application on our camp management software program, Sawyer.  
• Hit the red “Register” button to add application to your cart 
• You will be asked to create your user account. This is the head of household, your children’s information will be entered and remain accessible from the household account  
• Hit the red “Register” button > select who is attending > add to cart 
• You may checkout > enter required information 
• Or keep shopping > camps/events  
• The initial application is free, you will not be asked for payment information until you or your children are accepted into a program, then you will be sent a link to register and pay  

Next steps after you submit an application: 

• You will receive an email confirmation for all applications 
• To see a child’s application details log into your account > select “My Children” > choose child > scroll down on child’s profile and you will see all application responses associated with that child 
• Once you or your children are accepted into a program you will be sent an email link to register and pay (acceptance results will be emailed within 2-4 weeks of application deadline)
• You will receive email confirmation of your registration and email reminders closer to program dates 
• If a spot is not available in your desired program session, you will be automatically placed on the waitlist and waitlist confirmation will be emailed to you

COVID-19 Statement for RMBL Day Programs: In order to keep students, scientists, and staff healthy in light of COVID-19, for Summer 2024, all participants in RMBL day programs will be required to follow the RMBL COVID-19 health and safety plan, which may include mask-wearing, handwashing, personal distancing, and group size limits.

Cancellation and Refund Policy:  If you need to cancel your child’s spot, please contact our Youth Programs Coordinator at youthscience@rmbl.org. You will receive a refund from RMBL according to these guidelines for Pre-K-9th Grade Programs (see HS registration pages for refund guidelines for those programs): 

• • On or Before May 15th: 90% tuition refund – less registration fees
    After May 15th: Non-Refundable* 
  • *If enrolling in a session after May 1st, there will be a 24-hour grace period after enrollment to cancel and receive a 90% refund – less registration fees  
  • Emergency Cancellation: Cancellation due to a medical emergency will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Medical documentation will be required for exceptions in the cancellation policy. 

Full Programs and Waiting Lists:  We keep this website up-to-date with information regarding when programs fill. For each full program, we create a waitlist, and when we receive a cancellation, we will contact you to see if your child would still like to attend the program.

Youth Instructor to Student Ratios and Learning Groups:  Students are divided into appropriate age groups (grades k-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-9, and grades 10-12+) with assigned instructors. Nature Camp, Science Camp and Project Eco-STEM groups operate at a maximum capacity of no more than 12 students with 2 instructors.

Scholarships:  A limited supply of scholarship funds are available for the K-9 programs. If you need financial assistance, please complete the RMBL-Youth-Program-Scholarship-Application.

The application questions should be answered from your most current US Federal Income Tax Return. All financial Information is kept confidential. Applying for a scholarship has no effect on admittance into the program. However, our scholarship funds are limited, and the size of awards may not always meet the need. You will have the opportunity later on to accept the award and pay the difference to enroll your child or to decline the award and withdraw your child’s application.

Initial admittance decisions and award decisions will be made approximately 2-4 weeks post application closing date. Once notified, you will have approximately two weeks to accept the spot/scholarship and pay the $25 non-refundable registration for the fee, in order to hold your child’s spot.

Where do I drop off and pick up my child?  Drop off and pick up for RMBL youth programs will take place at the 4 Way Bus Stop in Crested Butte, at the bus stop in Mountaineer Square in Mount Crested Butte, at the Snodgrass Trailhead or in the townsite of Gothic. For Nature & Science Camp, you will be required to sign your child in and out of camp each day, either in Gothic or at the bus stops.

At the bus stops, RMBL youth program instructors will pick students up in the RMBL van.  Mountain Express, the public bus, is no longer offering a route to Gothic.  The RMBL van will leave the 4 Way Stop in Crested Butte at 8:30am and Mountaineer Square in Mount Crested Butte at 8:40am daily and returns to Mount Crested Butte at 3:15pm and the 4 Way Stop in Crested Butte at 3:30pm (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays).  Please arrive at least 5 minutes prior to van departure times in order to keep the van on schedule.

For those living in or near Gothic, please sign your child(ren) in with a YP instructor in front of the RMBL visitors center.

What does my child need to bring to RMBL programs?

• Full Water Bottle
• Big Lunch
• Three Snacks!
• Sun Hat
• Sun Glasses
• Sun Screen
• Sturdy Walking/Hiking Shoes
• Warm Layers
• Rain Gear (Remember we are outside all day!!!)
• Long Pants and Long Sleeves (to put on when the bugs are bad; bug spray is an option too)
• Curiosity!

How do I communicate with RMBL Staff prior to or during programs?  You can reach Katie Lawn, Youth Programs Coordinator, through the youth programs email at youthscience@rmbl.org. If you need to reach us during the day when we are with children in Gothic, please use the main RMBL phone number 970-349-7231 (mobile coverage is spotty in Gothic).  Youth Program Instructors all carry radios so that the office can contact us in the field with the students.

You will also have an opportunity to check in with staff prior to and after the program during pick up and drop off times. If your child is going to be picked up by someone other than you, we will require you to document who is allowed to pick up your child that day.

Who are the youth program staff?  We hire enthusiastic science educators who love working with youth in the outdoors! Each staff person must pass a background check as well as have First Aid and CPR certifications. Our youth program team is trained not only in safely managing groups in the outdoors, but in how to engage children in both fun and meaningful field science learning experiences. Staff are typically hired after already having experience as teachers and guides for youth in a variety of camps, schools or non-profit organizations.