Weekly Update: July 26th, 2026

After the dance last night, a number of the JC’s (Junior Counselors) were hanging out at the Health Center gabbing with the nurses, and were talking about the past week. They talked about rafting on the Arkansas, watching the sunset at The Great Sand Dunes, singing every night with the Outbackers (who are SUCH great guys! They are SO fun to hang out with! Last year they didn’t even TALK to us!), and how excited they were to go on long trips this week–many of them with the younger campers they mentor on the ridges. One of the girls commented, “I can’t believe this is my last year as a camper–the time has gone so fast…” another, who is working with the Sanborn Junior campers said, “I miss my girls so much already, even though they just left this morning–I can’t wait to meet my new kids on Monday!” And another said, “This is the best year ever…I am loving every minute…even climbing Mt. Princeton…” At that comment, there was a collective groan, and a number of, “It was so hard we cried every mile!” “I am STILL sore!” “That was the hardest thing I have ever done!” “It was so beautiful!” “I can’t believe we did it!” “I am so proud of myself.”

As they went back to their cabin (without a headlamp…the moon is almost full), our nurse looked over and said, “Those girls and all they can do: for themselves, for each other, for the other girls at camp, for the whole Sanborn community…gives me hope for the next generation and for the world. They truly know they can accomplish anything–especially if they do it together.”

Vignettes like this happen every day at camp. A new Sanborn Junior parent sent a note that said, “After we left on Saturday, and between the non-stop stories, she just kept sighing and saying, ‘I’m a part of Sanborn now.’” Each of our campers have had moments this week of challenge and triumph. The fish that got away, and the one that we kept and ate for dinner. The storm that soaked us, our horses, our boots, our jeans, our socks…”everything!” and the beautiful sunset and sunrise we watched as we hawked the horses. The challenging climb at Turkey Rocks where we couldn’t quite figure out the move until a new friend from the other camp started coaching and cheering us on. The FREEZING temperatures when we stepped out of the tent to climb our first (or fifth) 14,000ft mountain, and the incredible feeling of standing above the clouds, above the peaks, above all of Colorado with people we didn’t know existed less than 2 weeks ago.

We often say that camp is set up on a progression: campers learn skills and build on them over the two or four weeks they are here. Yet that makes it feel like a linear experience. Camp is more like an expanding balloon, with each experience, conversation, hard laugh, silly joke, feeling of pride, shout-out, good meal, skit, game, song and hug adding oxygen to every multi-dimensional day–as broad and deep as it is wide and tall. And, as we all know from the classic film “Up”, a whole bunch of balloons can really take us places.

And, OH the places we have gone…and the places we still will go!

Tomorrow, we welcome our final (WHAT?!?!) group of Sanborn Junior campers. These small, but wildly enthusiastic (and quite balloon-like in many ways) will usher in these last two weeks of camp with their enthusiasm and excitement for everything. They will backpack, explore, ride, hike, rock scramble, float and dig (in the mud, for fossils, in the culvert, in the sand) and play, play, play! We were sad to see our third session campers leave on Saturday–it was a fantastic group who grew and learned together in the outdoors. They all had great Closing Campfires on Friday evening where they sang songs, read quotes and reflected on how they had grown over the two weeks by trying new things, making friends, being with supportive counselors and–once again–having a lot of fun!

This week, High Trails campers will head out on their 3, 4 and 5 day “long trips” and will collectively hike hundreds of miles, climb 13 different mountains, circumnavigate 11 Mile Reservoir, ride trusty steeds through miles of pine and aspen forests and across wildflower-filled fields, and capture the landscape around them through art and their own personal expression. Staff have been planning these trips for a couple of weeks, and–after six weeks+ in Colorado–our staff understand that many of our trips include fun…and, most recently, a fair amount of rain (which we are quite happy about). Going from a desert to a rain forest in a week has given our campers and staff additional opportunities to plan ahead, be adaptable and find joy in what is, at the time, “Type 2” fun. “Type 2” fun is the sort of fun that may not feel fun when it is happening–but, after it happens, we tend to find those moments to be the most powerful, memorable and, oddly enough, delightful (see above for JC Mt. Princeton story).

Similarly, Big Spring campers will spend this week on ever more challenging overnights and all day trips–with climbs of Shavano/Tabeguache, Ouray and the marathon length Spring Tank Bomber. They will also take on new challenges and adventures with mountain bike trips to brand new sites and a “Rock n’ Ride” two day trip where campers will ride horses to the rock crag, transforming cowboys into climbers and back again and a Survival Tracking overnight. There will also be fishing, river floats, rock climbing, horseback rides, hikes to Pancake Rocks and Mueller State Park, fossil beds explorations, NASA overnights, tasty treats on Artisan Chef and so much more.

On all of these trips and activities, memories will be made and the sense of self, community, earth and wonder will continue to expand. The rain has cleared the air of smoke, cooled the landscape, and helped fresh green grass sprout anew. Like the third term Sanborn Junior camper who is now “part of Sanborn,” the campers and staff are breathing in the day-to-day experiences and exhaling into a relaxed sense of place and possibility.

We’ll send you a postcard from Paradise Falls! (or just some photos from camp next Sunday)