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Kingfisher Academy Tree Club

November 30th, 2011 Classes,Kingfisher Academy,Outdoors Education

This school year, Jonah is leading an ongoing program called “Tree Club” with elementary students at Kingfisher Academy in Atlanta. Every two weeks, this group travels to an intown greenspace to study trees, explore the woods, and hike. We learn about two more trees each week and we’ve posted a blog about our adventures and our trees.

Visit the Tree Club blog by clicking on this link or on the photo to the right!

Spring Kingfisher Camping Trip

November 29th, 2011 Backpacking,Camping,Kingfisher Academy

Now that it’s winter, we’re catching up on some past-due blog posts. Expect more stories about trips from the spring and summer of 2011 to be posted in the next weeks.

The Big Picture: We’ve been working with Kingfisher Academy students for several years now, and by the Spring of 2011, the middle school students were virtually pros at camping. With beautiful weather, we set out for a two-day camping trip near the Chattooga River. Because this group of students had so much experience camping (they had even been on a full-fledged backpacking trip in the fall), our goals on this trip were to introduce them to some of the flora and fauna of north Georgia, learn some fire-by-friction skills, and have fun!

Activities: Though we walked 1/2 mile to our campsite, this didn’t tire the students out. The sun was shining, so we went down to a sandy beach along the Chattooga and swam. I’m still amazed that the kids stayed in the water as long as they did (it was kind of chilly to me!) but this was a group of water lovers. Unfortunately, we heard thunder that evening, and had to set up a large tarp structure to stay dry around the fire that evening. Sarah and Tyler (two of our guides) gave lessons on making fire using a bow-drill. The next day, we took a day hike and taught each student one native plant that has a special use. The students, in turn, had to teach each other the plant that they were now an expert on.

The plants we learned: Pipsissewa, Tulip Tree, Hemlock, White Pine, Trillium, Rattlesnake Plantain

Graduates: On this trip, we had three students would be graduating from Kingfisher Academy in May. Upon graduation, these students had each been on at least 3 camping trips with me though none of them had ever been camping before coming to the school. I hope these take this experience with them in their lives, knowing they can do anything!

If I had to sum up this camping trip in three words they would be: Capstone, Laughter, Swimming

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Kingfisher Backpacking Trip

December 6th, 2010 Backpacking,Camping,Kingfisher Academy

This year, we’re leading two overnight trips with the students in the High Adventure Club at Kingfisher Academy. Usually, we design Kingfisher camping trips around a campsite that is no more than a half mile from the bus. But since we’ve been working with Kingfisher for more than a year, we decided to plan a backpacking trip this year.

As usual, during the week before the trip, we helped the students pack their clothes and other gear into backpacks. I was excited to see the students who had experience on last year’s camping trips teach the new students. “We put all of our clothes in plastic bags to protect them from the rain.” “It’s best to strap your sleeping pad to the bottom of the pack.” “Using a headlamp is a ton easier than a flashlight.” This was the easiest pre-trip experience I’ve had at Kingfisher Academy, thanks to the students!

Unfortunately, when Sarah (the second Sure Foot guide for this trip) and I arrived at school on Monday morning, we found out that one student was sick and another couldn’t go on the trip because of her grades (report cards had come out on previous Friday). With sadness for the loss of these two participants, but excitement because of the great weather forecasted for our trip, we loaded gear onto the bus and set out for the Panther Creek Falls trailhead.

Prior to this trip, we did have some experience backpacking with a group of Kingfisher Students. Last year, one of our groups of Kingfisher campers chose to backpack to a campsite one mile further down the trail rather than stopping at the one we planned to camp at. But only one of those students was still at the school this year. So I really didn’t know what to expect from this group.

But I knew the hike would be difficult: the Panther Creek Falls trail is rugged and has a few significant uphills. Plus this group of students are young (some as young as 10 years old) and still learning how to behave in the woods. But this was the perfect trip to try something more difficult. Since no rain was predicted for our trip and the temperatures were to be mild, a difficult hike wouldn’t destroy morale. Instead, it could challenge the students to learn more about their abilities and grow their self-confidence.

When we arrived at the trailhead, the kids all hoisted their backpacks and set out at a fast clip. They were on the trail so quickly that I had to corral them for a group photo a quarter of a mile down the trail. One young man was so energetic and excited about the hike that he asked if he could walk (with his pack) forward and back on the trail while everyone else rested.

Fatigue set in quickly and the pace slowed. After a downhill, one student stumbled and twisted his ankle. So, a little more than an hour into the trip, I was already using an ACE bandage. Luckily, this mishap happened less than 100 yards from our campsite, and it’s amazing what lunch and rest can do for an ankle. But early afternoon, everyone in our group was back up on their feet, tents pitched, bellies full, and off on a day hike to Panther Creek Falls.

The Panther Creek Trail is special because, as you near the falls, the trail climbs up onto the cliffs above the creek and winds through beautiful and rocky passages above the water. Trail crews have built cable railings to add safety to the route, but the hike still feels adventurous. Unfortunately, a little too adventurous for some of our campers. While Sarah went ahead with one

group (surprisingly, the younger students) who flew down the trail, I stayed in the back with a group of kids who clung to the rocks and cables as if every step was towards doom. On many of our other day hikes and outdoors activities over the last two years, these students have been more than capable and often excelled. But today, their confidence was low. There’s definitely a different feel to a hike when you begin at a primitive campsite as opposed to when you begin and end at your vehicle?

Despite the trepidation and slow pace, we soon arrived at the waterfall – one of my favorite in all of Georgia. I still have yet to come here in the summertime, but the pool under the falls looks excellent for swimming. This time, we only waded in the chilly water, exploring the falls and then quickly going back to shore to bring our numb feet back to life.

The walk back to camp tired us all out – for good reason. We had walked 6 miles! But I told stories and as usual, a good story acts as a tether, pulling hikers down the trail.

That evening, though it was cold, the students collected firewood, cooked dinner, made s’mores, and completed all of our camp tasks. Compared to our first night on Cumberland Island last year (where we had the privilege of running water and bathrooms), this evening was a cinch. The students knew what had to happen before bed and got it all done efficiently.

The next morning, we awoke to golden sunlight streaming through the trees. We spent the morning searching for geocaches hidden nearby and removing a large human-built campfire structure. This was the largest “service project” Sure Foot has ever done. Our goal was to reduce the human impact on an already high-use campsite by removing the rock structure that draws so many campers to this area. Here are the “before” and “after” photos:

Overall, the beauty of this trip was in watching kids who do not have a great deal of wilderness experience gain more and more confidence. I usually believe I’m being an activist by teaching people to be conservationists. And though I believe many of these students will continue to care for their environment and spend time in the outdoors, my biggest hope for this trip is that it influences these kids to be confident adults – in no matter what activity they do.

I don’t think the students realize what a symbolic act we accomplished on this trip: we each put everything we needed to survive (and even thrive) on our backs and walked away from civilization, only to create a small home in the woods, live without walls, running water, or electricity, and emerge from the experience successful!

This is how Sure Foot Adventures facilitates personal transformation. Sarah and I did not deliver drastically different kids home to their parents on Tuesday evening, but a backpacking experience cannot help but shift them internally. I am thankful have shared this time with such good kids.

Kingfisher October Day Hike

November 29th, 2010 Day Hike,Kingfisher Academy

During the 2010-11 school year, Sure Foot Adventures is again working with students at Kingfisher Academy in Atlanta. Our Explorers Club is going on urban explorations and seeking geocaches. Our Chicken Team is raising chickens on campus. And our High Adventure Club is going on day hikes and backpacking trips.

The High Adventure Club is made up of Kingfisher’s middle school students – ages 10-14. And on a blustery day in October, we went on our first day hike of the year at Mount Arabia in Dekalb County.

There was a tornado watch in Cobb County and we almost canceled the hike as a result. But as always, I had been watching the doppler radar all morning and knew there was a good chance the storms wouldn’t arrive until late afternoon. So, we tentatively set out with the assumption that our hike would be cut short. I even planned a route that would keep us close enough to the bus that we could make a quick exit.

Instead of storms, we were greeted with warm breezes and even some blue sky on the mountain. Though our group hiked 4-5 miles, the students were strong enough hikers that we were able to spend much our time exploring the particularly interesting parts of Arabia-Davidson Park.

We explored an area of the mountain that had been mined for its granite, finding many remnants from the mining operation. We cleaned up an area around a lake, carrying the trash back to the proper receptacle in the parking lot. It was warm enough that the students even took their shoes off and waded in pools at the mountain’s peak. Some of them remembered a trip here last winter when the pools were full of ice. They asked why there was no ice this time and I pointed out that they were wearing short-sleeved shirts!

All morning, I was watching the skies and dreading the coming rain that would surely soak us to the bone. The students were not prepared with proper rain gear and I worried that rain would destroy their enjoyment of the hike. Instead the students told me about how excited they were about hiking in the rain! They wanted to get wet! What a difference from last year when our first day hike was punctuated by rain and the students grumbled and complained. I’m really happy to see them feel more and more comfortable in nature.

Towards the end of our hike, I pulled out my GPS and handed it to the students so they could find two geocaches hidden in the park. Almost immediately after this artificial treasure hunt, one student found and caught a natural treasure: a small lizard. And then another young woman caught a tiny frog. Watching the students hold and study these animals reminded me of Richard Louv’s assertion (in Last Child in the Woods) that the greatest form of education is when we can truly touch, feel, and immerse ourselves in nature without the walls and bars of a zoo or science classroom.

Though I struggle with the question of how long to allow kids to hold lizards (too much handling is bad for the animal), I usual come down on the side of letting them truly connect with the animal. What better way to gain an appreciation for the natural world than to care for a small animal? The students learned to look closely and carefully and to be gentle with creation. I don’t believe it’s possible to take a hike with kids and not become just a little bit more of a conservationist.

As we approached the bus at the end of our day hike, our legs were tired, but everyone had smiles on their faces – until the first rain drops began to fall and I told the students to get in the bus. They wanted to walk further and let the rain soak them!

“The Fall Colors of Mount Arabia“

Breaking Ground at Camp Ruth

April 13th, 2010 Classes,Kingfisher Academy,Outdoors Education

We at Sure Foot Adventures are extremely excited to announce that we have broken ground at our new camp near Stone Mountain.

The 30-acre Ruth Lord Memorial Camp is a 20-minute drive from Atlanta and will be the home for many of Sure Foot’s day programs and periodic overnight camping trips.

Today, I took a group of 5 Kingfisher Academy students to the Camp and we marked three new trails and built a fire pit at the campground location. Of course, we also climbed in the “elephant tree” and played in Little Stone Mountain Creek (which runs through the camp).

Here’s the master plan for the camp:

We want to keep everything as primitive and “Leave No Trace” as possible, so we’re building trails to minimize the impact caused by bushwacking. Our campground area is in the center of the camp, away from the creek to avoid human contamination. The campground is edged by large hardwoods and will contain a fire pit area covered by a high tarp to allow programs to occur even when it’s raining. Tent pads will be spaced evenly around the camp.

Adjacent to the campground is a very large fallen oak which we will turn into an outdoors classroom. How? We will clear brush and small limbs from beneath the cage of large limbs created by the fallen tree. Within the embrace of these limbs, we’ll build benches. What a nice way to “recycle” a fallen tree. Any limb we remove from the dead tree will become firewood at the campground.

Want to help develop the campground? Interested in participating in a future program at Camp Ruth? Contact us!

Kingfisher March Day Hike

March 25th, 2010 Day Hike,Kingfisher Academy

Though most of our Kingfisher programs this year have included rain (mainly because it’s been such a wet year in general), our March day hike couldn’t have been better.

A group of seven 7-9 year old, their teacher, Lili, and I took a 4-mile day hike along the Chattahoochee River. This trail is superb in so many ways. It starts out flat along the river, the uphills are only in the middle of the hike, there are several scenic overlooks, there is an awesome bamboo forest and rock ledge overlook at the far end of the loop, and the hike ends with a downhill. Because this was a younger group than I often hike with, it was important to design a hike that would push the kids physically, but that included lots of opportunity for play, exploration, and varied terrain. This trail was exactly that, and the kids had a great time.

Learning on these day hikes comes in several forms. We look at the plants around us and do some identification – hickory trees, trillium flowers about to bloom, river cane.

On another level, we promote the idea that the woods are for exploring, rocks are for climbing, and fallen trees are for balancing on. We facilitate the kids learning to connect to nature on physical level. I believe that physical connection leads to love of nature and good stewardship.

The biggest growth I see is in their confidence. I believe that the ability to walk up a mountain is partly physical, but primarily a question of confidence. During the March hike, this was clearly evident. Several children were struggling to walk up a steep hill, so they decided to trade backpacks (even though no one’s pack was significantly lighter than anyone else’s). Upon switching backpacks, they declared how “light” their packs were, and proceeded to motor up the hill. The smallest girl on the trip even asked to switch backpacks with me. I told her mine was way too heavy (containing first aid kit, extra clothes, extra water, etc.), but she insisted, took my pack, and powered up the hill none-the-less. In learning to be confident in their physical capabilities, the kids gain the strength of knowing that “they can, even when they think they can’t.” It is for this reason that I lead hikes.

On this hike, one young man in particular climbed EVERY rock, tree and dirt pile (left). However, all the students were adventurous. When I asked if they wanted to go the “crazy rock-climbing way” or the trail, guess what they chose? Luckily, I sometimes speak in hyperbole, so there was nothing crazy about it, nor any rock-climbing, just a good off-trail scramble.

Another young man started the hike saying, “I don’t want to go.” Since I knew he had a good sense of directions and could read maps well, I gave him my trail map and asked him to lead. He did a superb job and never took us the wrong way.

On every trip, there are many moments like this one in which a student feeling defeated, tired, grumpy, or scared. But fun, exploration, and contentment seem to regularly prevail!

I’m going to end this post with a series of photos, but you should really check out all the photos on Facebook, as the blue sky and photogenic kids made for lots of good pictures.

Kingfisher Cumberland Camping

March 3rd, 2010 Camping,Cumberland Island,Kingfisher Academy

I couldn’t resist the alliteration in the title of this post!

Last week, Ms. McGinnis (a middle-school teacher at Kingfisher Academy) and I took a group of twelve 9-13 year olds on a 4-day, 3-night camping trip on Cumberland Island National Seashore on the coast of Georgia. For those of you not familiar with Cumberland, it is my favorite place in the United States. From the jungle of live oak trees, saw palmettos, and Spanish moss to the wild horses to the pristine beaches, Cumberland is an exquisite place to be outdoors.

I’m always excited to introduce new people to the island, and this group of students from Kingfisher Academy were in for a treat! February is one of the best times to visit Cumberland because the gnats and mosquitos are not out yet and it is still sometimes warm enough to soak in the sun at the beach. On this trip, we experienced the best day possible: 75 degree temperatures, full sun, no bugs, and an island virtually to ourselves because the ferry doesn’t run on Tuesdays.

Though rain was predicted on Monday and Wednesday, nature smiled on us and only produced a slight drizzle both days. Enough to get us damp, but not soaked to the bone.

Despite this good fortune, this was still a most difficult trip. Not only were these students relatively young (four days out is a long time for 9-10 year olds), but this was the longest camping trip most of them had been on, the first camping trip for some, and the first time away from parents overnight for one or two. As a result, our group had to learn a camp routine and develop comfort sleeping and living in the woods. We were not without a good deal of complaining, but I saw a lot of growth in the kids.

Some kids refused to wear “dirty” clothes, insisting on changing into “clean” ones (sometimes twice a day), but on our last evening when the temperature was dropped into the mid-30s, all the kids quickly put on multiple layers when I asked them to – no matter if they had any “clean” clothes left.

One girl slept really poorly the first night, laying awake listening to the sounds of the forest. The next night, feeling more comfortable, she slept like a rock.

We developed lots of routines: dish washing and tooth brushing after meals, where to put trash, where to keep our food safe from raccoons, always zipping up the tent when you leave it, etc.

At the end of the trip when Ms. McGinnis asked the students what they were most proud of, and it was a joy to hear their answers: completing a 7.5 mile hike, having a quiet moment watching the bright moon at night, and my favorite, just coming on this trip!

Though we stayed in Sea Camp all three nights, we were not at all sedentary. I’m not sure if you can be with kids this age. The first day, we set up camp and then spent the rest of the day combing the beach for sea life and running. This group ran around more than any other group I’ve been with. No wonder we were all in bed by 9pm each night!

On Tuesday, in the glorious 75-degree weather that I previously described, we took a 5-mile day hike to Dungeness, a ruined Carnegie mansion from the early 1900s. We visited Raccoon Keys and searched (mostly fruitlessly) for sharks teeth. We saw 9 wild horses. We visited the salt marshes on the southern end of the island, and took a long walk back to camp along the beach.

We even got to go swimming…well, sort of. My rule was that no one goes in the water unless I do, and it was so beautiful on Tuesday that I decided it would be okay. We splashed in the waves, got thoroughly wet, and then had to rinse the salt water off our bodies in ice cold showers! But it was worth it!

That night, the kids collected wood, built a pyre, and lit the fire. We roasted marshmallows, made s’mores, and told stories.

The next day we cleaned up camp and tightened the guy-lines on our tents in case of rain and then took a 7.5 mile day hike to Stafford Beach and back. This was not easy for the kids. 7.5 miles is the longest hike I’ve taken them on this year and it started drizzling when were a mile from camp. Prepared, we put on our rain gear and continued. Though blisters, sore ankles, knees and legs hobbled us, we did it! And at least one student learned it’s better to not wear short socks with high-top basketball shoes.

Though the rain soaked some of our firewood, the kids (and me and Ms. McGinnis) were diligent and stashed enough wood under the tarp for a fire on our last morning. The students built a pyre the previous night and covered it with my pack cover. So on Thursday morning, I awoke before everyone and used their pyre to light the fire. We toasted our bagels, drank tea and cocoa, then packed up camp to leave.

We were all very ready to go home, but leaving Cumberland is still bittersweet for me – especially since the clouds cleared and blue skies and sun streamed down through the Spanish moss as we backpacked to the ferry on Thursday morning. Despite the chilly wind, I couldn’t help but sit on the upper deck of the ferry to wish the island adieu. Most of the kids fell asleep on benches in the heated cabin of the ferry.

I can’t wait for my next journey to Cumberland Island in the fall. Be on the lookout for our announcement (in May) of our next Cumberland Island trip open to the general public.

Kingfisher Day Hike

February 2nd, 2010 Day Hike,Kingfisher Academy

In January, I got to take a Day Hike with the Komodo Dragons middle school class at Kingfisher Academy. Though almost every outdoors program at Kingfisher has fallen on a rainy day this school year, our day hike was a beautiful blue sky day with temperatures in the 60s!

We decided to go to Kennesaw Mountain for three reasons: (1) It’s only a 25 minute drive from school; (2) The mountain provides a beautiful, difficult, and varied hike; and (3) The Civil War history of the park is particularly relevant to today.

Let’s start with (3): I thought the students would be intrigued by the query about the battle that I presented: “If the Union had not been able to win the Atlanta Campaign, Lincoln probably wouldn’t have been re-elected; and without Lincoln as President, the Confederacy may not have been defeated; and slavery may not have ended for another 20 or 30 years. How would that affect America today?” Of course, much of this is speculation, but what an intriguing question! Where would race relations be today? Where would our economy be? Would the South still be a separate nation? Could Obama have been elected?

Despite my interest in these questions, the students were more intrigued by the cannons and earthworks on the mountain. Luckily I’m not just a social historian and know a little bit about military history.

On top of the mountain, we were able to see all the way to Stone Mountain, Perimeter Mall, Buckhead, Midtown, and Downtown. Buzzards circled in the sky. We even saw a hawk (though another hiker claimed it was an eagle).

One of my favorite aspects of day hikes is watching participants discover new things about themselves. I saw one young woman thrive in the outdoors and lead much of our hike. Another young man actually brought plastic zipper bags to collect “specimens.” He and I walked in the rear of the group much of the time, finding insects, rocks, and even some coyote feces (which I still have sitting on the desk in my office–I have to remember to bring it to school next Tuesday).

We even explored a small cave that we found in the “Pigeon Rocks” area of the park.

Though the group was exuberant and very competent, by the end of our hike, spirits were down and legs were dragging. I see this happen regularly on hikes and often wonder whether I should plan shorter distances. However, I see great merit in helping people learn that they can do more than they thought they could. Nevertheless, it’s always a balance between too “easy” and too “hard” of a hike.

This one was lots of fun, and I look forward to the next time in the woods with these students – ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND!

Kingfisher November Camping Trip

November 11th, 2009 Camping,Kingfisher Academy

We just returned from a fun, beautiful, and relaxing camping trip with a group of middle school students from Kingfisher Academy. Though our numbers dwindled as the trip approached, we ended up having a great time. The day before the trip I found out that two students would not be participating. Then I woke up at 7:00 am to a call from their teacher (who was to be an adult leader of the trip) saying she was sick and didn’t think she should go on the trip. Luckily, Catie, our Programs Manager & Guide, was able to help lead the trip, so we didn’t have to cancel.

And thank goodness we didn’t! The skies stayed perfectly blue the whole time and the students were adventurous, helpful, and positive. Though only two of the students had extensive camping experience, everyone acted like seasoned backcountry guides. Here are some of the impressive things they did:

• Instead of choosing the closest campsite to the bus, our group chose to walk an extra mile carrying all of their gear to a more remote campsite. Though the trip was only supposed to be a camping trip, they turned it into backpacking.
• Two of the boys explored up and down the hills surrounding our campsite and collected enough firewood for the whole evening.
• All of the students participated in a bushwacking adventure that included climbing a steep hill through rhododendron.
• All students at least put their feet in the water. One young man went in all the way (by accident) and several of us waded in above our knees. And the water was COLD!
• In the evening, the students patiently built a pyre–and they were rewarded for their work by succeeding in starting the fire with only one match.
• Everyone helped cook our dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread–cutting up cheese and meat, helping stir the pot and make the sauce, mixing garlic butter, and toasting the bread over the fire. And of course EVERYONE made s’mores!
• Everyone stayed relatively warm through the cold night. Though we awoke to chill temperatures, we were able to restart our fire (which we banked before bed) from the previous night’s coals.
• We efficiently packed up and hiked back to the bus, stopping for lunch and exploration at the waterfall.
• One student correctly identified a purple gentian using my wildflower book. Another student helped me identify a rattlesnake plantain (a plant, not an animal!)

During the trip, Catie remarked that we’d done a good job of providing lots of choices for the students. Her observation reminded me that choice is one of the keys to success on a Sure Foot trip. We follow the Montessori principal of letting children have freedom within very clear boundaries. Therefore, the guides’ role is to provide very clear options for almost all aspects of the trip. We do not say, “Do whatever you want!” We do not program every moment of the trip. Instead, in each situation, we provide two or three options that we (the adults) are comfortable with. On this trip, we were able to say, “What do you want to do next? We can go on a bushwacking, exploration adventure, we can take a day hike to the waterfall, or we can begin building a fire.” In this way, the kids truly take ownership over their experience, but we as guides have control over the options.

In almost every case, the students on this trip chose the more difficult, more adventurous option. We adults had to keep up–and we did so joyfully!

After our previous trip, which ended with rain, cold, and frustration, this trip was uplifting. One student declared, “I want to stay here as long as we can!”

Me too!

To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.

Kingfisher October Camping Trip

October 16th, 2009 Camping,Kingfisher Academy

All night, on the eve of this trip, I worried. But why? The students had been more well-prepared with their gear than most groups I work with. The kids were excited about the trip. I know and trust their teacher, who was my co-leader. The rain was going to hold off until the second day of our trip. I had checked and double-checked all group gear and we had plentyof good food packed. Why was I stressed? My only answer is that this was to be the first of four overnight trips with Kingfisher students this year and I wanted to get things off on the right foot. And, as you’ll read below, we did! I just need to be more like Buddha (as my wife likes to say), and stop worrying!

Though skies were gray when we left school, by the time we reached Gainesville, the clouds had broken. Our spirits lifted, and my heart beat faster with excitement. When we entered the woods, soft sunlight filtered through the leaves, and brought a glow to the world which, for several days prior, had been gloomy and wet.

One of my favorite things about each trip is adjusting participants’ backpacks. With just a few flips of my fingers, I can transform a backpack that hangs off your back or pinches your shoulders and readjust the weight so the proper 70% rides

on your hips and 30% is on your shoulders. The difference is amazing. I am able to see the fear in hikers’ eyes (“How will I ever carry this weight?”) change to confidence (“Wow, this isn’t so bad–I can do this!”). The key is a tight hip-belt. If you’ve been on a trip with me, you know I love tightening your hip-belt. The first time I pull the belt, participants say, “That’s too tight!” But they quickly realize that the weight on their back feels significantly lighter. Then they ask me to tighten it more.

After some pack adjustments, we walked the 1/2 mile to camp. I wasn’t sure how directive I’d need to be about camp tasks, but before I had dropped my pack, the kids had already started pitching their tents. Afterwards setting up camp, we brought our lunch to the waterfall and enjoyed cheese & summer sausage sandwiches, nutella, and peanut butter. Several kids waded in the cold water and dried themselves in the warm sun. And several of us climbed up the rocks of the waterfall to the very top, where we had an amazing view! In the end EVERY participant made it to the top of the falls.

We spent much of the afternoon building our fire. The wood was all wet from the previous days’ rain, but we decided to use only a lighter and materials we could find in the forest. As a team and with a lot of leadership from one young man, we did it. The fire never grew to a large size because of the damp wood. No one spent the huge amount of energy needed to tend it, but nevertheless, we were able to roast marshmallows that night.

I was pleased with so much about this group: they hung the rope and food bags on their own; I was not the only storyteller – three students told ghost stories; they efficiently cleaned their dishes without a fuss; and we completed a short night-hike without head lamps or flashlights!

There were frustrations, too. We had to tell the kids to be quiet over and over that night. Then, everyone awoke before the sun came up. I’m sure we all could have used more sleep.

Maybe there was some reason for rising early–it began raining around 4 am. We stayed dry in our tents and were able to eat breakfast under the big green tarp, but when it’s raining, dampness prevails. As a result, the second day was not as enjoyable as the first. Still, we had some adventures. Our group explored a hiking trail that became a game trail that became a bushwhack. We climbed through a small cave. We found and ate wild muscadine grapes. We even took a 30-minute walk in Dicks Creek!

Though we were all chilly and soaked by the time we reached the bus, we were satisfied to be a hard-core, adventurous group of campers. Then we drove home, dreaming of hot showers and clean clothes.

In the end, this trip proved that I had nothing to worry about. This group of 10 and 11 year-olds were naturals in the woods and I look forward to our next trip together.

To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.