The hiking section of the Quester’s trip was spent on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. For this reason, the group met many thru-hikers– people walking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. The group shared snacks and stories with the hikers, excited to meet people doing something similar to them!
Hiking the Presidential Range turned out to be a bit more challenging for the Questers than expected. Instead of climbing all of the summits in the Presidential Range, they decided to change their itinerary so they ended up only climbing Mt. Washington. The change was better for the group as a whole, boosting moral and making the final days a little easier. On the last day of the hiking section, counselor Colleen and a camper decided to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to see the sunrise on Mt. Washington. Although it was an early morning, the view was well worth it!
On Saturday, I picked up the Questers at Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire and we headed to Silver Lake in Vermont where they would be climbing for the next three days. We met up with Jerod and Mark, the climbing instructors, on Sunday and they set up two climbs for the group to start on. After learning safety protocol and getting aquatinted with the rock, climbing began! The group was nervous, but ready to take on the challenge. All four of them reached the top of both climbs feeling accomplished and ready for more! The next step was learning how to belay– a technique climbers use to exert tension on a climbing rope so that the climber does not fall– so they could help one another climb. Everyone took turns belaying each other on the second climb. It was incredible to watch fears being overcome and the trust that they have built in one another actualized.
A camper had her birthday on Tuesday (7/19), so counselor Caroline hiked in a cake and some treats for the celebration! Pictures from today, as well as the rest of the trip will be up on the photo gallery within the next few days.
I will be picking up the Questers on Wednesday, and they will be back at camp for two nights before heading home. Although the journey has been arduous, the group has found fulfillment and joy along the way. Forging lifelong bonds and developing extensive hard skills, the Questers have truly had an amazing experience!
– Codi, the Questers coordinator
