Day One

Today is the day our campers arrive at Todd Lake. Our base camp is nestled on the west side of Todd lake. The volunteers have been busy setting up tents and all the gear needed in the coming days. There is an anticipation in the air of everyone meeting each other and embarking on our 2024 See You At The Summit outing.

The campers arrived and piled out of the van to game-face ready volunteers. Gear was partially distributed and we all began to ease into the outdoor setting and all that comes with recreating in it for an extended amount of time. The day ended as any camping day should, around a fire pit with full stomachs and slightly quenched curiosity of what to expect. Tomorrow we dive further into our wilderness experience. 

JULY 18, 2024

Day Two

With yesterday’s tent building, dishwashing, and hygiene lessons out of the way we continue into distributing and familiarizing ourselves with the remainder of the gear. Clothes are fitted, backpacks adjusted, and we get a wonderful visit from the Park Rangers and a lesson in what makes Wilderness so unique.

After learning what is required of us to enjoy the Wilderness we set out on a short hike around Todd Lake. Every hike is led by a leader who learns what it takes to travel in between the coming destinations. One of our participants is returning from last year and leads the first hike to pass on what was learned from last year’s experience. During the hike we were able to pause to soak up all that surrounded us. Birds chirping, butterflies weaving through the grasses, sparkling of the sun on the lakes surface, the breeze brushing through the hemlocks and firs, the trickling of a small stream, just some of the many sights and sounds the campers expressed experiencing.

Our food guru Sarah, made sure we were all fed and there were moments to continue mindfulness lazily from a hammock, or perched up on felled log.

Today marks the first day of volunteer logistics and hauling all the heavy loads needed to make this journey comfortably and safely; and our first group of 7 leave the comfort of the front country with double the loads to get things set up for the next day’s camper trek. 

Day Three

The campers were up bright and early for a 9am parking lot meeting. Packs were packed, snacks were stowed in easy-to-reach pockets, and a team leader was assigned to lead the group into the wilderness. The hike from Devil's lake trailhead to Moraine Lake has quite the elevation gain and it feels like starting to swim at the deep end. Our team leader pressed on at a steady pace and the campers were checking in with each other often. There was relief written on all of their faces as the first half of the hike took us up to the volcanic flats.

The second half of the hike was exposed to the sun and prior to starting off again the team checked in with each other to make sure everyone had the calories, water, and sunscreen required for the final push to our campsite. Another mile or so and Moraine lake came into view and the teens could hear a not-so-distant cheering coming from the support team as they approached their destination. A well earned swim was in order as soon as the campsite was set up. With every passing day our campers become more cohesive and the amount of laughter and healthy banter fill their surroundings. Our support team grin every time they hear a fit of laughter coming from the teens campsite. We are all pleased with the day’s accomplishments. 

July 20, 2024

Day Four

Yesterday's stair stepper of a hike made itself evident as all participants emerged stiffly from their tents. As the days progress the campers are getting an idea of managing time and resources in the wilderness; the stoves are running and water filtering soon after the campers emerge. Part of being out in the wilderness is being exposed to nature. The support team monitors the weather and air quality, and from forecasts it looks like the team would benefit from a more sheltered campsite. The campers choose their team leader and the forecasts are conveyed for the teens to develop a plan: move from the hilltop to the creek valley.

A hike closer to South Sister is set aside and the team decides to relocate camp to an area out of the prevailing winds that are to come. The team breaks down camp and because it's a shorter hike take on a bit more weight than the previous day's hike. The new campsite comes with an upgrade, its own little stream with a waterfall that doubles as a shower. The remainder of the day is filled with more learning and facilitation and another welcomed swim in Moraine Lake. Oh and the highlight of the day; a pre-bedtime cross-ravine dance off between the campers and support staff. That was epic. 

July 23, 2024

Day Seven

The previous night the teens picked their leaders and due to the length of the trip, two leaders were selected to split up the workload. The team opted for a 4:30 am wake up time that was quite a surprise to the staff. 4:30 am came quick and sure enough the staff spotted headlamps bouncing around in the distance from the teen camp. The team was on the trail by 6:45 am. This is our most strenuous hike with 1829 feet of elevation gain over 7 miles. The teens opted for a quick snack before leaving and had breakfast on the trail near one of our trail junctions. Several stream crossing required them to help each other cross without getting wet. We got to cross paths with a team of horses that were hauling gear to our summit camp.

As we began to gain elevation the trees became sparse and just as we ran out of shade we stopped at stream whose headwaters were our destination. The stream cascaded over a series of waterfalls. All but one teen braved the cool waters of the waterfall and were rejuvenated from the glacier fed stream. One of the teens was conserving energy for the hike to come and it was most heartwarming to see the other teens collect water from the falls to include their teammate in the experience. With everyone refreshed we pushed on and got to our campsite. This was not our destination as we needed to continue to the summit and unnecessary items were stowed at the campsite and bare essentials were taken on for the final push to the summit.

The steep scree and boulder fields were navigated, and we soon emerged at the no-name lake inside a crater of Broken Top. All the teens took in nature’s cathedral with the summit now clearly in sight. The team chose who they thought had worked the hardest to lead them to the top. As they crested into the saddle, the lava scree ground in front of them gave away to a impressive view of the valley below with Broken Top, South Sister, Middle Sister, North Sister, and Mount Washington in the distance. Some of the support staff were hiding on an adjacent slope and broke out cheering and clapping to the teams accomplishment. Smiles, hugs, and some tears of joy were shed as the climax of the journey was unfolding. It was truly something to behold. With plenty of daylight to spare the team made it back down to the campsite half a mile away and were treated to some pie after dinner. Quite a luxury for a backcountry wilderness trip, but thanks to the team of horses we were able to make it special. There were plenty of hundred mile stares as the teens and the staff allowed all that transpired to soak in.