“I loved my summer at The Bar 717. I was in such a unique environment, with immense support towards creativity, outdoor engagement, and overall joy. It is a one of a kind place that fosters your relationships with others and the world around you. I had never been in a place like this, and it is a blessing to be apart of such a family.”
C. O’Brien, 2023
“Working at Bar 717 truly changed my life for the better. Working with children and seeing them develop as people and knowing that you are developing as a person as well is an experience that’s well worth having and Bar 717 couldn’t be a better place to do it.”
R. Watters, 2023
“Bar 717 Ranch has provided me with a supportive and positive work environment for the past 7 years, which has had a significant impact on my personal and professional growth. The community values, the beautiful outdoors space, the fun and unique activities, and the amazing people there, have been something that I rarely see anywhere else. I am very lucky to have found this place.”
X. Villaraos, 2023
“This job is an amazing gift that has challenged me and taught me so many things about myself and how I want to exist in the world. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect with such amazing kids and coworkers in an incredibly beautiful place, and to be able to learn so much from each other. I really appreciate the community that you have built and I’m so incredibly lucky to be part of it. Each year I have left camp with so many amazing new memories, and enough joy to last me through the cold Canadian winter.”
A. Jellinek, 2023
“This place is just what I’ve been looking for. A community free of distractions and devices. This place gave me a chance to grow into a more confident and well rounded person. You can tell the care and purpose put into this place has been fostered over generations.”
B. Stockinger, 2023
“Working at the Bar 717 after having been a camper has been the single greatest experience of my life.”
D. Mugalian, 2023
“Last summer was the best summer of my life. I’ve never connected with a group of people, a place, and a way of living so quickly and so deeply. Camp was such a unique, immersive experience – so much more than just a ranch and the people on it. Living a philosophy of simplicity and collaboration was amazing and deeply satisfying, and I walked out of the gate a different person than I was when I entered.”
S. Maylor, 2017
“The time spent away from the modern day demands of a fast-paced world gave me the chance to dig my hands down into the soil every day, share a living space with interesting people from around the world who I can now call my friends, listen to the sounds of the birds and crickets, and—quite literally—smell the roses. Bar 717 Ranch and the gardens within it hold a warm place in my heart, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to spend my summer as part of such a lovely community.”
H. Hartlep, 2016
The most rewarding part of working at camp was watching campers come out of their comfort zones, both within friendships and platform dynamics and in facing challenges out on the alps trips. At camp, many of my campers were shy for the first few days, and seeing them at the end of the session, with all of their friends, was a strong contrast. On the alps, watching campers who had never done long hikes continue through an uphill battle (literally) and reach a lake at the top was very rewarding. Also watching campers dare to jump off of rocks, swim in cold water, or even make dinner in the woods for one of the first times they’d done so was rewarding. I loved encouraging them and then watching them take on new things and feel excited and fulfilled afterward and throughout the trips. Returning to camp after all of the preparation and navigating whatever arose during the trips, and seeing how happy and accomplished the campers felt, was an incredible feeling.”
B. Sellers, 2015
“The summer that I spent at the Bar 717 ranch has definitely been one of the best of my life. Having grown up in a fairly built-up area in the UK the scale and sheer beauty of the ranch took my breath away from day one, and that was just the start of it. As someone training for a career in education, the ranch changed my perspective on a lot of things. I saw children learn more through the enjoyment of the wonderful environment here than in many classrooms I have been in. It has certainly made a big impact on how I plan to approach my life as a teacher. More than that, the experiences here changed my outlook on life in general and I have taken the attitude of pitching in and working together as a big family to make things the best they can be back to my home life.”
A. King, 2015
This summer was my first on the ranch, although I know now it will be far from my last. Arriving as a new counselor I was apprehensive at first, but from the moment I stepped foot on the beautiful property and took a deep breath of the fresh air, I knew I had arrived somewhere very special. As I got to know my new Bar 717 family of counselors and staff, I soon came to know the true meaning and feeling of community that so many have come to love and appreciate about the ranch.”
A. Werner, 2014
Being a counselor was a wonderful experience and I am overjoyed that I had the opportunity to do it at the Bar 717. I know it’s a choice I will never regret. Everyone was always extremely supportive and positive. It creates an environment in which anyone can thrive. I plan on staying in touch with many people from the summer and as much as I travel I will see most again.
B. Cenotti, 2014
I want to be a counselor at Camp because I love working with kids! My favorite thing about camp is… that kids are alowed to be who they are. All kids at Camp are accepted and encouraged to express themselves.
KW, 2013
I am excited to come back to camp this summer, because there is no other place in the world like it! Last summer I came to the Ranch as a counselor without knowing a single person, and was pulled headfirst into the fun from the start. From sleeping under the stars and laughing with the campers, to learning the dances and trails to the best swimming holes, not a day goes by without having fun and learning how much you are capable of.
One of my favorite memories was on our last backpacking trip of the summer, when we trekked off-trail to our own isolated lake and spent the afternoon swimming between the warm rocks. We topped the night off with s’mores and singing, and enjoying our last night of having this whole mountain-world to ourselves.
TJ, 2013