Dear Treetops Families,
As we finish up the penultimate week of Camp, counselors and campers alike are astounded by how quickly time has passed and how much we’ve accomplished together as a community. Last week as I was leading a tour for prospective campers, I was struck by the expertise our campers have gained this summer at Treetops—from everyday routines like separating food scraps into what is edible for our pigs and what goes to the composter, or how to run a proper Buddy Check down at the waterfront, to more complex processes like rigging a sailboat or reviewing a map and planning a hiking route in the High Peaks. These are the priceless gifts of a Treetops summer: weeks immersed in nature, without the distraction of devices and the noise of social media; weeks to discover, to learn, to grow. Our campers become skilled experts in Treetops life and grow so much in their confidence, autonomy, sense of community, and pride in this beautiful place. I am endlessly impressed by them and all the ways they’ve flourished, whether it’s their seventh or their first Treetops summer.
Finishing up last week, on Friday and Saturday, we held our second Junior and Senior Camp square dances of the summer. Together, campers swung to and fro, promenaded, and gleefully bounced through the various partner dances with friends as our staff musicians played, kept rhythm, and called out the steps. As I looked on, it was clear to me that it’s nearly impossible to square dance without being joyful!
On Saturday afternoon, we held our first annual Horse Show featuring the Treetops Trotters! This special afternoon activity was optional for campers who wished to participate or to spectate. Those who entered had the chance to display the riding skills they’ve learned and improved over the summer. From carefully and accurately steering their horse at the walk or trot to clearing some low jumps, we were all in awe of our riders as they showcased how much they’ve grown over their six weeks at Camp. Their efforts were even rewarded with beautifully handcrafted show ribbons!
Also on Saturday, we welcomed back two of our five-day trips, together having accumulated 100 miles of paddling and hiking. The canoe trip paddled and portaged over 50 miles from Blue Mountain Lake to Tupper Lake in the western Adirondacks, and our group of hikers traversed over 50 miles on land, ending their hike on trails that led back onto our campus property, before swimming across Round Lake to the shore of the waterfront, where they were greeted with cheers and hugs from their friends. Both groups returned home to Camp weary and so proud of their accomplishments.
Sunday brought our Senior Camp Water Carnival, an afternoon at the waterfront in which campers freely move between their stations of choice: the Slip and Slide, paddleboard yoga, water polo, and beach volleyball, to name a few. For Sunday dinner, we celebrated the work of raising and caring for our flock of meatbirds and the hard work of our community Chicken Harvest last week with our traditional barbecue chicken dinner. The meal was all the more cherished and appreciated as we discussed the effort and care we put into this process to feed our community.
Monday morning, campers, counselors, and farm staff headed to the Sugarbush. Supers stacked wood, our forward-looking contribution to next year’s springtime sugaring season at North Country School. As the temperatures begin to rise and the days turn sunny in late February or early March, our maple trees are tapped, sap is collected by North Country School students and faculty, and then, with the help of wood plentifully stacked by our Supers during the summer, the sap is boiled down to the “liquid gold” maple syrup that we all enjoy throughout the year. Meanwhile in the sugarbush, the younger campers worked to lop underbrush and saplings to ensure that the Sugar Maple trees have ample space and nutrients to grow and thrive.
Tuesday kicked off a series of off-campus trips, including a hike on which one of our Super campers officially became a 46er—someone who has climbed all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks—after a nearly eleven-hour ascent and descent of Allen Mountain, a remote eighteen-mile hike. The reports were that, although treacherous, the group was incredibly upbeat, joyful, and, of course, very proud to be part of the culminating hike of their peer’s accomplishment. Other trips this week included Senior Camp’s triple-overnight hike and final five-day trip, as well as Junior Camp’s double-overnight hike and double-overnight canoe trip. It’s been an incredible summer of trips, and campers of all skills, abilities, and interests have had countless opportunities to venture off campus to experience the hard work, joy, and accomplishment of exploring and discovering the natural world.
This past week also brought a favorite celebration in Junior Camp: Book Day! Throughout the day, our kitchen brought beloved literary favorites such as Green Eggs and Ham to life through their dishes, including a yummy interpretation of pesto eggs and bacon for breakfast. For lunch, they prepared chicken tacos as Dragons Love Tacos was read aloud; and for dinner, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was, of course, brought to life with delicious spaghetti and meatballs. This tradition is a day for celebrating all things books, with campers bringing their favorite stories to meals, choosing from a variety of book-centered activities, and celebrating one of our favorite pastimes here at Treetops: reading.
This week our Super campers continued to impress with their growth and mentorship of their younger peers, including offering to help with dish pantry, sweeping the dining room, shucking over fifty pounds of corn for dinner, co-leading activities with counselors, and heading tables during mealtimes. Each day we see our oldest campers growing into their roles as mentors and leaders in our community, and it becomes easier and easier to envision their return as Treetops counselors in just a few years.
As we finish up this sixth week of Camp, our campers are focusing on wrapping up their beloved projects; giving a final sanding to their handcrafted canoe paddles, carefully painting their woodshop projects, and glazing their pottery. It’s also a reminder for campers to take the opportunity to try anything they’ve not yet done this summer—whether that’s taking advantage of the myriad daily activities, enjoying the beautiful sunsets over Round Lake, relishing the view of Cascade and Balanced Rocks on the early morning walk to barn chores, singing a little louder to their favorite songs at morning Council, or holding their friends just a little tighter. As we head into our final week together at Treetops, we have so much to cherish and so much to celebrate!
With gratitude,
Hannah Edwards
Camp Treetops Director