Adventure

Adventure is something that’s easy to find every day at camp. Many of the outdoor activities, of course, offer the sort of challenge and require the sort of nerve we know are required of something adventurous. Each of these comes with a little bit of risk, plenty of safety gear and protocols, and a big thrill as a payoff for giving it a try. What at first looks a little scary, intimidating and maybe even wildly impossible, turns out to be exciting and rewarding.

Take for example the zipline course at Rockbrook. This is a unique course we designed to be scenic, a progression of challenges, and a unique thrill. It’s a series of three different zips and three challenge bridges. Woven into the forest, each zip goes between huge boulders, among the trees, and even a waterfall above the main part of camp. The first zip is slower, and the last is an eye-popping, you-can’t-help-but-scream, blast. The last zip glides right in front of the office in camp giving everyone on the hill a great view of the action. The girls wear a helmet and climbing harness tethered to a dual-wheel pulley with a steel backup clip. Launching on a zip, trusting this equipment, takes courage, but the exciting payoff comes right away as the girls zoom through the air waving their arms.

A similar adventure, but one that requires more physical strength, is climbing our high-ropes Alpine Tower. This tower is 50-feet tall and offers dozens of routes to the top, each with a unique challenge requiring balance, strength and nerve. Climbers wear a special harness and then tie into a rope that will hold them if they lose their grip or footing while climbing. They climb by pulling up and balancing on small holds bolted to a complex log structure. After taking just a few steps up, it already feels high in the air, but by concentrating on the puzzle of what to hold and where to step, the girls make it the top where they have a tree-top view of the forest. Most adults I know would really struggle climbing the tower, but not these Rockbrook girls. They are strong!

Another great example of a regular adventure experience at Rockbrook is the waterslide at our lake. To ride the slide you first walk along a boardwalk and up a series of steps and platforms. At the top it’s almost 50 feet up! Water sprays down on the slide which is made from a vinyl tarp strung between two parallel cables that swoop down to just above the surface of the water. The ride is 150-feet of splashy, slick acceleration ending with a powerful crash into the water below. It feels a little daunting at the top, but also inviting in a strange sort of way— like all adventure. But once you take the leap and launch down the slide, the excitement of it all easily inspires campers to climb out at the dock and head around for another slide.

Here’s one last example. It’s the “Nest.” The Nest is another totally unique feature of camp hidden in the forest. Partway up the hike to Castle Rock, the big rockface above camp, there’s a cave-like area where the rock overhangs to create a large, dry area. We have drilled multiple rock hangers into the rock there, providing anchor points for up to 14 hammocks to be strung in different directions. Groups of girls, each with a hammock and a set of straps, can head up there to enjoy a comfortable, shady rest in that special environment. Along with a book, journal or friendship bracelet making supplies, a water bottle and a snack, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends.

All of these examples of adventure at camp are moments when the campers find themselves leaning toward something that at first might cause them to hesitate. Despite those feelings, the campers here, even the youngest Juniors, embrace adventure. With the encouragement and support of the other kids around them, everyone is empowered to give things a try. Once again, that community spirit reaps collective rewards. At camp, we’re adventurous together, each and every day.

You haven’t gone whitewater rafting if you haven’t gone with a boat full of 11- and 12-year-old girls. Sure, you may have enjoyed the adventure of a river trip in a raft and enjoyed the excitement of crashing through whitewater rapids, but for our Rockbrook Middlers today, it was much more. For them, a whitewater rafting trip is equally thrilling and silly. That is to say, for them, it was way more fun.

Even putting on the gear was fascinating for the girls today. Many had never been rafting before, so simply buckling the PFDs and figuring out how to adjust the helmets —long hair adds some challenge— and to hold the paddles was interesting for them. They listened carefully to our lead raft guide Ruby explain important details like how to sit in the boat, what to do if you fall out, how to float in whitewater (feet downstream… don’t stand up!), and how to help pull someone back into the boat. They used real muscle carrying the rafts to the water’s edge, and felt their excitement build as they perched on the edge of the rafts and practiced paddling to their guide’s instructions.

The Nantahala is an ideal introductory whitewater river. It’s dam-controlled and offers about 9 miles of scenic easy-flowing stretches between named class II and III whitewater rapids (“Patton’s Run,” “Ledges” and “Pyramid Rock,” for example). Right away, the girls noticed another extraordinary feature of the Nantahala, the temperature of its water. It’s a toe-numbing 50 degrees or so. That makes being splashed even more intense, and makes falling in the river a shocking, wide-eyed surprise.

Riding in the boat is inherently fun, of course. It’s bouncy and a little edgy, with your raft hitting rocks and waves unpredictably. At any moment, you might be surprised by a face full of cold water. The girls definitely get wet on these trips! The guides allow the girls to take turns sitting on the front of the raft, like a hood ornament, a position called “riding the bull.” This is precarious to say the least, and when the raft takes a sudden bump, it quickly becomes hilarious too, with legs flailing in the air. Or, if the person bounces out of the raft, it becomes becomes a team effort to pull her back into the boat, laughing the whole time.

But none of this is really the best part of a Rockbrook rafting trip. What’s uniquely great about this rafting is the girls’ bright attitudes, their playful, silly and enthusiastic approach to the experience. Every boat is a fun social experience with the girls singing (and even dancing at times!), laughing and chatting. They’re also screaming with glee through the rapids, and having a blast coming up with goofy poses for the camera each time there’s a chance to wave and smile. A camp rafting trip like this, like all camp activities, begins with relaxed friendship, and that in turn leads to some silly, silly stuff. Here too, there’s a special energy to a group of girls like this, to a group of camp friends who know each other this well, who already trust each other and love making each other laugh.

This is another example of how the people at camp, the special relationship they share (kind, caring, genuine, optimistic), makes everything we do better. Nice weather, like we had today, helps, but when we do things together, the good feelings of friendship that define our time at camp have an almost magical power to bring joy to almost anything. That’s where all the singing comes from, all those smiles, so much laughter and silliness.

See how these aren’t ordinary rafting trips? They sparkle with the exuberance of camp. And for those of us lucky enough to be a small part of it (yes, this includes you parents too!), it’s an absolute joy.

Rockbrook has a wonderful community of talented staff who make camp a fun, exciting adventure! This summer, Rockbrook is proud to introduce one of our new international staff, Katie Pocklington, affectionately known around here as “Kayaking Katie”! 

Katie is a member of our Adventure Staff and a kayaking instructor. She has been kayaking for over 6 years and competing for Team Great Britain Wild Water Kayaking Team for the last 3 years.

Katie came to us later on this summer. Why you might ask? Because this amazing Rockbrook Girl was competing at the European and World Wildwater Championships!

Katie said this about her experience:

“The European Championships were held in North Macedonia and involved a pretty complex river. The World Championships were held in Germany on the Munich 1972 Olympic course. The water was pretty challenging but it was amazing to compete on the world stage.” 

Our Katie proudly left the World Wildwater Championship coming in 21st in the world! This Wildwater kayaking competition involved both a sprint down a whitewater course and a longer “Classic” which is a 2-4 mile race.

Katie is so excited to work this summer at Rockbrook Camp with all the amazing counselors, staff and campers and to ensure the best kayaking experience for our campers!

I’ve been away the last few days taking our 10th grade campers, those we call “Hi-Ups,” on a 3-day adventure trip. The Hi-Ups are the girls who help manage the dining hall at camp, setting tables and clearing dirty dishes to rack them and send them to the dishwashers in the kitchen. With close to 300 people eating in the dining hall at any particular meal, there are a lot of dishes, flatware, and serving bowls to handle… three times a day. Hi-Ups work hard! The Hi-Ups have their own special cabin “high up” in the camp, have a few extra privileges and more freedom to enjoy their favorite parts of camp. Toward the end of their session, they take a break on “the 3-day.”

The exact details of this trip is a secret, making it a fun surprise for the girls going. I can’t say much about it other than it’s both exciting and relaxing. It includes swimming, hiking, camping, and climbing. At different times the girls are laughing, singing, and lounging, and they’re feeling elated, maybe a little scared, and exhilarated. They come face to face with incredible beauty and real physical challenges. Part of the trip is truly thrilling. We always end up a little scratched, maybe with a bruise or two, and solidly tired from the whole experience. And the girls, absolutely LOVE it. If you’re the parent of a Hi-Up, I hope you’ll hear some stories of the adventure.

I’m always amazed by the enthusiasm for adventure Rockbrook girls have. This Hi-Up trip proves it many times over, but there are countless examples punctuating everyone’s regular life at camp. Tying into a rope and climbing a tower blindfolded, zooming through the trees tethered to a zip line pulley, sliding down a 60-ft natural waterslide— all are examples that come to mind. Camping in the woods, paddling a whitewater kayak or canoe through moving water, and balancing high on a tiny rock ledge are also good examples. The girls at camp are taking full advantage of these opportunities. They almost seem to crave the thrills, the exhilarating fun they provide.

Why this appetite, though? Sure, these activities are “fun” or a “blast,” but is there something else that makes them more attractive while your girls are at camp? I think there is.

As I mentioned, I think the Rockbrook community makes girls more courageous because it provides unconditional support and genuine encouragement. Camp folks aren’t competing or judging each other based on abilities or ranked results. Instead, everyone at camp is facing challenges, trusting their abilities as they try new things, and finding supportive friends along the way. Together, there’s an energy at camp that spins up and toward adventure, a kind of collective power bolstering us to dive in. When those around you are excited to go rock climbing, you might be too. When the whole camp is spraying themselves with shaving cream and launching themselves down a sheet of plastic, it suddenly seems like exactly the right thing to do. In this kind of community, it soon becomes clear how it doesn’t really matter if you climb to the top of the rock, so it’s more fun to give it a try. It’s fun no matter what the outcome.

Maybe we can put it like this; “kids are more adventurous when they’re part of a supportive community.” They’re less likely to let uncertainty stop them from pursuing a goal. The community makes things safer, more focused on what’s positive about a new experience, and less concerned about winning or perfection. This kind of camp community makes it easier for young people to keep a “growth mindset” that pursues novel challenges, and thereby to keep learning, expanding their experiences, and deepening who they are.

I may be repeating myself here, but camp is great in this way. It has a unique power to be fun but also truly formative by proving to girls that challenging experiences, adventures, are positive things. Instead of stepping back, go after opportunities to challenge yourself. There are surprising rewards for those who try. At camp, your girls are not just learning to climb or paddle (that’s kinda not the point), they’re nurturing an aspect of their personality that tells them “I can do it.” “I can get better at this.” That’s a habit I think we want all of our kids to develop.

And finally, I would say the kind of supportive community we have at camp is something we should strive to create in our schools as well. After all, we want all children to develop this approach to adventure, toward experiences that are new and challenging. We want them to seek out opportunities to explore, feel confident to experiment, and know they’re OK no matter how they “perform.” It’s the process of learning and growing that matters. I’ve seen a focus on community make a big difference at camp. Camp girls are stronger. They’re more confident and courageous. They can do so many amazing things. And they’re happy and excited doing them. I wish every child could become like that. Don’t you?

First, we have a camper service announcement: Please send more mail.

As these campers are happy to spell the word “mail,” and to provide explicit instructions, “send me some,” everyone at camp thinks about receiving mail at least once a day. Everyone has a mailbox, and after lunch each day, we all head to the dining hall porch. Hundreds of heads bend down and peer into the grid of small wooden boxes mounted on the wall, each hoping someone has sent them something. Since everyone is checking their mail at the same time, it feels good for the girls to have something—an email, a postcard, or an envelop containing a proper letter —waiting in this box. And sadly, it feels a bit disappointing to find it empty.

Unfortunately, our local Post Office can easily become overwhelmed in the summer with 14 summer camps suddenly boosting the volume of mail it handles. Delays are practically guaranteed. But don’t let that discourage you! Use First Class postage and get something out. In addition, take some time and send your girls an email. It’s a free service that we hope you’ll utilize because we know how much it means to the girls here. We hope you can make some time to send some mail soon! Every day!

Today was twin day at camp. In addition to celebrating the actual twins attending camp at the moment (I think there are four sets, currently), this theme for the day encouraged the girls to pick a friend and dress similarly. Matching t-shirts and hair styles were the most common way to identify your camp twin. In some ways, it’s easy to find a twin at camp. There are lots of other girls your age, and odds are, you’ve got some Rockbrook gear in common. Wear this year’s sweatshirt, put your hair in a ponytail, and boom! Instant twins! Even triplets!

Here’s a photo that might need some explanation. It’s two girls about 25 feet up in the air on our climbing challenge tower. Known as an “Alpine Tower,” this log structure forms two pyramids, one inverted on the other. It’s designed to have multiple climbers ascending at the same time, all trying to reach a platform 50 feet above the ground. There are different climbing elements and obstacles on the tower’s 3 sides, each requiring the climbers to lean, balance and pull up in different ways. This photo shows two girls leaning on each other’s hands while balancing on two poles that diverge as the girls step to their left. The goal is to make it to the end without falling. Of course, the girls are always on belay as soon as they leave the ground, so falling means being held up by a harness and rope. Reaching the ends takes balance, strength and nerve. It feels very unnatural to lean like that, especially when high in the air. But that’s the challenge! And these girls did it!

Canoeing is one of those outdoor activities that can stick with a person and be something she enjoys the rest of her life. It’s been an activity at Rockbrook since day one, with generations of camp girls learning their strokes on our small in-camp lake and then venturing out for trips onto lakes and rivers nearby. Even for the youngest girls, the Juniors, can learn to paddle a canoe, keep it moving in a straight line and turning it on command. The girls who choose paddling as one of their activities work with the paddling instructors and do just that. Some of the canoeing trips are overnight trips where the girls pack camping gear in their canoes as well. This week a group paddled a section of the French Broad river closer to Asheville, spending the night before finishing their paddle the next day. Camping and canoeing together. An extra adventure!

By rope and by paddle, we’re seeing Rockbrook girls seize opportunities for adventure. They’re backpacking and hiking too, hitting the trails to explore and camp. They’re sliding down mountain streams to plunge into a chilly pool, and they’re flying through the trees on the camp zip line. Encountering adventure at camp is almost expected. Like opportunities to relax, to laugh and sing, and to enjoy the company of really good friends, it’s just what we do at Rockbrook. Eagerly and every day.

After our late night 4th of July fireworks show yesterday, a crew of girls and their counselors woke up early this morning to go on a whitewater rafting trip at the Nantahala River. It was a 6:30am wake up and 7am departure event for us. A quick bowl of cereal and some yogurt still left most everyone pretty groggy for the drive over. It’s about a 2-hour drive to the river, which gave folks a chance to doze in the bus. When we arrived, our Rockbrook guides had the equipment staged and ready, so the girls could hop out of the bus, apply some sunscreen and gear up with their PFDs, paddles and white helmets.

The weather was perfect for rafting. The morning fog burned off to bright, bright sun, which felt great compared to the cold, cold water of the Nantahala. There were six boats in the crew this morning. They bopped and bumped down the river, navigating around the rocks to follow the best lines through the rapids. The river alternates between fun splashy whitewater and more calm stretches where the girls can chat and mess around in the boats. There’s always a discussion of some sort happening… maybe about the river, or about what pose to make for the camera, or just the regular banter of camp friends having fun together.

The last rapid is where the most intense action happens. It’s a class III rapid called the “Nantahala Falls” and is a fun double drop that is guaranteed to bounce around your boat, and even toss out a person or two. Today, we had a couple swimmers, but after the excitement of being in the water, they were easily pulled back into their boats.

The whole crew enjoyed a picnic lunch with the second (afternoon) rafting group that arrived from camp right on time. Our excellent weather held nicely throughout the afternoon, making this second trip also a great success. Rafting is really an ideal summer camp activity. It’s exciting, a little adventurous, highly social, cool on a hot summer day, and very fun every time you do it, whether it’s your first or your fifth time. Everyone, guides and campers alike, had a great time on the water today.

Yes, the experience of rafting is fun, but I think there’s an even deeper benefit to be gained from it, something that can serve as a life lesson of sorts, or at least a moment when an insight can be realized. There’s a hint of it during the pre-trip safety talk Ruby, the head guide, gives to everyone. She says things like, “everyone in your boat has to power to save anyone who falls out. Yes, even you can save your guide!” She explains how this is done too, how a small girl can grab the PFD of the guide and pull that adult back into the boat. Yes, this has happened (pretty often!), much to the amazement of the girls involved.

There are a couple of possible lessons here:

Despite this being a risky activity (someone might fall out), we can manage the risk and still carry on. We have good equipment, protocols and techniques that we trust will work if needed. Knowing these, we can be more confident when facing this particular risk. Instead of not rafting, instead of shrinking away from it because it’s a little scary or uncertain, we can rely on expertise and even our own nerve in a situation. Like many times in life when we’re afraid of what might happen, there are probably steps we can take to reduce the risks at hand. There is probably more we can learn and concrete things we can do to reduce the likelihood of something undesirable happening. Experiences like this help kids grow more confident in situations they find scary. These camp moments prove they can manage those feelings and still more forward.

Related to this is another lesson. Rescuing someone, pulling them back into the boat or reaching out to a swimmer using your paddle, proves to these girls, “you’re more powerful than you think.” This is another one of my phrases I use to encourage kids. I think they need to be reminded of this as much as possible. After all, so much of their experience is the opposite. They’re often told, explicitly or implicitly, they’re “just kids.” Grownups do so much for them, ostensibly because they need help. They’re not allowed to do so many things, apparently because they’re unable to “handle it.” Taken too far, kids can become kind of helpless, always looking for an adult to do things for them, soon believing they’re incapable of “taking care of it” on their own. Rafting is different. Here they’re told “we’re counting on you to save people,” “here’s how you do it,” and “you can do it.” And they do! So for rafting, instead of assuming “I can’t,” there’s proof that you can.

This is a great thing for kids to learn. Even if they’re not always successful, I think it’s a good habit to feel empowered in situations, and to know that you can learn how to handle things, even those that seem scary. The lesson is to learn more in those situations and to manage risks as well as possible, and with good reasons, to lean in. My hope is that Rockbrook girls learn some of these lessons. I hope they can remember they’re more powerful than they think.

Let’s take a quick look at whitewater rafting, because today was a rafting day for a big group of campers and counselors. Rafting at Rockbrook is a big deal. It’s easily the most popular outdoor adventure activity we offer. The Forest Service restricts us to girls who are 5th grade and older (our Middlers and Seniors), but almost everyone eligible chooses to go. Fortunately, Rockbrook has a permit to raft the Nantahala river (the only girls camp to have one!), so we can send everyone who wants to go, use our own guides and equipment, and schedule the trips at our convenience. We’ve been running whitewater rafting trips since the 1980s.

You can tell from these photos of todays trips that the girls have a complete blast rafting. They’re screaming and laughing with delight. They’re doing silly poses for the camera, making “high fives” with their paddles, for example. They’re sweating a bit from paddling, but also chilled by the splashing and spraying of the whitewater. They’re playful, silly and enthusiastic, especially when the weather is hot and sunny like it was today.

The best part of these trips, I’d say, is the real camaraderie that happens in each boat. For the entire 2-hour trip on the water, the girls are working together, chatting and sometimes singing together, and laughing hysterically whenever someone falls in (or out!) of the boat. As the boats get bounced around in the rapids, the passengers do too. One minute things are calm and scenic, and the next, someone is sprawled in the bottom of the boat with legs flailing, or is bobbing in the 53-degree river water clambering to get back into the raft. With these bright and upbeat attitudes, it’s hilarious and exciting at the same time.

The finale of the trip is the last rapid on the river, the Nantahala Falls. This is a fast, class-III, double-drop rapid that is powerful enough to toss people out of their boats, and is always an exciting thrill. You can see that in these photos (click one to see a larger version). Making it through the falls tends to bring out cheers and celebration from each boat. “Yeah! We made it!” Like all great adventures, there’s a risk that something might go wrong (being tossed, in this case), so when it doesn’t, it’s a true feeling of success.

Rafting is another great example of how the girls at Rockbrook make whatever they are doing better because they genuinely enjoy each others company. Being positive and friendly from the start, being supportive and mutually encouraging, they’re just primed to have a fantastic time. Give them plenty of snacks, and it’s almost automatic! These Rockbrook girls are good friends having an extraordinarily great time. Pretty cool.

Today, we have a special post written by Sonya Korabelnikova, one of our whitewater instructors. It’s a fascinating glimpse into what out-of-camp adventure trips are like, and what the girls learn in addition to having fun and improving their kayaking skills. Enjoy!

I knew we had a very big day ahead of us when I showed up at camp around 7:45am. Today we would be running section IX of the French Broad River, a whitewater kayaking trip that is a step more advanced. We always try to run the river and be back in time for dinner, and this trip is a long one, especially if we were hoping to squeeze in a stop at Dolly’s on the way back.

To my surprise the campers arrived ready, with all their gear, clothes, sunscreen, etc. It turns out Lula went to talk to everyone the night before to make sure they would be ready to go early. KK jumped on the trailer right away helping to tie the boats. She has perfected her truckers hitch, so while I still checked her knots, I really didn’t have to. She ties them very well. Everyone else helped too, loading the gear and boats into the van without me saying a word. By now they all know what to do and everyone finds the spot where they are the most helpful. We were able to leave camp by 9:06am, much earlier than I have expected. This was a pleasant surprise because last week it took more than twice that time.

Arriving at the river, everyone was ready and excited to go. Riley, the youngest camper (she is only 11 and this would be only her 4th time on a whitewater river) needed some extra help carrying her boat and putting her skirt on. Before I got a chance to help, Kate and Willa were already helping her. Again, with everyone pitching in, we were able to get on the river in no time.

We arrived at a large eddy and decided to practice t-rescues and rolls. As we were working, one of the girls said she was afraid. When I asked her about that, she explained she was “afraid to fail.” I’ve noticed this as a recurring conversation this year— worrying about failing. So, instead of working on rolls, we took a moment and talked about how important it was to try, even when there is a chance of failure. We talked about how not trying is often worse than not succeeding, and how failing is often a part of learning because no one ever succeeds in everything all the time, especially when first starting out. Back at our roll practice, some of them failed but tried again. Some succeeded, but everyone looked happy to keep trying.

Next up was Pillow Rock, the most difficult and largest rapid on the river. We got out of our boats and climbed up the rock to scout. Lula, KK and Willa were ready to move forward, seeing their line and having no fear. I smiled and told them to go. They climbed down the rock, got into their boats and charged one after another. Of course, they hit the perfect line.

Grape and Kate were nervous. They asked me if I thought they were ready for this rapid. I told them that I thought they were ready, but it was really up to them if they wanted to run it or not. They looked at each other, having a silent conversation. A few minutes later, there were cheers from everyone because they successfully ran the rapid!

Riley was the last one. She said to me, “I’m scared, but I really want to do it. Can I follow you?” “Sure,” I said, “we can go together.” We climbed down, she got in her boat and charged after me. After she took one confident stroke after another, I knew she would be fine. She made it to the bottom of the rapid and other girls offered her high fives and cheers.

At the Swimmers Rapid, we had the girls ferry over to practice their skills. When one of them flipped and swam, half of the other girls charged over to help get her to shore. Soon these other campers were reassuring the camper, retrieving her gear, and getting her back in her boat. I felt that I didn’t need to add anything, since these girls knew how to properly handle this situation, both the rescue part and emotional part as well.

We got to the take out and had a few minutes for more roll practice and swimming. As some of them practiced, others gave their friends tips. I was surprised again. They seemed to remember everything we taught them and some of them were really good at explaining it to their friends.

Back in the bus, the girls were fiddling with their bracelets. They get a knotted cord bracelet for going kayaking, and a different bead for every achievement like paddling a specific river, or accomplishing a maneuver. The bracelets are made by tying a fishermen knot. Kate, who perfected the knot, was teaching everyone how to do it. We discovered that Riley was missing the bracelet and she was leaving the next day. But with no time to make her one, Grape took her bracelet off and said, “Here, you can have mine. I want you to have a bracelet before you leave.”

The conversation on the bus began to get louder. This is the first time on the trip that I heard Riley join in talking. At first, she may have felt like an outsider being the youngest camper on the trip. But now, she is clearly part of the team. All of them are.

Also on the bus ride home, I asked them to list their achievements of the day. They answered, “I punched the hole. I rolled. I caught the small eddy. I ran a big rapid.” Funny enough, none of them mentioned what I think are their biggest achievements: I helped and supported a friend. I made sure everyone was included. I was brave. I was strong. I took initiative when no one asked. I was a team member. With all this, it’s easy to understand why I am so proud of them.

As we sat outside of the Dolly’s eating our ice cream, the girls talked about how much they enjoyed the day and how much they want to come back to go kayaking again. I hope they will. I hope they will have more opportunities to enjoy this sport that will challenge them, force them to be a team member, take them out into nature, and will help them grow into the strong independent women we all want them to be.