Today was our last full day of activities.  We still had several trips out today. There were a couple of river canoe trips on the French Broad. The Hillside guys hit the high ropes course. And while it was a little rainy, it was really the first rainy day of the session. We still had a blast and a lotRead More »

It sure was another great morning here at High Rocks! The cool 64 degrees this morning was a delight! I made it up to our morning meeting only to find scratch-made biscuits being made! A little biscuit, a little jam, add some coffee. Suddenly a 7:30 am meeting doesn't seem too bad. I got a couple of biscuits fresh outRead More »

This morning was quite the mountain treat as the sun dawned in clear skies. It was cool! The lows last night dipped into the 50's, making that extra blanket feel so cozy in a bunk bed. You could tell camp was enjoying it because the place was dead quiet before the bell, even in the youngest cabins. Cozy or not,Read More »

It sure was a wonderful morning here at The Rocks. I enjoyed a little coffee on the deck early and enjoyed the change of weather. It was cool and dry this morning. A welcomed change from the last few days. Mondays get busy fast but I sure enjoyed just a few minutes to myself before my puppy decided that peaceRead More »

So, Sundays at camp are always a little different.  We like to slow down a bit, think about the week we just completed, and ponder on the week ahead.  This morning was that kind of morning. The sun was coming up and there was a nice cool feel to the mountain air.  Just about perfect!  Although I still woke upRead More »

For as long as I have been here, we have had pancakes on Saturday.  Throughout High Rocks' history, there was a time that the director himself would cook pancakes on Saturday since our head cook was off that morning.  I tried that for a while, but the program has become much larger and more complex than in those days.  Nonetheless,Read More »

Our "work week" closed out today with a morning that was clear and already promising of some summer heat to come. Now, heat for us here on the mountain top may top out in the mid-80's, but the morning was noticeable nonetheless.  Yet the bell rang and the bustle began, with cabins getting cleaned and eager young folks showing upRead More »

This morning I enjoyed watching the guys roll in from the woods after their overnights.  The stories of the “grit” these overnights teach us are always enjoyable.  They even create the best memories.  I enjoy hearing about how late they stayed up, who ate the most pita pizzas, or even how bad the sleeping conditions were last night.  While youRead More »

It was a delightful morning here on the mountain.  Life at 3000 feet has its advantages. The blue sky stayed with us all day.  The morning breeze picked up as the temperature began to change. It made for a welcoming morning. While it was warm today, we still save a few degrees from Brevard which is another 1000 feet downRead More »

I think the first full day of camp is one of my favorites.  The boys have had a little time to be comfortable, but there is still a lot of excitement in the air.  They typically wake up early. As in WAY before the wake-up bell.  The first cabin clean-up takes a little longer as they try to work throughRead More »

I love opening day! For me, I am just as excited to see the parents as I am to see the campers. It sure was a wonderful morning. I call it “brochure” weather or a “Chamber Day.” It’s where the weather is nearly perfect and the scene is amazing. A light breeze, sunshine, blue skies with a few wispy clouds,Read More »

It was a wonderful finish to our July session today. We kicked off the day with our advanced horseback riders giving us a drill team show in the big ring.  The next big event was the final match of the counselor-camper tennis match. The final two camper-counselor pairs matched off while several campers and staff looked on. A time-honored eventRead More »

What a full day of fun!  We still had boys out on trips in several activities including paddling, climbing, and hiking. Some of the boys today just made it into kayaking, and a number of boys just reached their highest rank, the High Rocks Archer, in archery. We even had our last launch day this morning and squeezed it in justRead More »

It is getting close now! The boys are trying to get that last adventure out of the session before time runs out. We still have the horseback riding "Drill Team" presentation and the final round of the camper-counselor tennis tournament. These are just a few of the last morsels of goodness we are still reaching for. Today we still hadRead More »

This tie-died Tuesday was fairly clear, with just a touch of high level haze coming from up north. The bell rang out, camp flowed to breakfast where cinnamon toast always makes the morning seem a bit special. The assembly that had the typical rowdy songs, and some that pulled lightly at the heart strings as you can see in theRead More »

The Canadian wildfire smoke created a little haze that created a cool effect as the sun came up this morning. It was quite a delight. Today we were back out on trips and enjoying the fruits of their labor over these last few weeks. The boys are working hard and having a blast. Climbing, paddling, and mountain biking has tripsRead More »

Sundays are special here at High Rocks.  We want to be sure the boys have some time for reflection and to change it up a little bit.  Rest is important.  We give the boys an extra thirty minutes to sleep in on Sundays and we also share some important lessons down by the lake. Today was a perfect Sunday morning! Our firstRead More »

Wow! What a beautiful day!  Blue skies with just enough clouds to make it pretty.  I love Saturday mornings because it is one of the few mornings we do not have an executive team meeting.  It allows me to enjoy the morning a little bit more. Hiking enjoyed some car camping days.  Picture a drive-in campground and you probably haveRead More »

It was notable this morning, walking to the dining hall for an early meeting. The day was already warm (low 70's) and the sky clear, which indicated a day approaching mountain hot, with the chance of a thunderstorm as the heat builds throughout the morning. Breakfast was busy with trips eating early as per usual and the rest of campRead More »

Another action-packed day here at Camp High Rocks! The first thing I heard as I made my way out to enjoy the peace of camp with my dogs was the beginning of the "mini men" returning from their adventure in the woods. The Hillside boys were the first back at around 7:15 am this morning! Biscuit was certainly excited aboutRead More »