The Pok-o Patch

On Saturday after dinner, Luke presented the group and Joe with their Pok-o Patches.  The Pok-o Patch is a specific honor created for "campers" at Pok-o-MacCready.

There are four peaks to be summitted to earn the Patch.  That meant four hikes (and an overnight) for the group.  The first was Bare Mountain, on Saturday evening.  The second was Rattlesnake Mountain on Sunday.  The third was the summit of Pok-o-Moonshine, the morning after our overnight stay 0.3 miles below the peak.  The fourth and final mountain was Sugar Loaf, on Thursday afternoon.

All four peaks required the use of snowshoes, and some were more difficult than others to summit.

Bare Mountain:  1198'
Rattlesnake Mountain:  1285'
Sugar Loaf Mountain: 1467'
Pok-o-Moonshine: 2293'

As a part of the presentation of the patches, Luke had the group repeat the Pok-o Pledge.

Congratulations, climbers!

The presentation of the patches after dinner on Saturday.

Luke having the "inductees" recite the Pok-o Pledge.

Astronomy (Saturday evening)

3/21/15
There was some uncertainty about how much of the night sky we would see on Saturday, given the cloud cover overhead.  By the time they'd finished writing their own celestial mythology and layering up, the sk had opened up and hundreds of thousands of stars could be seen overhead.

Art in Nature (Saturday afternoon)

3/21/15
Joe spent Saturday afternoon inviting the students to see art through the lense of nature.  The tone for the session was set indoors, but then everyone headed outside to let the creative juices flow among the trees and trails.

1812 Homestead (Saturday morning)

3/21/15
The week is winding down.  There was no better way to begin Saturday than by visiting the 1812 Homestead.  We visited the School House (where Master MacCready took the students through their paces), the Wood Shop (where craftsman Evan apprenticed us to help him make shingles for the town hall), the Inn (where Baker Tree was baking maple biscuits in a dutch oven), the Candle Shop (where Joe Wicker helped us make candles), and finally to the Sugar Shack and the Blacksmith's Shop.

Early morning at the 1812 Homestead!

Master MacCready is not pleased that the students did not arrive in time to light the fire in the school house.

Lessons in mathematics, literature and penmanship were the order of the day.

Master MacCready making a selection for the students to memorize and recite.

Craftsman Evan explaining that the town hall needs several thousand new shingles for the roof.

Apprentice Olivia hard at work, shaving a shingle

Apprentice Nikoo working at splitting logs.

It takes two to shave off one shingle from the split log.

Baker Tree explaining the step by step process for making maple biscuits in the dutch oven.

The Gazelle was over-seeing the process.

This will be biscuits soon!

Joe Wicker playing his banjo in front of the hearth in the Candle Shop.

Each home would burn at least two candles each evening.

Katniss has nothing on this group.  Using a spile to tap sugar maples!

Using the hand drill to ready the tree to be tapped.

Luke explaining the way to determine which trees are sugar maples.

Blacksmith Charlie showed us some fantastic handiwork, including the fireplace poker he gave to Ms. Hehs as a gift.

Snow Tubing! (Friday night)

3/20/15
Good old fashioned fun was had by everyone while snow tubing down the prepped hill just up the road from Camp.  The starry night was a perfect backdrop for tubing.

Reflection by Sara and Amelia:

When we arrived at the hill we first thought it was going to be a short ride but soon found out it was a ride of a life time. There were two lanes and the girls were trying all sorts of postions. Some of the girls went head first and others decided to make a chain. Also some girls even did a runnning start head first. There was a curve on the hill that none of the girls were expecting so to see there faces when they hit it was priceless. We were blessed with the tempeture because most of the girls were peeling of layers as they came up from the hill. All around this was one of the best night activity yet! 

Lulu giving Nikoo and Sara a push down the snow tubing hill.

The Ice Wall!

3/20/15
Imagine hiking up a small mountain (ok, a hill), turning the corner and running straight into a wall of ice.  That's what greeted the group on Friday morning. The adventure began almost immediately, while trying to find a flat area to set up camp and build a fire.  The whole area was a sheet of ice.

The ice wall was a perfect place to use the skills learned at The Crux. The addition of crampons and ice picks didn't deter our young climbers.  Everyone was able to really "dig" in and climb their way to the top.

Amelia and Sara have this reflection:

Waking up in the morning required a lot of effort on all of our parts but as soon as we smelled the delicious food waiting for us at the Poc-o-Queen we were all ready to start our morning. After our hardy meal of bannana muffins, eggs and oatmeal we drove in the van to an ice wall. This area was by far one of the most beautiful areas that I have ever been to, as you will see in the pictures below. Before we even thought of starting to climb the wall we were given lessons on the proper use of the iems that we would use to hike the ice wall, on the first picture you will see Evan teaching us about crampons.  While some of the girls started to set up for their climb a group stayed back to build a fire. We started with a flame that quickly developed into a perfecf fire for rosting marshmellows and keeping warm. We set up a resting area next to the fire that we used to eat our lunch on, Under the ice wall there was a very slipery patch of ice that we all used to slide on while the girls finished up on the ice wall. After a hard morning of work we came back to the camp were we all took naps and waited for dinner to come.

Evan teaches us the basics of ice climbing.

Amelia attending to the fire

Alexa showing great form on the ice wall.

Kennedi making it to the top of the wall.

The Crux (Thursday evening)

3/19/15
The "crux" of a climb is the most difficult part of the climb, not necessarily the moment at which you reach the summit.  And so, the group set out for the indoor climbing wall, The Crux, to practice their skills for Friday's ice climbing adventure.

They learned to belay (to secure the rope) for their partner, they learned to tie themselves into their harness (mastering the "figure eight" knot) and they "climbed on".  Everyone had a chance to play both roles - the part of the climber and the role of the belayer. It was great practice for the upcoming ice climb!

Lulu has a reflection on her experience:
There's a lot that goes into doing this kind of activity: the climber, the belayer, the instructor, not to mention the balance, strength, and trust needed. I started out as the climber, with Sara as my belayer, which basically meant she was making sure I didn't fall and severely injure myself. Alex, our instructor, was standing right there to make sure nothing went too wrong, so I was not really worried, but that was before I started climbing. At the beginning, it was easy, because there was a lot of hand and foot holds, but as I got higher, it got harder to find a stable place to put my foot, and I started realizing just how high I was and how awful it would be if I fell and Sara couldn't catch me. But once I reached the top, I looked down and saw what an accomplishment it was to be where I was. That didn't stop me from breathing a small sigh of relief once I hit the ground. I didn't have too long to rest, becuase I then had to reverse situations with Sara and make sure she didn't fall. That was a whole new kind of scary, because the responsibility of her health was in my hands. When she climbed up, and then when she came back down in one piece, I breathed another sigh of relief. This activity, though sometimes stressful, was actually really fun, and I love that I had the opportunity to do it.

Alex introducing wall climbing at The Crux

Lulu ascending to the top of the wall

Alex supervising Sara as she practices the "PLUS" (Pull Lock Under Slide) belaying method. 

We did it! (Thursday afternoon)

3/19/15
Thursday afternoon, upon reaching the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, the group earned their Pok-o Patch - one of the goals which they'd set for themselves during early planning meetings.  It was a great afternoon for a hike, with near perfect conditions.


A reflection from Lulu:
To br honest, I wasn't really looking forward to this hike. We had had the overnight the night before on Pok-O-Moonshine in our effort to gain the Pok-O-Patch, and I was sick and tired of climbing mountains and being cold. So when we arrived at the Sugarloaf trail, I gazed upon it with dread, and prepared myself for another cold and arduous hike. Happily, I was proven wrong. The trail did start out on level ground, but it soon rose into a hike that wound through a forest in which it felt like we were making our own path. To add to that, Brian and Joe, the two councilors with us, would stop and point out interesting features of the forest, like the names of trees or the impact of human interference. By the time we reached the summit, I actually felt pretty good about that hike, and the stunning view that greeted us was certainly enough to make that hike worth it. All in all, it was a feeling of satisfaction that greeted me at the top of our last mountain.

Leaning about the impact of the logging industry.  

Summiting Sugarloaf Mountain earns the group their Pok-o-Patch

Cross Country Ski Adventure (Thursday morning)

3/19/15
The group set out after breakfast, guided by Alex, on what turned out to be quite an experience.  Most of the students had never cross country skied before, so the whole experience was brand new to them.  They practiced on the field outside their dorm and then set out for Long Pond, where they skied back and forth on a very smooth surface.

Alex teaching us about cross country ski equipment.

Learning more about cross country skiing. 

Preparing to ski on Long Pond on the property of the camp. 

The triumphant group

Wednesday Afternoon and Evening

3/18/15
This afternoon and evening was very relaxing for the Adirondack Adventure Project Term group. After the overnight hike the group was extrememly tired and cold. Upon returning to the cabin the girls took turns taking showers and enjoying the warm water. Following that, the girls played fun games in their bunk beds and took some extrememly needed naps.

When it was time for dinner the girls enjoyed some of Shannon's delicious egg noodles, beef tips, salad, and some roasted squash and zuccini. For dessert the girls devoured Shannon's scrumptuous cinnamon rolls.

After dinner the girls were given around 45 minutes to hang out in their cabins. The after-dinner activity for the night was Skit Night. Skit Night began with Alex and Luke's hilarious improv skit. This inspired the girls to get creative when creating their own skits. Based on age group the girls split up into two group. The 15 year olds put together a musical about hikers who found another group of hikers from Academy of the Sacred Heart. The 14 year olds put together a skit based around the low ropes course that the girls completed earlier this week. Both skits were beautifully put together and didn't fail to put a smile on all of the faces of everyone in the audience.

Tonight's reflection was led by Nikoo, Alexa, and Luisa. We started off the reflection by talking about our "wet socks" and "fuzzy blankets" of the day. Wet socks are equivalent to the low point of your day while warm fuzzies are what makes all of the difficult parts worth it. Next we played a game of charades based on our Project Term experiences.

~ Nikoo

Alex and Luke entertain us with their improv routine.

Wednesday AM - Waking up in the Mountains

3/18/15

We woke up at 8:30; some in the lean-to, quincy, or tent.  There were six girls sleeping in the quincy (snow shelter): Luisa, Alexa, Sara, Lulu, Madison, and Amelia, three girls in the lean-to: Livi, Kennedi, and Nikoo (as well as Tree, our counselor), and the teachers were in a tent.  The weather was not the most enjoyable but the girls were as prepared as they could be.  They all made oatmeal for breakfast and broke down camp before hiking to the summit.  We hiked .3 miles to the summit and enjoyed the surreal scenery and then went back down to the camp to grab our packs.  From the camp we hiked to the loop trail back to the van on a very steep trail.  There were lots of icy spots but as a group we made it past them and worked together to help each other.  When we got to the van we had a quick pizza lunch before going back to Pok-O-MacCready.
~ Alexa

After a quick lunch of lunchable style pizzas, the girls were ready to get back to camp. They were excited to have more than 3 hours to shower, relax, and take long naps before dinner.
~ Luisa

Finally moments in the sleeping bags before facing the cold morning. 

Campsite is still quiet while Tree prepares hot water for breakfast.

Celebrating at the summit of Pok-o-Moonshine

The view from the summit 

Pointing at the fire tower at the summit we had just climbed. 

Tuesday's Overnight Hike

3/17/15

After a long hike, we arrived at the lean-to. A lean-to a 3 sided, roofed wooden structure that lies on the side of a trail available to all hikers. Once it was in sight, we were all so happy to see the place where we would be resting because of the long hike we experienced. I know personally I did not expect the lean-to to have no door or outer wall shielding us. Once we dropped our backpacks and put on some more layers, we began to set up camp. Most of us were still warm from the long hike. One half of the group started by setting up the tent which the teachers were sleeping in. The other half, inculding myself, set up the kitchen. The "kitchen" was a square hole dug in the snow to insulate our food. The other part was two circular holes for the stove. Once the kitchen and tents were completed, Alexa and I, along with Ms. Hehs and Ms. Colonius, started collecting twigs and dead branches to fuel the fire. After the sun set, and when the fire was completed, we were all getting cold. For dinner, we had jumbalaya. It tasted very good and warm after a long, cold day. After setting up, we sat around the fire for a reflection. Livi and I hosted a riff off, like from Pitch Perfect. A riff off is when one group sings a song and then the other group picks up on a word in that song but they have to sing a different song. Next, we hit the sleeping bags. Alexa, Luisa, Sara, Amelia, Lulu, and Maddi slept in the snow shelter built by all of us. They lined up their mats and bags and snuggled together. In the lean-to, Livi, Nikoo, and I curled up in the corner. It was one of the coldest things we have all experienced! All of our toes were very cold in all of the sleeping spaces. Overall, sleeping outside was very interesting and cold, but a learning experience.

WE MISS YOU ALL!

Thanks for Reading Loves,
Kennedi

This is the lean-to, where several plan to sleep!

This is the inside of the snow shelter (the quincy), where several think they are sleeping.

Stay tuned to hear about the evening and overnight experience.

Gearing up for the climb

3/17/15

Tuesday we went for our over night. Before we could start the hike for our over night we had to prepare and pack our bags. First off we had to get our personal items. These items were sleeping bag, clothes, and our flashlights/headlights. We had to wear the clothes for 2 days straight and be very prepared for any weather. It was finally time for us to start our hike! We drove to the trail head, which was on route 9. We started our hike up. This hike was a 2.1 mile hike to the camp grounds. Along the way we stopped for lunch, which we had to pack for ourselves. Most of us had sandwhiches and some fruit. When we stopped for lunch people were very cold and couldn't wait to reach the lean-to. When we finally started hiking again, we made our way up to the lean-to. The lean-to was something that I don't think anyone of us had thought it would be. Over all though I think it was important for us to see this sort of living and all work together to reach the lean-to. We all helped each other to keep going and stay strong.
~ Olivia

In the parking lot, gearing up for our hike up to the summit of Pok-o-Moonshine.

At the trail head, setting out for our 2.1 mile hike up to the lean-to, where we will spend the night.

It was really windy along the trail,  We stopped for snacks and later for lunch. 

March 16 - Preparing for the Overnight

3/16/15 (Lunch to Night)
After our delicious lunch, we learned how to pack our packs  and what to pack in them. We also chose what course we were going to take on the overnight.We decided to hike to a lean-to that was close to the summit and set up camp. The next morning we would climb to the summit and descend to the base of Pok-O-Moonshine. After deciding on a course a few of the girls (Alexa, Amelia, Luisa, and Maddi) went outside to practice snowshoing before our big trek. At 5:30, we all settled in for dinner and we had corned beef and cabbage in honor of Saint Patrick's Day. After dinner, we got some popcorn and we all cuddled on the couches while we watched Small Farm Rising (a documentary about local farms in the area). The girls then ended the night with a fun game of Mafia.
~ Maddi

We listened intently as Tree explained what we would need for our night on the trail.

Shannon prepared a special cheese cake dessert for Kennedi's 15th Birthday. Happy Birthday, Kennedi. (Candles compliments of Mr. Nickel.)

Winter Ecology (Monday, March 16)

3/16/15 (Morning-Lunch Time)

This morning we woke up at 7:30 am and headed to breakfast at 8 am (Cream of Rice, French Toast, and Cereal). After this we all headed to the cabin to grab our outerwear, so we could prepare for our Winter Ecology class. The three major themes of our class were adaptation, hibernation, and migration. After learning the basics we headed outside to play games (prey/predator game, camouflage game, and a blind migration game). After bearing the cold for one and half hours, we were excited to have a nice mexican-style lunch consisting of quesadillas.
~ Luisa

Learning about migration, adaptation, and hibernation in our Winter Ecology Class.

Olivia was blind folded during the fox and rabbit camouflage game. 

We learned about migration by being blind folded and trying to cross the field.