Hello Camp Pinnacle!
Camp woke up to bright sunshine at 7:30 a.m. as campers got ready for another amazing day ahead. With smiles on their faces and excitement in the air, everyone jumped into their morning routines. Keeping up their good habits, the cabins made their beds, swept their floors, and made sure their cubbies were neatly organized, helping each cabin start the day with pride and teamwork.
Shortly after, at 8:15 a.m., everyone gathered around their cabin tables to enjoy a family-style breakfast. This morning, our wonderful kitchen staff prepared sausages, cinnamon rolls, eggs, and sides of fruit, yogurt, and cereal to fuel us for the adventures ahead. Breakfast is always a great opportunity for cabins to catch up, laugh together, and get excited about everything the day has in store. Our Chipmunks and Coyotes cohorts headed out after breakfast to enjoy their day hikes, spending the day exploring the beautiful trails and soaking up the sunshine.
Every morning at 9:00 a.m., we gather as a community by the front of Wolfe Lake for Lakeside. This beloved Camp Pinnacle tradition gives everyone the chance to get hyped for the exciting day that awaits them, all led by our energetic counselors. To make sure everyone is where they should be, each cabin performs a roll call. These creative songs, dances, and skits help campers build confidence speaking in front of others—something that becomes second nature throughout their time at camp. Roll calls also encourage cabins to work together, think creatively, and compete for the coveted BOSS (“Bag of Some Stuff”). Congratulations to our winners this morning, Tuckasegee! They wowed the crowd with a choreographed hand dance and an original song all about their cabin, earning plenty of cheers from the camp community.
After Lakeside, at 9:30 a.m., campers headed off to their first two activity periods. They spend an hour at each activity with counselors who are dedicated to creating unforgettable summer memories. Cabins travel together, playing ice breaker games and getting to know one another while also building relationships with counselors from around the world. Those connections help campers feel supported as they step outside their comfort zones, whether they’re climbing high at Sky Park, learning a new paddling skill, or trying something they’ve never done before. These friendships continue to grow throughout the session and carry over into buddy activities and Hyptivity, where campers can level up or complete fun challenges to earn special patches.
All the hard work we had been doing all morning could only mean one thing—we were ready for lunch! Today’s buffet-style lunch featured cheese, pepperoni, or vegetable pizza, along with shredded meat and Caesar salad. There was plenty of conversation and laughter around the dining hall as campers refueled for the afternoon. During lunch, George, our Head of Paddles, recognized the accomplishments of three members of our Wolfe Pack by awarding them Tiny Boat patches—a well-deserved achievement that earned a big round of applause.
Instead of Gym and Swim today, campers had the exciting opportunity to participate in C-Day Sign-Ups! Weekends at Camp Pinnacle are always something to look forward to because campers get to customize their schedules by choosing activities for three activity periods. Some of these C-Day options are special experiences that aren’t available during the regular week, including favorites like Junior Media Team. Campers eagerly discussed their choices with friends as they planned an exciting weekend ahead.
Dinner tonight was served at 6:30 p.m., family-style, featuring meatloaf with tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fresh rolls. Once again, our incredible kitchen team served up another delicious meal that had everyone going back for seconds. As always, dinner was filled with cheers, songs, and plenty of camp spirit before everyone enjoyed chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Our evening program tonight was one of our most anticipated traditions: The Reaping! Campers and staff eagerly discovered which color team they will represent as they begin the journey toward the ultimate Pinnacle Cup. Wolfe Pack members were recruited alongside staff captains to lead their teams throughout the competition, building excitement for the days ahead. Our youngest cabins gathered with their new captains at Lakeside to watch them compete in fun team challenges, while our oldest cabins battled it out in an exciting game of Cat Flags. Similar to the classic game of Capture the Flag, each color team raced to capture the opposing team’s cushion cat, filling the evening with friendly competition, teamwork, and nonstop cheering.
Another incredible day has come to a close here at Camp Pinnacle. As campers settle into their cabins for a well-earned night’s sleep, they’re already looking forward to all the adventures, friendships, and memories that tomorrow will bring. We can’t wait to see what an amazing Saturday has in store!
