Today was a hot and sunny one on the mountain. By the start of activities, it was clear that shady trees and water bottles were going to be key afternoon freetime ingredients. The continued dry weather also meant everyone hit the ground running from morning cleanup on.
Trips were cruising out of camp all day. Hikers made for Panthertown for some gorgeous hiking interspersed with excellent swimming holes. Climbers spent the day in Pisgah at Fate Osteen near Looking Glass. The mountain bikers had not one but two trips to Dupont today, both focused on Mine Mountain. Connestee had their moment on the high ropes course which was awesome to see (and hear!). Tonight, Connestee and the rest of Age Group 1 grabbed an early dinner and left camp on their Chill Night. I expect to see a bunch of frozen young guys returning to camp quite soon, fully loaded on Dolly’s ice cream to boot!
In camp the sunny heat certainly had the lake busy. Sailors were cruising in the morning breezes, and somehow consistently found it difficult to remain in their boat. Canoers certainly picked up on that opportunity and each class was finishing with guys gleefully bailing out of their canoes for a cool dip. Hikers got in on the action with some “Underwater Hiking” classes working their way through the lake. Swimmers felt like they were winning this afternoon and Choice Period free swim was very well attended.
Disc golf and tennis tournament matches were being handled throughout the day. It is impressive watching guys organize themselves around each other’s schedules and make those extra-curriculars happen inside of an already busy camp day.
Tonight, the sun is setting in a still-clear sky with the temps cooling off and a breeze picking back up. I think camp is about to enjoy a well deserved evening with some fireflies to catch, showers to handle, and cabin meetings to seal the deal.
At camp, group bonds and dynamics form incredibly quickly and grow strong in a short amount of time. Being in the constant presence of so many others is frequently a change for our campers who attend. This offers many learning opportunities regarding themselves and how to interact with others of different ages, interests, and backgrounds.
Last night, there was a neat moment amongst our oldest campers known as the Upper Seniors. It began with our camper leaders who have featured previously and do so again primarily because they continue to show others what camp can be. After the six gentlemen worked through a debrief around the Summit fire, they slowly and organically began to be joined by the rest of the Upper Senior group. Somehow, three camp song books were found and a banjo began to play. For a surprisingly long time, this group of rising 9th, 10th, and 11th graders sang (mostly acapella) camp songs around the fire together. Did they stay up past their lights out doing so? Yes they did. Was there a peep of protest in the face of such a genuine moment? Not a single one.
One of the neat pieces of a camp session is the tournament culture that pops up in a variety of endeavors. Our 3v3 basketball tournament is officially underway with teams composed of one counselor and two campers.
Age Group 1 (Hillside and Connestee): Ate dinner a little early and then headed out to Sliding Rock and Dolly’s for their Chill Night.
Age Group 2 (Foxhollow and Lakeside): Headed down to the canoe docks for Canoe Fill-Ups.
Age Group III (Chalet and Windswept): Spent the evening doing games in the Gym.
Age Group IV (Flattop and Overlook): Games on the Tennis Court.
Age Group V (Outpost and Sprucepine): Games on the Soccer Field.
Age Group VI (Pinnacle, Lookout, and Halfway): Spent the evening on the Waterslide and Iceberg.
Quick Reminder About Shipping Luggage If you are planning on shipping your camper’s luggage home, please use Ship Camps to schedule the shipment. Schedule your return shipment with Ship Camps (Not FedEx or UPS) as soon as possible to ensure everything gets back to you promptly after camp ends.
You may register your bags at our Ship Camps High Rocks Page or by calling Ship Camps at (855)-540-2267. We will not be able to accommodate items shipped home through other shipping services.
Ship Camps has great customer service and can help you with questions!
A busy hot summer day is winding down as I finish this up. May you enjoy the pictures this evening and we will see you back here tomorrow!
Woody Noland
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