Weekly Update: June 25th, 2023

What a week! You may think…the coup, the submarine, Taylor Swift somewhere else…but, out here, we are just amazed. When the world pulls us back and forth, shouting for attention, “Can you believe?” “Did you hear?” “What will happen?” it is refreshing to remember that the campers are having a different experience.

After this week, we heard campers saying, “Can you believe how beautiful it was in Four Meadows when we were hawking the horses in the fog?” “Did you hear the coyotes in the valley last night? And the birds this morning as the sun started to come up?” “What will happen to those stars–those galaxies–in a million billion years?”

The second full week of camp is rich in experience and opportunity at both High Trails and Big Spring. From service learning and leadership trips like CORE and SOLE, to mountain climbs, to horseback two days, to independent “lone vigil” camping trips, to ceramics overnights, to canoe two days and to a fair amount of artisanally gourmet backcountry cooking and fishing, EVERYONE jumps into something new and everyone discovers their own competence.

Last week, we had our first-ever “Cow CORE,” designed by Wrangler/Photographer/Cattleman Josiah Neal where campers worked on their riding skills on trail and in the arena and then collectively worked our cattle herd, moving them from one pasture to another. As they were pushing cows, one camper said, “This is the coolest thing I have ever done!” Another camper on CORE Tech Rock discovered her passion for rock climbing, “I love that rock climbing is a puzzle that my body figures out!” On the SOLE Horse trip, campers became “bridle certified”: able to bridle their horse on their own and help others bridle, too. New and returning campers climbed their first 14,000+ foot mountains of the season, some making it to the summit, some getting turned back by deep snow, but all of them inspired by the vistas and views of the snow-covered peaks surrounding them.

Campers went into this week with enthusiasm, curiosity and–most likely–a healthy sense of nervousness. They have come out of this week with a new sense of their own abilities, interests and the sense of awe that only comes from time above treeline, rushing through trees on a bike, feeling a trout on your line, taking in the distant Collegiate Range from the back of your horse, and seeing the brilliance of planets, shooting stars, and the moon from the comfort of a cozy sleeping bag.

This competence will only continue to grow over the next week as High Trails campers head out on their 3, 4 and 5 day long trips across central Colorado, while Big Spring continues to range even further on foot, horse, canoe and bike and will explore the skies with the NASA Globe program, climb more mountains, rocks and build community on ridge and unit all days. Through this competence, our campers will deepen their confidence in themselves, in each other and in their ability to grow in and positively contribute to our outdoor community.

Though we may not be trending online (which is fine by us), we think a trend toward collaborative contribution is something that may just help us focus less on what’s going on “out there” and allow us to simply be “here” and supporting each other learn and grow every day. And your campers appreciate your support, too. We know mail has been slow, and some of you have received a sad letter during the last week. Beyond competence, another way campers deepen their self-efficacy and confidence is by working through the sad moments…and journaling or letter writing is a great way to help them process and “ride the wave” of their emotions. So, if you have received–or receive–a “sad” letter, know that your camper is writing to release those emotions and it will give them the opportunity to grow in new ways. This blog post may help a bit, too!

Because of “snail mail,” we have uploaded a letter your camper wrote today, as well as a calendar of their trips for the session, into the “Forms and Documents’’ environment in your Camp InTouch account. Please click the “Print” icon on the right side of the link to open. If you click on the link itself, it will open a blank form and not the letter or the calendar. You will need to have a PDF reader installed or choose a PDF reader app in order to open the documents.

We hope you enjoy the letter, this week’s photos and any letters that do arrive via mail. As for us, we are already asking, “What amazing adventures and experiences will happen next?”

Sincerely, Ariella, Krista & Oliver