Taking the Next Trail at GRP.... Blue Ridge Expeditions!
One thing I have noticed in my outdoor pursuits is that hiking the land can continue to challenge us in the best ways.
When your camper ages up from Base Camp, they may have a feeling of finality. BUT, they still have so much more GRP to be a part of! The Expeditions program is a longtime tradition at Green River Preserve that is focused on teens as they enter their high school years.
Most campers know the trails and sites quite well, Uncles’s falls, the Cave, Lower bald to Upper Bald just to name a few, and the excitement of Campout! But there is more beyond the boundaries of our valley and GRP’s Blue Ridge Expedition (BRX) is prepared to help your camper take those next steps to more deeply develop interpersonal skills, leadership capabilities and communication quality that can transfer to a larger context. The Expeditioners and their leaders are more independent and live away from the main base camp while still on GRP property. From there they travel to nearby Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forest, and French Broad River for backpacking, hiking and canoeing adventures!
To quote from our BRX staff manual: “BRX builds upon the lessons at base camp at GRP, and takes the next step in teaching cultural heritage, interconnectedness, ecological respect and the joy of being alive: core themes followed at base camp. You will find this philosophy emerging in the lessons during the expedition. No one can say when the light bulb will turn on, but the combination of camaraderie, skills, shared challenges, outdoor living, campfire stories and communal living create an emergent property that sparks a new vision for the participants.”
We start with a familiar foundation by embracing the fundamentals of the GRP culture starting with the respect circle. From there, we establish the culture of being an expeditioner and the community structure and values that are expected of everyone then continue to facilitate personal growth and discovery. We want to empower the next level of camper, to show them the value of accountability and bring the confidence that comes from accomplishments and development of new skills.
BRX nurtures the heart, develops the mind and character, and heightens appreciation for our natural world and its inhabitants.
To all of our 9th graders ready for another summer at GRP, I hope that you will take the next step on this journey as a member of Expeditions!
Seek the Joy,
Josh Rood
Adventure Director