Camps Ridgecrest for Boys

What Camps Ridgecrest for Boys does

Camp Ridgecrest for Boys is an overnight Christian summer camp founded in 1929 and located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina near Asheville, operating on more than 100 acres adjacent to Pisgah National Forest. The camp delivers a two-week traditional summer session program for boys combining outdoor adventure activities (ziplines, swimming, hiking, archery, canoeing, climbing, mountain biking) with Christian discipleship taught by trained Christian role models. Single-gender programming is a deliberate design choice to allow campers to grow without social pressures, and structured spiritual programming (chapel, quiet time, campfire devotions, cabin discussions) is layered into daily life alongside activity periods.

The core product is supported by an extended portfolio including Camp Crestridge for Girls (founded 1955, sister camp on adjacent property), the SALT (Service and Leadership Training) program for post-11th-grade young adults, the Wilderness Program for older Crestridge campers, and a Family Camp suite (Family Camp, Father Son Camp, Mother Daughter Camp) targeting multi-generational family units on weekend dates. Pricing is unit-based and varies by program — SALT at $1,275, Mother Daughter at $375/person, Family Camp at $495 for ages 6+ — with registration, forms, and parent communications handled through the CampInTouch platform.

The business operates under Ridgecrest Foundation, Inc., a Delaware nonprofit corporation formalized in September 2020 as the parent organization for Camp Ridgecrest, Camp Crestridge, and the Ridgecrest Conference Center, after LifeWay Christian Resources announced plans to divest these ministries. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer board; Phil Berry has served as Executive Director since September 2021. The operation runs on a small full-time team of approximately 20 staff supporting roughly 1,000 campers per session, with the brand sustained by 90+ years of operational history, multi-generational camper families, alumni networks, and a deliberate church-to-door recruiting tradition historically led by Ron Springs over his 50+ year tenure.

Name

Camps Ridgecrest for Boys

Legal name

Ridgecrest Foundation Inc.

Website

https://ridgecrestcamps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camp Ridgecrest for Boys is a nonprofit Christian overnight summer camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, founded in 1929 and serving approximately 1,000 boys per session through faith-based adventure programming under the Ridgecrest Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Summer Camps

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Youth overnight camps
• Christian camping services
• Family camp retreats
• Youth leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Black Mountain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Session Tuition: Families pay tuition for overnight camp sessions ranging from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. Programs include traditional summer camp, family camps (Father Son, Mother Daughter, Family Camp), and leadership programs (SALT). Pricing varies by program type and age group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Camp Ridgecrest for Boys operates an overnight Christian summer camp program in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, offering 2-week residential sessions for boys plus a portfolio of family camp weekends and leadership training experiences. Programming combines traditional summer adventure activities (ziplines, swimming, hiking, canoeing, archery) with structured Christian discipleship delivered by trained role models. The Ridgecrest Summer Camps portfolio also includes Camp Crestridge for Girls, Family Camp, Father Son Camp, Mother Daughter Camp, the SALT leadership program, and a Wilderness outdoor program.

Product overview

Ridgecrest Summer Camps is an overnight Christian camp program consisting of two separate, single-gender camps — Camp Ridgecrest for Boys (founded 1929) and Camp Crestridge for Girls (founded 1955) — located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina near Asheville. The core offering is a 2-week traditional summer camp session program with activities and Christian discipleship taught by trained Christian role models. The portfolio also includes family camp programs (Family Camp, Mother Daughter Camp, Father Son Camp) as weekend experiences; the SALT (Service and Leadership Training) program for post-11th grade campers; and the Wilderness Program for older Camp Crestridge campers. Both camps offer extensive on-site activity and skill programs (e.g., waterfront activities, adventure elements, team sports, outdoor skills). All camps operate under the Ridgecrest Foundation, Inc., formalized in September 2020 as a Delaware nonprofit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Camp Ridgecrest for Boys Overnight Christian summer camp for boys established in 1929, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Provides 2-week residential sessions with extensive activity programming and Christian discipleship taught by trained role models.
• Camp Crestridge for Girls Overnight Christian summer camp for girls established in 1955 on an adjacent property to Camp Ridgecrest for Boys. Offers 2-week residential sessions with activity programming and Christian discipleship taught by trained role models.
• Family Camp Weekend family camp held in early September that allows families to stay in private cabins and enjoy activities across both Camp Ridgecrest for Boys and Camp Crestridge for Girls properties. Pricing: Ages 6+ at $495, Ages 2-5 at $275, Age 1 and younger free; 10% discount for families sharing a cabin.
• Mother Daughter Camp Weekend camp experience for mothers and daughters held in late August at Camp Crestridge. Minimum age of 6 for girls, with cabin accommodations limited to no more than 10 people per cabin. Tuition is $375 per person.
• Father Son Camp Weekend camp experience for fathers and sons held in late August at Camp Ridgecrest. Minimum age of 6 for boys, with cabin accommodations in newly renovated cabins clustered around a bathhouse and limited to no more than 10 people per cabin.
• SALT Program Service and Leadership Training program for participants who have completed 11th grade. A month-long program spanning two camper sessions that equips participants with ministry and leadership skills; participants volunteer time assisting camp operations and are assigned to camper cabins. Cost is $1,275.
• Wilderness Program Advanced outdoor program for Camp Crestridge campers who have completed 10th grade. Limited to 20 campers per session, featuring 4 days and 3 nights of hiking across Western North Carolina trails with two different trips during a 2-week session; campers return to camp for remaining camp activities.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sunshine Pharmacy and HealthminorOthersContracted pharmacy in Black Mountain, NC that packages and dispenses daily medications for campers during the summer session. Provides computerized medication tracking system.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sky Ranch: Faith-based Christian summer camp and retreat center with locations in Colorado and Texas. Comparable on overnight Christian camp programming, multi-generational family camp offerings, and a foundation-supported nonprofit operating model.
• Kanuga: Episcopal retreat and conference center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, offering summer camps and year-round programming. Comparable on faith-based retreat/camp model, regional Blue Ridge location, and the combination of summer camp and conference/retreat operations.
• WinShape Camps: Faith-based residential camp program operated by the WinShape Foundation (founded by Chick-fil-A). Directly comparable on Christian overnight summer programming, leadership development tracks, and a non-profit operating model designed for long-term mission sustainability.
• Camp Pinnacle: Private co-ed residential summer camp located in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Comparable on the overnight camp format, regional Blue Ridge location, broad adventure activity mix, and similar pricing tier for traditional family camps.
• Kanakuk Kamps: One of the largest Christian residential summer camp networks in the U.S., serving thousands of campers across multiple sites in Missouri. Directly comparable on faith-based overnight programming, multi-generational family appeal, and diversified family camp/leadership program offerings.
• Pine Cove: Christian residential camp network operating multiple properties in Texas. Comparable on faith-based overnight camp programming, multi-generational family appeal, and a portfolio of specialty camps (day camps, family camps, leadership programs).
• Camp Greystone: Residential Christian summer camp for girls located in Tuxedo, North Carolina. Operates a similar faith-based, single-gender overnight camp model with adventure activities and a long-standing reputation in the same regional market as Camp Ridgecrest/Crestridge.

Regional players

• Montreat Conference Center: Presbyterian conference and retreat center in Black Mountain, North Carolina, near Asheville. Highly comparable on faith-based programming, regional Blue Ridge location, and combined conference + youth programming footprint.
• Lake Junaluska: Methodist retreat and conference center in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, with summer youth programming. Comparable on faith-based retreat operations and Western North Carolina geographic focus, but focuses more on assembly/conference programming than overnight youth camps.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Camping Services: National network of YMCA overnight and day camps serving hundreds of thousands of children annually. Comparable on the overnight summer camp format and broad activity mix, but operates as a broader, secular youth-development organization rather than a focused faith-based program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CampRidgecrest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ridgecrest-summer-camps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camps Ridgecrest for Boys