I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up the kids from school and asked, “So, what did you do at school today?” Their universal response: “Not much.” End of discussion.
That couldn’t/didn’t happen after Camp Chief Ouray. Not only did Hadley talk my ear off for hours about it, the administrative staff wisely compiled a list of questions for parents to ask their kids in order to relive their experience. I sat down with Hadley and the operative word during our interview was “fun.”
I heard you ended each day with a campfire and Vespers. Could you tell me about them?
This was a fun way to end the day. All the campers would sit down at the campfire and the leaders would tell us stories and do some fun skits and plays. When that was over, we’d put down our backpacks and the entire camp would get in a huge circle around the campfire. We’d cross our arms right over left and, while holding hands, we’d say a prayer. Then, we’d sing the “Day is Done” song and we’d be dismissed to go back to our cabins where we would go to bed. Some of us sooner than others. 
Did your cabin get to sleep out one night? What was it like to sleep under the stars without a tent?
We camped out in the meadow at Pole Creek and it was so beautiful. Even though the camp wasn’t very far from our cabin, it was hard carrying our sleeping bags and pads by ourselves. We cooked hamburgers and s’mores over a campfire, followed by a fun tag game called Camouflage. It was cool sleeping under the stars but I was like a Popsicle that night. My Dad told me to bring a warmer sleeping bag but I wanted the blue one so I was really cold. My counselors Laura and Lindsay were so nice they let me snuggle up between them to stay warm all night. In the morning, we were the first ones back to our cabin and it was nice to get warm. (Mother’s note: next year she will listen to her dad’s counsel about the sleeping bag!)
What were your favorite activities?
*My favorite activity was horseback riding and I learned to canter and trot. On the last day, I even rode my horse bareback!!! There are lots of horses at camp and I had a different one every day. Dandelion was my favorite horse because she did exactly what she knew she was supposed to do.
*On the last night, Laura and Lindsay snuck our cabin of 10 girls into the Dining Hall’s kitchen. When we got there, another counselor of a boy’s cabin was there and put his finger up to his lips telling us to be quiet; he was stealing a whole bunch of chocolate ice cream! We raided the kitchen, grabbing cookies for ourselves and then RAN out. It was so cold that night (I was wearing shorts) but we so much fun!! We made lots of noise because we were laughing so hard. Other cabins raided the kitchen, too but we didn’t see them doing it.
*We played so many fun games with our cabin and other camps. One of my favorites was Ninja where we’d jump up, get in a Ninja pose where we’d pretend to cut off each other’s arms.
*I did arts and crafts and made a pot for my dad for Father’s Day that was all different colors like purple, yellow, blue and black. Now, we’ll both have something to remember from camp!
*I also really liked Kitchen Creation where we learned how to make different foods. The first day, we made frozen Popsicles (they were easy and really delicious). The second day, we made vanilla ice cream in a bag. My counselors were the ones in charge and they did a good job.
Can you teach me some of the songs you sang at camp?
It seemed like we were always singing. One of my favorite songs was a game as well–”Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky where the bull frogs jump from bank to banky….”
They’d even make silly songs out of really simple things. When we had announcements, we’d ALL sing really loudly before they started: “ANNOUNCEMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS. HEY, TERRIBLE DEATH TO DIE, TERRIBLE DEATH TO DIE. TERRIBLE DEATH TO BE TAUGHT TO DEATH, A TERRIBLE DEATH TO DIE!” It was really random but funny.
The Dining Hall was so much fun because all of the campers at ate at the same time. DJ Lollypop did a few songs for us on the final morning and my mom says she could hear us laughing and singing from her lodge all the way across camp.
What kinds of chores did you have to do to
Every day we had to keep our stuff in order because while we were gone in the afternoons, someone came by to check. We did pretty good. (Mom’s note: I’ll attest to that. During my tour, we peeked into her cabin and it was very orderly. The boy’s adjacent cabin? Another story). For horseback riding, we had to groom the horses, clean the dirt off their feet and put a blanket and saddle on them.
Camp friend Zoe
Who was your best friend at camp?
My best friend was named Zoe. She was in my cabin and we also did horseback riding together as well as lots of other things. She was really nice and fun. We were all good friends in our cabin and got along great.
What did you talk about in your devotions before you went to bed at night?
Every night before bed, we’d gather together and talk about our day. Sometimes we’d talk about our feelings at camp, stories about good and hard things we’ve had happen in our lives (one time we talked about how we got our scars). Other times, we’d play little games. It was a nice way to get to know the girls in our cabin better.
Daily flag raising
What was your favorite all-camp game?
Every week they picked a theme for camp and ours was Ice Age. The cabin that got the most into it–had the most “spirit”–won the Spirit Stick. It has been a camp tradition for a long time. The winners got to paint this year’s Spirit Stick and they’re all hanging on the wall in the Dining Hall. We didn’t win but we were still spirited.
One of my favorite games was when Russian scientists unfroze cave men and we were in charge of capturing all the extinct animals from the Ice Age. This huge chase game had saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, possums and sloths. It was really hard to capture them because the counselors were dressed up and some of them were fast (saber-tooths were the quickest). We had to catch each of them in a different way. I.e. possums you could tag but the mammoths we had to hold hands with the mammoth in the middle. For the tigers, we’d have to encircle them and sing a song so they’d be entranced and wouldn’t tag us.
I loved camp so much because we had lots of games, horses, great counselors. It was SO MUCH FUN and I can’t wait to go back next year and bring my little brother!
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On the final day of camp, each of the kids received an all-camp picture, a Certificate of Achievement from her counselors and another certificate from her riding instructor.
“Hadley: Work on picking hooves and trotting! You were awesome to have in class and I hope to see you next year! Love, Claire.”
On the back of her camp certificate, her beloved counselors wrote notes:
Miss Hadley!
I have so enjoyed having you in Chippewa this week! Your adorable giggle and spunky personality made the week so fun! I hope you had a blast with the horses and that you continue finding things to do that you are passionate about. This quality will serve you well. Have a great rest of your summer!
Loves of love,
Laura
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Hadley,
What an awesome young girl you are. I love how bubbly and silly you are and I think everyone in the cabin learned how to have some fun with you around. I am so proud of how willing you are to try new things (horseback riding, caveman dressing up, etc.) You are such a beautiful person on the inside and out. I know you are going to do great things in the world.
Love,
Lindsay
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All pictures taken by Miss Hadley with her trusted disposable camera. Stay tuned tomorrow for Bode’s and my adventures at YMCA of the Rockies including the beaver that wasn’t really a beaver.
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In case you missed them:
A Week of Independence: The Johnson Kids Do Utah and Camp
Dancing Queen: Why It’s Good to Be Young and Sweet at Camp Chief Ouray
Protesting the End of Camp Chief Ouray
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 