Author: Don Gentle

We enjoyed the cool mountain air and light rain on and off throughout the day.  We still climbed, paddled, and did most everything else without a hitch. I think the cooler air made for a nice change.  There are some cool pictures from today’s river trips.  We also had a climbing trip out today and… Continue reading Not Even Fair…

Sundays are special here at High Rocks.  We want to be sure the boys have some time for reflection and to change it up a little bit.  Rest is important.  We give the boys an extra thirty minutes to sleep in on Sundays and we also share some important lessons down by the lake. Today was a… Continue reading Our Only Sunday

The weather was near perfect up here with temperatures at just around 80 degrees for the hot part of the day. There was a light breeze with mostly to partly cloudy skies.  Western North Carolina was meant for summer camp! We are also situated right at 3000 feet, which gives us even a little more… Continue reading Real Place, Real Importance

I really do enjoy the quiet of the morning here at High Rocks. You see a few staff up early or exercise but for the most part, it is still.   I like to take a few minutes on the porch to view the lake and appreciate the moment. The cool mountain air and a mostly… Continue reading Friday Fun and Mudpit

The boys are beginning to figure out the high-energy camp day. They even looked a little winded already this morning.  I think the constant movement and excitement of camp are set in a bit.  You see it in the morning wake-up process. The boys are not jumping out of bed as quickly as they did… Continue reading So Much Fun

As I walked around camp today, I enjoyed seeing all the learning happening. By design, these boys choose their own activities. They choose the path and how to walk it. Of course, there is guidance and some discussion from a mentor on opinions about how best to succeed. Ultimately, it is up to the individual… Continue reading We Get To Choose

I enjoyed hearing the first wake-up bell of the session ring this morning.  In recent years it has been immediately followed by an energetic “GOOD MORNING HIGH ROCKS.”  It’s been something of a modern tradition that has caught on over the years.  The most excited person lately has been Nate our Camp Chef and kitchen manager. … Continue reading Here Comes A Memory

It sure was a wonderful opening day of the season! I certainly enjoy meeting new families and reconnecting with so many of the boys that come back year after year. It was fantastic to jump into the summer with such a fantastic group of boys. I am so excited to share the wonder of what… Continue reading Welcome Two Week Campers

It was a wonderful finish to our July session today. We kicked off the day with our advanced horseback riders giving us a drill team show in the big ring.  The next big event was the final match of the counselor-camper tennis match. The final two camper-counselor pairs matched off while several campers and staff… Continue reading End Game and Final Campfire

It’s hard to believe that today was the last full day of activities.  There were still a few trips out today including a paddling trip to the Tuckaseegee and one more mountain biking trip to DuPont. We all had a great time with our cabinmates this evening.  Each cabin group picked different places in camp… Continue reading Cabin Night, Upper Senior Dinner, and Wishes!

It’s hard to believe we are hitting the last few days of the session here already.  I enjoyed seeing another group of trips out this morning including the Mini Men canoers making their first river trips down the French Broad.  My hope is that it is one of many in the future. There was another… Continue reading Wait! I’m Not Ready to Leave!

Mondays always start with a lot of excitement.  We had 6 trips out of camp today and 2 additional special events on the high ropes course. Rock Climbing had two trips out to our private High Rocks climbing area.  It’s so close, that we don’t even get in the van and the boys are finished… Continue reading Busiest Day Yet