Ski Hi had the kind of summer where there was always something happening. Boots headed toward the trail, horses moved through the barn, packs were tightened for another night out, projects took shape in crafts, and campers gathered back at the Lodge with new stories to tell. Through all of it, this group found plenty of reasons to laugh, plenty of opportunities to challenge themselves, and countless ways to strengthen the brotherhood that makes Ski Hi such a special place. Campers stretched beyond what was comfortable, discovered new skills, and learned that some of the best parts of camp happen when you give something unfamiliar a try.
The horseback riding program was led by Alex Moncada, Zoe Hannan, and Eman Wadkins, who helped campers develop their horsemanship through time with the horses, skill-building, and riding adventures. Riders learned that progress around horses asks for patience, awareness, responsibility, and confidence, whether working from the ground or in the saddle. The following campers earned their Riding Basics: Alexander Lupfer, Benjamin Morath, Harrison Cecere, Liam Brookshaw, Nolan Rhamey, Orson Pizem, Owen Ingalls, Parker Wilson, Patrick Wessel, Sterling Glenn, and Tripp Ralls. The following campers earned their Riding Patch: Alexander Lupfer, Benjamin Morath, Harrison Cecere, Julian Keegan, Liam Brookshaw, Nolan Rhamey, Owen Ingalls, Parker Wilson, Patrick Wessel, Sterling Glenn, and Tripp Ralls.
There were plenty of miles waiting beyond the Ski Hi Lodge, and hiking counselors Drew Smith and Nathan Vogt helped campers meet them one step at a time. Hiking gave campers opportunities to practice preparation, perseverance, trail skills, and care for the places they explored while discovering just how satisfying a long day outside can be. The following campers earned their Hiking Basics: Gavin Altschuler, Greyson Cheung, Charles Dahm, Bowie Heep, Van Jaudes, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Leo Saks, and Zachary Ma. The following campers earned their Hiking Patch (Mountaineers Patch): Gavin Altschuler, Boone Heep, Greyson Cheung, Charles Dahm, Bowie Heep, Justin Hobbs, Van Jaudes, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Leo Saks, and Luca Cimino.
Backpacking counselors Montana Heather and Duncan Gilchrist took that sense of adventure farther into the backcountry. Carrying everything needed for the journey adds a different dimension to being outside: campers have to take care of themselves, contribute to the group, adjust when things get difficult, and appreciate both the challenge and the fun of traveling together. Charles Dahm earned his Backpacking Basics. The following campers earned their Backpacking Patch: Graden Armstrong, Emmett Chavanne, and Charles Dahm.
As HGO counselor, Logan Pritchard helped connect Ski Hi campers with even more opportunities to get outside and make the most of Colorado. Whether a day called for adventure, learning something new, or simply embracing the unpredictability that comes with being outdoors, HGO added another avenue for campers to build confidence and curiosity away from the Lodge.
Outcamping counselors Mateo Jurani, Luke Johnston, and Chris Lampe gave campers the chance to trade the regular camp routine for time spent living outside together. Outcamps ask everyone to contribute, from settling into camp to sharing responsibilities and enjoying the games, conversations, and downtime that come with a night away. The following campers earned their Outcamping Patch: William Blumenfeld, Marco Ferguson, David Ganoza, Henry Smith, Zane Nasra, and Huck Willhoite.
Ski Hi campers also accumulated an impressive amount of time beyond camp this summer. The On the Trail recognition celebrated all those days spent hiking, backpacking, riding, outcamping, and taking advantage of opportunities away from the unit. The following campers earned their On the Trail recognition: Gavin Altschuler, Graden Armstrong, Winston Beran, William Blumenfeld, Max Caldarone, Wynn Canterbury, Spencer Cathey, Luca Cimino, Charles Dahm, Lucas Domingo-Donovan, Harry Donovan, Nixon Eberhard, Lewis Ford, David Ganoza, Easton Grove, Wilt Harold, Bowie Heep, Boone Heep, Justin Hobbs, Ferris Holder, Van Jaudes, Van Klosterman, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Trapp Lewis, Oliver Losier, Ben Luzader, Alexander Lupfer, Zachary Ma, Benjamin Miller, Zane Nasra, Alexander Raute, Mason Rose, Ben Ruckman, Leo Saks, Asa Sattler, Rhodes Shoghi, Henry Smith, Julian Suescun Alvarez, and Huck Willhoite.
Back in camp, sports counselors Dirk Pawlak and Jared Birman kept Ski Hi moving. Sports offered a different kind of challenge: chances to compete, cooperate, learn through play, and bring plenty of energy to a day at camp. The program gave campers room to test themselves while remembering that enthusiasm, teamwork, and being willing to jump into the game matter just as much as the final score.
Archery demanded another kind of energy. Campers practiced consistency, patience, and concentration as they worked to make small adjustments and improve their accuracy. Across the summer, many Ski Hi campers progressed through the arrow recognitions:
White Arrow
Gavin Altschuler, Raines Bhattacharyya, Davis Billingsley, William Blumenfeld, Liam Brookshaw, Wyatt Brown, Kepler Chau, Emmett Chavanne, Greyson Cheung, Luca Cimino, Arlo Cooke, Charles Dahm, Beck Dorr, Dominic Duggan, Samuel Eagan, Nixon Eberhard, Hank Farmer, Eli Feldman, Gavin Flores, Jack Frey, Thomas Fruin, David Ganoza, Wilt Harold, Elijah Heffern, Bowie Heep, Owen Ingalls, Van Jaudes, Leo Karibian, Humberto Lozano, Zachary Ma, Jacksen Mauffray, William McDevitt, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Benjamin Morath, Benjamin Mugge, Zane Nasra, Thomas Parises, Kai Pieplow, Sebastian Pierce, Everett Porter, Nathaniel Purcell, Tripp Ralls, Pol Rechis, Ryan Rivara, Leo Saks, Federico Salinas Camelo, Asa Sattler, Eli Sattler, Benjamin Selzler, Rhodes Shoghi, Henry Smith, Harrison Stone, Julian Suescun Alvarez, Adam Tobin, Colin Wienke, and Nathan Wetzel.
Black Arrow
Gavin Altschuler, Raines Bhattacharyya, Davis Billingsley, William Blumenfeld, Liam Brookshaw, Wyatt Brown, Kepler Chau, Greyson Cheung, Luca Cimino, Charles Dahm, Dominic Duggan, Paul Duncan, Samuel Eagan, Nixon Eberhard, Keaton Edmund, Hank Farmer, Westley Ferguson, Gavin Flores, Thomas Fruin, David Ganoza, Wilt Harold, Elijah Heffern, Bowie Heep, Owen Ingalls, Van Jaudes, Leo Karibian, Humberto Lozano, Zachary Ma, Jacksen Mauffray, William McDevitt, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Benjamin Morath, Benjamin Mugge, Zane Nasra, Thomas Parises, Will Pearson, Kai Pieplow, Sebastian Pierce, Everett Porter, Nathaniel Purcell, Tripp Ralls, Pol Rechis, Ryan Rivara, Leo Saks, Federico Salinas Camelo, Asa Sattler, Eli Sattler, Benjamin Selzler, Rhodes Shoghi, Henry Smith, Harrison Stone, Julian Suescun Alvarez, Adam Tobin, Colin Wienke, and Nathan Wetzel.
Blue Arrow
Gavin Altschuler, Raines Bhattacharyya, William Blumenfeld, Liam Brookshaw, Wyatt Brown, Jack Carlson, Kepler Chau, Luca Cimino, Charles Dahm, Beck Dorr, Paul Duncan, Samuel Eagan, Gavin Flores, Thomas Fruin, Wilt Harold, Evan Hulsey, Van Jaudes, Leo Karibian, Humberto Lozano, Zachary Ma, William McDevitt, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Leo Pitzer, Kai Pieplow, Sebastian Pierce, Everett Porter, Nathaniel Purcell, Tripp Ralls, Ryan Rivara, Federico Salinas Camelo, Eli Sattler, Benjamin Selzler, Harrison Stone, and Nathan Wetzel.
Red Arrow
Raines Bhattacharyya, William Blumenfeld, Kepler Chau, Charles Dahm, Westley Ferguson, Gavin Flores, Evan Hulsey, Zachary Ma, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Kai Pieplow, Ryan Rivara, Federico Salinas Camelo, Benjamin Selzler, Harrison Stone, and Adam Tobin.
Gold Arrow
William Blumenfeld, Jack Carlson, Charles Dahm, Evan Hulsey, and Sam Monroy.
At the riflery range, Patrick Keenan helped campers turn patience and concentration into steady progress. Riflery rewards attention to the smallest details, and campers learned to settle themselves, focus on technique, and keep working toward consistency from one position to the next. The number of recognitions earned this summer reflects plenty of time, practice, and determination at the range.
Prone Specialist
Gavin Altschuler, Raines Bhattacharyya, William Blumenfeld, Liam Brookshaw, Kepler Chau, Emmett Chavanne, Charles Dahm, Beck Dorr, Keaton Edmund, Eli Feldman, Westley Ferguson, Gavin Flores, Jack Frey, Thomas Fruin, David Ganoza, Easton Grove, Santiago Junco Zardain, Vance Kaplan, Julian Keegan, Van Klosterman, Humberto Lozano, Zachary Ma, Jacksen Mauffray, William McDevitt, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Benjamin Mugge, Zane Nasra, Thomas Parises, Kai Pieplow, Sebastian Pierce, Everett Porter, Nathaniel Purcell, Pol Rechis, Ethan Reiff, Federico Salinas Camelo, Eli Sattler, Gabriel Schaefer, Benjamin Selzler, Henry Smith, Julian Suescun Alvarez, Adam Tobin, and Nathan Wetzel.
Level I, II, and III
The following campers earned their Level 1 pin: Liam Brookshaw, Jack Carlson, Thomas Fruin, Evan Hulsey, Zachary Ma, Jacksen Mauffray, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Ethan Reiff, Federico Salinas Camelo, and Eli Sattler.
The following campers earned their Level 2 pin: Greyson Cheung, Marco Ferguson, Zachary Ma, and Eli Sattler.
The following campers earned his Level 3 pin: Greyson Cheung.
Kneeling Specialist and Level I
Kepler Chau, Emmett Chavanne, Greyson Cheung, Thomas Fruin, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Cayrich Mendiola, Sam Monroy, Kai Pieplow, and Benjamin Selzler.
The following camper earned his Level 1 pin: Thomas Fruin.
Sitting Specialist
Owen Ingalls, William McDevitt, and Kai Pieplow.
Standing Specialist
Jack Carlson, Kepler Chau, Greyson Cheung, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Sam Monroy, and Kai Pieplow.
The crafts shop offered a change of pace and a place for campers to turn ideas into something tangible. With Jin White guiding the program, campers could slow down, work with their hands, experiment, problem-solve, and enjoy the satisfaction of watching a project come together. That creative side of Ski Hi was another reminder that challenge at camp can take many forms.
Campers who explored broadly across Ski Hi also worked toward the Pinecone Patch, embracing the variety of experiences available to them rather than staying only with what was familiar. Congratulations to Pinecone Patch recipients Liam Brookshaw, Eli Feldman, Hank Farmer, Vance Kaplan, Humberto Lozano, Benjamin Mugge, Tripp Ralls, and Colin Wienke.
When the day’s programs were finished, campfire gave Ski Hi a chance to come back together. Eman Wadkins led evenings that could be energetic, ridiculous, competitive, thoughtful, or some combination of all four. Hunger Games, Jazz Night, Capture the Flag, Giant Mafia, and Dodgeball stood out as favorite campfires, each giving the boys another way to play together and add to the shared stories of the summer.
Ski Hi brought that same creativity to All-Camp Campfire, taking two familiar stories and giving each one a distinctly Ski Hi treatment. First Term took on Maze Runner, while Second Term entered the world of Lords of the Rings. Rather than simply retelling the originals, both were reworked with a Ski Hi twist, giving the unit the chance to lean into its own humor and personality in front of the rest of camp.
The Code of Living gave each term a chance to decide what kind of community Ski Hi wanted to create. First Term chose Curiosity, Grit, Brotherhood, Confidence, and Gratitude. Second Term chose Brotherhood, Tenacity, Chivalry, Momento Mori, and Mindfulness. Those words belonged not just in a conversation at the beginning of the term, but in the everyday choices campers made—how they approached challenges, treated one another, contributed to the group, and responded when camp asked something difficult of them.
At the end of each term, the Silver Spurs recognized campers whom their peers and counselors felt had consistently lived the values their Ski Hi community chose for itself. The recognition is grounded in citizenship and the Code of Living, making it less about a single accomplishment than the way someone participates in the community day after day. Congratulations to this summer’s Silver Spurs recipients: Graden Armstrong, Calvin Brownlee, Sterling Glenn, Elijah Heffern, Boone Heep, Bowie Heep, Van Klosterman, Miles Kraslin-Simpson, Orson Pizem, and Tripp Ralls.
By the end of the summer, Ski Hi had become much more than a collection of individual adventures. Every trail mile, ride, outcamp, game, target, craft project, campfire, joke, challenge, and conversation added something to the community. Campers learned when to push themselves and when to help someone else keep going. They found reasons to be proud of what they accomplished, but just as importantly, they found people with whom those accomplishments were worth sharing. The Lodge may feel very different without a summer’s worth of Ski Hi boys filling it, but the friendships, confidence, independence, and memories built there have plenty of life left in them.
Thank you, Ski Hi, for a summer full of adventure, effort, laughter, and brotherhood. We hope everyone carries a little of what was built here into whatever adventure comes next.
Jake O’Connor, Director
Kay O’Connor, Assistant Director
