ER S2 2024 — Day 1
Parents, siblings, and campers arrived to a gorgeous morning for drop off. Following hugs and goodbyes, the campers enjoyed warm banana bread on the dock while the morning sun glistened on the water. Mornings at camp have the most incredible light.
We went over some basic norms for the week together, talked through rules and expectations, reviewed the general schedule of our days, and got the grand tour of the cottage. In preparation for our first hike, we created emergency kits and bathroom baggies, brainstormed essential hiking gear, and proceeded to pack our backpacks. We then prepared lunches for while on the trail, which included individual trail mix creations! After putting on sunscreen and double checking we all had the right gear, we drove to the Bald Mountain trailhead.
We started up Bald Mountain with an immediate incline, which continued that way until the summit. The campers LOVED the sections of the trail that required them to use both their hands and feet to climb. The top of the mountain was bald and overlooked endless other mountains. We ate lunch looking out at the view and talking about the different ones we could see that we might climb throughout the week. We finished lunch with a shared surprise treat!
When we returned to camp we immediately got our swimsuits on to refresh in the lake. Inspired by the olympics, the campers decided to come up with a synchronized swimming routine and the judges gave them a solid 9 on their final attempt. They are eager to return for the morning swim session to “perfect” their routine.
After swimming was free time. The campers showered and hung out by the fire as we waited for the perfect amount of coals for cooking our dinner. We ate pizzas and caesar salad, and finished the meal off with a s’mores competition.
The time quickly came to get into our pj’s, put the tea kettle on the stove, and choose string colors for friendship bracelets. We then took some time to learn about how to read contour lines on a map so that we could better plan our future hikes. We talked through our hike options for tomorrow and decided on one that is a little less steep than Bald Mountain. We then gathered with our tea to share “shoutouts” (kind words/recognition) about each other from the day. The evening ended with reading Nancy Drew out loud together before heading upstairs to let our sleepy eyes hit the hay!
