Camp Ridgecrest Construction Update, January 2016

Posted by phil

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

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

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

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

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

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

 


Posted in Boys, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a reply

Camp Ridgecrest Construction Update, December 2015

Posted by phil

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

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.

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 , , , , , , | Leave a reply

Retro Friday: Before The Lake Lodge

Posted by phil

Years before the Lake Lodge existed, Camp was already going strong. Some of our great traditions were already in place, and great numbers of boy’s lives were being changed. One of the greatest differences was that the “camp center” wasn’t up by the Lake and the Lake Lodge with 4 square courts. A lot of the action around Camp Ridgecrest was located almost where the horse stables are today.

Notice in the picture below that the boys gathered at attention outside a building we don’t have anymore. In the 2nd picture, we see campers and staff eating in an unfamiliar building. This structure was called Fidelis Lodge. Looking back at the old aerial photo, you can see it near the tennis courts (below and to the left). I’m not sure when this building stopped housing meals and when Spilman Lodge became the Dining Hall for camp. If you know any of these details, share them with us. What else happened in Fidelis Lodge? In the mean time, check out these older pics. What else do you see that is different about camp in these photos?


Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a reply