Memories From Teen Camp
The adventures of the Klamath Mountaineers
“Believe me my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” So says Ratty to Mole. ~From ‘The Wind in the Willows’.
Of course, from a mountaineer's perspective. I would add mountains to Ratty's "messing about in".
Once Upon a Time, We were Almost Run Over by a Bear
Once upon a time…holy sh*t! This HUGE bear is coming right at us! Okay, okay, I am okay, breathing, breathing. The big chocolate colored bruin veered off the trail and bounded down the hill… when it saw us. Wow, that was incredible. Heart pounding. So beautiful and big!
One young warrior to another: Let us track it!
Eli and Gabe.
Waking the Dead at Teen Camp
Every day, they arose with a start from a long, low droll of sound that blasted forth like something between a car horn and a dying giant squid. Much to the leader's delight, the rousting call of the wilderness was produced from a long section of plastic water pipe. That when one’s lips were placed just so, emanated a perverse sound so disagreeable it could raise the dead.
A fun ritual at teen camp. Well, at least it was for the staff and me.
Becoming
It is dark. The dark I describe is the darkness of a sky with no stars. None. Pitch black. There is anxiety in the darkness. The nervousness is palpable in the young padawans. They feel it in the earth that is about to emerge. The boys are becoming men, the girls, women. It is a time of trial. Of pain to endure.
The Lodge
The lodge is small, claustrophobic. Other bodies are sitting crammed together with barely room to stretch legs or backs.
Ready, the leader calls out!
The Fire Keeper answers. Rock! The leader answers, Rock! Letting the Fire Keeper know that he can begin presenting the red-hot rocks into the lodge.
Glowing red, the fire-heated rocks enter the lodge, are blessed with sage and cedar, and are placed into a small pit. The lodge begins to heat from the rocks.
It's Difficult to Breathe
The air is harder to breathe, thick with the heat, smell, and taste of smoke. Eyes water… the throat is dry… small terrors. Until finally, a superheated wall of steam as an ocean wave radiates outward within the lodge.
Filling lungs with burning, moist air. Driving the heads to the ground where the air is cool, and they can breathe.
Hissing and Steam
They are becoming, enduring the hissing heat, the unknown. Some rise to meet the challenge. Sitting up to become a part of it, reaching for that space of life that is the hottest, the hardest to endure.
Now is the Time for Singing
Now is the time to sing. Singing gives courage, helping us to let go of fear. Their song of life fills the lodge.
Reborn
Later, when the rocks have cooled, our bodies now lie exhausted in the night air, leaving their old skins behind. They silently step into the mountain’s snowmelt waters, now gasping, invigorated, hooting.
They are becoming.
A Rite of Passage
A most powerful experience for our young people at camp. Truly a Rite of Passage. The sweat was graduation. Here, the teens reflected upon their time together. Giving thanks for the gifts of the forest, the waters, and all things akin to earth and sky.
I relish those times and give thanks that we were able to pull it off.
Survival tip: enjoy the little things
Kahlil had come as a student first. Then became a teen camp staff member for several summers. Kahlil wrote the following article about his experience at our teen camp.
Do follow this link to read Kahlil's article: Survival tip: enjoy the little things.
An Apprentice Testimonial and Story
My name is Nolan B. I apprenticed under Mark Wienert for one month in the summer of 2013, at the age of 15. I was reluctant when my mother first suggested the camp, but after speaking with a counselor who gave a clear idea of what to expect, I excitedly decided to go. I was not disappointed.
I would be more than happy to do what was done for me by providing insight into what your son might experience at camp. For me, the camp opened doors for other adventures and gave me skills and confidence I will carry and build on for the rest of my life.
Mark is an excellent instructor and valuable mentor both in the wilderness and in life back home.
From Shelter Building to Stewing Grasshoppers
Your son will learn everything from shelter building to stalking to stewing grasshoppers (which taste a lot like Cheetos). The other food is clean and delicious, and your son will learn how to prepare different meals in different ways.
Mark places great importance on safety, much to the chagrin of younger campers, but certainly appreciated by parents. The situations Mark places us in build strong ties and will unite the most disparate of personalities.
Surviving a Blizzard in Japan
Three months after attending Lifesong Adventures, I traveled alone to Japan for 28 days. At the start of my second week, I got stuck in a blizzard on the east coast of Hokkaido. It was a harrowing situation, and even with my training, I thought it impossible to survive.
However, with the experience and knowledge gained through my apprenticeship with Mark, along with Lady Luck, I'm here today.
I think every person, young and old, should go through this training, as the confidence and perspectives gained are invaluable not only to survival situations, but to life in general.
In Conclusion
These are just a few of the memories from LWA's Teen Camp. I will add more as time goes on. Our teen program ran for 28 days during the summer for many wonderful years.
And, with the support of parents, these capable young, rough-and-ready mountaineers had the opportunity to grow strong in themselves and succeed.
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