End of Summer YA Journal
As the summer comes to a close, we begin to enjoy cool autumn nights and beautiful Vermont scenery before we prepare for the winter season. Simultaneously, we begin the process of reflecting on the summer, re-tracing our steps through the forests and lakes that we hiked, canoed, and climbed through all summer long. With this in mind, we look back at some of the expeditions that our Young Adult program completed.
At New Discovery State Park, the Young Adults set up a campsite to use as a home base for their daily adventures through Groton State Forest. Whether it was hiking up Owl’s Head Mountain or exploring the many nooks and crannies of Kettle Pond, the scenery and remote location of the Northeast Kingdom provided an excellent backdrop for their growth and development.
Hiking Liberty Hill in the Breadloaf Wilderness Area is never an easy task, but the reward of reaching the beautiful meadows on top makes the challenge of ascending worth it. The Young Adults spent a 4-day expedition on Liberty Hill in late June, where they continued to work on hard and soft skills.
Right in the heart of northern Vermont sits the Green River Reservoir, a popular backcountry location for canoeists, hikers, and nature-lovers in general. The abundant wildlife and wonderful coastline provide a serene atmosphere for the Young Adults to reflect as well as prepare for the challenges that lie ahead of them.
There is no doubt that summertime in Vermont provides it’s own set of challenges. Through perseverance and hard-work, the Young Adults were able to set and execute an ambitious expedition schedule, and reaped the rewards of exploring this beautiful state.
