COME FOR THE SCENERY LEAVE WITH MEMORIES
FROST VALLEY YMCA
Year-Round Retreats & Horse Programs at EAST VALLEY RANCH
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Welcome Accommodations & Dining Fall, Winter, & Spring Programs Family Programs Conferences & Trainings Programs for Scouts Summer Horse Camps
Welcome! East Valley Ranch at Frost Valley YMCA provides families, groups, and individuals with the opportunity to relax and recharge, or find excitement and inspiration. Located just down the road from Frost Valley’s Main Camp, this secluded getaway offers a memorable experience for family reunions, corporate retreats, scouts, and other groups in the winter, spring, and fall, as well as an equestrian camp for girls each summer. Professional groups, religious and spiritual communities, sports teams, and other organizations often turn to us for conferences and teambuilding retreats. Here, you and your colleagues or group members can enjoy ample lodging, nutritious meals, teambuilding ropes courses, and fully equipped indoor meeting spaces. Our intimate setting allows your team to build trust and camaraderie, leaving refreshed and motivated. See our group offerings on page 9. During family retreats and reunions, you and your loved ones will create lasting memories and start new traditions as you enjoy fun, time-honored activities that allow you to reconnect with one another. East Valley Lodge provides cozy accommodations with modern amenities surrounded by wonderful Catskills scenery. Learn more on page 7. Scouts have the opportunity to develop new skills while having fun as a team in a supportive environment. See page 11 for more info. East Valley Ranch’s renowned summer equestrian camp for girls teaches horsemanship skills, riding techniques, and horse care for an array of experience levels. Our expert staff and riding instructors are supportive, caring leaders and positive role models. Through their guidance and encouragement, campers build leadership skills, confidence, values, and character while cultivating lifelong friendships, all in a beautiful natural setting. Learn more about what camp can offer your daughter on page 13. Are you ready to experience the wonders of the Catskills? Tours are available upon request. Contact us today to visit our beautiful grounds! We look forward to your arrival! Sincerely, The Staff at East Valley Ranch TEL: 845-985-2291 EMAIL: info@eastvalleyranch.org WEB: eastvalleyranch.org
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Dining & Accommodations A QUIET, COZY CORNER OF THE CATSKILLS
DINING Guests that stay at East Valley Ranch dine in the lodge’s private family-style dining room. The East Valley Lodge kitchen is renowned for its wellness cuisine. Fresh meals are prepared daily. Care is taken to meet the dietary needs of our guests with advance notice. Fresh fruit is available all day long. At every meal, along with tasty hot entrÊes and sides, East Valley Ranch also offers a cereal bar, fresh fruit bar, and salad bar, as well as soup. Water, tea, and coffee are also available at all times throughout the day. For any questions regarding dining, contact our kitchen at 845-985-2291 ext 230 or by emailing Goodfood@frostvalley.org.
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4 LODGING East Valley Ranch is located just two hours north of New York City on a stretch of fields and woodlands along the Neversink River in the Catskill Mountains. Surrounded by panoramic mountain vistas and picturesque horse pastures, the grounds feature a 26-stall horse barn, arts and crafts studio, outdoor game areas, high and low ropes courses, and scenic viewpoints to enjoy the beauty of the Catskills.
EAST VALLEY LODGE: Stay overnight in our very own East Valley Lodge, a charming yet modern ranch house, offering groups both privacy and the comforts of home. With 10 beautifully appointed guest rooms that sleep 2-4 people each, the lodge is expansive, featuring a spacious living room, family-style dining room, meeting rooms, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and a wraparound deck – perfect for cozying up on an Adirondack chair as you listen to the river.
OUR YURTS: Perhaps you prefer to get even closer to nature. Mongolian Yurts are eco-friendly structures that provide comfort, durability, and a light footprint. With a circular design and spacious interior, the yurt encourages both socialization and quiet contemplation. East Valley Ranch has five yurts that can accommodate 12 guests each. Located just steps away from our eco-friendly bathhouse, your yurt is also close enough to the lodge that larger groups can stay in both if preferences vary. Yurts are open seasonally, usually from April to October.
Fall, Winter, & Spring SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
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Each fall, winter, and spring a variety of groups join us for their getaways, including family reunions, retreats, specialty weekends, church groups, scouts, schools, and many more. Thanks to our secluded location, we’re able to tailor our programs to meet the needs of each group that comes to East Valley Ranch. Groups and families enjoy cozy lodging, nutritious and delicious home-cooked meals, and a variety of programs for guests of all ages and interests.
HORSE PROGRAMS
LOW ROPES COURSE
Our western décor and sprawling horse pastures might just inspire you to get in the saddle! We offer lessons and trail rides to groups (depending on the ages of the participants). Enjoy lessons on proper veterinary care, horse nutrition, grooming, and tacking.
All groups benefit from enhanced trust. Guests spot and support one another as they take turns navigating a series of obstacles several feet in the air on our low ropes course.
PEGASUS The “Pegasus” is similar to what is known on main camp as the “Flying Squirrel.” As your team pulls you into the air, you’ll feel as if you’re truly flying! Our experienced staff will coach and support you as you challenge yourself to achieve feats you never thought possible.
HIKING TRAILS
EDUCATIONAL FARM Just a hayride or short hike away, guests of all ages love to get in touch with Mother Nature and explore a real working farm, featuring a large garden, greenhouse, barn, and friendly farm animals.
FLY FISHING We’re a stone’s throw away from the head waters of some of the most famous fly fishing rivers in the country. Try your hand at catching native brook trout in the Neversink River right outside our back door.
Whether it’s soil, snow, or leaves crunching underfoot, here’s your chance to head out for a hike on our private trails and enjoy the natural beauty of the Catskills. In winter, we provide cross country skis and snowshoes so you can enjoy a wintry wonderland unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
ARTS & CRAFTS
INDOOR BOULDERING WALL
EDUCATIONAL CLASSES
One key skill for all outdoor lovers is bouldering, which is the act of climbing up and over boulders or natural obstacles in order to reach your destination. Our indoor bouldering wall allows you to safely practice and hone this skill so you can apply it in the great outdoors!
HIGH ROPES COURSE Test your courage 30 feet in the air on our high ropes courses. Teams work together, crossing a rope bridge, a tight rope, and Postman’s Walk.
Explore your creative side and get in touch with your inner artist. We offer a variety of arts and crafts projects including painting, scrapbooking, knitting, children’s crafts, candle making, tie dye, and more.
History of the Catskills, Outdoor Survival Skills, Wildlife Ecology, Forest Ecology, Fire Tower Hikes, Water Ecology, Night Awareness, and much more!
GROUP ACTIVITIES There’s never a dull moment with activities scheduled for all ages, including scavenger hunts, trivia contests, Bingo, board games, limbo, country line dancing, campfires, and much more!
CUSTOMIZABLE CLASSES We hire staff with a wide range of skills. Please feel free to contact us and we can help coordinate the perfect programming for your trip!
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Family Programs PLAN A RETREAT IN THE MOUNTAINS!
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8 FAMILY REUNIONS At East Valley Ranch, your family can enjoy a scenic, private retreat all to yourselves. Allow us to take care of the cooking, activity planning, and lodging, so your family can reconnect, relax, and rejuvenate, all at a stunning Catskill Mountain ranch with plenty to do! Bring a minimum of 14 family members to reserve the entire site to yourselves. From September to June, up to 35 guests can stay in our beautiful East Valley Lodge, a bed-and-breakfast style lodge with rooms that have both private and shared baths. In the fall and spring, up to 60 guests can also stay in our Mongolian yurts. Please note: in the summertime, we are closed for our all-girls equestrian camp. Your reunion is all about bringing family together – so you get to choose from a variety of activity options. When you plan your getaway, we’ll work with you to make sure there’s something for every member of your family to enjoy – from itty-bitty nieces and nephews right up to great grandparents. Activities include: teambuilding programs, high and low ropes courses, hiking trails, arts & crafts, hayrides to our Educational Farm, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding. One of the best parts about a family reunion at East Valley Ranch – no cooking (except for maybe s’mores over the fire)! Your all-inclusive reunion includes freshly prepared, nutritious meals shared in our cozy, family-style dining room. With advanced noticed, we’re pleased to accommodate special dietary needs and provide gluten-free, dairy-free, low-sugar, and vegetarian/vegan options at no extra cost.
FAMILY WINTER WEEKENDS East Valley Ranch is a glistening landscape of snow and splendor in the wintertime. Join us for our family winter weekend and spend time exploring the Catskills. Try cross-country skiing or a half-day snowshoe hike and explore the true beauty of winter. Our staff will also teach you survival skills for the cold, including shelter building, how to start a fire in winter, and campfire cooking techniques. Learn to track animals in the snow and how they adapt and thrive in this unique environment. Join us for one of the following scheduled weekends or contact us to reserve a better date for your family. We are happy to make arrangements for you to use Main Camp’s snow tubing hill.
Trainings & Conferences AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR TRAININGS
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INTERESTED IN HOSTING A GROUP RETREAT OR CONFERENCE?
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We host a variety of private clinics and conferences each year. Please contact us for additional details: email: horses@frostvalley.org or call: 845-985-2291 ext 240.
CERTIFIED HORSEMANSHIP ASSOCIATION CLINICS (CHA) Become a CHA certified riding instructor in English and/ or Western disciplines. Five levels of certification can be achieved in the clinic, ranging from assistant instructor to CHA clinician. Your certification level will be at the sole discretion of the clinic staff and no certification of any kind is guaranteed. The certification process is comprised of an evaluation by two certified CHA clinicians over the course of the five-day clinic. The clinic will involve teaching at least four practice lessons, a riding evaluation, a written test, and participation in workshops on risk management, teaching techniques, professionalism, and herd management.
WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER COURSES (WMA) The Wilderness First Responder program is the ideal emergency medical training for leaders in remote areas. Outdoor educators, wilderness guides, members of the military, professional search and rescue teams, field researchers, and individuals involved in disaster relief will gain valuable skills from this comprehensive and practical curriculum. The course includes the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments for days and weeks if necessary.
Contact us for this year’s dates and to reserve your spot in either of these popular trainings which are recognized both by the American Camping Association and the U.S. Department of Health.
Programs for Scouts LEARN & GROW AT EAST VALLEY RANCH
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12 PROGRAMS FOR SCOUTS Each year, dozens of scout troops make a tradition of coming to East Valley Ranch to bond as a group, make memories, and build skills. In addition to our scheduled theme weekends, we are happy to customize a weekend for your troop during most weekends. Contact us today to get started: email: info@eastvalleyranch.org or call: 845-985-2291.
OUR THEME WEEKENDS INCLUDE: ADVENTURES IN CAMPING Develop camping skills such as knot tying, fire building, and campfire cooking, as well as learning about wildlife during hikes both day and night.
DOWN ON THE FARM Learn about livestock animals and their care, and then learn how produce is grown, harvested, and prepared to make delicious, garden-fresh meals.
HORSEMANSHIP WEEKENDS Get to know our horses! Learn about veterinary care, behavior, grooming, and nutrition. Enjoy a lesson and trail ride, as well as numerous non-equestrian activities.
WINTER WEEKENDS Enjoy the glistening snowscape of the Catskills in winter as you go on snowshoe hikes through the serene forest. You’ll also enjoy our miles of cross-country ski trails, participate in winter survival courses, and take part in plenty of indoor activities as well.
Frost Valley YMCA is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Summer Camps HORSE CAMPS FOR GIRLS
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14 The summertime at East Valley Ranch is all about horses, summer camp traditions, lifelong values, and lasting friendships. Our horse camp combines experienced horses, qualified instructors, compassionate counselors, and one-of-a-kind facilities to create a positive atmosphere. Our goal is to teach campers and budding equestrians the fundamentals of riding, while they develop leadership skills, confidence, and self-esteem. Our program is accredited by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and upholds the highest safety standards. In addition to time with horses, girls will enjoy swimming, teambuilding games, ropes courses, arts and crafts, and traditional camp activities that build character and gain a sense of community.
EAST VALLEY RANCH 2-WEEK PROGRAM
EAST VALLEY RANCH 4-WEEK PROGRAM
(Grades 5 & up, min. age 10)
(Grades 7 & up, min. age 12)
During their 2-week stay, girls learn wrangling, feeding, grooming, tacking, and cleaning. Campers will learn personal responsibility, as they care for their own horse each session. Every day, they spend 1 to 2 hours in the saddle, focusing on their riding technique during ring lessons and trail rides. Veterinary care, proper nutrition, and horse training skills are just a few of the fundamental equestrian skills learned at East Valley Ranch. Part of each day is also spent hiking, playing sports or games, and making arts and crafts. Several times each week, campers have the opportunity for one of their favorite summertime activities: swimming! Girls grow leaps and bounds, gaining confidence, and developing respect and compassion for all creatures great and small.
For the experienced rider, this month-long adventure will provide her with new challenges and opportunities to perfect her riding technique. Girls spend 2 to 3 hours each day in the saddle and have the opportunity to achieve new milestones in their riding abilities. Throughout the month, they will design and practice their own drill team and perform for the 2-week campers. They will also learn how to assist an instructor, as well as participate in in-depth classes on horse health and care. This unique program turns young girls into strong female leaders, positive role models, and women of steadfast character. Please contact the director to see if this would be a good fit for your child! Email: horses@frostvalley.org or call: 845-985-2291 ext 240.
MORE INFORMATION For more information on our horse camp, to schedule a tour, or find out which program would be the best fit for your child, please email: horses@frostvalley.org or call: 845-985-2291 ext 240.
Frost Valley’s main camp also offers several equestrian summer camps. Mustang Village is our overnight camp designed just for girls in grades 2-4 (minimum age 7). Durango Village is our overnight camp for boys in grades 4-8 (minimum age 9). We also offer horse day camp to children who live locally!
EAST VALLEY RANCH 21 Straus Lane, Claryville, NY 12725 TEL: (845) 985-2291 EMAIL: info@eastvalleyranch.org WEB: eastvalleyranch.org
Oneonta
Binghamton
EAST VALLEY RANCH at FROST VALLEY YMCA
Albany & Mass. Tpk.
Phoenicia FROST VALLEY YMCA MAIN CAMP Ashokan FROST VALLEY ROAD Claryville
EAST VALLEY RANCH EDUCATIONAL FARM
Kingston
DENNING ROAD
JOIN US FOR A GETAWAY.
Liberty
Grahamsville Neversink New Paltz Ellenville
Bethel
NY State Thruway
Thanks to our secluded location, each program can be tailored to meet the needs of a variety of groups. Our programs include horse camps, group and corporate retreats, weekends for scouts, family weekends, cross-country skiing, teambuilding programs, ropes courses, family reunions, and much more! Enjoy cozy lodging, nutritious and delicious home-cooked meals, and a variety of activities for guests of all ages and interests. We can’t wait to see you here in “the Valley!”
CATSKILL STATE PARK Big Indian
Monticello Wurtsboro
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New York City