Weekly Update: July 20th, 2025

One of the luxuries of the modern technological era is the on-demand (and constant) verbal access to daily weather information. We can get it daily, hourly and even–with current Doppler tech–by the minute…scrolling right across our phones. We can ask Siri or Alexa and we can also get fancy and use pay apps that have lightning info (very useful) but are sometimes inaccurate…or you can use a different free version of a really good app (you think) but have to tolerate an advertisement bomb-cyclone. There are countless media streams for your weather forecast…yet we rarely know if they are right.

To a degree, meteorology and summer camp are actually far more similar than one might suppose. Both involve countless interactions and experiences (and countless data points) that lead to a general sense of what may happen under any given circumstances–but we can never be exactly sure. We can only make an educated guess and then we wait and see what happens.

Perhaps this is why we are all drawn to weather and weather prediction: we want to know what is happening before it happens and feel highly validated when the outcome is what we expect. But, sometimes, our predictions are off…or pressure changes make the atmosphere more (or less) volatile. The greatest irony, however, is that all of us at camp actually check those weather apps LESS in the summertime because we are outside and simply paying attention to the clouds.

Because of our penchant for cloud watching, both Big Spring and High Trails modified their Sunday Vespers tonight: High Trails had their Vespers on Boys’ Old Sunday Rocks and Big Spring hunkered down in the lodge as a series of rainstorms rolled through camp around dinnertime. Yet songs were sung, quotes were read and the sense of connected community was palpable.

Vespers (our Sunday evening, non-denominational community event) is a consistent tradition at camp that helps us start the week with community, contemplation and the occasional giggle (often stemming from someone inadvertently passing gas). It helps ground everyone at the end of the only day of the week when everyone is in camp. It helps us think about the triumphs of the past week while considering the opportunities, challenges and adventures ahead. It helps us sit– side by side–looking out over distant mountain ranges, beautiful valleys or at the homey fire in the Big Spring lodge fireplace and realize we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

This upcoming week, most of our oldest campers–including our JCs and Outbackers–will participate in 5 day coed service learning trips where they will learn and practice outdoor leadership skills (like cooking and hanging bear bags), engage in service work building and maintaining trails at camp and on some of the 14,000’ peaks we climb throughout the summer, and build community between our two camps. The trips are physically, mentally and emotionally challenging, yet our campers consistently say these trips are the most impactful of the summer…because they grow in new ways.

Similarly, our younger campers–including our Sanborn Junior campers–will head out on a dazzling variety of trips this week including overnights like: Artsy Craftsy, Ceramics, Fishing, Harry Potter, Riders of Rohan, The Katniss Everdeen Overnight, Star Wars, Mountain Bike, Lord of the Rings, Artisan Chef, Classic Slumber Party, Filmmakers, River, Canoe/Paddle, Quicks Homestead, NASA, Cowgirl/Cowboy Camp and 14,000’ climbs of Mt. Quandary, Mt. Huron and Mt. Elbert and all day trips like: Rock Scrambling, Yoga, Tech Rock, Crags Exploration, Find Your Way Back, Fossil Beds, Pony Express and Pancake Rocks…plus many more!

As campers gear up to head out on these adventures, there will be some potentially “stormy” emotions that accompany the experience…a possible High Pressure System of Nervousness coming down the mountain with the incoming, horseback riding Cool Front of Worry mixed with a Lightly Variable, rock climbing Chance of Excitement. We often remind ourselves and our staff that emotions are like the weather because they are always changing and–when our campers have big emotions prior to a big week of adventure–that is very healthy and very normal.

You may feel the “butterfly effect” of these upcoming trips in the letters you receive later this week–big emotions about new or old friends, concerns around missing home or missing out, stories about events that seem a trifle overblown or just the postcard with a drawing of a frowny face that says, “I love you, send a package.” If any of these come your way and you would like to connect, please do not hesitate to give us a call or send us an email.

Speaking of, with all of the adventures the campers are on this week–it IS a great week to send a care package. We want to remind families to NOT send food as food attracts wildlife, both large and small, to the tents and cabins. If your camper receives food in a care package, we will dispose of it upon receipt. Here are some ideas for non-food items for care packages:

• Hammock and hammock straps
• Books and magazines
• Journal, cool coloring books and pens and markers
• Card games, travel games or even a portable yard game
• Silly hats, socks or costume accessories
• Onesie pajamas
• Lip balm, extra sunscreen, new hat, sunglasses
• Crocs and gibits
• Meaningful t-shirt from home
• A box of letters, cards, photos from family members (including pets)
• Battery powered LED light string for decorating bed or bunk area
• New headlamp
• Sketchbook and pastel crayons
• A set of matching items for a unit or cabinside (10-12 items)
• Frisbee or hackysack
• Packable camping pillow
• Stickers to put on a waterbottle
• Pre-addressed envelopes (to you) and stamped postcards
• Mad libs and joke books

Anything else you can think of…except food!

A care package from home is a bit like the rainbow we all saw at Vespers tonight. It brought joy, wonder and excitement because it is special…just like each of your campers and the staggering amount of possibilities in the week ahead. We predict a week of sun, fun, growth and adventure!

We are looking forward to a fantastic week!