POLARIS 2 - WEEK 3
The third and final week of Polaris has come, and what a special one it was! For this week, we’re going on our 3 day hike to Forks campground!
Our first day consisted of a two-hour drive out to the trailhead. Full of anticipation and excitement, all the prep-work done, this is looking to be a stellar trip.
The trail out to Forks campground features 7.9km of fairly level, mountainous terrain. With multiple water crossings and ample shade, breaks were aplenty as to not let exhaustion creep in. As it is the beginning, all of our hiker’s backpacks are mightily heavy with food, water, and other consumables.
Although exhausting, everyone completed the arduous journey with full commitment and excitement for the days ahead.
Upon our arrival to the Forks Campground, everyone made headstrong progress on setting up tents. In previous weeks, our campers practiced their camping skills, but now it’s time to put them to the test!
The next assignment is relaxation! Everyone had a few hours to hang out, bond, and get settled into the campground. However, dinner is afoot, and the cooking team is up to the task of preparing food for everyone!
Day two began with eggs and potatoes for breakfast, preparing our adventurers with the necessary energy and protein for a full day of hiking. The original task for day two was to hike to a nearby lake, but due to nature, was re-directed to nearby waterfalls. This ended up being a turn for the best, as it provided ample sheltered space with clean, flowing water for drinking (after purification!) and recreation.
After arriving back at camp, everyone was introduced to. . . The Polaris Games! Seven ultimate challenges and three teams tasked to compete for ultimate reward of dunking their choice of counselor before embarking on the drive back to Calgary. Games such as, ‘The Floor is Lava’, ‘Camouflage’, Trivia, and more challenged the Polaris group to work together and communicate to be the best group among the rest. All in good sport, the entire camp enjoyed the challenges and is sure to be a highlight among most campers.
After a mostly uneventful last day of packing up and hiking back to the bus back to Foothills, Friday was packed full of festivities. A counselor needs to be slimed, pizza has to be eaten, and plenty of fun is planned! Everyone had a day full of relaxation and socialising, as we all get to unwind and reminisce over the past three weeks of Polaris.
Thank you to everyone in Polaris. The last three weeks for all of us here at Amicus have been an unforgettable experience. Many amazing memories were made, both for the staff here at Amicus and the campers. We hope you all enjoyed your time here as much as we did and that you all go away having learned how to conquer the outdoors, taking away many lasting memories.
Have an amazing summer Polaris II!