UU Middle School Winter Camp
2026 UU Middle School and Family Winter Camp
Wild Wintering: The Art of Adventure, Rest & Wonder
Saturday, December 19 – Monday, December 21, 2026
Dean: Haven Perez
Special programming for youth currently in 6th–8th grade
Both family housing and independent camper cabins available.
Be sure to invite new friends and families to join the fun!
What is being Wild in the Winter? How do you define wildness? The warm crackle of a woodfire…The crisp feeling of cold mountain air….the rich smell of the pine forest….the mysterious beauty of the night sky….
This 2 night, 3 day weekend Camp for independent campers (grades 6-8 youth) and families is inspired by Thoreau’s Walden and other similar works and divided into 5 sections:
1. THE CALL — Something Is Calling Me
Youth explore curiosity, courage, trying something new and listening to that little inner voice that says: “I wonder what would happen if…”
2. THE SAUNTER — I Don’t Have to Hurry
Youth learn that walking can become a spiritual practice when we stop asking:
“How fast can we get there?” and start asking: “What’s here?”
3. THE WINTER — Rest Is Part of Living
4. THE WALDEN QUESTION — What Is Enough?
5. THE RETURN — Bring the Wild Home
The mountain experience should not be the conclusion.
Campers return home with:
- one adventure practice,
- one walking/noticing practice,
- one wintering practice,
- and one community practice.
Each section connects uniquely to a UU value!
Join us and find out more about your Wild Winter selves!
This camp is designed for youth in middle school at the time of camp. Campers in grades 6-8 can come to camp on their own and stay in cabins with well-trained and talented counselors, or may attend with their families and stay in a family room. Younger siblings (grades K-5 are invited along for the fun but must stay with their parents in family cabins. The littlest of siblings (Pre-K and below) are welcome at appropriate activities but must always be accompanied by parents throughout the day. Older siblings are also welcome to attend and stay in family cabins.
Accommodations
Camp de Benneville Pines has cozy cabins, warm showers and hot food just waiting for you!
All cabins are set up dormitory style, and each family is given their own room. Bathrooms are located inside of each cabin, and several families will be housed in each cabin. Counselor cabins will accommodate kids in rooms with others of similar age/grade.
Don’t miss the fun – reserve your space today! And remember to invite a family to send their youth (with or without their grown-ups) to share the magic that is Camp.
Pricing Information
Camp de Benneville Pines has moved to a self-selecting sliding fee scale. Level 1 is our minimum cost, Level 2 is what it takes for us to meet our needs and Level 3 helps to offset costs and supports Camp’s scholarship fund.
| Camper Type | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| Adult Camper 19+ and 9th-12th | $195 | $215 | $235 |
| Camper 6th-8th | $195 | $215 | $235 |
| Sibling K-5th | $195 | $215 | $235 |
| Sibling 3yrs-Pre K | $140 | $160 | $170 |
| Infant to 2 years | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Pricing includes lodging, all meals, activities, and supplies. A $75 per person non-refundable deposit is required to confirm registration. Full balance due one week before the start of camp. No refunds will be allowed after check-in begins on the first day of camp. Electronic invoices will be sent out periodically, allowing partial or full payment, until payment in full is received.
To make camp affordable, you can even make payments!
A Note about Payments:
After registering, there will be three options to pay: Pay in full via PayPal, Pay a portion via PayPal, or pay by check. PayPal is our payment processor. Although you don’t need an account, our transactions do run through their platform.
To pay via PayPal without having an account, log out of any PayPal accounts and select the option “Pay with Debit/Credit Card,” which will be under the login button.
To submit payment by check, please make your check payable to: Camp de Benneville Pines and note the specific camp in the memo line. The mailing address for the check is:
Camp de Benneville Pines
Attn: Janet James
P.O. Box 82
Angelus Oaks, CA 92305
It is easy to miss a payment step when registering. Contact the registrar at registrar@uucamp.org and request an invoice.
Contact Information:
Programming: Contact Laura Lunn, Camping Ministries Director, cmd@uucamp.org, (949) 300-3645
Facilities or General Camp: Contact Janet James, Executive Director, director@uucamp.org, 909-435-6298
Registration: Contact Angela Andiorio, Camp Registrar, registrar@uucamp.org, 909-654-4769
Camp de Benneville Pines may sometimes need to make the difficult decision to cancel camp due to a variety of factors including but not limited to the following: severe weather conditions, road closures, Covid and other contagious outbreaks, camp volunteer and site staff shortages, and/or other emergencies. Should the camp have to cancel, refunds will be issued.
HEALTH UPDATE: Please help us keep the camper community healthy by staying home if you feel unwell. Camp no longer requires Covid testing prior to arrival to camp. Camp will continue to offer masks for those who prefer using them and will provide hand sanitizer in the lodge. Camp will maintain a plexiglass partition on the food line and will limit the number of self-serve food items in an effort to maintain a healthy and safe food service environment. Campers are free to dine outside at the picnic tables where they are close to nature. Additionally, Camp provides single-use paper towels for hand drying and foamy hand soap in all of its restrooms.
Camp de Benneville Pines may sometimes need to make the difficult decision to cancel camp due to a variety of factors including but not limited to the following: severe weather conditions, road closures, Covid and other contagious outbreaks, camp volunteer and site staff shortages, and/or other emergencies. Should the camp have to cancel, refunds will be issued.