YMCA Camp Hi-Rock, Mt. Washington, MA

[beanbag]

I'm on the advisory board of YMCA Camp Hi-Rock in Mt. Washington, MA, and on Saturday there was a board meeting up at the camp. Basically we discuss how we can raise enough money to keep the camp operating and cover the scholarships for kids that can't afford to pay for camp. Camp Hi-Rock has never said no to anyone that can't afford to pay for camp, and often we operate in the red. After the meeting some of the board members and their kids went out to play in the woods.

The camp property is 1,000+ acres of pristine wilderness adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, and is on a 90 acre lake called Plantain Pond. It was completely frozen over:

I took my son and his friend over to a sledding hill to catch some air. The camp was founded in the 1940s, and I went there in the '70s. in the background, you can see some of the lean-to cabins. They have not changed since I was a camper.

Here is the mother of all burls. I'd estimate it's about 6' in diameter, and about 40' up the tree. I'll be keeping my eye on this one.

Some of the guys got in a snowshoe up to the Hi-Rock summit before everyone went home. The snow is deep up in the Berkshires, but not has deep as it is in NY.

Here is the view. The Appalachian Trail traverses the Ridge across the lake.

In my pack I had a several knives and the Maxped water bottle holder I won in Rescue Riley's November challenge.

Nice piece of kit. I'm still figuring out how to best configure it for my smaller gear.

Thanks for looking.

Bean

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Looks like a great time

 

[tonym]

Great pics! I would love to go up there with you one day.

The boys looked like they had a blast sleigh riding! Hell so would I..

 

[beanbag]

Great pics! I would love to go up there with you one day.

The boys looked like they had a blast sleigh riding! Hell so would I..

Thanks. You should come up sometime.

Camp Hi-Rock is my favorite place in the world. I've been woods bumming there since the mid-70's. I started as a camper, then became a counselor. Now I send my kids there.

In fact my whole family is heading back up at the end of President's week for winter family camp. There will be x-c skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, camp fires, ice fishing, skating and a 9 hole charity golf tourney called the "Ice Tee Open" right on the frozen lake. They plow off the ice for the fairways and greens, and auger in about 6" for the holes. I'll post some pics.

Bean

 

[JMAN86]

Nice photos!

I used to live 45 mins east of there.

Great thing you're doing for the kids by the way.

 

[banana-clip]

Great pics, looks like a really fun time you had there.

 

[Big Mike]

Good stuff my friend. :thumbup: :thumbup:




Big Mike

 

[raindog101]

Love the pics. I'm an alumni of YMCA Camp Shepard, Westfield MA. Some of my best childhood memories right there.

 

[Joel Stave]

Wow, that brings back some ancient memories. I went to Hi-Rock for several years (I forget exactly which) between 1968 and 1972. I remember, I was 8 the first year I was there, and 12 the last year. The last year I stayed in one of those lean-to cabins, before and after a canoe trip that took up most of the time I was there.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

 

[beanbag]

Wow, that brings back some ancient memories. I went to Hi-Rock for several years (I forget exactly which) between 1968 and 1972. I remember, I was 8 the first year I was there, and 12 the last year. The last year I stayed in one of those lean-to cabins, before and after a canoe trip that took up most of the time I was there.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Hey a fellow Hi-Rocker alum!!


The wilderness tripping program down at Bear Rock was top notch. That's where I got my start. Over the course of my 4 year stint I did several week-long backpacking trips in both the Presidentials and the ADKs, a couple of two week bike trips up to Vermont, NY and NH, a week-long canoe trip in the ADKs and the granddaddy of them all, a three week, 400 mile canoe trip in Quebec. Those were the days.


But to me Hi-Rock was really all about water skiing and the waterfront, so for a real trip down memory lane how do you like these?
My 11 year old rippin' a tail and sailing:

 

[Joel Stave]

Hey a fellow Hi-Rocker alum!!
...the granddaddy of them all, a three week, 400 mile canoe trip in Quebec. Those were the days.

I don't want to turn this into a public old-home week, but was that the Chochocouane (pronounced Sho-sho-qwan) River? That was the canoe trip I mentioned. It was life-changing.

That waterfront looks like it hasn't changed in all these years. Never did the waterskiing myself -- for me it was canoeing and archery!

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

Cool pics, great to see some family time out there!!!