Opening, Closing, Visiting, oh my!
An overview of what to expect during some of our major logistics days.
Opening Day
Your family will be assigned an Arrival Window based on your last name. We ask that you please do not arrive outside of your assigned time slot. These time slots allow us to ensure a smooth Opening Day and have been chosen with intention! Please note that the time slots rotate each year.
Step 1: Check In at Town Hall (21 State Line Road)
Before coming onto camp, you will first check in at West Stockbridge Town Hall, where your camper will get a Nametag, Temperature Check, and Lice Check, and where you will fill out a Health Check for each camper.
Step 2: Unload at the Baseball Field (46 State Line Road)
After you’re done at Town Hall, our staff will direct you down the road to Camp, and you will drive onto the Baseball Field where our staff will unload your camper’s belongings from the car. Our staff will take the belongings to the bunk for you!
Step 3: Visit the Hug Zone on the Main Lawn
From the Baseball Field, you’ll head to the Main Lawn where you’ll find a Hug Zone. You’ll be able to take a family photo and meet some of our amazing counselors before saying your goodbyes.
This is when you will also have the opportunity to speak to the Health Center about medication and/or the Kitchen about allergies and special diets.
Step 4: L’hitraot (See You Later)
After saying your goodbyes, campers will go with a counselor to their bunk. Families will head back to the car by walking across the Rec Hall porch where you can take in the beautiful view of the Berkshire hills and pick up a sheet with bios about each of your camper’s counselors!
Visiting Day
We are thrilled to be able to welcome families for a Shabbat T’filah experience and some time on camp before sending you off into the beautiful Berkshires!
Morning at Camp
Families will meet up with the campers in the Outdoor Sanctuary to enjoy a short Shabbat T’filah experience to kick off Visiting Day. This is a chance for you to join us for a camp-style service so you can experience the ruach (spirit), joy, and energy of our T’filah at camp! Following T’filah, you’ll be invited to the Main Lawn for a Kiddush (Shabbat snack), during which you’ll be able to meet counselors, unit heads, and your camper’s friends.
Afternoon in the Berkshires
After Kiddish, all campers will be signed out of camp and venture off into the Berkshires for the afternoon. At this time, our staff will need to begin the final preparations for Opening Day of Session 2 the following morning and will no longer be available.
Families with Session 1 and Full Summer Campers
Your family can elect to pick up your Session 1 camper when you come for Visiting Day, instead of on Friday.
We ask that you arrive by 5:45 PM so that you’ll have ample time to load your car!
Families with Full Summer and Session 2 Campers
If your Session 2 camper has already been to camp, your family can elect to drop off your Session 2 camper at the end of Visiting Day, instead of on Sunday. If this is your Session 2 camper’s first summer at Crane Lake, we ask that they do not get dropped off early, and instead arrive on Opening Day to help best set them up for success.
Closing Day
Your family will be assigned an Arrival Window based on your last name. We ask that you please do not arrive outside of your assigned time slot. These time slots allow us to ensure a smooth Closing Day and have been chosen with intention! Please note that the time slots rotate each year.
Step 1: Check In at Town Hall (21 State Line Road)
Before coming onto camp, you will first check in at West Stockbridge Town Hall, where you will be handed a sign for your windshield based on your camper’s bunk. This helps us control traffic inside of camp.
Step 2: Pull into Camp using the Red Gate Entrance (46 State Line Road)
After you’re done at Town Hall, our staff will direct you down the road to Camp, where our staff will check your ID and return any of your camper’s medication.
Step 3: Proceed to the Rows for Luggage Pickup
Our staff will direct you to your camper’s bunk to pick up their belongings (unless you have already made arrangements with ShipCamps). Our staff will load your vehicle, and we ask that you remain in your car throughout this process.
Step 4: Reunite with your Camper on the Lakefield!
Once you have all of your luggage, you will drive down to the Lakefield where your camper will have already begun saying their goodbyes. We ask that you please remain in your car and wait for your camper to greet you there!