Outdoor adventure extreme for rising 9th & 10th graders. 22 miles of backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. Can you believe it? We can.
Wrapping up first session, Camp Coleman’s very first Quest 2.0 program saw 5 campers (all 2-year Quest alumni), led by Quest Program Leader Judy Limor and Quest Rabbi Jonathan Fisch off into the wilderness. Over 4 days, the group hiked from Woody Gap (mm 20.5 on the AT) to the Southern Terminus of the trail at Springer Mountain. Along the way, they sang ALL of the lyrics from Hamilton, brainstormed how many versions they know of the Mi Chamocha prayer, and were completely overwhelmed by God’s greatness in the world. They completed Mad Libs – AT style (“If you see a bear… scream and yell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, snatch and say I like cheese, or (our favorite) slap it and tell it to buckle its pants.”), learned many facts about the historic trail, including the story of its creation and what it means to be a thru-hiker, met an honest-to-goodness trail angel, and slept through a thunderstorm like you’ve never seen! They practiced the principles of Leave No Trace, cooked and ate dehydrated meals from a bag, and had the experience of a lifetime. When asked to speak about their trip, campers shared how much fun they had with their “Questie besties” and immediately asked for us to plan a new hike for next year. Can’t ask for anything better.
We are soggy, sweaty, smelly, sore, strong, spiritual survivors. We are Quest 2.0, Class of 2025 – the seminal 7.
