Best Memories by Mac Kelsall (Camper)

So far at camp it’s been fun, but my favorite part so far is when we got to go speed boating with our cabin. We went to Electra Lake and loaded the boat in the water; after that we drove out in the middle of the lake. We got to try wake skating. Wake skating is like wake boarding but your feet are not attached to the board, and you are on a small surf board. I got up first time and was like surfing behind a boat. I could go in and out of the wake sometimes but I would fall a lot. It was my first time ever doing it and it, was a blast. I want to keep doing it from now on

Camp by Adam Hawkings (Camper)

            My experiences here at Durango Mountain Camp were very helpful. Also, my reading and comprehension has increased two grades levels. My tutor was amazing, she would help me improve and master my cursive writing. She expanded my vocabulary with Latin and Greek prefixes including pre, per, pro, in, and many more. Also, she expanded my spelling Techniques. For example, if I were to spell the word computer, I would count it out in syllabus and then write one less dash. Com/put/er, see three syllables and two dashes one less.

            Writing was very loose. He explained how it was important to able to write. Everyday we would go down to the river, and write what was on our mind. Then we would start on our independent project. After we finished we would either improve our witting, or write a blog for the website.

            It is not hard to make a friend here. Everyone likes everyone and everyone helps everyone. The outdoor pursuits are very intense. There is kayaking, mountain biking, wild Colorado, horses, scuba, and climbing. For kayaking, you can be in either be in rubber boats or a hard shell kayak. For mountain biking, you bike on trails all around Durango depending on your skill. Also for Wild Colorado, you do a lot, including caving, canoeing, making fires, and shelters. Horses you feed and groom them, and take the on trail rides. Scuba we sat in class learning how to dive and equalize. Next we got in the pool practiced skills and our last day we went to a lake to get our certification. Last but not least is climbing. In climbing we learn to tie our knots for our harness. Then we learned how to climb and how to belay or get down.

            On the weekends we would do something fun with our counselors or do something as a camp. We would ether go tubing, climb a fourteen, or hang with our counselors and cabin.

The hike by Josie Osberg (Camper)

The hike yesterday was a very hard hike. I can not believe that I actually made it all the way to the top! I was walking very slowly for most of the walk, but slow and steady wins the race (even though it wasn’t a race) At the top we finally got to eat our lunch, but it was just a sandwich and it was not enough food because we were all starving coming back down the mountain. The going up was scary and very hard but the coming down was super scary. We were walking down the side of the mountain with little loose rocks so we were all slipping and sliding down the mountain. This made it very difficult to get down the mountain. Finally when we got off the scary part of the mountain it was just an easy walk down an easier path. When we got back to the car, everyone was laying on the rocks while we waited for the last two girls to come down. After they got down the last little part we got to eat brownies! They were a perfect treat for everyone at the end of the long day of hiking. We made sure that everyone and everything was in the cars and we started are long trip back to camp. The car ride was very fun, I mean that we got to have our iPods for just the car rides so most of us fell asleep listening to them. When we got back to camp dinner was just starting so it was perfect timing because everyone who went on the hike was very tired and supper hungry. This was a weekend that I will not soon forget!

Camp by Natalie Morgan (Camper)

This summer, I had the privilege to go to Durango Mountain Camp. It has been an experience of a life time. At first I was scared about coming, and then I realized this was going to help me in my future plans. At this camp, you do not just do busy work, you also do outdoor activities that are very fun. For the activities, you have kayaking, rock climbing, horses, wild Colorado, and scuba. I only did wild Colorado and kayaking. Kayaking was so much fun because you got to go through many rapids. It was like a roller coaster in the water. When I first started, I was not that great at it, then I got the hang of it. Wild Colorado was fun also. You got to pretend like you were stuck out in the wilderness, make shelters, and cook crazy food over a fire.


The main part of the camp is helping with my dyslexia and to get me on track. I know I have done a lot of busy work. I tried to work extra hard so I could achieve everything I needed to before I left this camp. I know this camp was best for my abilities. I want to make sure when I get home, I will be on top of everything work wise.

At this camp, I have become really close to everyone; they are like my family. I have a best friend here; Josie she has made everything better for me and has kept me motivated about everything. Josie was here last year so she knew everything that was going on so she could tell me what was happening next.

I have had so many experiences at this camp. I have done some stuff here that I have never done before. This camp has been a life change for me. I know I have learned so much here, and I have done so many active things. This has been a very fun summer for me and it has given me something to do everyday.

DMC by Pete Kornoff (Head Counselor)

As camp nears the end we have the challenge of cramming 2 weeks worth of fun into just 1. The way we do this is by starting off the week with "Extreme Weekend." One of the coolest offerings we make is an extreme summit attempt. This year we chose to climb a "14er": 14,028 foot tall Redcloud Peak. We started our mission Saturday morning traveling from camp to Silverton and facing progressively rougher off-road conditions to the trail head. Many "Jeepers" stared mouth-agape as we maneuvered the narrow trails in the low-slung, lengthy, 4 wheel drive camp "Soccer Mom" Suburbans. Along the way we stopped at the top of 12,640 foot tall Cinnamon Pass and just for fun some did some extreme snowplay, glissadeing on 40 degree snowfields ,while other campers decided to find their inner polar bear and go swimming under an ice bridge in a frigid tundra lake. From there we made our way to the trail head, and set up camp for the night. The campfire food and entertainment was phenomenal and we almost got to dine on fresh venison steaks when the campers tried to stalk a deer. We went to bed early in anticipation of an extreme(ly) early 5:30am start. Carrying on the extreme theme, it got extremely cold at night and one camper made it more so by sleeping sans-sleeping bag.
Waking up was tough but the hot cocoa got the juices flowing and eventually we started our hike at 8:00. We hiked up a beautiful forest valley, enjoying the changing climate zones until we topped out at the summit among spectacular views of most of the San Juan Range of the Rockies including at least 7 other "14ers" as well as hundreds of other snow-specked peaks, lush valleys, and distant high mesas. Upon gazing at such wonder, one camper exclaimed: "What...there's nothing up here!" After enjoying a well deserved lunch we made our way down the mountain, and all experienced one more extreme; exhaustion. Bumbling and stumbling we got back to the Suburbans and pigged-out, make that replenished calories, on brownies and cold, 2 day old, burritos. On the way home everybody gripped about the aches and pains, some slept rocked to sleep by the violent, jarring sway of the rough trail and road-tuned Suburban suspension. When we made it back to dinner (only 10 minutes late), all the campers recounted the numerous tales and basked in the sense of accomplishment that can only come from pushing oneself to the limit and triumphing.