Exploring Routes - Day 4

We got up earlier than usual today and packed up quickly. We had a big day ahead of us and so wanted to get on the trail early. Upon arriving at the trailhead, we looked at the map and went over what the hike would look like.

The campers took turns leading the group and pointing out features along the trail to watch out for. They helped each other up through tricky sections and gained more confidence along the way. We took our time, paused to catch our breath when the climbs looked daunting, encouraged each other, and just kept moving forward. Slow and steady.

At the top, there were a TON of blueberries. The question has arisen if this is hiking camp or blueberry camp…hard to say! Everyone was ready for a break and some lunch so we found a flat spot with a vast view and ate lunch (followed by blueberries of course!).

For some, this was their first time seeing a view like this. Mountains on either side of the trail as far as you could see. What made the summit even more dreamy was the lake at the top. We changed into bathing suits and quickly submerged in the cool water. Everyone decided to swim to the island in the middle of the lake and explore it. It was a pretty magical experience - that post hike euphoria, a beautiful view, and a mountain top lake to relax in.

On the hike down we played more word games, talked about scenarios and how we could survive in the woods, and got lost in conversations about middle school life. The ride home was quiet in a very content way. We arrived at the cottage and transitioned into free time. There was a lot of sleepy lounging, reading, showers, and opening tie dye.

We ate dinner together on the dock looking out at a pretty dramatic cloud display over the lake. After dinner, we free journaled and also wrote down thoughts to specific journal prompts. The short writing break gave our bellies time to prepare for some apple crisp :)

Although it was early, we were tired and so right after dessert we cleaned up and settled into our bedtime routine. There were a lot of shout outs to be given tonight! We drank our tea, read out loud, and worked on friendship bracelets.

There was one addition to the bedtime routine tonight — a lightning show! We were mid chapter and had to pause and turn all the lights off to marvel at the sky. It was a celebratory display to conclude a great day!