The Last Campout

As far as Campout goes, today marks first day of the last Campout of 2018. Our Campers woke up a little later than normal, today, to enjoy a late breakfast and prepare pack-out lunches for the beginning of their journey. Afterwards, we all met up in the back field for final preparations and packing. With clothes and personal items packed up, we needed to divvy out all of the backcountry cooking gear, including eating utensils, frying pans and, of course, the food. Along with the classic campfire snack(marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey’s chocolate), all of our Campout groups embark with nourishing vegetables, pita pizza materials and more than enough to get them through the next couple of days. One of the coolest things about backpacking is that you really have to find, gather and purify drinking water. With so many creeks, all over the Preserve, it’s easy to find sources of fresh water, so that we can fill up our canteens and add the necessary purification elements.

Beyond the basic survival skills learned and put into action, Campout is really just about having fun in the wilderness. At each Campout location, our Campers immediately set up their tents and prepared their shelters for a rainy night, because even though the forecast is clear, it always rains on Campout. Then, it’s really up to each group to do whatever they choose. Maybe a rest hour is needed, or perhaps an early dinner, even. Either way, Campout give our Campers the opportunity to learn valuable real-life backpacking skills out in the wilds of the North Carolina mountains.

Story by Brandon S. Marshall with Photos by Samantha J. Keebler & Brandon S. Marshall