Finding Confidence on the Trail
Sometimes the hardest decision is the right one. Just a couple of days before our Trek & Tent youth overnight expedition in July, leaders made the call to shorten the trip from a three-day, two-night adventure to a single overnight. The forecast included the potential for strong thunderstorms, large hail, and even a tornado watch. And while everyone was disappointed to lose a day, participant safety always comes first. Looking back, we have no regrets. We packed a lot into those two days, and the trip still delivered everything we hoped it would.
On Tuesday morning, after introductions and reviewing expectations, we headed straight to the Wassataquoik Trailhead. Since this was our Trek & Tent trip, we wanted students to learn foundational hiking skills- not just what to do, but why it matters. We practiced reading a map, talked about the importance of nutrition and how to read food labels to choose good hiking snacks, discussed trip preparation, and learned how to properly stretch before hitting the trail. These are the kinds of skills that are easy to overlook but are great habits to start young.
The hike to Orin Falls, although flat, proved challenging and incredibly rewarding. Once we reached the falls, the kids easily could have spent the rest of the day splashing around in the water. Watching them be so carefree, goofy, and fully in the moment reminded all of us just how great it is to be a kid. Every student had different comfort levels, and it was rewarding to watch each of them push themselves a little further whether that meant floating in the faster current or simply getting comfortable in the calmer water. They were thoughtful about the safety boundaries we set and did a great job making good decisions. Along the trail, we counted moose droppings, picked wild strawberries, solved riddles, and watched new friendships form.
By the time we made it back to camp, everyone was more than ready for dinner and absolutely demolished our taco buffet. As it started getting dark, Ranger Heidi joined us to share star stories, talk about light pollution, and lead the group down to the boat launch to identify constellations. Rory was especially excited to point out Draco, and another student told us his favorite part of the trip was simply sitting and looking at the stars because he realized he never takes the time to do that anymore. We wrapped up the night with campfire peach cobbler before heading to bed. After the kids were asleep, Michelle and I got our own constellation lesson from Ranger Heidi while she completed some dark sky monitoring.
The next morning, everyone was up early for pancakes (another crowd favorite), followed by a Leave No Trace lesson as we cleaned up our site and practiced leaving it better than we found it. At the boat launch, students participated in a history timeline activity that stretched back thousands of years, helping them understand how human connections to this place have changed over time and what has remained the same. We wrapped up the trip with a guided reflection before packing up and heading home.
As we were saying goodbye, one of our more hesitant participants asked me two questions: “Can I come back next year?” and “Can you put me on the waitlist for the next trip?” I don’t think there’s a much better measure of success than that.
One thing that made this trip especially rewarding was that every student had been on one of our programs before, whether through a school lesson or another trip. That existing foundation of trust went a long way. We were able to give them more independence, and they responded by making good decisions, taking initiative, and jumping in to help without being asked.
If I had to sum up how I felt at the end of the trip in one word, it would be pride.
