Exploring Routes
LET’S GET OUTSIDE!
Do you like hiking or want to try climbing a mountain for the first time? Does spending your days outside, moving around and marveling at your natural surroundings, sound fun to you? Have you ever wondered what it’s like to swim in a pristine mountain-top lake? Have you ever created land art using only your natural surroundings?
If this sounds interesting to you, take a look below...
*If registration is full, please sign up for the waitlist here.
Summer in Maine is BEAUTIFUL and we will take advantage of this at camp!
The Exploring Routes Camp is a week long overnight experience for middle school girls* on beautiful Wilson Lake in Wilton, Maine. This program includes outdoor adventures, with a focus on leadership, combined with learning skills for exploring natural surroundings. We will enjoy the lake, do arts and crafts, swim, journal, challenge ourselves physically, hike and explore nearby mountains and parks, practice yoga, bake food, learn skills for exploring in the wilderness, cook over an open campfire almost every night, and generally enjoy outdoor life in Maine in the summer!
Confidence, creativity, compassion…
Develop and explore interest in the outdoors
Learn leadership skills in a small group setting
Strengthen creative thinking
Discover new places in the Maine outdoors!
Learn how to follow a trail/map, build a fire, and stay safe outdoors
Confront challenges and achieve goals
Try new activities that may be new to you!
Cost:
$1,495 (financial assistance available! Please apply prior to registration.)
Receive 10% off by signing up for any two overnight programs!
Includes initial non-refundable Registration Deposit of $400 to reserve spot
Full Payment Due: March 1st, 2024
(Programs led by a Registered Maine Guide and Wilderness First Responder.)
2024 Dates:
August 5-9
Girls* ages 11-13, space limited to 6 campers
August 12-16
Girls* ages 12-14, space limited to 6 campers
What might a day look like?
We will wake up every day around 7:45 and have the option to go swimming to start the day. After eating a breakfast of the campers’ choice (including a delicious fruit smoothie!) we will make our lunch and pack up our day bags to head out for a hike.
In the beginning of the week we will do shorter walks/hikes and as the week goes on, we will try more challenging ones. We will integrate land art into many of our hikes! If the campers are feeling up for it towards the end of the week, we will hike a mountain that has a beautiful lake at the top! It is a perfect spot to enjoy a picnic lunch and cool off in the water before hiking back down.
After our morning hikes, we will return home to the cottage for some time to swim and relax before the afternoon activities. In the afternoon we will do arts and crafts, reading, baking/cooking, berry picking, scavenger hunts and more. We will also focus on developing skills such as leadership, journaling, expressing emotions through art, wilderness first aid, and wilderness survival. Before dinner we will do something active again such as canoeing, swimming, or yoga.
In the evening we will make dinner together and hang out by the campfire. We will play games and read a book together. There will be tea every night and an opportunity to review the day, give “kindness” shout outs, and talk about what we are looking forward to the next day!
Check out our blog to learn more!
Sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date!
“The summer program was a huge success! I am not even sure where to start...my daughter had the time of her life! Before this week, she was not a "nature girl" she was so proud to tell me all about their hike to the top of the big mountain. Before this week with Chloe, she hated swimming in lakes, now she loves it! She was so excited to tell me all about their days, from breakfast to lights out! I had so much fun reading the blog every night. My mother was reading the blog as well and decided that she wants to attend as well! You guys did so many creative activities! My daughter came back more mature and a foot taller! After reading the blog each night, I was exhausted! You managed to pack so much into each day. She had so fun fun with Chloë and her helpers. So, on our end...it was a HUGE success!!! We are already looking forward to next year!”
“Chloë is very well organized... I have always appreciated how she takes the best from diverse educational models and also tailors activities to different personalities and interests... Chloe also manages to create a tangible culture of respect, tolerance and kindness, and infuses the days with a spirit of wonder.”
**We are licensed under Maine DHHS 10-144 CMR 208 and a Maine Summer Camps camp member.
*girls: we welcome girls and gender expansive youth. Please email info@growingroutes.org with any questions or concerns.