Ahh yes, it's that time of the year again...
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Camp Emmerson was truly a wonderful experience and memory we all will cherish when we're in our fifties and telling stories to our grandkids. Action, excitement, near death experiences; all of these stories remain ingrained in our conscience like splinters in your fingernails.
When summertime usually comes around, most kids will spend their "exciting days" on their phone in bed from 1 AM to 1 AM the next day. However, us scouts spend our "exciting days" actually being exciting, with us being out in the mountains with the scent of adventure rolling off their tongues. Camp Emmerson is one of the primary examples of this.
As soon as we arrived, the crisp forested air hung beneath the partially cloudy sky. Scouts were crowded around the parking lot like germs waiting for an open wound. Our trusty trailer treaded tirelessly into the track as sunburnt scouts sighed slowly in the sunny atmosphere. Each scout carried their belongings into the camp like motivated ants on a sugar rush.
The day was pretty ordinary, with some tours of the area and a swim test to prove our capability of staying alive in water. A lake lay in the hills above and the trading post and cafeteria were opposite of the campgrounds.
The next day had arrived and it was like a freight train. Unfortunately for us, summer camp had something in store for us known as "merit badge classes". Just like the schools we waited so patiently to end, summer camp dragged us down into the depths of every middle school nightmare; periods and homework. Now unfortunately for most of our scouts, the different classes were pretty far apart from each other with most archery, shooting, and water-based activities being about a five-minute hike up the mountain and the rest of the classes located near the buildings down below.
There were many merit badges. Shotgun shooting, Rifle shooting, and archery were all mostly skill based with aim and timing being the main points of them. For most of the other badges in either the lodges, pavilion, or anywhere else, (weather, animal science, environmental science, art, etc...) the main points were learning with the small exceptional hike every-so-often. Wilderness survival was crazy; one of the requirements was to sleep outside in a shelter you built yourself. Canoeing, kayaking, and rowing were all based on getting out of your comfort zone and going out to the deep (even if the deep was quite short). There were multiple more like life-saving and search and rescue.
Now Wednesday brought an early weekend for us to enjoy ourselves. Being a free day, there were multiple activities like shooting shotguns and kayaking in an oversized pond (the lake). The night brought a dance party and overactive children (which do not mix well).
When summertime usually comes around, most kids will spend their "exciting days" on their phone in bed from 1 AM to 1 AM the next day. However, us scouts spend our "exciting days" actually being exciting, with us being out in the mountains with the scent of adventure rolling off their tongues. Camp Emmerson is one of the primary examples of this.
As soon as we arrived, the crisp forested air hung beneath the partially cloudy sky. Scouts were crowded around the parking lot like germs waiting for an open wound. Our trusty trailer treaded tirelessly into the track as sunburnt scouts sighed slowly in the sunny atmosphere. Each scout carried their belongings into the camp like motivated ants on a sugar rush.
The day was pretty ordinary, with some tours of the area and a swim test to prove our capability of staying alive in water. A lake lay in the hills above and the trading post and cafeteria were opposite of the campgrounds.
The next day had arrived and it was like a freight train. Unfortunately for us, summer camp had something in store for us known as "merit badge classes". Just like the schools we waited so patiently to end, summer camp dragged us down into the depths of every middle school nightmare; periods and homework. Now unfortunately for most of our scouts, the different classes were pretty far apart from each other with most archery, shooting, and water-based activities being about a five-minute hike up the mountain and the rest of the classes located near the buildings down below.
There were many merit badges. Shotgun shooting, Rifle shooting, and archery were all mostly skill based with aim and timing being the main points of them. For most of the other badges in either the lodges, pavilion, or anywhere else, (weather, animal science, environmental science, art, etc...) the main points were learning with the small exceptional hike every-so-often. Wilderness survival was crazy; one of the requirements was to sleep outside in a shelter you built yourself. Canoeing, kayaking, and rowing were all based on getting out of your comfort zone and going out to the deep (even if the deep was quite short). There were multiple more like life-saving and search and rescue.
Now Wednesday brought an early weekend for us to enjoy ourselves. Being a free day, there were multiple activities like shooting shotguns and kayaking in an oversized pond (the lake). The night brought a dance party and overactive children (which do not mix well).
 The Dance Party was very exciting. Map of Camp Emerson ---> (No elevation so the true scale can't be shown) |  |
Friday was like any other night. The only exception was it being the night we all finished our not-so-hard classes and a memorable experience with even more activities. Saturday was the last night and Saturday had a lot in store for us. More activities! More fun! Mor hyperactive children! It was almost like the camp directors said, "screw it, make tonight the night where all the kids somehow make the dinner achieve sentience." We spent out last night with a happy campfire of storytelling and screaming so loud, the bears tossed and turned.
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Ahh yes, it WAS that time of the year. Memories were made, happiness ensued, and so many kids got a sugar rush, the restrooms looked like the aftermath of a bombing.
However, Camp Emerson had a lot of adventure in store for us,
And that's what Boy Scouts is about.
Honorable Mentions:
Scorpion Hike; it was pitch black and the black lights illuminated every stinging arachnid there was.
However, Camp Emerson had a lot of adventure in store for us,
And that's what Boy Scouts is about.
Honorable Mentions:
Scorpion Hike; it was pitch black and the black lights illuminated every stinging arachnid there was.
Polar Bear Plunge: Absolutely FREEZING. Jumping into a pool during the morning air while having hoses being sprayed and fans set to maximum velocity.
Dance Party: For some reason they started playing the "Sophia The First" children's cartoon theme.
(There are more, I just didn't go to them)
Dance Party: For some reason they started playing the "Sophia The First" children's cartoon theme.
(There are more, I just didn't go to them)
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