Dear Parents & All Campers:

We’re already excited about the next MountainCamp – and we can’t wait to welcome campers and counselors to The Mountain for another GREAT experience! I often hear youth and parents alike saying, “There’s a magic at The Mountain” or “there is something about The Mountain that when I’m there in camp, I just feel like I’m being the best person I can be.”

Yes, I truly believe there IS something about The Mountain – and while there are other opportunities for youth to attend summer camps all over the United States and even abroad, MountainCamp is unique.

So what IS it about The Mountain – what is it about
MountainCamp that sets it apart?
Today’s youth wants to impact the world in their own way – we see that in every young person who participates in programming at The Mountain. And so our staff members strive to provide tools of hope and understanding about the worth of every individual and ways that youth can be good citizens who make a positive difference in the world.

The Mountain’s philosophy is to empower youth and to deepen the understanding of their potential influence (both negative and positive) on one another and their communities. MountainCamp utilizes this framework of community building, participatory education, leadership, environmental stewardship, social justice, service, fostering a sense of purpose and self in relation to community, creative expression – and fun!

Clear expectations are set even before campers arrive at The Mountain. Each camper is asked to sign a covenant in which they pledge to help maintain a safe environment free of drugs, weapons, violence, and exclusive behaviors. Mountain campers are encouraged to explore and appropriately express their personal values, accept differing values and opinions of others, discover and build upon common values, and feel a sense of belonging to a group of peers.

Through experiential activities, honest, careful communication and
conflict management, MountainCamp embraces diversity,
fosters peace, hope, respect, communication and civility.
Activities include important all-camp times together: meals, morning circles (we welcome each day with songs!) afternoon group time, evening programs and time for spiritual reflections. There is also time for smaller group interaction in workshops, trips, and cabin time. Each evening ends with “family council” in all the individual cabins, where campers and counselors share joys, concerns and just plain silliness.

These days, when school rooms are overfilled and individual young voices often go unheard, MountainCamp dedicates personal time to youth, so that each child feels his or her own worth and uniqueness. And when problems arise as they always will in any group of people, we teach children how to manage conflict and expand their ability to live in harmony. Even if they don’t necessarily agree with each other, they learn to respect and accept their fellow campers.

Another unique aspect of our camp is The Mountain’s commitment to healthy living. Youth and adults today are becoming more aware of actual food sources, how it is produced, and the impact of food consumption on personal health and global economies. Many of our youth are choosing vegetarian/vegan lifestyles using organic products whenever possible. The Mountain is dedicated to providing delicious food choices that meet the growing demands for nutritious, healthy meals. At the same time, we constantly study and educate about the global issues on food and beverage consumption, production and safety.

Our campers are outdoors every day – rain or shine – experiencing that nature isn’t a threat to our existence, but a place of wonder and discovery! These rich, green forests and mountains inspire us to breathe deeply and feed our souls.

Daily hikes on one of our many trails, standing under a waterfall, or sitting quietly on a granite rock in the whistling wind — all creates a sense of peace that many of us may not know we are lacking in our busy lives.

Nestled atop a granite cliff on the Highlands Plateau in western North Carolina, The Mountain has a 360-degree view of great sunsets, meteor showers and spectacular valleys of the surrounding Nantahala Forest and is home to the only stand of wind-worn dwarf White Oaks in the world! Ninety-six acres of unique ecosystems create a great environment for experiences in nature.

However, being a part of the environment is not enough. Learning how to conserve and protect our natural environment and the resources that we use is just as important as being in nature. Here we practice a Leave-No-Trace program – with the focus on treading lightly on the earth. We gain a sense of responsibility to care for the space that we share at The Mountain. We teach respect for the buildings where we gather, the cabins where we sleep, the trails we walk on — all integral parts of valuing the world where we live. Campers are responsible for cleaning their cabins and the Dining Hall after every meal. Service projects are offered during each camp session as small steps to build awareness of how to create and nurture our interdependent community.

When it all comes down to it, there are summer programs available all over the world that will impact our young people regardless of the programs offered. If you ask individuals about their camp experiences as a child, more than likely you will need to set aside a good chunk of time in order to hear all the fond memories — learning to set up a tent for the first time or making that craft item still displayed on a shelf followed by the stories of the friends that will forever make them smile, no matter how long it has been since they have seen each other! Different stories lead to the same conclusion — Camp shapes who we are and what we become in many different ways.

MountainCampers leave The Mountain with all of those stories. But, they also go home valuing diversity and recognizing their own responsibility for creating a safe and healthy community. They leave with the tools to be leaders and better listeners. They go back home with a deepened sense of self and the awareness that they are an asset to this world – that they can and must make a difference.

I am honored to work at The Mountain. I grew up here and participated in MountainCamp myself as a young girl. After college, I worked at different camps and experienced other organizations and their philosophies. I returned to The Mountain in 2004 and am proud of this place, its values and practices – and most of all, of our youth programs – and our youth!

Your children matter very much to us — thank you for giving us the privilege of working, learning and growing with them. See you this summer!

Return to Top of Page