ER S2 2024 — Day 2

We woke up and started our day by going for a refreshing swim in the lake. The water was so still and quiet! Some of the campers went out in the kayak and got a clear beautiful view of the towering mountains around the lake, one of which was Bald Mountain! Once back at the beach, they finished working on their synchronized swim routine and then dried off and headed inside for a breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and fresh fruit.

Each morning we all help out with “morning contributions” to tidy up the house and make our shared space feel good. The campers took these very seriously today and decided on their own to time themselves and set their first record — completing all their tasks in 13 minutes. Once we had packed our bags and checked each other’s gear, we hopped in the car and headed out for our hike of the day!

Once we arrived at the Mount Pisgah trailhead, we looked at the map again and discussed how challenging we thought the hike would be based on the contour lines, which we had learned about yesterday. We determined that the hike would be relatively gradual with a steep incline towards the top of the peak. We then set off, led by our first fearless camper. Along the way we learned about different plants and mushrooms, ghost pipes being one of everybody’s favorite. At the top of the mountain we enjoyed our sandwiches, which had been carried the whole way up by the counselors. We then mustered up the courage to climb the fire tower for a STUNNING view. Even though we were all a little nervous, the view was definitely worth it!

On the way back down the mountain, the campers stepped up to a new challenge and took on the role of “guide” for the counselors’ pretend characters. One counselor pretended to be an excited but impatient new hiker, and the other was a very eager and curious flora and fauna explorer. The campers did a great job of leading the group at a comfortable pace while respecting the trail and teaching the new counselor characters about some of the plants along the trail (which they themselves had learned about earlier in the hike). After noticing the group energy was a little low, we began playing a word game and quickly found ourselves back at the parking lot. The campers proved to be excellent guides for the second half of the hike…so excellent that we decided ice cream was in order!

Once we returned home to the cottage, we enjoyed a long swim time in the lake before free time and showers. The campers spent their free time doing various activities — playing games, reading on the porch swing, talking by the fire, and helping make dinner.

We ate dinner on the dock and discussed — both as a group and individually with the counselors — our hike options for tomorrow. As soon as dinner was over and the sun began to hint at setting, the group was excited to head inside and get ready for early bed after two big days of hiking! We sat together in the living room and shared kind “shoutouts” and then enjoyed tea and listening to Nancy Drew. After two chapters, we headed upstairs for quiet time in our own beds before lights out. Although it was bedtime for us, it was not for the loons and we fell asleep to the sound of their beautiful calls echoing across the lake…