Camp Massawepie is one of those trips that is hard to explain unless you have actually gone. Most other troops go to summer camp for one week, but Troop 5 goes for two weeks, and that makes the whole trip feel different. By the end, it does not feel like we just visited camp. It feels like we lived there together for a while.
The first week is especially different because we cook our own food. That means people have to plan meals, get organized, cook, clean, and figure things out as a troop. Some meals came out better than others, but that was part of what made it fun. Everyone had a job, and even when something went wrong, it usually turned into a story people kept talking about later.
By the end, it does not feel like we just visited camp. It feels like we lived there together for a while.
🏕️
Days at Camp
During the day, Scouts go to merit badge classes and do activities all around camp. Some people are at the waterfront sailing boats, kayaking, or fishing. Others are working on badges, hanging around camp, playing games, or finding something random to do. There is so much going on that it feels like you can almost do anything you want, as long as it is safe and allowed.
A big part of Massawepie is also the friendships. People who do not talk as much during the school year end up spending hours together at camp. Friends are made, inside jokes start, and small harmless pranks happen. Friendly rivalries also form over games, cooking, fishing, sailing, and basically anything people can compete over. It makes camp more fun because everyone is involved in something.
⛵
On the Water
Sailing, kayaking, fishing, and quiet moments out on the lake — the waterfront is where days come alive.
🏔️
High Peak Hike
Hiking through the Adirondacks as a troop. Tiring, but one of those things that feels worth it once you're there.
🔥
Nights at Camp
Campfires, stars, sunsets over the lake, and the quiet parts of camp that make Massawepie feel different.
⛰️
The High Peak
One of the biggest parts of the trip is the high peak hike. It is not always easy, but it is one of those things that feels worth it once you are there. Hiking through the Adirondacks with the troop is tiring, but it also gives everyone a chance to push themselves and do something bigger than a normal day at camp.
🌅
Evenings
At night, camp slows down. People sit by the fire, look out over the lake, talk in the lodge, or just hang out after a full day. The sunsets, the stars, and the quiet parts of camp are what make Massawepie feel different from a regular trip.
Troop 5's two weeks at Massawepie are honestly one of the best two weeks a kid could have. You get freedom, responsibility, friends, stories, and a lot of memories that you bring home with you.