As the second week of Session 3 continues to fly by, camp is full of excitement, laughter, and those special moments that make these two weeks so memorable. The familiar 7:30 wake-up bell got everyone moving, and before long campers were enjoying a hearty breakfast of blueberry scones, cheesy scrambled eggs, sausages, home fries, yogurt, and granola to fuel another adventure-filled day.
For our Squirrels, Otters, and Bears, today was an especially exciting one as they headed out on their rafting trips! Some campers spent the day paddling the beautiful Nantahala River while others tackled the Pigeon River with our experienced trip leaders. Each camper packed a Baggy Bar lunch before leaving, making sure they had plenty of delicious food to enjoy along the way. These trips are often highlights of the session, building confidence, teamwork, and unforgettable memories in the great outdoors.
Back at camp, Lakeside had a slightly different feel with several cabins away rafting, making our morning gathering feel a little smaller than usual. That certainly didn’t affect the energy, though! Rollcalls brought plenty of laughs, with Devils Courthouse taking home another victory thanks to their hilarious performance of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Everyone also learned a brand-new camp song before the counselors continued one of our favorite traditions by taking a jump into the lake. The fun continued as our Color Captains competed in a “stop the timer” challenge, while the Wolfe Pack Lieutenants had everyone cheering as they raced to the flagpole and back wearing PFD “diapers”—one of those wonderfully silly Camp Pinnacle moments that campers love.
With today marking the final full day of activity periods, counselors have been making every minute count. Campers jumped into their first activity period at 9:30, with many trying something completely new, including building creative gnome houses. Period two followed at 10:30 before everyone enjoyed Hypetivity at 11:30. Whether campers wanted to cool off with a swim, challenge friends at Putt Putt Valley, play pickleball, practice their aim in archery, explore nature, or spend time climbing, there was something for everyone. Today was also the final opportunity to earn many of this session’s activity patches, so campers gave each challenge their very best effort.
Lunch at 12:30 was a crowd favorite with a build-your-own sandwich bar featuring turkey, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, plenty of fresh toppings, chips, and a variety of dressings. As if lunch wasn’t fun enough, campers broke into an impromptu dance party before settling in for a well-earned downtime at 1:30.
This afternoon also marked the last day for campers to earn their 5R hats, making each presentation even more meaningful. Counselors have loved recognizing campers who have demonstrated Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Resilience, and Relationships throughout the session, and today’s recipients had plenty to celebrate.
The afternoon was filled with more activity periods before everyone gathered for a refreshing fruit break in the gym at 5:30. Campers then enjoyed Gym & Swim, choosing exactly how they wanted to spend the evening before dinner. Some relaxed in hammocks with friends, others played soccer, challenged each other to disc golf, visited the game room, or simply enjoyed one more beautiful summer evening around camp. Just before dinner, the rafting vans rolled back through camp, greeted by excited friends eager to hear all about the day’s adventures.
Tonight was a special night for our Wolfe Pack, otters and bears as it was time for… fancy dinner! They enjoyed a yummy array of food such as steak, roasted potatoes, cooked vegetables and a beautiful charcuterie board created by Chef Connor. Fancy dinner gives our older cohorts a chance to get dressed up after their backpacks and fun-filled weeks, grab some group photos with friends and enjoy a round table dinner in the gym with the sunset shining through.
For the rest of camp, they enjoyed southern dinner featuring delicious creamy marinated chicken legs, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and homemade cornbread giving everyone a chance to refuel before one of the most anticipated evening programs of the session: Gold Rush! As soon as the game began, campers scattered across camp searching for hidden pieces of gold for their Color Teams. Everyone also kept their eyes peeled for the legendary Golden Goose—a special bonus prize worth even more points. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, campers raced around camp searching for counselors to escort back to the Shadium, creating lots of laughter and friendly competition along the way. To celebrate another fantastic evening together as Session 3 begins winding down, every counselor finished the night by jumping into the lake, much to the delight of cheering campers.
For many cabins, the fun wasn’t quite over. After the evening program, counselors surprised campers with special sneakouts—those magical little moments that often become favorite camp memories. Some cabins gathered around the fire to make s’mores, others enjoyed a fun “trick-or-treating” adventure around camp, played games under the stars, or simply shared a quiet evening circle reflecting on all the friendships, adventures, and memories they’ve made together over the past two weeks.
By the time lights out arrived at 9:45, campers were happily exhausted after another incredible day. As we move closer to the end of Session 3, it’s wonderful to see just how much confidence, independence, and friendship have grown in such a short time. Every laugh, challenge, adventure, and quiet conversation is helping create memories that will stay with your camper long after summer comes to an end.
