Pinnacle Program

Pinnacle Program marks the initiation of the journey into adulthood, and gives rise to the opportunity for youth to explore their connection to self, who they truly are, and how they want to show up in our greater community, and society as a whole.

The canvass of the mountains, forests, waters, and millions of stars in the night sky is the medium that allows Camp W mentors to provide the space for our youth to orient to their own internal wisdom, learn to communicate with intention, explore and develop their own philosophy on life, and enkindle wonder of the world around them. 

The challenges faced throughout the journey allow our Leadership campers to develop a deeper sense of trust in themselves as well as in the community of supportive peers and mentors around them. The journey begins as soon as campers arrive, through tone setting, responsibilities as leaders in the camp community, and also our weekly discussions. Each week our staff will share passages from poignant books, or a quote, or other reading which sparks embers of reflection and conversation. Our discussions happen during“late night”, so only the leadership campers participate in the group discussion. In doing so, we create a special container where they can share thoughts, ideas, hopes, dreams, and hold space for the deeper and more uncomfortable discussions as well. These initial conversations begin to plant the seeds for self-discovery and the rest of the program as it unfolds throughout their time at camp.

After a week of settling into camp norms and culture, we will begin to usher in the next level of the program. Campers set off from the main campus on a long hike around the perimeter of the mountain, which leads to the summit programming site called the Pinnacle.  Here at the Pinnacle, campers embark on a journey of self-discovery and oneness with the natural world through a focal point on the Element of Ether.  Ether is the celestial energy that fills all of space, and this idea of connection to the cosmos is the metaphoric lens that offers deeper reflection of one’s place in the world.  

Our self-discovery and ceremony programming marks the beginning of a point of transformation, from childhood into adulthood.  During their time in the woods, campers will work on developing skills in wilderness living, working with the land to forage and craft wild foods, connecting with peers and mentors, self-reflection through creative mediums such as writing & art, ceremony, and preparation for a solo quest in the forest.  Campers will connect deeper with their authentic voice, their truth, and their inner fire.  

As they prepare for their solo journey, they begin to embody the Camp W mantra:

We are the Sound of the Forest.

The blood of the Earth.

The breath of the Wind.

Our Fire burns from deep within.

Born from celestial waters, all life is One.

During their solo quest they walk, eat, sleep, and live in unison with the forest.  They pull from the foundation of their own inner strength and guidance throughout the journey.  They will spend 1-2 nights on their solo journey (we will develop the plan together based on their own inner quest). When campers return to the group empowered with the transformation of their own unique experience, they are celebrated by the community. Each camper returning from their solo journey will be recognized and received back by the community at large. Earning their solo bead, they will have a tangible totem to carry forward with them to remember the triumph of the journey they walked through.