2nd Term Mountain Day 2021

Wednesday was a special day at Alpine Camp for Boys as we celebrated our 2nd Term Mountain Day. For those unfamiliar with the holiday, it began at camp long ago as the reciprocal of the 4th of July, which used to fall on the last full week of 1st Term. At Camp, everyday is exciting, but Mountain Day turns that up a notch.

At approximately 8:00am, our head counselors set out on golf carts to wake the boys up and get them excited for the day. Traditionally, everyone wears a creative and/or silly costume for breakfast, and this years lineup did not disappoint. Campers and counselors alike made their way to the Dining Hall where music blared over the speakers. Naturally, the field in front of the Dining Hall turned into a make shift dance floor. Those of us that aren’t morning people can be a little slow moving at the start of each day, but Mountain Day gives everyone here an extra spark to start the day.

After making their way up the ramp, the boys were greeted to a breakfast feast of pancakes (with optional toppings of blueberries and chocolate chips), sausage, and cantaloupe. After a delicious meal, all of camp gathered in front of the lodge for a special edition, all camp morning watch. Campers of all ages sang our wake up songs together, and Roderick shared a devotional with everyone.

Next up on the docket was the Olympiad, where all of camp faced off in various relays on the team sports field. The speakers played upbeat classics as the boys tried to outmatch the competition in games like the Missing Shoe Relay, the Three-Legged Race, and Waiter Wars, where the objective is to cross the field with two water cups held high on a frisbee while dodging Slaughterballs thrown by the opposing team. Meanwhile, the Chiefs tried their best to complete the all encompassing Chief Relay where each camper is responsible for a different task from football to washers to mountain biking, and even reading comprehension.

All that athletic activity called for a hearty lunch of barbecued chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Just like holidays at home, food plays a major role on Mountain Day. The boys then headed off for an extended rest hour, and, after store, the Hunters headed to the waterfront while the Trappers enjoyed an afternoon at the pool complete with a cannonball contest. The rest of camp had the privilege of playing Alpine Gold Rush. Think capture the flag rules, but the course is almost the entire camp. Each side is tasked with hiding and protecting 12 orbs (painted tennis balls) in their territory, and, simultaneously, having to try and recover the other teams orbs.

By the end of the game, the boys hit the showers and we got ready for dinner and the county fair. The Alpine COunty Fair is a site to behold. Boys flood the gym and team sports field for games including a counselor dunk tank, wheel of fortune, cake walk, football toss, and many more. No fair is complete without refreshments. Boys were given tickets to enjoy Mayfield ice cream, lemonade, shaved ice, and hot pretzels. For many boys, this is the highlight of the summer. They spend their time excitedly roaming around from station to station with their cabin mates, counselors, and friends. When the last game was played and the final ice cream cone consumed, all of camp headed to the tennis courts to watch a fireworks show over the team sports field. Cabins got to sit together and marvel as the dark sky was lit up with the crackles and bangs of the fireworks. Many have describe the entire summer at Alpine as a celebration, which logically means that Mountain Day is really a celebration among celebrations. It truly is a special day for all involved, and seeing it in all its glory once again was a sight to behold. With only a few days remaining in the term, there is still plenty of fun to be had. We can’t wait for all that lies in store!

Thanks for reading,

Wayne