Dear Moosilauke Families:

We are pleased to share our fifth letter home from Moose 2019, covering July 15 through July 19, 2019. Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe we are approaching our final week of the 4.5-week session. It has been a pleasure spending time with your son(s) this summer!  

Monday, all of our Seniors were trip bound. The Senior A1s (fifteen-year-olds) headed to Montreal for their final capstone adventure. The first day, they traveled to their lodge by the Rouge River. Once there they feasted on a steak dinner and lounged around a campfire before heading to sleep. The next day they went on an incredibly exciting rafting trip that put them into some serious Class IV rapids. Take a look at the pictures we posted and you will see all their emotions in a time lapse fashion: they start with big confident smiles and by the end you note a real seriousness of purpose (and a little fear!)  Multiple spills and much laughter was experienced by all, especially on the section of the river known as the “Washing Machine.” After rafting, they headed to the city where they dined at an all-you-can eat buffet in Chinatown. The next day it was some quick shopping and then the trip back to camp.

The Senior A2s (fourteen-year-olds) traveled to Manchester, NH for a day at a water park and an evening at a minor league ballpark to cheer on the Manchester Fisher Cats baseball team. Our Senior Bs (thirteen-year-olds) left in the am for Burlington, VT. Upon arrival they set up their tents and then went for a swim in Lake Champlain. (The lifeguard on duty remarked that they were the friendliest group of campers this summer!) Then it was time for a dinner of pizza and wings at the Arcade, a game of laser tag, and then a night at the ballpark watching the Vermont Lake Monsters take on the Batavia Muckdogs. The next day, the group toured the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory, sampled some of their delicious new flavors, and returned to Camp. 

Monday also saw a group of Inter Bs (eleven-year-olds) leave for an overnight canoeing adventure to Belle Island on Newfound Lake. The first day saw the boys canoe out to the island, set up their tents, and then swim and fish. After a dinner of hamburgers and hotdogs cooked over a campfire, the group ventured out to a point on the island where they enjoyed S’mores and wild blueberries. The final trips on Monday were for the juniors (eight-nine-and-ten-year olds). One group mountain biked to Orford Beach (about 4 miles roundtrip) for a swim and another enjoyed a day rock climbing at the Rumney crags.  

Since there were so many campers on trips Monday the boys in camp had plenty of choice in terms of their activities. Highlights included outdoor cooking with Sabina and wake surfing with Bill. Meals on Monday included French toast and bacon for breakfast, Sloppy Joe’s and tater tots for lunch, and spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. In the evening, there was fishing and lake adventures on the pontoon boat, kickball, 2 vs. 2 world soccer, and wiffle ball. 

Tuesday, the Counselors-in-Training (CITs) began their Lifeguard Certification course. The second group of Inter Bs (eleven-year-olds) departed for their overnight canoeing and outdoor adventure on Newfound Lake. Another group of Juniors ventured out on a mountain biking trek to Orford Beach. A group of Inters (eleven and twelve year olds) enjoyed a day of rock climbing in Rumney. In the afternoon, there was a 10s hockey tournament at a neighboring camp and a 14s Ultimate Frisbee tournament at Moose. Those in Camp enjoyed a “choice day.” Meals on Tuesday included scrambled eggs and potatoes for breakfast, chicken patties and waffle fries for lunch, and the traditional weekly “Taco Tuesday” meal for dinner. In the evening, campers played “freeze tag,” water polo, world cup soccer, handball, and ventured out on the lake for pontoon boat fishing and beginner water-skiing.

Wednesday brought rain early in the day so the campers enjoyed some indoor activities for the first half of the morning–including board games, card games, bowling, foosball, ping pong, reading, and arts and crafts. The weather cleared by mid-morning, so it was down the hill for all and into open/choice activity areas. The CITs continued with their Lifeguard Certification class. The Inter As (twelve-year-olds) departed in the afternoon for their Mt. Moosilauke adventure. They stayed at the newly renovated Ravine Lodge, owned and operated by Dartmouth College. At the lodge, the boys enjoyed a dinner of mac-n-cheese, rosemary bread, carrot soup, roasted broccoli, and maple cake for dessert. After dinner, one of the counselors shared a “tall tale” at the Lodge, and then they retired to their cabins for the evening. The next morning the boys embarked on their climb up Mt. Moosilauke—all 4,802 feet of it! They hiked up the Gorge Brook Trail and reached the summit in 3 hours. After a relaxing lunch they descended down the Carriage Trail in just over 2 hours and then stopped at Moose Scoops for an ice cream treat on their way home to Camp. A Junior bike trip to Orford Beach and an 11s tennis tournament were postponed due to the rain. Meals on Wednesday were pancakes and sausage for breakfast, sweet and sour chicken with soy noodles (a camp favorite!) for lunch, and stuffed shells for dinner. In the evening on Wednesday, some campers embarked on a fishing and lake exploration expedition on the pontoon boat, while others participated in a crayfish hunt, cricket, handball, ultimate frisbee, and 2 vs. 2 world cup soccer. 

On Thursday, a group of Senior A2s (fourteen-year-olds) departed for a two-night, three-day hiking trip to Mt. Washington. The highlight of the trip was hiking into the clouds at the top of Mt. Washington. The group had an amazing lunch at the summit and then they hiked into Tuckerman’s Ravine, where there was still snow from the winter. Another group on Thursday enjoyed an outing to the Bradford Golf Club, followed by lunch in Fairlee. Finally, a group of campers spent the day mountain biking at the Green Woodlands trails in Dorchester, NH. Thursday meals in camp were fried eggs and potatoes for breakfast, grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch, and barbecue ribs and baked beans for dinner. 

Friday was another warm and sunny day. A group of campers headed to the Class II Hartland Rapids for some whitewater kayaking fun. Another group enjoyed a day of rock climbing at the Rumney crags. Half of the Senior A1s (fifteen-year-olds) spent the day doing trail clearing and maintenance at our remote Pioneer Camp, followed by a diner lunch. The Inter As (twelve-year-olds) had their turn swimming at the natural water slides of Baker Cliffs, followed by an ice cream treat. Competition on Friday was an all-ages swim meet at a neighboring camp. Given the very warm temperatures on Friday, we held many of our landsport activities in the lake. The boys loved the water lacrosse, water basketball, and water soccer. Meals on Friday were bagels and bacon for breakfast, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for lunch, and the weekly “Kenny Cookout” with grilled chicken, sausage, pasta salad, cole slaw, and cornbread for dinner. A highlight of the evening was the annual counselor baseball game against a neighboring camp. 

That’s all for now. Please be in touch if you have questions. Happy Summer!

Bill, Sabina, Port, Heide, Ken, and Ingrid