Staff FAQs

Yes. You may make calls from the office or staff lounge or use your cell phone. We ask that counselors DO NOT make phone calls during the workday or when you oversee campers. Your cell phone will work anywhere on campus. You may also receive EMERGENCY (or EXTREMELY important) calls on our business line; the number is (951) 659-6062.

AstroCamp has wireless internet. You are more than welcome to bring your laptop computer. We ask that you not use the internet in the dorms or in view of campers. After hours it’s common to use the staff lounge when you are not in charge of campers. We also ask that you never share your computer with your campers – they are to be completely unplugged while they are at AstroCamp. There are also multiple staff computers with Internet access in the staff lounge. We ask that you try to limit your usage to 10 minutes or less on a camp computer.

Yes. There are free laundry facilities on campus. You will have to supply your own detergent, which can be purchased in town during our time off. 

Our campus is in a small mountain town. In Idyllwild there are grocery and drug stores where essentials can be purchased. Also, staff go to the nearest big cities (Hemet, Redlands, LA) during their time off and can pick up other essential items if needed.

Yes. We make a “mail run” to town Monday-Saturday to pick-up and send mail, UPS, etc.

Our address for U.S. MAIL is: Your Name c/o AstroCamp P.O. Box 3399 Idyllwild, CA 92549

Our address for U.P.S. and FED-EX is: Your Name c/o AstroCamp 26800 Saunders Meadow Rd Idyllwild, CA 92549

AstroCamp’s summer days can fluctuate from warm to hot. Last year we were fortunate to not have a single day above 90 degrees. The nights can get chilly (you’re over 6,000 feet in elevation) with lows in the 50s. If you volunteer to go on an overnight camping trip, temperatures can be in the 40s. Bring clothing ranging from shorts to pants to hoodies.

While there are campers on-site, we do not allow for staff visitors. During time-off while campers are not on-site, visitors are allowed on the facility only with approval from the director.

Yes! During our one-week sessions you will receive time off during the transition time between session departure and next session arrival (12 pm Friday until 10am Saturday). During our two-week sessions you will be assigned a full 24 hours off (midnight to midnight) with other counselors and instructors in addition to the time off between sessions.

Before 7 AM – when you wake up your campers – is the best or at night after they are asleep. Please allow yourself to be ready for the day. We have a small, primitive gym onsite with some basic weights and equipment that you are welcome to use.

Training week consists of setting up the camp, learning the ins and outs of children aged 8-17, how to best protect them and the legal thing surrounding working with them, learning the daily AstroCamp routine (including activities and evening events, etc.), and bonding with other staff members.

No, it is not a necessity. A Lifeguarding certification, First Aid and CPR are great tools to have in your back pocket, but as a counselor, it is not necessary. All our instructors are lifeguards and first aid/CPR certified. A certification course may be provided for you if available.

Yes and no. We do not require that you wear a uniform, but we ask that you dress modestly and appropriately and please practice good cleanliness and personal hygiene. What modestly means is no thong bikinis, no Speedos; and please limit the use of low-rise pants, short-shorts, midriff-baring, or low-cut t-shirts. Please keep in mind they are around teenagers all summer so please dress modestly not to draw undue attention to your body. Campers will push the limits, but we as role models should set a modest tone. When we say appropriately, we mean that you are not to wear any clothing advertising an alcoholic beverage, tobacco, drug usage, or profane slogan. Please use your judgment. Also, a quick note, no tank tops in any food service areas, armpit hairs in the salad bar are not up to code with health standards!