Preparing To Be Surprised
Tips for Camp & Retreat Rookies
If you’re new to camp and retreat life or are accustomed to a hotel or modern cabin as your idea of camping, there may be aspects of being in a natural setting that will catch you by surprise! Many of the camp and retreat centers we manage are located in woodlands and along natural water fronts. Guests often stay in cabins or shared dorms, where they may share a bathroom, and eat in a cozy dining hall together. And then, there is nature!
Let’s look at a few things that many urban and suburban folks might not be thinking about when they choose overnight accommodations in nature. It might be your first time or your hundredth time visiting the great outdoors, but here are reminders of some of the quirky little things that can happen in nature.
It’s Dark at Night
Once you’re out of the city and away from the lights of businesses and boulevards and the moon goes down, it’s dark at night. Yes, there are lighted pathways and porch lights, but the darkness on a moonless night is really surprisingly dark! On some nights in the Sierra Nevada, the night can be so dark, one truly cannot see your own hand in the dark! This kind of night makes for the most beautiful and momentous star gazing experiences. Alternatively, a full moon lighting up the night makes for fantastic walks through the forest, meadow, or beach.
Sometimes a night walk is in order. At a high school summer camp, a group of teens and their counselors went out on a moonlit night without flashlights to walk the forest pathways as a bonding experience. It was a safe, exciting, and unique adventure that none of them would forget.
Recommendation: Always bring a flashlight and extra batteries as phone flashlights are not bright enough.
Changing Weather
When you’re indoors at home or at work, weather changes may mean turning up the thermostat or air conditioning. At a camp or retreat center, you will be walking outside frequently to the dining hall, meeting space, campfire area, recreation areas, and cabins, cottages, or lodges. Being outside regularly means being adaptable to the possibility of changing weather. Unexpected wind, rain, or severe heat may cause trouble if you’re not a weather watcher. Sleeping in summer dorms or cabins can be warm or cool depending on the season. Sites in the mountains or at the coast can bring very chilly mornings and evenings from October through June.
A summer storm on a warm day can be a welcome relief from heat or humidity. If you’ve ever had a chance to venture outside on a rainy warm summer’s day and feel the sense of childlike wonder it brings, you know the simple joy it can bring.
An adult retreat group was heading out to the campfire circle in early June when unexpected raindrops began to fall. They moved indoors and re-created the campfire around a cozy indoor stone fireplace, complete with s’mores and kindled a new and special memory.
Recommendation: Check the weather forecast. Be prepared with the right clothing, shoes, and bedding. Always bring layers – sweatshirts, sweater, windbreaker. Bring a hat, sunscreen and lip balm.
Animals & Insects Live in Nature
You can see animals in their natural environment, if you are lucky, and if our human activities and noises at camp don’t scare them all away. Creatures that live throughout the natural areas in North America may be viewed safely at many our camp & retreat centers. Deer, turkeys, raccoons, squirrels, birds of all kinds and sizes, bears, foxes, coyotes, snakes, lizards, bees, yellow jackets, opossums, mosquitos, spiders, bats and rabbits are among the most familiar and common insects, reptiles, and mammals that live in the areas where we are located. Nature is their home. We love their presence and give them plenty of room (well, the yellow jackets and mosquitos are not our favorites). You would be lucky to see the beautiful black bear ambling through the woods.
At a camp for kids from the city, a large stag with a huge 12-point rack of antlers grazed just beyond the cabin area. The kids had never seen such a magnificent creature in its natural habitat. The group of young people fell silent and still, watching. For many, it was one of the unforgettable highlights of their week in the woods.
Recommendation: Respect your animal peers and give them space to be. Bring mosquito repellent. If you have questions about animals, ask your host.
Walking, Strolling, Hiking & Roaming
There are no buses, trams, or jitneys at our camps and retreat centers. You can expect to get in plenty of steps throughout the day. Group activities will likely get you up and around, indoors or outdoors. Taking an early morning hike or walking around the grounds is a simple routine many people enjoy. Walking back and forth to and from the Dining Hall happens three times each day! If you’re very active in your regular life at home & work, this may not seem unusual. For active folks, take advantage of the spacious grounds. Explore. Wander. If you’re sedentary or less active, you may find the frequent walking revitalizing. You may also sleep better getting in a good amount of walking.
As the fresh sea air blew inland, a few retreat guests ambled on the bluff overlooking the salt marshes that separated the bluff from the beach. Invigorated by the stroll, they decided to rise a little early each day to enjoy the restorative mornings on the bluff. They found these walks both stimulating and calming.
Recommendation: Bring good walking shoes and comfortable clothing appropriate to the season.
Elevation
We have four sites in California that are well above sea level. The highest is Pilgrim Pines Camp & Conference Center at 5200’ elevation. The Community of the Great Commission and Camp Lodestar each stand at around 4,000’ elevation and Applegate Jesuit Retreat Center at 2000’. Guests who are not accustomed to elevations above 2,000’ may notice they are breathing a little harder. People acclimate rather quickly, so expect to be breathing normal after your first 24-36 hours. Mostly, guests at these sites will notice the dry air, especially in summer months. The sun at these elevations feels more extreme.
Autumn and Spring in the Sierra Nevada foothills are among the best times of year to enjoy the higher elevations. Warm days and cool nights create days perfect for outdoor activities and nights that are good for a warm sweater and great sleeping.
Recommendation: Wear a hat and sunglasses to help protect yourself from sun. Bring a water bottle and stay hydrated. Ease into activities if you live at or near sea level.
We yearn to get outside, to an extent, because we crave the peace and beauty of nature. These outdoor experiences can enhance the wonder and awe that nature often evokes in us. Nature can surprise us, soothe and heal us, and certainly inspire us.
No matter if you are a seasoned nature-lover or a newbie, these little reminders are sure to capture your attention and inspire you to take a break from the screen and spend some time connecting to the natural world. The most ordinary experiences can transform into extraordinary occasions when we seek out circumstances different from our usual routines.
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
– John Muir
If you’d like to schedule some time in nature with your group, friends, or family, we can help!