5 Days, 5 Adventures: Wilderness Kids' 1st Ever Adventure Day Camp

Our Summer Programs are in full swing, and we have been very busy having fun on our first ever Wilderness Kids week-long day camp! From Monday, July 14th through Friday, July 18th, we ran 5 different local adventures, each with a different activity, but all starting and ending at home in Alexandria. Students spent plenty of time chatting with new friends on the trail, pushing themselves to try things out of their comfort zones, and cooling off from the summer heat.

On Monday, students went kayaking on the C&O Canal and Potomac River, guided and outfitted by Eli Geisenberger from Potomac Paddlesports. In addition to teaching foundational paddling techniques, Eli took the group on a beautiful route that showed students great blue herons, turtles, and other wildlife in a calm, peaceful setting.

The following day, students hiked along the Difficult Run trail to get to one of Wilderness Kids' favorite quiet swimming spots. Everyone enjoyed floating in the water, staying cool and hydrated as the day heated up.

On Wednesday, students went to Old Town to explore the Mount Vernon Trail by bicycle! They learned and improved on their communication and safety skills on the bike, as well as efficient gear shifting, while seeing some spectacular views of DC. Highlights included watching the planes at Gravelly Point, and having a delicious lunch in the shade overlooking the Pentagon Lagoon.

Left to right, row by row, from top: Students paddle through a tunnel along the C&O canal; students bring their kayaks together to enjoy a quiet moment on the scenic Potomac; Andrew and, then Ava, have a not-so-difficult time enjoying the boulders lining Difficult Run; Students bike the Mt. Vernon Trail; the fun of a climbing a tree on a summer day--never goes away; Andrew gets philosophical in a small tree at Gravelly Point!

Thursday brought our students to Carderock, a popular and historic climbing area along the Potomac River. We learned from our terrific guides at East Outdoors that people have been climbing the rock faces here for nearly 100 years! They helped our students push their physical and mental senses of what was possible while keeping them safe. In spite of their fears, every student got to the top of a climbing route, which was so inspiring!

Muddy Feet, Smiling Faces! It can get muddy along the Difficult Run Trail, but that was no problem for Logan, Eimy, and Morgan!

Day camp wrapped up in the best way on Friday, with a trip further afield to the beach at Calvert Cliffs in Maryland. The group walked through beautiful forest and beaver ponds before arriving at the cliffs and jumping into the refreshing waters of the Chesapeake Bay. They built sandcastles and other structures, skipped rocks, and some even went panning in the sand and found prehistoric shark teeth! After a big final day to cap off a dynamic week of adventures, the group enjoyed a nice, restful ride back to Alexandria.

A Day on the Rockface: Shayan Smiles from the top of his climb; Morgan navigates the wall; climbing friendships are the best friendships, as Kendal and Sahar discover!