The second week of Session Two is officially underway, and after an exciting weekend of adventures, campers were back into their familiar camp routine this morning as the wake-up bell rang at 7:30 a.m. The day began with cabin clean-up, with campers continuing to take pride in keeping their living spaces tidy before heading off for breakfast at 8:15. Today’s breakfast was a camper favorite, featuring French toast sticks with syrup, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, hash browns, fresh fruit, and plenty of delicious options to fuel everyone for another busy day at Camp Pinnacle.
At 9:00 a.m., the whole camp gathered at Lakeside for our daily morning assembly, which is always packed with energy, laughter, and camp spirit. During roll calls, Jocasse won today’s coveted “Rick the Stick” award with a fantastic rendition of ‘We Will Rock You’, getting the entire camp cheering along. We were also thrilled to welcome back special Camp Pinnacle alumni Robbie, who entertained everyone with an interactive magic show that invited campers from the audience to take part in some incredible tricks. To keep everyone up to date with the excitement happening outside of camp, our Head Counselors gave a hilarious reenactment of the latest World Cup results, making sure campers staying unplugged for the summer didn’t miss out on the action. Before heading off to activities, the whole camp sang and danced together to “I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles,” creating plenty of smiles and helping everyone wake up for the day ahead. As always, the fun continued when campers began chanting “In the lake!” until several counselors gave in and jumped into the water to everyone’s delight.
Following Lakeside, many of our Explorer Trips headed out for the day. Before leaving, campers stopped by the Baggy Bar to build their own packed lunches, choosing from a wide selection of deli meats, cheeses, chips, fresh fruit, homemade cookies, and additional snacks to keep them energized throughout their adventures. Today’s trips included canoeing, creek stomping, tai chi, mountain biking, goat petting, mountain snorkeling, and disc golf, giving campers the opportunity to experience some of the incredible outdoor activities that make Camp Pinnacle so special. Our Wolfe Pack Year 1 campers also set off on their three-day backpacking adventure, an exciting milestone that encourages confidence, teamwork, resilience, and independence. Looking ahead, we also have rafting trips departing on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week, with campers heading to either the Pigeon or Nantahala Rivers for another unforgettable outdoor experience.
While those trips were underway, the rest of camp returned to their scheduled activity periods, continuing to build on the skills they have been developing throughout the session. Alongside many familiar activities, campers were also introduced to some exciting new experiences this week, including the Mountain Slide, Field Games, and Gnome House Building. As campers become more comfortable with camp life, we are also encouraging greater independence. Aside from our youngest campers in Squirrels and Chipmunks, cabins are now walking together between activities, helping campers develop responsibility, time management, and teamwork while remaining supported by their counselors. With the summer temperatures staying warm, our staff continue to encourage campers to stay hydrated throughout the day, with regular reminders and plenty of opportunities to refill their water bottles.
At 11:30 a.m., campers enjoyed Hyperactivity, one of the most popular parts of the day. During this open-choice period, campers could visit a wide variety of activity areas with a buddy, including mountain biking, archery, climbing, arts and crafts, and much more. Many also worked toward earning activity patches, giving them the chance to challenge themselves while celebrating new achievements.
Lunch was another camp favorite, with build-your-own hamburgers and hot dogs served alongside baked beans, fries, fresh greens, and refreshing watermelon slices. After such a busy morning, campers enjoyed some well-earned downtime back in their cabins, taking time to relax, recharge, write letters home, read, or simply spend time with their cabin mates before the afternoon’s activities began.
From 2:30 until 5:30 p.m., campers headed back out for another full afternoon of activities, continuing to learn new skills, build confidence, and make lasting friendships. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed Gym and Swim, providing the perfect opportunity to cool off after an active day. Safety remains our highest priority at the waterfront, and our buddy system ensures every camper is regularly accounted for while swimming, allowing everyone to enjoy the lake safely.
Dinner this evening was a delicious spaghetti and meatballs special with a side of broccoli and garlic knots, before campers headed into another memorable evening of Camp Pinnacle traditions. Tonight’s featured evening program for our oldest cohorts was Square Dance, a long-standing camp favorite combining line dancing, swing dancing, laughter, and plenty of unforgettable moments. Other younger campers took part in Cat Flags, one of our exciting color team competitions where teamwork, strategy, and plenty of friendly competition were on full display as teams defended their own cats while trying to capture those of their opponents.
As another incredible day came to a close, cabins gathered for Evening Circle, giving campers the opportunity to reflect on the day’s adventures together before showers and getting settled for bed. However – bedtime wasn’t yet, our amazing head counselors organised a last minute World Cup sneak out for the USA vs Belgium game in the gym, with handmade tickets and a chance to finally watch the big game with friends, a cosy way to end the day!
Week Two has already started with fantastic energy, and with backpacking trips, rafting adventures, Explorer Trips, and so many more memories still to come, we’re excited to see what the rest of the session has in store.
