When I was a wee lass at 15 years old, I had the opportunity to work at Camp Loll . Little did I know that this opportunity would change my life forever. Not just because of the fact that you become a different, better person by working at boy scout camps, but the fact that I met my husband while working at a boy scout camp. Here's the breakdown - my brother, Scott was planning on working at Camp Loll for the summer of 1999. Two weeks before the summer started, the camp director called and said he needed someone else to be in the trading post for the summer. I agreed, not knowing what the summer would entail. It was the best summer of my life! I met the most awesome people ever and got to work in one of the most pristine forests in the world.
From that summer on I was hooked! I returned to Camp Loll again for the summer of 2000. The camp director changed for the summer of 2001 and he didn't hire back any of the old staff from the year before. I took my chances and applied to work at Camp Bartlett. For the next two summers, I worked there and made another set of amazing friends. After the second year there, I decided I needed a change in scenery. The camp director for a camp on Catalina Island lived in my ward. I interviewed with him and he offered my a job in the kitchen for the summer of 2003 at Camp Cherry Valley. I worked there again in 2004, visited in 2005, and then went on my mission. Little did I know that I would ever work there again. I returned from my mission at the beginning of the summer in 2007 and I visited down there for a week or two. At the beginning of 2008, I got a phone call from the director asking me if I would be interested in working as the camp nurse. It sounded like so much fun - but I would take a pay-cut by going out there to work - and I didn't know if my work would allow me to leave for that long. I felt pretty good about it and my work gave me permission to leave for the summer. It was such an awesome summer! That is when I met Cortney and we became friends. After the summer ended we started dating and now he's my husband! Needless to say, scout camps have helped make me the person I am today and helped me meet my eternal companion. So anyway... Camp Loll will forever hold a special place in my heart.
When we started going to the C-town 6th ward, we met our good friends, Lauren and Justin. They both worked at Camp Loll for several summers too! When they mentioned that there is an alumni weekend every year, we decided we would go. Cortney had never been before and I wanted to show him that special place. We decided to carpool to make the trip that much better.
We started out Friday afternoon and headed toward Ashton, ID. We made a stop at the army surplus store near Idaho Falls and then a stop at Big J's burgers in Ashton.
Justin and Lauren...
Yeah, that burger is a whole pound! We split it four ways.
After the delicious burger, we headed on into camp! It's required that you stop on the way to take pictures of the Tetons.
This storm followed us in to camp and welcomed us with a good ol' fashioned downpour...
Luckily it cleared up in time for flag ceremony and campfire!
Waiting for campfire to start...
After campfire, we ate some desert and hung out a chatted with the peeps (lots of laughs!). That night we slept in the basement of the lodge on our air mattress. We woke early in the morning and ate some good breakfast! We then chilled for a bit and just enjoyed being at camp!
This is a funny photos because it sort of looks like Cortney was photoshopped into it...
We visited the archery range...
The amazing archers...
And then Weather Rock...
Ha ha ha!
We ate some lunch and then headed out on a bush-whacking type hike to Hidden Falls...
Don't even worry, all the bush-whacking and falls led us to this pristine gem-of-a-pool...
Lauren and Justin...
After the hike, Cortney took a nap and the rest of us checked out the waterfront. I passed the swim check! The water was between 60-65 degrees. Not too bad for Lake of the Woods!
Don't these photos make you want to go sailing?
We checked the lake out on some kayaks - so pristine!
After dinner, it was time for flags and campfire.
The alumni group...
After campfire, we hung out at our campsite for a bit while the rain cleared up. Then we made our own little campfire and roasted some mallows and partook of some s'mores. It was definitely the good times!
We stopped by Jackson Lake Lodge to check out the views...
Kira, Russell, Justin, Lauren, DeAnn, Cortney
Jenny Lake was our next stop...
We stopped in Jackson for dinner and then headed home through Star Valley, Wyoming. We stopped in at the Erickson farm in Freedom for a minute or two...
And ran into this beauty through Tin Cup...
It was definitely a "double rainbow all-the-way!" (If you don't get that, look it up on you-tube)... I love Russell's face in this picture!
It was such a beautiful drive home!
Um.....?
Definitely a pristine shot of the men...
And what trip would be complete without a stop in Soda Springs? We stopped at Hooper Springs to taste of the soda water...
Check out Kira's reaction to the taste!
The groupies checking out the "volcano"...
The "volcano"...
We had such a fun trip! Definitely one for the books! Thanks, guys!
Looks like so much fun, Camp Loll is definitely awesome, I remember the time you took me there! Glad you worked at camp Bartlett, too, because I just love ya and you will forever be a great friend!
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