Hissing Prairie Rattlesnakes - Camping in the Rockies - July 8 - 12

Friday morning the kids ate breakfast like any other day. They got milk and cheese out of the fridge and they cleaned their dishes in the sink. They glanced at their phones and replied to messages from their friends. Little did they know that these simple conveniences would become luxurious after 5 days in the mountainsFast forward a few hours. There was only one lesson today and the theme was bears/camping tips. The Rocky mountains are host to a plethora of wildlife; if not careful you could attract unwanted guests onto your site. Adara and Joe, two of our camping veterans provided this lesson while demonstrating general safety skits.With this new found knowledge the kids ate lunch and discussed their hopes and prospects for the weekend in the Rockies. Immediately after lunch everyone helped pack the track and the kids piled on the bus. Little did these people about the challenges and surprises that lay ahead.The ride to Peter Lougheed provincial park took about 2 hours. Along the way many sights were seen including but not limited to Mountains, streams, cows, cars and other sightly items.Once they arrived the students formed an assembly line and rapidly unloaded the truck. What was an empty site quickly transformed into a bustling camp filled with tents and people. The sun shone and the kids took the liberty to explore the surrounding area. Volleyball and badminton were played, frisbees and footballs were thrown and soccer balls were kicked. For someone who grew up in the time before smart phones and the Facebook, it was an image of pure nostalgia.On behalf of the Wynchemna staff we would like to say thank you to the parents, for raising such generous and helpful kids. From the first meal students were eager to help prepare, cook and clean the dishes. Dinner was made and devoured seamlessly. As would be customary throughout the weekend an army of student chefs prepared the meal and an equal army cleaned the dishes.The rest of the night was spent around the fire, singing camp songs, roasting marshmallows and admiring the stars. Though the students did't come to learn about astrology, those that were still up shared their knowledge of the universe with each other.Saturday started with a buzz. There was no designated wake up time, but the sun acts like a natural alarm clock. French toast, fruit, cheese, yogourt and juice were on the menu. The students filled up their stomachs and mentally prepared themselves for the day.The students arrived at the base of the Galatea hike, which led to Lillian lakes campsite. Each student took a small parcel of food, as they would eventually meet at the top and enjoy sandwiches and fruit. The hike was not for beginners, but everyone eventually made it to the top. The weather did not cooperate and it began to rain. Luckily they located and took advantage of a tent to cover the food once they reached their desired summit. The trip back down was somewhat easier, as they knew how far they had to go.The bus awaited them at the bottom and they returned home. Unfortunately the rain continued, so there would be no fire.Sunday again was met with excitement. This time breakfast was posted at 8:30AM due to the long drive that awaited the group. Half of the campers were to go horseback riding around Lake Louise and the other were to go to the Columbia ice fields to admire the Athabasca glacier. The first group was dropped off at the Peyto Horseback Riding centre. They marvelled aback their steeds as they galloped around majestic Lake Louise.The second group remained on the bus for an additional two hours as they ventured north. Once they arrived at the ice fields, they ate a quick sausage and veggie dog lunch, prepared by Masterchef Noah. The ice field excursion consisted of a 15 minute drive up the glacier in a 1.3 million specialized ice bus with wheels 2 metres tall by 1.76 metres wide. Once atop the glacier the students experienced a moment from the ice age. They took pictures, threw snowballs and drank pure glacier water. For some of the students this was their first time ever seeing real snow.On the drive back the second group made two scenic stops. One at the historic lake Peyto and one at bow lake. Though no one brought their bathing suits, a few of the veteran staff went in the frigid waters of bow lake in their shorts anyway.They rejoined the horseback riding group in Lake Louise and eventually returned back to the peaceful Pocaterra campsite. In the cover of darkness they had a late dinner and went to bed.Monday once again welcomed with cloudy skies. The group had originally planned to go mountain biking, but they instead went to Banff due to the rainy weather. Their were two options for the day in Banff. One was go to the hot springs and the other was shopping. The groups split up, some admittedly chose the hot springs solely for the prospect of a shower. When the group returned to Pocaterra they were delighted to see another camp was sharing their campsite. They made new friends and exchanged wondrous stories. Each group aided in the others' cleaning.Tuesday morning the group awoke and relished the idea of returning to civilization. The last 5 days, the group proved their resilience. Despite unfavourable weather, no amount of rain could wash the smiles from their faces.For some this was their first time truly camping. For most this was the longest they had ever gone without a shower. For all this would be an experience they would never forget.[AFG_gallery id='420']https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/28199971511/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/27663109084/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/27997799430/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/28200031941/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/28200940921/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/28174952712/in/album-72157669944160920/https://www.flickr.com/photos/78673003@N07/28244887696/in/album-72157669944160920/