With summer just around the corner it is hard not think about all the great adventures that await! Whether you spend your summer rafting the Colorado, hiking 14’rs, exploring trails on your mountain bike, enjoying music outdoors, or just having a BBQ it is sure to be a memorable time! With summer comes longer days that leave ample time for both work and play! For kids in the valley this is no different. School is out and days are open for fun, games, and exploration. Summer is an opportunity to create memorable outdoor experiences with the kids (and kids at heart) in your life!
This summer I have the privilege of working with our Summer Science Camps at Walking Mountains Science Center. In less than a month our campus will be full of kids of all ages, ready to make summer memories! Some camps will explore local fossil beds while other camps will discover the creatures large and small that inhabit our streams and rivers. No matter the topic our campers will get to spend their days exploring the magnificent Eagle River Valley. Through these days of science and adventure, campers will have the opportunity to create memories that will last a long time!
It does not take a grand trip to create a lasting memory outdoors. Can you think back about a memorable childhood experience spent outdoors?
One memory that sticks out for me started with a hike. Like many folks in the Valley I found my Colorado home later in life. As a child growing up in Wisconsin I spent many summer days wandering the woods near my house. Sometimes I would explore alone, while other times I would head out with my father. On this day in particular we had gone farther than usual. We didn’t necessarily have a destination, more an interest in heading one way. After hiking for a while my farther said that it was time to head back home. Sometime on the way back my father point to the ground and said “look over there”. I looked over and immediately saw a skull. While hiking in Colorado now this is a common occurrence, this was my very first time. My father immediately knelt down by the skull so we could get a better look. I immediately follow suit. Together we made observations about the size of the skull, the shape of the teeth, the location of the eyes and more! To me it felt as if my father and I had made a great discovery. After spending some time checking out our discovery it was time to head home. On the walk back home my brain was a buzz with thoughts and questions about what we had discovered.
Memories like these do not occur from any grand gesture. It wasn’t a trip to Disney World or new present, but simply some quality time spent outdoors. This summer I am excited to help create memories like these with our campers. Space is still available in many of Summer Science Camps! For more information visit walkingmountains.org/ camp.
Rachel Zacher is the Summer Programs Coordinator at Walking Mountains Science Center. Shout out to Greg Zacher, I love you dad! She is can be reached at rachelz@walkingmountains.org.
