Isiah Sloan, 11, makes his way across a half spider web in the ropes course during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chris Martindale explores the mine during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Nick Wen laughs as he cardboard boat sinks during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vadkerti travels along the ropes course at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Laon Jang looks for “gold” outside the mine at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers work the ropes course at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers work the ropes course at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers play soccer at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ethan Tuong, left, and Nick Blonska work to get across the ropes course during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers work the ropes course at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers work the ropes course at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ethan Tuong works the ropes course during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A camper makes a name tag during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers search for coal in the mine during summer camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park in Orange, CA, on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tucked away at the back of Irvine Regional Park is a 210-acre Boy Scout camp that’s not just for scouts.
The Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center, which is owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council, offers several programs throughout the year for the community, including a summer camp that, according to director Regina Engle, strives to be, “a combination of academics and recreation” or, more simply put, “learning and fun.”
Each day of the camp is a little different, with children trying archery, swimming, taking hikes, visiting an orchard, panning for gold and digging for coal inside of a mine. STEM, or science, technology, engineering and math, are integrated with other lessons throughout the activities.
Atop the center’s Adventure Hill, campers scale the climbing tower, fly across the zip line and scamper through a ropes course. To navigate the 30-foot tall ropes, campers work together and must communicate as they go from section to section, honing leadership skills.
The center’s pool is not only for swimming, campers spend time designing cardboard boats to get across the water without sinking.
On the underside of a hill is a mine dug for educational purposes. Campers can pan through sloughs for gold, or at least what looks like gold. From above the mine, campers descend a staircase lined with helmets and shovels to dig for coal in the sandy bottom.
Camper Victoria Vadkerti recently returned for her second year at the camp. Her favorite part, she said, is rock climbing, but she also learned, “about how to survive in the wild and made a lot of friends.”
The camp runs week-long sessions throughout the summer.
