Yesterday, August 13, Wilderness Kids ran our last program of the summer. If you can believe it, school starts next week!
Six students, in grades seven to 11, ascended to the top of the Big Schloss–a wonderful rocky outcrop 2900 feet above sea level, offering expansive views, to the east, of Virginia and, to the west, of West Virginia.
Unlike so much of our summer at Wilderness Kids, there was not a drop of water along the way (except for the water bottles students and leaders carried). This stood in stark contrast to some of our other amazing adventures this summer, where water was in abundance!
In total 34 different students participated in 12 different outings this summer, ranging from one day to five days. We created 420+ student-hours of outdoor time plus 100 student-days of camping and exploring. It was our busiest summer yet in our first three years of programming.
Highlights included:
Our first-ever All Boys Trip: Inspired by the success of last year’s All Girls Trip, last week, a group of boys embarked to Grayson Highlands, where they biked the Virginia Creeper Trail, hiked to Virginia’s highest point–the forested top of Mt. Rogers - and swam in the chilly waters of the Cabin Creek Falls. Themes of this trip included helping the boys to build their communication skills and to work together in support of one another.
Clockwise from top left: On the inaugural All Boys Trip, students biked the beautiful Virginia Creeper Trail; Maaz (grade 8), Jimmy (grade 10), and Abbas (grade 7) cool off in the waters of Cabin Creek Falls; the boys enjoy the blustery wind on a fog-filled climb to Mt Rogers; celebrating the ascent to the Pinnacles in Grayson Highlands State Park.
Our 2nd All-Girls Trip. After last year’s huge success, the girls set off this summer for points north, including to the roaring waters of Niagara Falls, where students boarded the Maid of the Mist–getting soaked in the mist of the majestic falls. They also kayaked and swam in the water of Lake Erie, near Presque Isle. Themes of the trip included connection and communication among the girls.
Lake Sherando & Raven’s Roost: For the third year in a row, Wilderness Kids returned to the Lake Sherando Campground just south of Shenandoah Park. While the kids worked on their climbing skills for much of the second day of their trip, they also especially enjoyed cooling off in the waters of Lake Sherando. This trip was for our younger students, so much of the outing was about getting used to living in the outdoors, cooking meals, sleeping in tents, and also about being brave in the face of difficult things–like scaling a rock face.
Left to Right: Students strike a post before the expansive view from near Ravens Roost; Arezo (grade 8) takes time to write in her journal at Lake Sherando Campground; Abbas (grade 7) ascends the rock face at Raven's Roost.
Ohiopyle & the Youghiogheny River: Our most seasoned students set off to Ohiopyle, PA this summer. Ohiopyle is an outdoor treasure that offered us the chance to explore themes such as active listening, nature as home, and expanding our comfort zones. We rafted the mighty Yough and biked the Allegheny Passage as well as paying a visit to the ultimate home in nature, Frank Lloyd Wright’s nearby Fallingwater.
Clockwise from top-left: Students raft the mighty Youghiogheny, near Ohiopyle, PA; a little fun at the campsite as students team up to compete for the best 3 person pyramid; nature is home (part 1): Parvin, Ja'mea, and Madina (grade 9) enjoy some time in their tent; nature is home (part 2): students pose in front of the extraordinary home Fallingwater, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The summer was filled with other wonderful day trips – to ensure that those students not quite ready to spend an overnight away from home nonetheless had some great time in the wild with us. We made it to Sandy Point Beach, Difficult Run, the Shenandoah River, and Cunningham Falls, among other places that continued the theme of cooling down by getting wet on hot summer days.
Clockwise from top left: On a day trip this summer, Paola (grade 8) enjoys the waters of Difficult Run; Sophia (grade 6) and Arafa (grade 9) also take a dip in Difficult Run; Douha and Arafa (grade 9) tube down the Shenandoah River; students in our paddling cohort (led by Program Coordinator, Lauren) get ready to raft the Potomac.
Thanks to all of our students for a great summer, to their parents for giving us the opportunity to explore the natural world with the ones they love most, and to all our donors, volunteers, and staff for making it possible.
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