July 27, 2010
What a fantastic group!
The meeting in Danbury was a successful meshing as all the kiddos learned to play KUNG-FU (pictured above)!
Starting their journey up the NY Thruway.... the silver bullet (our beloved van) claimed the remaining 2 group members and continued on to Lincoln Pond State Campground, and straight to sleep... knowing an early morning of ROCKS was awaiting them!
The group is scheduled to climb the popular rock faces of King Phillips, Chapel Pond and Barkeater Cliffs! Will post soon regarding their belaying adventures...
Really looking forward to seeing what this gang can do!
July 28, 2010
Monday the group met with their instructors from Rock and Ice. Matt and Colin (who we found out is actually a vintage Longacre leader!) took the group to King Phillips and set up 4 fantastic top roping climbs.
The kids tackled this incline slab climbing with some serious determination and we found out that Lila, Max and Ethan have future careers as all-star climbing legends.
The day ended with a relaxing swim at the Campground Pond, and a delicious pasta dinner near the water as the sun set. A perfect summer night if you ask me!
Tuesday the group met up with the guides again and headed to "Root Beer Wall" for some challenging crack climbing and rappelling. This day was definitely more difficult, but all the more rewarding and we were proud to see the group's successful efforts.
At Root Beer Wall, along with encouraging each other verbally... the kids were able to plug into the belay system and learn belaying skills to physically support each other up the rock face. This additional interaction proved to be terrific trust building and formative for the group as they continue to get to know each other.
In general spirits are high and attitudes are positive... and the only complaint is that our stomachs hurt so much from laughing!
Today the gang is hiking Cascade Mountain! And then its into the backcountry! We will post pics and updates as soon as we're off the trail!
August 02, 2010
Essentially all of your children have fallen in love with the wilderness... and will be setting up tents in your backyards until they move away to college...
What an adventure!
To remain in compliance with the Adirondack State Park rules regarding group sizes... we split the group into 2... Team Hardcore Parkour consisted of... Emily, Max, Olivia, Zach, and Ethan. (see Into the Woods Part II for Team Giant!)
The gang was quick to pick up backcounty life. Setting up camp like pros, throwing the bear bag up into the trees, and scouring the surrounding woods for fire kindling!
The first day of hiking was full of fantastic trail conversation, games, and Adirondack history! But let me get to the main event here... after gauging the group's amazing hiking ability and extreme thirst for adventure... we proposed the possibility of a sunrise hike.
They embraced this idea wholeheartedly. Which meant we went straight to bed... and woke up at 12:30am.
On the trail by 1:30, we hiked through the dark with our headlamps and our hearts beating out of our chests at the idea of how exciting our summit would be. The moon was bright and our eyes adapted quickly.
Somehow the leaders had concealed a pie from the famous Noonmark Diner in Keene Valley, NY and it turns out this was just the sustenance the group needed after the long climb! We arrived at the top of Noonmark Mountain in time to see a sky full of stars and we all hopped in our sleeping bags to await the sunrise in comfort warmth.
As the sky began to brighten with colors we were pretty speechless.
We are so proud of the way the kids embraced this challenge and how exciting and empowering it was to them to do something so out of the ordinary.
Reluctant to leave the summit (understandably so!)... we hiked back to pack up camp and travel to our next site at the base of Roaring Brook Falls. The group spent a low-key afternoon setting up camp and enjoying the falls before an early bedtime.
August 02, 2010
A.J, Lila, Sarah, Dylan, Tommy and Andrei comprised Team Giant! This hilarious and high energy group hiked straight to Roaring Brook Falls and enjoyed an afternoon of swimming and sunbathing on the warm rocks!
The next morning they hit the trail for Giant Mountain! One of the Adirondack's 46 High Peaks!
A challenging climb... but the gang proved to be solid hikers. So solid in fact... that after the glorious summit of Giant, they wanted more! So they took the long way back to camp hiking the scenic route through Giant's Washbowl.
After the hike, the group petitioned for more waterfall time before dinner... a backcountry favorite... Ramen Bombs! The night finished up with games around the campfire and an excitement for more hiking in the morning.
The next day the group traveled to Round Pond and set up camp. They decided to tackle Noonmark Mountain as a sunset hike, so took the afternoon to swim and explore the nature surrounding the water.
The sunset from the top of Noonmark was stunning and the kids enjoyed the new twist of hiking down in the dark with headlamps!
As the backcountry portion has come to a close, we are confident in the impact this glimpse of nature has given the kids.
Yesterday afternoon the two teams of the ADK trip were reunited! And what a reunion it was! The kids (and leaders) were swapping stories in no time as they headed off to Lake Placid for some showers and ice cream!
The gang travels to Cumberland Bay State Park today to embark on their next adventure... sea kayaking!
