Hey, Camp Lovers!

The adventure continues with more amazing camp stories from our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest! We’re thrilled to spotlight each entry on our blog, celebrating the unique experiences of campers everywhere. Today, we’re sharing a fantastic tale from Marshal H., who wrote in to tell us about an unforgettable camping experience many years back. Let’s travel back in time 45 years for today’s camp story right now…

“It was the summer of 1979 and friends and I decided to go camping.

I forget the occasion, usually some event correlating with a church outing in the great state of Utah in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

We drive to the campsite in a state park. It was me, my friend Brett, his brother Tuck, and my brother Darren.

We pitched the tents early and went for a hike up to a promontory fall. The day was lovely – green and hazy from the continued days of heat that preceded them. But we all knew that it was the apex of the summer season and wanted to get our last camp in before the end of a wonderful summer season.

The waterfall we hiked to was there. Some years it was thin in its flow. This year there was adequate water to take a cool dip and enjoy the contrast of cool to cold against a warm summer day.

We talked of girls and motor bikes, projects coming up with school. What sports we planned on participating in. We were fierce and unencumbered with the future.

Later we gathered dry wood for making a fire to cook our transported fare for dinner.

Brett made the fire while Tuck and my brother prepared the night’s dinner, which consisted of hot dogs, potato salad, and smores. The obligatory campfire dessert.

The fire roared, the daylight waned and the full moon shown bright on our evening meal.

After all had been eaten and the aluminum camp dishes washed and put away, we came to the talking and storytelling.

I personally always liked a good scary story, as I had heard many of them from my father while sitting around the family outdoor fire pit in my youth.

I tried to think up a really good and scary story and challenged all of us to come up with the most scary story.

Each one tried.

My brother revamped the story my Dad would tell of the Windengo, a man possessed in Alaska which was an offshoot story of Edgar Allan Poe’s Goldbug, and changed enough to make it his own.

Brett threw up a tried and quick story of a rehashed Freddy Kreuger theme that was a bit too sophomoric to hold anyone’s suspense.

Tucker couldn’t, or wouldn’t, come up with a story. I don’t know if he was scared of being scared or if he just didn’t have the chops to have one original thought on the subject. It irritated me. His lack of compliance to the rules so much that the game of it disintegrated into common talk of the day and the deeper and more philosophical thoughts on religion, time, space, aliens, what was the meaning of life. I noticed that Tuck became more quiet as the conversation and speculation continued between us from the many deep meanings of existence to the solid truth of the religion we were in and brought up to believe.

He became more stolid as we continued our conversation, so much so, that I found myself paying more attention to his composure than to the obvious track of the conversation.

Even when I attempted to bring him into the conversation, he was recalcitrant from participating in it.

After awhile, I finally realized that I had directed the conversation to the most scary story of all, and while observing Tuck’s composure, I understood I had scared the man the most by questioning his foundation of his beliefs.

The product of that night’s campout stays with me all these years and realizing that some people want to be superficially scared, others want to be terrified, and others don’t even like the thought of wandering out of the cave of their understanding.

This ended the campout with friends and scary stories told around campfires.”


Hey, Marshal! Sounds like your camping trip in the summer of ‘79 was a truly unforgettable experience, filled with the excitement of youthful adventure and deep conversations under the full moon. The image of hiking up to a waterfall and cooling off in its refreshing flow on a warm summer day is just perfect! It’s amazing how a simple campfire meal and the challenge of telling scary stories can spark such profound reflections on life and beliefs. Your story really captures the essence of what makes campouts so special—connecting with nature, friends, and even our deepest thoughts. We truly appreciate your entry and the way you brought us back to that summer evening. Thank you for sharing such a vivid and memorable story!

To everyone else, thanks for reading. Come on back next week when we’ve got more camp stories comin’ atcha! Till then.

 

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

There are more stories to share from the Everything Summer Camp ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest! Your camp stories were so great and were such a fun time to read through. It’s been exciting to share them with all our readers online! We’re publishing each submission individually on a post right here on the Blog one by one!

The following submission is from Amelia H. who wrote in to us about her summer adventure at Boundary Waters Rock ‘n Wilderness. Her story starts now…

“When I was 14, I decided to raise the money to go to a multi-national camp for canoeing. The camp took place in Minnesota, but once we left the shore, we quickly reached Canada. Before the trip, I had gotten to know one other girl, but upon arrival, we were quickly separated into different canoe groups.
Once we had paddled out, we quickly got to know our group. And so there we stayed for seven days, paddling out with basically no idea where we would spend the night. Most days, we had to get out of the water and portage our canoes and gear, which was difficult because not only was it heavy and hard to balance, but it was also a very mosquito-rich area. To this day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many mosquitos as I did there.

Over the trip, I started to actually enjoy portaging the canoes because it stopped feeling quite as heavy. When we finally got back, I actually started to miss it, as well as the absence of technology.”


Hi Amelia! What an incredible adventure you had at Canoe Camp! It sounds like an unforgettable experience, especially navigating through both Minnesota and Canada. The challenges of portaging through mosquito-rich areas must have been tough, but it’s amazing that you grew to enjoy the process and even miss it afterward. Your story truly captures the essence of resilience and the unexpected joys of being unplugged from technology!

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. We hope you have many more exciting adventures ahead! Thanks to everybody else for reading and keep coming back for more camp stories! Till next time, Camp Folks!


- John

Hey, History Buffs!

Ever wondered about the story behind those trusty camp trunks that tag along on all your summer adventures? Well, buckle up because we're about to take a trip through time and unravel the fascinating history of these nifty storage buddies!

Blast from the Past: Biblical Trunks

Ancient times and epic tales from The Bible call upon some seriously legendary trunks like the Ark of the Covenant and Noah's Ark. Ark is just an old word for chest. The Ark of the Covenant, described in the Old Testament, was a sacred chest believed to house the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments.

Then there’s Noah's Ark. You might think to yourself, but that was a giant boat, not a trunk. They called it an Ark for a reason, though. This massive vessel had to keep all its passengers—humans and animals—safe throughout a colossal flood.These legendary trunks symbolize protection, preservation, and divine guidance.

Warriors and Their Trunks: Civil War Edition

Fast forward to the American Civil War, where soldiers had a different kind of trunk on their hands – the limber chest. These bad boys were like the superheroes of storage, carrying all the essential supplies and ammo right into the heart of battle. Talk about tough trunks serving on the front lines!

 

Dowry Chests

Now, let's zoom into the cozy corners of domestic life, where hope chests, also known as dowry chests, took center stage. Imagine young brides-to-be collecting treasures like linens and dishes, dreaming of their future homes and happy lives. These magical chests were like time capsules full of hope, love, and big dreams for the future!

 

Fast forward again to modern times, where camp trunks are the unsung heroes of summer camp adventures! From storing your snazziest camp gear to keeping your favorite snacks safe, these trusty trunks have your back. They're not just containers – they're symbols of freedom, fun, and friendship at camp!

So, there you have it, folks – the incredible journey of camp trunks through history! From biblical sagas to wartime heroics and domestic dreams, these versatile trunks have seen it all. So, the next time you're packing up for camp, remember the epic tales behind your favorite summer sidekick—your camp trunk! Thanks for reading, Camp Folks! And, as always, Happy Camping!

 

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

Can’t stop thinking about summer camp? Well, you don’t have to! We’re thrilled to keep the camp vibes going strong by sharing all the amazing stories we received from our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest right here on the Everything Summer Camp Blog for the remainder of the year. Each story captures the spirit of camp in its own unique way, and we’re excited to showcase them all with our community!

Today, we’re featuring a heartwarming story from Belle W., who shared her unforgettable experiences at Camp Lake Hubert with us. Jump into her adventure right here, right now…

“Camp was an amazing adventure! It was my second year and I was really looking forward to all the fun activities. Of all activities offered at camp, horse riding and archery were my favorites. I loved being able to connect with the horses. My favorite horse was named Monkey. I enjoy being able to get up early and head to the stables to take care of them before breakfast. I was able to get to 2nd class level to be trotting with horses. I also got to water ski this year and it was something I didn’t get to do last year. Another fun activity that was new is the camp to camp swim. We were able to swim across the lake. I’m a swimmer so this was very exciting!

Our councilors were amazing, fun and supportive. I would like to some day be a camp counselor. My parents have mentioned how confident I was upon returning from camp. I enjoyed seeing old friends from last year and making new ones. This year I got to see my neighbors at camp and we really enjoy our time at camp together.

I’m already planning to go again next year and the summer only just over.”


We’re so glad you got to enjoy a fun summer with horse riding and archery at summer camp! Connecting with the horses must have been a great experience and reaching the 2nd class level for trotting with Monkey is quite an achievement! Water skiing and the camp-to-camp swim across the lake sound like fantastic additions to your camp experience, especially as a swimmer. It’s wonderful to hear that your counselors were so supportive and inspiring; I bet you would make a great counselor someday!

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Belle. We hope next year’s adventure is even more memorable! If anybody else would like to check out Camp Lake Hubert for themselves, have a gander at their website when you click here. Thanks for reading, Everyone. Come back next week for more camp stories! Till then.


- John

Hello, Camp Lovers!

Still can’t get your mind off summer camp? You don’t have to! We’re going to be posting all the stories we received our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest here at Everything Summer Camp through the rest of the year! Your stories have been great so far and I can’t wait to share them with our online community! By the time we’re done, every story will be featured right here on the Blog.

Today’s post comes from Naiomie M., who shared her experience dropping off her younger sister at Jamaica YMCA. The story starts right now…


“Summer of 2011, I walked my little sister to her middle school, where the school buses were lined up and parents/guardians were dropping off their children (in my case my sister) for Summer camp. It was her first day, and she was anxious. As soon as we arrived, she started to cry, pleading with me not to leave her and begging to go home. Seeing her so upset, I couldn't help but give in, and we returned home. That evening, our family sat down with her to talk about how summer camp was nothing like school. It was about exploring, trying out new activities and making new friends. The next day, when I dropped her off again, she was still teary-eyed, but just as I was about to leave, she suddenly smiled and said she saw her friend. This memory always reminds me of a quote from The Good Dinosaur: ‘Sometimes you got to get through your fear to see the beauty on the other side.’”


Thank you so much for sharing this heartfelt memory with us! It sounds like such a challenging yet rewarding moment for both you and your sister. It’s never easy to see someone we care about struggle, but the way your family supported her and encouraged her to embrace the camp experience is truly inspiring. Her courage to return the next day, even with lingering nerves, and then finding a friend right before you left, must have felt like a triumph for both of you. It’s amazing how a little reassurance and a familiar face can make all the difference. That quote from The Good Dinosaur sums it up pretty perfectly!

Thanks again for writing in to us, Naiomie. You must be a great older sister! Nice work on seeing your little sister to her own path of independence, growth, and authenticity! As always, thanks for reading, Everyone! Come on back later this week when we post our next story from Camp Lake Hubert. Till next time.


- John