What up with Blue Ridge?

By Anne Izard on June 21, 2016

Everyone at BRX is having a blast! The first day started out with group games to help facilitate team building after which they moved into understanding the basics of climbing by tackling the climbing tower at Base Camp.

After that, everyone went back to Reasonover to prepare for a one-night backpacking trip.
The gang arrived at Pisgah and hit the ground hiking. During this time the team learned how to use a Whisperlite stove, throw a bear hang, and set up a tarp shelter! All of this was great preparation for the 5 day backpacking trip later in the session, which everyone is pumped about.
When morning hit, all of the Expeditioners walked over to the climbing area, minutes away from the campsite! Everyone challenged themselves and made it to the top of at least one climb. When asked about what they liked best about climbing, one participant replied “pushing myself and realizing that I can do things that I might feel nervous about” and another responded “I felt successful after reaching a goal that I set for myself.” After climbing the group cooled off in a waterfall, they
swam, found crawfish, and had a stone skipping contest.

When the Expeditioners returned to base camp they made dinner which consisted of hamburgers with all of the fixens‘ and ate them while listening to some amazing music. After that Jonathan and Phil, two renowned camp musicians taught.

Anne Izard

Anne has worked at Green River over the years at summer camp, expeditions, and the school programs as a counselor, expedition leader, mentor, and program director. Anne’s related camp experiences include working as a counselor and program assistant at Camp Ton-A-Wandah in North Carolina, an expedition leader for Wilderness Ventures and an environmental educator and expedition leader for the Teton Science School. Prior to returning home to GRP, Anne was the Director of Education for the Mountain Studies Institute in Silverton, Colorado. Anne and her husband, Steve, are both actively engaged in the American Camp Association, The Association of Environmental Education, and The North Carolina Youth Camp Association. When Anne is not working, she can be found trail running, paddling, cycling, or backcountry skiing with her husband Steve, their sons, Phen and Hawkins,daughter, Alida,and golden retriever, Irie Bird!