Metro area girls found a new way to rock their worlds at the Girl Scouts "Meet the Mountains" day camp August 6 - 10. At the camp, which was held through a partnership with the Colorado Mountain Club in Golden, Colo., girls participated in hiking, climbing, rappelling and more at locations such as White Ranch Open Space in Golden and Eldorado Canyon State Park in Boulder. Learning the basics of these adventurous outdoor activities involved not only technical lessons, but also essential safety instructions such as always wearing a helmet on the rocks; tying proper knots; and being respectful to nature, the outdoors and their own bodies.
According to the youth education program outreach and field manager for the Colorado Mountain Club,
Krista Javornok, the program was also about teaching the girls important survival skills. "We really strive to teach the girls about things such as traveling safely in mountainous terrain, what to do if they get lost, how ecosystems work and how animals and people can survive outdoors in different environments," she said.
Although the camp was packed full of new skills and information, for many of the girls, fun was the most apparent element of the camp. "That was so totally wicked!" was the response of
Catherine Weaver, 11, of Golden after completing her first climb. For other girls, the thrill and the strategy involved were the highlights.
"Climbing outdoors is really exciting," said
Shoshana Pollack, 12, of Louisville. "I was nervous at first, but then I started to really focus and feel more secure. You can think about what steps you need to take to get up to the top - it's like problem solving."
This summer was the first time that the day camp was offered but, according to Shoshana, "they better have it again next year!"
Thousands of girls enjoyed the fun, friendship and skills to last a lifetime at Girl Scouts' day and overnight camp programs this summer in the mountains and throughout metro Denver. But the fun of Girl Scouts doesn't stop with camp; there is Girl Scout fun available all year-round. For more information, visit www.girlscoutsmilehi.org.
By Joan Harrold - Girl Scouts, Mile Hi Council