The mornings are becoming routine. I love to head up for my morning meeting after I get myself put together. I always grab a cup of coffee in the dining hall. It’s a fantastic cup of coffee. A friend of mine owns a wonderful little coffee roaster in town. He mixes up a special blend for our staff. It reallyRead More »

It’s hard to believe that we have passed the halfway point already and only have nine days left of camp.. Our second Waikiki Wednesday was quite delightful. I really enjoy the number of Hawaiian-style shirts that spread throughout the High Rocks community. It was the perfect outfit for a hot summer day. It hit a high of 87 today! ThatRead More »

With some record breaking temps all around our area, camp greeted a surprise storm with welcome arms to start the day. The dawn was cloudy with a fresh breeze which paired nicely with a loud-n-proud ringing of the bell to officially begin the morning. For some, the morning had begun even before the 7:45 bell. Our paddler contingent heading toRead More »

06/13/2022 It almost felt like camp was beginning the work week after such a relaxing Sunday.  It was a busy morning with rock climbing, canoeing, and hiking all eating early to get out of camp for an all-day adventure. We jumped right into assembly and activities.  Speaking of adventure, I thought I would share a little information I was usingRead More »

We love Sundays at High Rocks! They are typically a little more chill than the rest of the week.  We wake up a little later, and the morning is at a much slower pace. However, that slower pace does include getting our laundry up to breakfast in the morning.  It doesn’t sound like a huge deal, but getting all ofRead More »

I love Saturdays at High Rocks!  In the 29 summers I have been here, there have always been pancakes on Saturday. It’s just what we do.  Our Chef Nate makes the recipe in one of those giant Hobart floor mixers and always uses real eggs and real buttermilk.  It does make a difference.  It was a wonderful event sided withRead More »

I can’t believe it has almost been a week of camp already! The boys are just starting to get into “camp shape” again. I know we have done our job when the boys in Hillside cabin (the youngest guys) are still asleep on my way up in the morning. Today they were awake, but only because they were just outsideRead More »

It sure felt like a perfect camp day at High Rocks.  A nice high-pressure day with a little breeze and plenty of sunshine!  We had trips in all sorts of directions and the boys are just getting into the groove of the session.  It seems like they have been here for weeks already!  I love when the flow of theRead More »

I love our theme days at camp.  If you didn’t notice, yesterday was tie-dye Tuesday (turns out it was Taco Tuesday as well). Today was Waikiki Wednesday.  We don our favorite Hawaiian-themed shirts.  There were some good examples out there today.  I enjoyed that our Aide cabin (our oldest campers) went "all-in" with the theme day and also brought someRead More »

These cool mornings have been a wonderful moment for me this summer.  While some might cringe at a 50-degree morning, I love the cool mountain air!  Just a moment or two out on the back deck to look over the lake and hear the stillness of camp before the chaos begins.  It’s not quiet.  The wildlife abounds. Most of theRead More »

I enjoyed hearing the first wake-up bell of the session ring this morning.  In recent years it has been immediately followed by an energetic “GOOD MORNING HIGH ROCKS.”  It’s been something of a modern tradition that has caught on over the years.  The most excited person lately has been Nate our Camp Chef and kitchen manager.  He loves to get outRead More »

What a fantastic day! This morning felt like a wonderful homecoming for me! After the “fast food” drop-off and pickup of last year, I really enjoyed getting to spend some time with parents and families today. I missed getting to spend time with you all! I enjoy the whole “nervous-excited” morning followed by meetings of old as well as introductionsRead More »

We are writing today with an exciting announcement for Camp High Rocks and our community. Woody Noland has moved from the role of Associate Director to Camp Director. Along with Don and Elizabeth “Zoob” Gentle, Woody will be a part of our Camp Director team that provides leadership and support to all aspects of camp. Woody has been a fixtureRead More »

It is time for another Meet The Team featuring Townsend Birdsong! Check out our previous features of Don Gentle, Woody Noland, and Danny Stewart. Townsend brings a rich variety of skills to camps as owner and a director, she is a key part of our team. Her dedication to the mission of High Rocks and youth development is unmatched. Well...Read More »

Relive the adventure from last summer. It was an epic summer! This short video offers a glimpse into Summer 2021 and all of the adventures, smiles, and growth that came with it.  Can you spot yourself or a few of your cabin mates?   We are excited to be less than 150 days away from Summer 2022! Have you registeredRead More »

Our Meet The Team Blog is back! We already featured, Woody Noland and Danny Stewart. Now introducing the one, the only... Don Gentle! Don can be found around camp with a pen and pad in his pocket and his dog barley by his side. (Maybe even with a megaphone in hand.) Don is the master of meal announcements and keepsRead More »

The High Rocks office can't believe fall is almost over! The leaves around camp are almost all down. Much to Danny and Nate's delight, most of the trees dropped their leaves over the last week making this a big leaf clean up week. Since the fall started, our team has been busy working on next summer and finding time toRead More »

We started with Woody our camper/counselor extraordinaire and now we are on to the man who keeps camp running, Danny Stewart! If you are just plugging in, this is our new Meet The Team blog series. Read our first post on Woody Noland here. Danny Stewart is our Facilities Manager, Tractor Driver, Cabin Designer, Mr. Fix-it, and so much more.Read More »

With over 500 campers and 100+ seasonal staff, our full-time camp staff have their hands full! This off-season we are going to introduce you to the folks who help set the tone for camp, create the community, lead by example and so much more all year round. We know a HUGE part of what makes camp special is the people. StartingRead More »

Now that the dust has settled and we have all had some time to think about the summer that was 2021, I can’t help but relive a flurry of emotions.  It was incredible seeing Camp High Rocks alive again!  The excitement and thrill of the boys being able to come to summer camp was hard to contain. Inside, the nervousnessRead More »