The first time I went to the Trinity Alps I was twelve years old, it was a good experience but a scary one also. Because I had never been that far into nature before, it was all so new to me. There were no roads, no buildings, no street lights. Just trees and wildlife all around me. I think the nights on the lakes are my favorite times of the days up there, because the stars shine off the surface of the crystal clear lakes water, the dead silence around you to where all you can hear is the light, warm, fresh and clean trinity breeze blowing through the trees, and the crackle of burning pine wood that we gathered that day.
Then the days it rained were beautiful, with the rains pitter patter on the tarps, we put up that night. As we slowly get out of our sleeping bags, with the sun trying to peek through the rain clouds, and the steam rising from the pine and grass laced ground giving it a sweet fresh smell. Then you start hearing the birds chirping at each other. And you can see in the distance two chipmunks chasing and squeaking at each other over, under and around the big an small trinity rocks.
In the afternoon when the pine and grass laced ground is dry and you can see the rain clouds have passed, the sun is shining, the fire we had made that morning has died to a white and red coal, with the bright green hillside reflecting off the lakes surface, and the brook trout jumping which forms round ripples on the surface. The sound of the fresh, ice cold, crystal spring catches your attention, the taste of this fresh, ice cold, crystal spring puts your mind in a deep thought of wonder like “how does this water stay so cold and fresh?” but I have no explanation for that.
Leaving is always a nice but down feeling because after two weeks of living in this beauty you really start to see it as home. But after two weeks of a gorgeous wilderness experience, it does feel good to come home to a hot shower, my comfy bed, mom’s home cooked meals and even my older brother. Of course after about a week of being home, my mind drifts back to the Trinity Alps and I start to count the days till I can return the next summer.
– Elijah, Camp Unalayee Camper, 2010 – Present
Read more testimonials of our summer camp for kids on Guidestar.
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