Oakland Feather
River Camp

Oakland Feather River camp is located in the Plumas National Forest, nestled along the beautiful Spanish Creek, approximately 4 hours north of the San Francisco Bay Area and 2 and a half hours from Sacramento. We are a ten minute drive from the nearest town (Quincy, CA) and a 90 minute drive from the two nearest cities (Chico, CA and Reno, NV). Quincy is a small but charming mountain town with most everything you might need during the summer. There is a Safeway grocery store, a Rite Aid pharmacy, a Health Food co-op store, a small hardware store, a movie theater, several restaurants and bars, a public library, and many independent storefronts. While OFRC strives to be a microcosm of Oakland, we are also proud to be members of the Quincy community!

We require that our on-site staff be fully vaccinated and undergo regular testing. Staff who are unable to be vaccinated will be required to wear a mask when in any building or within 6’ of others. In addition, in order to provide a safe experience for our campers and staff as well as uninterrupted operations throughout the summer, OFRC strongly recommends all campers be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. These requirements are subject to change at any time to ensure the health and safety of our campers and staff, and we will provide timely updates to registered campers if any changes are made to our safety plans for Summer 2024.

All summer staff live in rustic platform tents or rustic cabins with a regular twin-sized camp cot, a small table and chair, and a wooden shelving unit. Each staff tent/cabin is equipped with one electrical outlet or a portable power block and battery or solar-powered lighting. We’ll share a packing list prior to your arrival, but you should plan for linens or a warm sleeping bag and pillow. It is often quite cold in the early mornings at the start of the camp season. Our tents/cabins do not have plumbing, but there are bathhouses with private, stalled toilets and showers throughout camp. (PS – The showers in our main bathhouse have small windows that look over the river. If you haven’t showered while watching a bald eagle dive into the Spanish Creek, you haven’t lived!)

We provide meals for staff at no additional cost when the kitchen is in operation. And we are proud to have a track record of accommodating almost all dietary restrictions.  Occasionally between programs we will close the kitchen for short periods. During this time, staff members are able to use a small kitchen typically reserved for campers with special dietary needs. Because we share our woodland home with lots of critters, we do not allow staff or campers to keep food in their housing accommodations. Staff members may keep food in the staff lounge which is equipped with a cupboard and a full-sized fridge and freezer.

OFRC has a small laundry unit with three washers and four dryers onsite. Staff members do their own laundry, but there is no cost. We also provide complimentary laundry detergent and dryer sheets for staff members. You’re welcome to bring your own laundry detergent if you like a specific brand.

Time off varies slightly by department and position.

Daily: For program staff, the day consists of morning activities, afternoon swimming, and evening programming. Most program staff members will have at least an hour of free time during the day to relax and regroup. Unlike a traditional youth camp, we do not provide 24 hour overnight care for our campers, so that once the evening programs are done, staff are generally free to relax and unwind. Program staff alternate a nighttime rotation to be “on point.” The on-point staff member stays at the heart of camp after formal activities have ended, as families are settling down for the evening to be available in case a camper has a need that cannot wait until morning.

Support staff on an hourly schedule (Food Service Staff, Building and Grounds, Housekeeping, and Office Staff) are free outside of their scheduled shifts (typically 6-8 hours).

Weekly: Each staff member receives at least one 24 hour period off each week. The start and end time of each staff member’s day off is determined by their department.

Support staff on an hourly schedule begin time off when their last shift ends. For program staff, time off generally begins when your duties are finished for the day. Staff members should return to site and check in with the designated person by the designated time the following day. Additionally, all staff members are given a “break night” on the changeover day between sessions. 

Staff are generally not allowed to be on their phones while on duty, and it is recommended to keep your phone in a secure location. Wifi is available for staff, however is not as strong as you may have at home, so streaming and video calls can be imperfect. Staff can also access stronger wifi at the local library for free, one of Quincy’s cafes or coffee shops, or rent out a spot at a local coworking space, The Quincy Collective. Because of our physical location, there is spotty cell service onsite, however wifi is available to summer staff. There are a few key walkable areas where staff and campers are sometimes able to get a few bars of service. 

Many of our staff members arrive by car. The nearest airport is Reno-Tahoe National Airport (RNO). There is also an Amtrak Station and a Greyhound Station in Truckee, CA. We are only able to assist with ground transportation from these two sites, with prior arrangement. International staff will have their travel coordinated on a case-by-case basis.  Summer Staff are responsible for providing their own transportation during time off. Many staff members coordinate ride sharing during time off.