Director Jud's Blog

It’s official—the SMA summer season has begun! We are thrilled to announce that the Stone Mountain Adventures 2025 Staff Team has arrived, and we’ve kicked off our 10-day pre-camp staff training with energy, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of sunscreen.

This is one of the most exciting times of the year at camp. After months of planning and preparing, the arrival of our staff signals that summer is finally here. There’s a special kind of buzz in the air—excitement, anticipation, and that unmistakable feeling that something amazing is about to begin.

Our staff training is packed with adventure and purpose. Over these ten days, our team is diving into the skills, safety, and leadership required to make this summer unforgettable for every camper. We’re learning how to:

• Rock climb and belay on real rock
• Mountain bike on single-track trails
• Wakeboard, waterski, and kneeboard at the lake
• Lead safe and fun overnight camping trips
• Facilitate team-building games and group initiatives
• Create inclusive, camper-focused communities
• Handle real-life camp scenarios with care and confidence

But beyond the skills, this is a time when the SMA staff team becomes a family. We eat together, train together, laugh together, and start to build the intentional, supportive culture that our campers will step into when they arrive.

This year, we’re proud to welcome both returning legends and brand-new faces to our team. Staff have traveled from all over the world to be here—including Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, and five U.S. states—bringing with them fresh perspectives, incredible energy, and a shared love of working with teens in the outdoors.

The energy around camp right now is absolutely electric. You can feel the momentum building with every meal, every training session, every campfire conversation. We’re counting down the days until our first campers arrive and the full magic of SMA comes to life.

Keep your eyes on the blog—we’ll soon be posting an introduction to each of our 2025 staff members, so you can get to know the incredible people who will be guiding, teaching, and inspiring your campers this summer.

Let the adventure begin!