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a camper loving the zipline to a counselor being able to see the behind the scenes of the camp. Due to his spina bifida, a neural tube defect, Ediger moves around using a wheelchair. He says he hopes to be a roll model and continue his legacy at camp. “I think it’s really cool how accepting of an environment it is that you get to then be as silly as you want and wear tutus all day long and you just get to do random ridiculous things that just normally wouldn’t make any sense, but they simply do make sense at camp,” says Ediger. THE NEXT CHAPTER After two decades of finding ways to say “yes” to children with complex medical needs, Roundup River Ranch isn’t finished growing. Johnson says the organization plans to continue expanding its programming, with new ropes courses, new buildings, and more opportunities to bring the joy of camp to families through its outreach programs. “When we started 20 years ago, there was a smaller list of diagnoses that we serve. That list keeps expanding as we’re able to medically support a wider range of campers,” emphasizes Johnson. “If your child has a diagnosis that has really impacted their life, and you’re looking for joy, and you’re looking for connection, just ask.” Not only is the camp for campers, but Johnson says families are also a big part of their mission. The ability to provide respite for caregivers, for parents, for the camp to take on responsibility for a week—it matters. Johnson encourages everyone to think beyond their own family. “Even if it’s not my child or my relative, we are all here to provide experiences for children who can’t experience ordinary childhood joy in the same way that healthy children often can. Roundup River Ranch invites children, families, staff and volunteers in to build something special together - who knows what will spark light for kids, volunteers or staff. The ripple effect from camp is real and lasting.” For Ediger, that sense of possibility is what keeps bringing him back. And after 20 years, that cycle continues: Campers arrive ready for an adventure and leave with confidence, independence, friendships, and a community that reminds them they belong. For Roundup River Ranch, that’s what hope looks like—and why the next 20 years matter just as much as the first. To learn more about Roundup River Ranch or find volunteer opportunities, visit roundupriverranch.org.
Roundup River Ranch Celebrates 20 Years
BY AMELIA ROESSLER
R oundup River Ranch defines hope as the idea that tomorrow can be brighter than today. The Gypsum- based nonprofit offers children with life- altering diagnoses and their families the chance to embrace joy, create connections, foster independence, and build hope. Now, they are celebrating 20 years. Over the past two decades, the nonprofit has made nearly 40,000 camper experiences possible for children with life-altering diagnoses and their families, completely free of charge. Behind that number are thousands of childhood moments that illness can so easily interrupt: first nights away from home, friendships formed around a campfire, flying down a zipline, performing on stage, riding a horse and discovering, I can do this. From weekly summer camp sessions and family camp weekends in the mountains to year-round experiences online and in person, campers ages 7-17 experience world-class medical care during their stay. FOUNDED ON A DREAM Roundup River Ranch is more than a 125- acre campsite—it was built around the idea that every child deserves the chance to experience childhood joy and connection. They also do programming in and around Colorado, called Howdy Hangouts, that include field trips to Rockies games, festivals, and more. The camp started as a part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, one of the strongest medical camping organizations in the world. But finding the right location took time. President and CEO, Sarah Johnson, says the Gypsum property’s roughly 6,000-foot elevation allows Roundup River Ranch to safely serve campers with a wide range of diagnoses.
will never pay anything, because regardless of your socioeconomic status, if you have a child that has a life-altering diagnosis like the ones that we serve, it’s financially burdensome, and we don’t ever want finances to be a barrier to these experiences,” says Johnson. While Johnson jokes that it was a crazy idea to put a camp for medically complex kids three hours from a major metro, the beauty of the camp lies in its location in the Rocky Mountains. The ranch-like setting on the Colorado River allows for camp activities like horseback riding, a challenge course, zip lining, archery, and tons of arts and crafts. CELEBRATING A LEGACY Johnson explains the camp is such a joyful place filled with dancing, songs, and doctors and nurses in tutus. As the camp has grown, so has its ability to serve and take care of more complex kids. With the growth of the medical field, the camp has also grown in its knowledge and experience, including the medical staff who volunteer at the camp. The camp has also started an alumni program for the kids that have gone to camp from age 7 to 17 and would still like to be involved. This Spurs Program provides leadership training and an opportunity to think about what’s next, which might involve being a seasonal camp staff as well. Everett Ediger, a previous camper, Spurs participant, and now camp counselor, says when he graduated from camp, he was really sad about the idea of not coming back to camp. “I wanted to be able to continue the magic for other people and continue getting to experience things through camp as a counselor,” explains Ediger.
On top of that, camp is always free. “That was one of [the founder’s] rules, is that campers
Having attended camp since 2014, Ediger explains that he has enjoyed going from
8 COLORADO PARENT NOVEMBER 2026
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