Director Jud's Blog

The fourth and final session of Stone Mountain Adventures this summer started off with an absolute bang. Beautiful weather and an excited staff team/camper crew welcomed all of our new campers! On the very first day, we took the whole group out to Whipple Dam State Park for some chill time by the water…by the van rides home, everyone was comfortable and happy with new friends. Since that day, we’ve had nothing but nonstop fun – climbing, canoeing, SUP n’ sail, soccer, Rails to Trails biking, touch football, tennis, art studio, frisbee golf, wakeboat fun, and four awesome hikes: one along the Juniata River, one to Hunter’s Rocks, one through Trough Creek, and everyone’s favorite, the 1000 Steps hike! All three of our ‘masters’ programs are going strong – Horsemasters, Bikemasters, and Wakemasters have all had the opportunity to hone their respective skills each day. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a camper improve from day to day, or even just watch a camper open up and come into their own in the first few days of camp!

(There are Session 2 photos on Facebook, just send a "Friend Request" to JUDSON MILLAR)    

We’ve also had a few special activities in these first few days that everyone has been excited about. This Wednesday was our final trip to the Bellville Amish Market for the summer, at which we saw plenty of cool animals, fresh produce, and yummy food! We also were lucky enough to spend an evening at the Huntingdon County Fair, giving us a nice little taste of true Huntingdon culture. There were rides and food stands and games of all sorts – like at most fairs – but also there was plenty of barns full of local animals and farming equipment, and also exhibits to explore the rural culture of this area! Chase, one of our lead climbing instructors, even made it to the top of a difficult climbing game at the fair with the whole camp cheering him on!

Tonight at SMA Teen Summer Camp we have our first two overnights of the session going out: a Wakeboarding overnight out at Susquehannock campground on Raystown Lake, and a Climbing overnight in the cabin at Bilger’s Rocks. Overnights give the campers an opportunity to get to know each other in a smaller group, often leading to deeper friendships through bonding over shared experiences. Also, who could pass up a delicious mountain pie and a s’more under the stars? 

We can’t believe we’re already almost a week into our final session of the summer, but each day feels brand new with this awesome group of campers! We’re ready to finish off this summer strong by making the next nine days the BEST DAYS EVER!

(There are Session 4 photos on Facebook, just send a "Friend Request" to JUDSON MILLAR)