Over New Year’s weekend about 55 hearty travelers converged “on the mountain” of Crystal Lake – despite Mother Nature’s best attempt to thwart our efforts with 10 inches of snow falling on arrival day!
This was the largest Winter Camp to any of our knowledge in CLC’s history. It was packed full of winter activities like epic sledding adventures down the ski slopes, skiing on CLC’s endless trail system, fort making and snowball fights, cozy fireside music and chats, and NEW this year – Litte Winter Olympics! That’s right – just like Little Olympics in the summer – only COLDER. Instead of a watermelon eating contest, it was a snow pancake (with syrup) eating contest. Instead of a relay race around the lake, it was the human dogsled race. Instead of tug o’ war…no wait, that was exactly the same. But just like Little Olympics, these were all-clan competitions, so you’ll have to find the photo below that shows the final scores.
Other highlights included:
- Our 2nd Annual Polar Bear Plunge – 21 hearty souls jumped in!
- A good 1.5 hour discussion based on the weekend’s theme from Exodus, “Behold I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.”
- Gingerbread house making – check out the wacky creative designs below
- On New Years night alone – a talent show, mini concert by Alex Cook, a sundae bar, fireworks, and a great night of dancing leading up to ringing in the New Year at midnight
- Daily lesson-reading time, as well as Church and Sunday School on Sunday
One of the weekend’s participants says it well when she says: “Learning how to sled, playing in the snow, listening to fantastic live music and spending time with friends – what could be better? After this long weekend, I feel utterly spiritually rejuvenated and prepared for whatever comes my way in the coming year.”
So join us next year! Or better yet – come join in the fun in April for our Spring Volunteer Weekend!
Click here to see more fantastic photos of the weekend
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5 Comments on “Wild Winter Wham-Bam”
Winter Camp was a big deal in the mid-late 60’s – early 70’s. It lasted a week back then – the day after Christmas to New Year’s Day. I would hazard we had as many attending each year back then as you had this time.
That’s right! I remember now a few years back Anna and I went through a few old photos from that time, and also finally solving the mystery of the electrical outlet in the middle of the Dining Hall floor – it was for the giant Christmas tree they put up every year! Thanks for the info, Ginger. – Jasmine
This was such a fantastic way to ring in the new year, surrounded by wonderful people! I can’t decide if my favorite part was gingerbread houses, skiing, or just all the spontaneously joyous music-making. Or maybe it was NOT having to jump into the freezing cold lake!
sounds wondrous! Perhaps next year!
Brrrrrrrrr that’s all I can say! Hope I can make it next year!