Camp Ridgecrest Construction Update, January 2016

The New Year has come and that means just one (IMPORTANT) thing: summer is coming! We’ve been busy hiring staff, recruiting more campers, planning some awesome new games, and making sure Ron doesn’t get too rusty on his 2-Square skills. But while we’ve been busy with all that, there have been some BIG changes happening at camp. Scroll down to read (AND SEE) more!

The new Program Deck and Lake Lodge are coming along! – as of 1/15/16

Want to see where the new Apache and Shawnee cabins and Egypts are going to be? We thought you might. But did you know that the cabins will all be connected to the Egypt by a porch? That’s right! You don’t even have to leave your porch to go to the bathroom at night. Did you also know there’s going to be a brand new Apache/Shawnee fort area? You can also see where the NEW TBI is going to be this year. The Sioux will have an awesome new home and be close to their Apache brothers! Check it out!

Layout of Apache, Shawnee, Sioux for 2016, – as of 1/15/16

Check out the Lake Lodge these days, pretty crazy looking huh? It’s going to have a sweet new stage upstairs that’ll be used for Sock War skits and other fun games! The public restrooms will be nice so you don’t have to run back to your hill to use the bathroom, and will help eliminate lines on Opening and Closing Day! The clothing store is coming right along and will have some really cool new items you’ve never seen before.

Lake Lodge Update – as of 1/15/16

Did you know there’s going to be a new gym where the tennis courts were? We do apologize if tennis skill was your favorite, but we’re betting you’re going to like what’s going there in its place! Not only will the new gym give us an awesome indoor space for games and OA’s on rainy days, but it will also be the new home to basketball skill, NEW hockey skill, an indoor climbing wall, and MORE! You’re going to have to use your imagination to see it in the photo below, but it’s going to be incredible!

New multi-purpose gym coming in 2016! – as of 1/15/16

Hey STAFF! Did you know we’re going to have a MUCH bigger parking lot for you this summer? That’s right, a parking lot big enough to hold all of your cars in one place! Soon we’ll be clearing some trees and land near the back gate. In this photo, you can also see how Sequoia Lodge is coming along. Sequoia Lodge will be home to the Director’s family and will also house ALL female staff together in one place, for the first time ever!

A much needed Staff Parking Lot sits behind Sequoia Lodge, – as of 1/15/16

Posted in Boys, News | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, construction, January 2016, Lake Lodge, Map, Renovations, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Update | Leave a reply

Camp Ridgecrest Construction Update, December 2015

Maybe you’ve heard Camp is doing some renovations this year. You’ve heard we’re adding some cabins. You’ve heard about the new tribes. And maybe you’ve seen the map from the newsletter that shows the layout of some stuff. But what is REALLY going on a camp right now? Rather than try to explain everything, we thought we’d show you some photos of the progress!

Did you know the NEW Lake Lodge will have a brand new Clothing Store in it? That’s right! In addition to that, the Lake Lodge will have some nice, new bathrooms available to everyone! So if you’re playing 4-square, you no longer have to go back to your Egypt to use the bathroom. And parents, you won’t have to wait in line to use the bathroom on Opening Day! Here’s a layout of the new Lake Lodge:

Lake Lodge renovation, as of December 4, 2015. Click to enlarge.

Your first reaction to that photo may be “WHOA! That’s getting really close to messing up the 2-square court! Well, don’t worry, in addition to the Lake Lodge, there will be some awesome improvements and additions around the Lake Lodge as well. We’ll be adding more 2-square and 4-square courts, as well as a NEW basketball court area and an awesome deck at the corner of the lake that extends out over the water. Also, we’ll be adding a brand new Archery range, up above the Middle Green. So whether you enjoy fishing, playing basketball, or just hanging out with your friends by the lake, this area is something to get excited about! Check out this photo to see exactly where things will be:

Camp Commons Area Plans, as of December 4, 2015. Click to enlarge.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks and months to see and hear more about what is going on around here. We can’t wait for you to be here to enjoy all of this with us!

Posted in Boys, News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Christian Summer Camp, construction, Lake Lodge, Renovations, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Update | Leave a reply

Cabin Updates!

Well, it has been a while since we last discussed the progress of the cabins. A lot has be done to say the least. The Arapaho cabins have been gutted, studded and have now budded into great looking cabins. The interior has been revamped and the porches are updated and roofed. They are looking real nice about now. We went with a wooded brown with scarlet red trim to compliment as the Apache cabins inverse. Take a look for yourself at the brand spanking new cabins!

Posted in Boys, News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, construction, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Cabin Construction

Howdy Howdy Folks!

Well the cabins are looking different day by day. All of the cabins on Arap hill are looking great with their new porches, and now cabin 17 and 18 are getting started on! Check out some pictures of your cabins see what you think!

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Cabin Construction

The Arapaho cabins are changing by the day. They are starting to look more like the welcoming cabins we all know and love! The porches are starting to shape up and the covers over the porches are looking mighty nice as well. Take a look at the pictures and see what all is going down on Arap Hill!

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Cabin Renovation

The cabins are looking different day by day! Cabins 19 and 20 now have the porch up and the roof laid across and its looking like a pretty cool and shady hangout spot for those hot summer days! Cabin 21 is also getting a big change with the addition of a big porch. Its coming along folks!

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Construction Continues – Something New for 4

Work on the Lower Tribe cabins continued this week, as workers quickly and skillfully put new roofs on all nine cabins under construction. The new cabins will have green metal roofs, and, so far, the results have been impressive. These new roofs will offer an element of nostalgic comfort when it rains, while adding the property protection that shingled roofs cannot. New sky lights have been installed as well; one on each pitch of the roof. These new skylights are made from corrugated, clear plastic, and allow more light in than the old skylights. They will provide enough light to eliminate the need for the lights to be on during the day. Lastly, the porches of cabins three and four are finished, and have proven to be excellent additions to both cabins. Next on the list…exterior walls get an upgrade to help protect the cabins for many more years. Check back soon for another update…

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3 Best Things About a Work Weekend

This past weekend was incredible here at Camp Ridgecrest. We had a strong showing of current campers and staff as well as alumni, parents, and friends of Camp Ridgecrest. Looking back, here are the three best things about this past weekend.

1) Peak Weekend – People travel from all across the southeast to see the leaves here in Black Mountain this time of year. The leaves were beautiful, and still are.

2) The People – Seeing about 30 of your camp friends is always a plus. With all star staffers from the 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s, it was a blast to hang out and share stories of this great place. We even got to celebrate the 15th birthday of one of our Choctaw Campers who of course ended up in the Lake!

3) The Projects – We completed a ton of projects this weekend! We added some landscaping behind Rogers Retreat. We added a Ladder Ball (Redneck Golf) course on the side of the Infirmary. We added some trees and split-rail fencing down by the Tennis Courts. We over-seeded the grass on the middle green. We started rebuilding the ramp onto the Spilman Porch. And we ran some wire to add a lantern at the steps to the “Swol Shack” from the lake road. Lots of improvements that will make camp even more amazing this summer!

Thanks to the crew of about 30 that came out to help! Sometimes it feels more like a reunion, but that’s the way it should be. Check out all the pics below….

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Lower Tribe Cabin Construction Continues!

This week, the Apache cabins are getting new roofs. The new roofs will cover the porch  and increase the ceiling height inside the cabin, giving the cabins a barn-like atmosphere. This will make the cabins feel bigger and more open, while maintaining the classic Ridgecrest Cabin feel. The work crew continues to blaze ahead at an impressive speed and hope to have all of the Apache roofs, as well as the one on the SALT cabin, by the end of the week. After that is done, the the new porches will be added. These porches will provide a much needed covered space for individual cabins on rainy days. More pictures and updates coming soon. If you haven’t subscribed to these posts yet, do that now…click the link at the bottom right of the page.

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Lower Tribe Cabins get an Upgrade!

Renovations began Monday on the new cabins in Apache and Shawnee. A six man team was able to dismantle three of the buildings down to their walls and studs in one day, finishing cabins one and two before mid-day. The crew spent the next two days finishing Apache circle as well as the SALT cabin and cabins five through eight on Shawnee hill. Once the roofs and rafters have been removed from all the cabins, the remodeling will begin. The project focuses primarily on improving the structural integrity of the cabins as well as over-all appearance. While the cabins will look almost identical from the exterior, the interior will be dramatically improved while keeping our rustic feel. Stay posted because the next few weeks will be incredibly exciting as the cabins are built. (Interested in helping us complete this Cabin Restoration Project? Please follow the “Give” link at the top of the page.)

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