What a fantastic way to kick off the beginning of an adventure filled summer! Week one of camp was all about exploration and creativity within our natural world in the National Forest. We had so much fun teepee building using the natural resources we discovered under the grand aspens. We loved playing relationship-building games in the chilly streams and vast meadows. Eagle Eye and Sardines were BIG hits amongst these eager to play at Mountain Kids! Thanks so much for joining us during our Forts and Forest themed week!
This week our campers spent an equal amount of time cooling off by splashing around in rivers, and learning valuable backcountry skills. We learned how to prepare for a backcountry trip, the basics of scene assessment in a first responder scenario, and how to treat certain medical conditions. We practiced how to find a compass bearing and how to use an analogue watch to find North! We learnnd how to make a salve out of pinon sap which is great for cuts, scrapes and bites. We also learned that on ninety degree days everything is better when you’re sitting in a river!
Our week culminated with a make-believe scenario where one of our counselors pretended to have heat stroke and our campers had to assess the scene, assess his condition, and find ways to cool down his core temperature. They did a superb job, although they may have had a little too much fun dumping him in the river! It was such a fabulous time and we look forward to seeing these kids again.
Today was an adventurous, hot and muddy day, and boy did we have fun! The morning was mellow with all the new campers shuffling in. Some decided to make the art project which was nature journals and some decided to play Park Ranger.
We circled up afterwards and had a great time playing a name game, and learning how to stay safe and have fun at camp. Next up was eating our snack while hearing an incredible story about archeology. We talked about how to be archeologists, and our plans for the week ahead. We then got ready to load into Steve, our adventure van. After water bottle re-fills, bathroom breaks and buckling, we were ready to hit the road!
The day began with some good clean fun, and ended with the joyful abandon of bug catching, mud slides and mud balls!
We arrived at the Galisteo Basin excited to see what we could find. Specifically we were looking for colorful rocks to make paint with, clay, and other clues to the past.
First off on the trail we found an old still working windmill! It was so neat to see it pump water up from the ground with wind power right before our very eyes. Back on the trail, we soon found an entire old ruin, a perfect find to practice being archeologists! We looked for clues about what this old ruin might have been and made some educated guesses. We also found what we thought were bells from a distance, and turned out to be a complete mystery when examined up close. (See photo, ideas about what this is are welcome!)
Afterwards, we happily trotted down the trail until we began to descend into a tiny canyon that had really unique and interesting rock formations. The colors kept changing from pure white to dark burgundy, to yellow ochre and varying shades of browns, greens and blacks. After finding many specimens of different colors, we ate our lunches and chatted about fun things.
Then off to the river, which was a short drive down the road to Galisteo, a tiny cute town with a beautiful river running through it. In this spot we found an excellent area of deep clay for making things and playing. The kids mostly enjoyed playing in the river, collecting bugs and tadpoles, making mudslides and mud balls and other imaginative and joyful activities!
After such wet, muddy fun there were lots of clothes to change! After putting on dry clothes, we drove home, laughing and smiling the whole way. What a fun day and an awesome group of kids. We are looking forward to more historical and playful adventures in the week ahead!
Enjoy some photos of the day below. More to come! 🙂
Wow! What an awesome week of riding! We had a mixture of experienced riders and some who had never been riding on trails before. It was amazing to see them all improve over the course of the week.
We spent two days at La Tierra riding the flow trail, the perimeter trail (a 14+ mile day!) the whoop-de-doos, and everything in between. We managed to dodge the threatening storms, which made for perfect riding weather – not too hot!
We also spent two days at Galisteo Basin which has a great combination of sweet, smooth trails for cruising and a rocky downhill (Derek’s Delight!) for practicing those downhill skills.
One of the girls was really challenging herself to tackle some challenging descents and climbs, telling me: “I am pushing myself this week.” She was so proud, it was inspiring and heartwarming to witness. Another boy commented in our closing circle: “It was so easy to make new friends at mountain biking camp.” Several others reported that the week was “just awesome” and they “loved everything!”
We even found some time to get off the bikes and play a few games: eagle eye, ninja, and capture the flag. On the last day we rewarded ourselves with a morning ride, lunch and then a swim at Bicentennial Pool. A perfect way to end a week of 33.7 miles of riding! Congratulations to an amazing crew of riders on a fantastic week!
We may have a Mountain Kids! Mountain Biking Team brewing: “Team Guacamole, anyone!?” (You’ll have to ask your kids about that one!:)
Click on any image below to see a larger image of these rad kids riding!
This week was one of impressive maturity from our campers. A particular before/after moment encapsulated this for me: a quarter of a mile up the Rio en Medio parking area, the trail crosses the river for the first time. On our first day, I was walking in the back with Sofia, our only ten year old, who had never seen a tent before this trip. I told her we needed to cross the river, and she stopped dead. “I can’t!” she exclaimed.
She found out she could, and this trepidation was in stark contrast to our return trip. On Friday, I was walking behind Sofia, who was leading us out to the vehicles. She was one of our Leaders of the Day on Friday (which I will explain momentarily), and had just taken us down the last two miles of trail, setting a steady pace and stopping at appropriate times to make sure everyone was hydrated. We approached the first river crossing, and I delightedly watched her scamper across: without hesitation, declaration of inability, or even really noticing that it could be considered a challenge.
Some stats about this trip: There were two leaders, and six campers (although our roles were occasionally reversed!). Most campers had been backpacking before, although none had done a trip this long. We went 14 miles in three days, climbing and and descending 2000 feet. Each day we had two campers each on tent crew and cook crew: those responsible for housing and feeding the rest of us. We also had two LODs. These were our Leader of the Day: responsible for our maps, telling us when we were leaving, setting the pace, checking in with the rest of us to see if anyone was in need, deciding where we would camp, and myriad other things. It takes a while to get into systems of duties and responsibilities such as this, but our campers did so admirably. After Lucio turned his ankle, it was awesome to see Oliver, as LOD, continually check in with him and make sure that he could keep up with the rest of the group. Or to listen to Max, who was brave enough to be a LOD on our first day, encourage everyone up our steepest sections of trail.
When Ezra and I awoke on Friday, Lucio was warming his hands over a crackling fire, which he had woken up early to prepare for the group. As I was eating breakfast, I told Owen and Felix to pack their bags and take down the tents: they half-exasperatedly told me that they had already done both of those things, and returned to their oatmeal.
The trip was not only laden with responsibility: there were games, songs, and the occasional backcountry-themed rap. However, what stuck out to me about this week was the way in which our group rose to the occasion of taking the trip into their own hands. From helping us choose our route to practicing stove safety, it was a week of proto-adulthood: in two or three years, I hope they are taking themselves on similar trips.
Cheers!
-Max
Photo Safari!
This week the Hummingbirds and Owls went on a photo safari adventure! While the kids were playing and exploring in nature, they captured images of their adventure using photography techniques they learned from our photography master and Director, Katie. Some of the techniques they used were the rule of thirds, contrast, and close-up and faraway view points. Featured below are the photos taken by the Hummingbirds and Owls throughout their photo safari!
Photos by the Hummingbirds:
Photos by the Owls:
In addition to the kids capturing moments in nature, our Mountain Kids counselors caught the Hummingbirds and Owls in action throughout their adventure. To start the week, we ventured to Little Tesuque where we practiced the rule of thirds and enjoyed the river. On Tuesday, we headed out to the picturesque Rio En Medio. The kids became ever-vigilant as they carefully hiked through “poison-ivy alley” (successfully) and were awe-struck by a huge mass of hot-pink blooming Cholla. The Hummingbirds had lots of free play that involved such things as crossing streams stone by stone, clambering up boulders, and discovering moss that became green carpet for a home. The Owls hiked all the way to the majestic waterfall and enjoyed getting soaked in the cool water. The week also took us to Big Tesuque, Norski, and the Beaver Ponds where we shot more photos with new knowledge of the elements of design from a photographic perspective: line, shape, pattern, contrast and color. The Hummingbirds and Owls accomplished a lot in one week, culminating in a end of week Photo Show where the kids favorite photo was shown at Warehouse 21. We are mighty proud of their willingness to see nature as a thing of beauty and wonder. Check out the kids’ adventures below!
Hummingbird adventures:
Owls Adventures:
Adventure Filmmaking!
Adventure Filmmaking was Mountain Kids first two week camp! For the first week, the Eagles went on a backpacking trip to Rio en Medio. During their trip, the Eagles filmed their adventure, capturing footage of the river, forest, and fellow campers. Throughout their second week of camp, the Eagles went to Warehouse 21 to create a movie out of their taken film. When they weren’t in the studio, the Eagles also took nature adventures to the Santa Fe River and Deer Creek. Their two weeks culminated in a show of their videos, along side the photo show. It was great to see these beginning film makers work, and was an awesome two weeks of film and nature!
The Amazing Animals week was a hit! The Hummingbirds and the Owls eagerly participated in a variety of animal-themed activities. Tracing animal tracks, playing animal charades, and handling different skulls and pelts made for a full week of learning! There was one animal that stood out more than any other, however, and it received a mixed reception: the tent caterpillar. Yes, this fuzzy, creature can be seen by the thousands, chomping away at aspen leaves at Big Tesuque. Whether the children chose to save them from floating down the creek, or opted to organize an anti-tent caterpillar campaign in favor of the Aspens, it cannot be questioned that the critters proved fascinating.. The Hummers and Owls ended their week at the Norski playing hide and seek, and building forts from fallen branches. The kids learned to efficiently get ready to go, and we made it back just in time for a deluge, huddled in the van. A big thank you goes out to all the parents who tolerated the rain and quickly picked up their kids! We hope that they will come back to Mountain Kids for more fun and excitement!
Adventures of the Hummingbirds and Owls:
Grass crowns!
Pelts!
Pelts!
Pelts!
Skulls!
Skulls!
Skulls!
Pelts!
Skulls!
Natural Art Projects!
Hummingbird Adventures:
This week the Hummingbirds made art projects using materials found in nature! On Monday, we explored the rocky, clay arroyos of Galisteo Basin Preserve. There, we collected different colored rocks, which we later used to make paint. On Tuesday, we went to the Ski Basin where we collected natural objects to create a nature collage. We also made clay figures. Wednesday we headed to Big Tesuque, and there we spent the day playing in the river and creating rock paintings and felted rocks. To end the week we went to Las Golondrinas. We learned about and even tried the different types of work the children of the ranch performed. We learned how to write with a quill, how to weave a small blanket, and how to make a leather pouch. The Hummingbirds had a great week making art and playing in the wilderness!
Owls Adventures:
This week the Owls and Eagles campers explored the beauty and craftiness of nature. We began our week at Galisteo Basin Preserve, bouldering up sandstone walls and searching the landscape for rocks that could later be used as pigment. On Tuesday we ventured up in altitude to the Ski Basin for some cool relief. This more riparian habitat flooded the kids with a sense of wonder as they inspected golden flowers, blue flowers, swirling, fuzzy green plants and became intimately aware of how fast the creek could carry a boat (stick) down its waters. Several kids watched in awe of the miniature eddies and whirlpools that sucked there boats out of the moving channel. After working with clay, making nature collages and playing games it was time to go. Wednesday we visited Big Tesuque where the Owls and Eagles learned the art of felting, creating some seriously cute felted rocks with googly eyes, using wool that they had dyed on Monday. They also worked hands-on with a mano and metate, grinding pigment for paint, which they used to make pictographs. We ended our week at Las Golondrinas, which hammered in the utility of nature and its relationship with crafting. The campers ended their week on a reflective note, with the realization that nature crafts were not always a source for fun, but for survival. The week produced a lot of fun and new skills, and also a new-found appreciation of the heritage of nature crafts!
Mountain Biking!
This week the mountain bikers explored La Tierra trails and Norski trails. The bikers also explored the Santa Fe River in order to stay cool in the summer’s heat. We had a blast shredding on the trails this week!