Hiking and Climbing Into Week 2
The Chiefs are our oldest campers at camp, rising 9th and 10th graders. It’s a big deal for a boy to continue to return to camp for these last summers. There are many choices of summer options at this age. We think they are pivotal years for a camper to return. If I had a nickel for every young adult who has told me they regretted skipping one or both of their last summers at camp I’d be sitting pretty. This is the time when a boy needs other voices besides his parents the most. Especially voices that are just a few years ahead of where he will be soon, like a college counselor. It’s hard for our teenagers to ever picture themselves being “old, boring parents” but a cool college guy, well . . .
We are so happy this summer to have the most Chiefs on the Ridge (their cabin area) in Alpine’s history, almost 90!Yesterday, our Chief 2’s boarded a chartered bus bound for the mountains of North Carolina and the Appalachian Trail. This is a pinnacle trip for their years at Alpine. They’ll spend 4 days hiking the trail, split in 5 groups, with counselors and guides from Higher Ground out of Rome, GA. I ventured on this trip when I was a camper and a counselor - a true highlight of my time at camp - and hope these guys will say the same. They’re packing everything they need on their backs, including food, tents, sleeping bags, and other supplies. Water is gathered from local mountain streams and purified for drinking. Sunday afternoon was spent with their guides packing and being briefed on the trip. Thursday night will be the best warm shower they’ve ever had!
Meanwhile, our Chief 1’s are enjoying some adventure of their own. Half the group trekked to a place called Sandrock village yesterday, about a 30 minute drive. It’s a beautiful spot south of us with giant rocks for rapelling and climbing, some fun technical hikes, and scenic overlooks off the mountain. The other half stayed at camp and enjoyed an afternoon of skeet shooting with our head of Target sports, Curtis Massey. Curtis is a local retired police officer and expert marksman who helps the boys learn skill and safety. Tomorrow they’ll flip flop activities.
The rest of us have carried on with a full slate of activities these last few days, from sun up to sun down. Boys are into the groove of camp, any homesickness having disappeared at this point. Today might be my favorite lunch of the term - she serves a Thanksgiving-esque lunch - sliced turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and dressing with gravy. A feast for a June Tuesday lunch!
Tonight we have the Kitchen Boys the night off, with their counselors. Instead of eating in the Dining Hall, we enjoyed a taco buffet picnic. Buffet lines were piled high with ground beef, tortilla chips, rice, black beans, chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes, grated cheese, salsa, and sour cream. We ate outside around the rock walls and chair circles surrounding the Dining Hall on one of the most beautiful nights of the summer thus far.
After a night of Glee club singing and night program games, all are back in cabins listening to devotions with their counselors. This is one of my favorite times to walk around camp and listen to the muted sounds of campers and counselors settling down for the night. Many times counselors will let the boys go around and tell their highs and lows for the day or give prayer requests. Often counselors will read a story to the boys each night once they are in bed, the Chronicles of Narnia series being one of the favorites. Carter keeps a great supply of children’s books and stories in her office for loan to cabins.
Thanks for reading and good night for now, Glenn
