Mountain Madness: Group Leader Resources

Mountain Madness is the Archdiocese of Denver’s middle school youth conference. Every year 1100+ middle school students (6-8th Grade) gather at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park to encounter God through a “mountain-top” experience. The high energy speakers, dynamic worship, fellowship and adoration help ignite a passion for Jesus in your young people that encourages them to live their faith in every day life.

We are here to make registration easy! Registration is linked at the button below. A more detailed registration procedure will be provided on that page. You will be asked how many spots you wish to reserve for youth participants, chaperones and any priests, seminarians or religious attending with your group. There is a $50 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit for each spot. You will receive confirmation of your group registration through email. This conference typically sells out quickly. Please contact our office at 303-715-3252 with any questions you may have.

Meeting Rooms 
There are a limited number of meeting rooms available for parishes to use as a gathering space for small group times, and large group debriefing. Please contact our office directly if you would like to reserve a meeting room:  Laura.Becerra@archden.org

• Cost: $125
• Available: Friday at 4:00pm – Sunday at 12:00pm

Youth

Youth who are currently in grades 6-8 are eligible to attend Mountain Madness as a youth participant. Youth must be accompanied by an adult chaperone(s). No individual youth registrations will be accepted.

Group Leader

The adult responsible for organizing your trip and serving as the main contact for your group. Email and oral correspondence takes place between the group leader and the Archdiocese of Denver. The group leader must be attending the conference and will be responsible for the entire group during the conference.

Trip Organizer

Some groups utilize a trip organizer, separate from the Group Leader who is handling all registration and paperwork, but not attending the conference. Written and oral correspondence will take place between the trip organizer and the Archdiocese of Denver pertaining to registration of the group. If your group utilizes a person separate from the on-site Group Leader to handle registration, please provide contact information for both the Group Leader and Trip Organizer at initial registration for all communications pertaining to the conference. The Group Leader must be 21 years of age or older and in compliance with the policies of the Diocese under the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”

Adult Chaperone

Adult, age 21 +, attending to chaperone the youth. For the safety of the youth and to foster productive small group times, the ratio of adult to youth is 1 adult per 7 youth in your group. We ask that your group not exceed the maximum adult to youth ratio. This allows the maximum number of youths to attend this much sought-after conference. This weekend is challenging physically and spiritually. It is a time of deep ministry and small group time. We recommend that chaperones feel comfortable directing, sharing with, and praying with youth. Chaperones must be available at all times for youth and should not be preoccupied with matters outside of the conference. All chaperones attending with your group must meet the training requirements for youth protection in your (arch)diocese.

In order to effectively minister to your teens and for the safety of the youth and for the good of all involved in the conference, there must be at least one (Group Leader or Adult Chaperone) per seven youth/gender and a minimum of two adults per group. Ex. For every 7 female youth at minimum 1 female chaperone. For every 7 male youth at minimum 1 male chaperone. If you are bringing 7 or less youth, there must be a group leader and a chaperone in your group. Groups are unable to share chaperones with other groups in order to meet the minimum requirement of 1 adult (Group Leader or Adult Chaperone) per seven youth, per gender.

Priests are very important to Mountain Madness and a wonderful witness to our faith and the call for vocations. Priests are invited to help with the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Friday evening. Priests are invited to concelebrate Mass Sunday morning. Please bring your stole. Please have your priest register on the priest resources page and contact the office at youthministry@archden.org if you have any questions.

Although we strongly support Catholic family life, our staffing, facility constraints, and insurance regulations do not allow young children to be present at and/or attend the conference. In addition, the focus of the Group Leader/Adult Chaperones needs to be on the Youth participants. If these adults bring their own children, their focus will be split.

Plan to arrive at the YMCA of the Rockies between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM on Friday afternoon. When your group arrives, please go directly to your assigned lodge – registration will take place in each lodge.

The conference begins Friday evening at 7:00 pm.

The conference ends at noon on Sunday.

Registration

The registration fee includes conference programming and materials, 2 nights lodging, 5 meals (Saturday breakfast – Sunday lunch) and a conference t-shirt.

Meals

All meals beginning with Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch are provided. Dinner on Friday night is NOT provided. Please have your students pack a sack dinner for Friday or plan to eat on the way to Estes Park. There are many choices of restaurants in the town of Estes Park. Group leaders often bring snacks for their teens who get hungry in the late evening after the conference ends on Friday and Saturday nights.

Housing

Housing is included in the registration fee. However, there are additional fees if you choose not to fill the rooms to capacity (6 people per room). Please contact youthministry@archden.org for more information.

YMCA of the Rockies Housing is provided at the YMCA of the Rockies. Once the group is registered, we will contact you to gather housing information and organize the rooms under your group leader’s name. We will be housed in the Eastside Lodges just a walk away from the Assembly Hall, WGR auditorium and Dining Hall areas. Most dorm rooms have 2 bunk beds and 1 full size or queen bed and a full bathroom with shower. All are inside with large long hallways to each exit. Lodges are fully heated and carpeted.

We will do our very best to help accommodate whatever needs that individual may have. Remember, we can only help as much as you communicate with us. For that reason, please contact our office (303-715-3252) as early as possible to explain your needs.

If you have a member in your group with a food allergy that we need to be aware of (lactose intolerant, wheat/peanut allergy, etc.), please let us know. There is a section that allows you to share this information with us on the Group Information Form. The YMCA of the Rockies does try to accommodate dietary needs; however, we recommend that you bring some safe foods, just in case.

Each participant should bring clothing appropriate/comfortable for a church function and winter weather, his or her personal items, Bible, journal, and spending money (many participants like to get things from the Marketplace).

Estes Park is very cold and windy during the winter. Please bring warm coats and gloves. Dress to be casual, comfortable, and modest.

Seminarians, deacons and other religious are welcome to attend with your group, but they will need to pay the registration fee. They need not act as chaperones for your group. Please inform us as soon as possible if you will have any seminarians or other religious attending with your group so that we can arrange appropriate housing for them.