Teen Leadership Camp (TLC)

In addition to registering online for TLC, you must submit a health form and an activity waiver for extra outdoor adventures, e.g. rafting. Completion of these forms is mandatory in order for your teen to participate in these trips.

Health Form

• TLC Health Form; due DATE TBD
• Must be completed by camper’s primary care physician
• Must be reviewed and signed by camper’s parent
• Form can be mailed/emailed to Camp and received by DATE TBD

Activity Waiver

• Activity Release Waiver; due DATE TBD
• Please email us once you have submitted the form
• Form must be submitted by DATE TBD
• Have questions or need more information? Call (803) 327-6932

• Sunday drop-off is 3:00 to 4:00 pm.
• Drop off your camper and medication, if applicable, at the Multipurpose Building.
• All campers are checked for lice on arrival.
• Friday pick-up is at 6:00 pm.
• Campers are only released to people on their Authorized Pick Up list; ID required.
• Please stay in your car if you’re early on drop off or pick up day.

Every day is different on the trail! Here is a sample TLC schedule based on our 2024 trip to western South Carolina to backpack in the wild and scenic corridor of the Chattooga River. Schedules are subject to change based on weather, behavior, or other factors.

Sunday

• Campers arrive at Camp Canaan
• Meet and greet
• Trip orientation and expectations
• Dinner
• Basecamp 101
• Gear check
• TuGo/Ultimate Frisbee

Monday

• Dawn patrol
• Leave for expedition
• Lunch on the trail
• Hiking
• Dinner at camp

Tuesday & Wednesday

• Breakfast at camp
• Day-long hiking
• Lunch on the trail
• Dinner at camp

Thursday

• Breakfast at camp
• Climbing and rappelling
• Lunch on the river
• Dinner at camp

Friday

• Breakfast at camp
• Rafting on the river
• Depart for Camp Canaan
• Lunch on the road
• Unpack
• Pick up

In spring, we typically see daytime temperatures between the 60s and 90s and overnight temps in the 50s and 40s. You’ll receive a more detailed list ahead of camp, but here’s an idea of what your camper will need to bring. Some items are required; some are suggestions.

Pack as light as possible, and label everything!

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

• Base layer tops x 2
• Insulating layer tops x 2
• T-shirts x 5
• Rain jacket with hood
• Base layer bottoms
• Outer bottoms x 3
• Insulating bottoms
• Rain pants
• Socks and underwear x 5
• Modest swimsuit
• Running shoes or hiking boots
• Lightweight closed-toe shoes for camp
• Water shoes
• Sunglasses
• Warm hat
• Sun hat

Camp & Travel Equipment

• Backpack*
• Day pack
• Hammock*
• Sleeping pad*
• Sleeping bag with hood
• Sleeping bag liner
• Stuff sack
• Camp chair/sit pad
• Water bottle/containers x 3
• Bandanna
• Bowl and cup (utensils provided)
• Headlamp with extra bulb/batteries
• Pocket knife or multi-tool
• Compass
• Field guides/books
• Camera
• Journal
• Writing utensils

* Available for rent at Camp Canaan

Personal Toiletries 

• Medications
• Toothpaste
• Sunscreen
• Bugspray
• Biodegradable soap
• Toilet paper and/or wipes
• Feminine products
• Glasses/contacts
• Chapstick

Campers may not bring:

• Cell phones, electronics, smart watches, tablets, etc.
• Weapons of any kind
• Cash, gum, energy drinks, toys, trading cards

Campers sleep in individual hammocks, with boys and girls separated in each campsite. Hammocks and sleeping pads are available for rent at Camp Canaan, or campers can bring their own. As noted in the equipment list, campers will need a sleeping bag with a hood and a sleeping bag liner.

Gluten-free options available at every meal – email us for details.

Breakfast

• Pastries, bagels
• Pancakes
• Oatmeal/grits
• Granola
• Peanut butter
• Apple sauce
• CowPow (dehydrated milk)

Lunch

• Pita pizzas or hummus/pbj sandwiches
• Bagel pizzas or hummus/pbj sandwiches

Dinner

• Stir fry
• Burrito bowl
• ChiliMac
• Spaghetti

Snacks

• Gummies
• Trail mix
• Granola bars

Want to kit your TLC camper out with some Camp Canaan merch before they head out into the wild? Our online store has branded hats, T-shirts, and sweatshirts! These make great Christmas and birthday gifts ahead of our expedition.

You have three payment options when you register for camp in advance. We accept VISA, Mastercard, and Discover; we do not accept American Express.

1. Pay in full
2. Sign up for auto draft – Payments are drafted on the first Tuesday of every month until the first Tuesday in May
3. Pay a deposit; balance auto-drafted first Tuesday in May

Any camp registrations completed on/after the first Tuesday in May require payment in full at the time of registration.

All cancellations and withdrawals must be submitted via email to be valid (not over the phone); a cancellation is not final until the email is received. All session deposits are non-refundable.

• Cancellations for medical reasons must be accompanied by a letter from the attending physician. In the case of medical cancellations prior to the first Tuesday in May, we will refund camp tuition minus the non-refundable deposit(s). After the first Tuesday in May, medically-related cancellations will be refunded half the tuition.
• Cancellations made for any other reason, from the date of registration to the first Tuesday in May will result in the loss of each session’s non-refundable deposit.
• Cancellations made from the first Tuesday in May onward will result in the loss of the full tuition of each canceled session.
• Optional electives, such as paintball, rock climbing, and wakeboard/wakesurf, are non-refundable if canceled on or after the first Tuesday in May.