Trackers Camp - Summer Camp Portland Style

Walking into the nondescript red building, there is a buzz in the air. People are everywhere, dressed in viking and renaissance costume, hair and face adorned in multiple piercings and dreds, and the smell of incense heavily weighs in the community room. As I walk past each room, I see children busy at work, sanding and sawing bows, building fires, and making new friends.

It may sound like a future episode of Portlandia (which I have completely scripted in my head), but it's actually a day in the life of summer camp in Portland.

Trackers Earth Camp is an award winning hippie Portland camp that just about every family sends their kids to for the adventure of a lifetime. Online, this camp describes classes that makes every adult want to sign up for camp themselves.

Which is what happened to me, reading about Forest Fishing, Fly and Reel, and Stealth Archery and Wilderness Survival for six year olds. Online, there is a picture of a young girl, covered in dirt, with a bow in her hand ready to fire the arrow into the distance.

Trackers fishing camps represent years of experience taking kids fishing. Our Mariners Guild knows the best locations and what works for kids. Our guidelines for safety around water, fishing tackle and shorelines have no equal. We have full access to our own private "Mariners Pond", the fabled Camp Trackers fishing hole, home of "Broken Fin" and where 12-inch trout abound.

Every camper gets a chance to learn with reel and rod fishing tackle while they also craft their own "Huck Finn" style bamboo pole to take home.

This action packed week of wilderness skills is led by the best instructors of Trackers's Rangers Guild.

Delve into the secrets of invisibility and stealth, blending with the ebb and flow of the forest. Train survival skills to travel with ease through the wilderness. Learn to fire a bow by steady arm and keen aim.

All this plus navigate by compass and sun. Craft your own tools and shelter. Most importantly, use the ancient art of tracking to read the subtle signs of animals and nature.

Hello, who wouldn't want to do this? I do! So I signed her up. And found something for my son, too. The 4 year old curriculum doesn't sound as exciting to an adult as it does to a 4 year old, but it involves unicorns, trolls, make believe, and some names of other beings I've never heard of. Maybe an Ewok?

As we actually got closer to the first camp date, fishing, I started to get very nervous. The camp sent out an email, letting me know that my young, innocent, perfect daughter would actually be getting on a school bus every day and going to some location far away to be near water. Not only that, but anyone above the age of 6 would be handed a knife. What?!?!?! She can't swim? How are they going to protect her? Who is this bus driver? Is it some hippie? I thought about dropping her from camp, because we had had a nice summer so far hanging out at the pool and going to the park - why ruin that with something that could turn out to be a nightmare?

But the cancellation policy is brutal. You can cancel, but we might not let you back....ever. Or, you can cancel for good reason and receive 75% of your money back.

I spent the week leading up to camp talking myself in and out of it. Why did I do this? Didn't I realize she is too young for this? Why did I have to ruin a perfectly good summer?

But I did it. I took her and dropped her off. When I got there, my worst nightmare that I didn't know I even had was realized. My girly girl daughter wasn't going to have a woman camp counselor, but two men. Not only that, but the class was like 8 boys and only 3 other girls. She doesn't like men or boys, just girls and women. This is a disaster!! So first I asked if I could go with them (they said no), then I kissed her and hugged her, stayed a little bit too long (like an hour), and walked with her until she got onto the bus. As I was walking out the building, I noticed some of the other counselors. There was one guy that looked a little too much like Charles Manson. But I am not going to judge a person on his looks. I cried.

I had a pretty rough day, and was easily the first one back to pick up my child.

I'm going to cut to the chase here. This camp changed her life. Not only was she excited to return to camp every day, but she LOVED her camp counselors! She finished the week with new skills and a ton of confidence. Like, I would pick her up, and the kids would be hunched over in a circle listening to the assistant counselor read from Huck Finn. Or she would show me the fishing pole she made that day.

So we returned to camp again this past week for Stealth Archery. Did I mention that my daughter is a girly girl? I tell her she is going to camp in the forest, and she comes downstairs in the morning wearing a dress and heels. And when I pick her up from camp the first day and ask her how it goes, she tells me,

"I didn't do the bow and arrow because it might hurt someone, I didn't make the fire because it's dangerous, and I didn't like looking for deer poo because it's yucky."

"Well honey, you don't need to worry about getting dirty, because we can clean you and you don't wear your shoes long enough to worry about ruining them. Have fun."

So, the next day, she comes downstairs again in a dress, but not heels. Honey, go upstairs and put on some shorts. But it's hot! You can't be stealth in a dress, go change.

So I pick her up from camp yesterday, and all the kids have dirt all over their faces except M. 

I didn't want to get dirty.
"Honey, you are so lucky you get to do this! Go for it! What if we get lost in the woods? You need to learn these skills so you can show us what to do. You don't have to do it, but at least pay attention."

So I pick her up from camp today, and there is dirt all over her face. Halleluyah! She is doing it! She's getting into it! The counselor told me that M was the winner of the stealth game, AND, she whittled with a carving knife. Wait...what? 

We go to Salt and Straw Ice Cream to celebrate, and I get a closer look at her face as ice cream is dripping all over her chin.

"Honey, is that dirt on your face or chocolate?"

There is no question that we will continue this annually. Get this girl out of her comfort zone in an amazing, supportive community. Surrounded by people who dress, act, look and behave the way they want to without worrying about judgement from others. It's like the land of make believe brought to life. Portland rocks.