Camp Pigott and Camp Brinkley

Sunday we took a day trip with Scott and Kristine to see Camps Pigott and Brinkley. I haven't been on the property in almost 10 years and not since the Pigott/Omache renovation.

I had never actually seen a high COPE course before:

Their main lodge contains everything: dining hall, scoutmaster lounge, health lodge, offices, and trading post.

Somehow it reminded me more of an elementary school cafeteria than a camp dining hall.

Scott was especially distraught at the amount of clearcutting around and in the campsites.

Kristine with the kids checking out the fish:

Putting on a song and dance show at the under-construction campfire bowl.

We later walked over to Brinkley for a brief visit, which is now only a cub scout camp. The lake seems to have gotten smaller and muddier in the last 10 years.

But the rest of the camp was almost exactly the same, and probably has been for the last 40 years. Maybe it will be Jack's first camp.

We had a great time on our day trip with Scott and Kristine.

I won't bother critiquing Brinkley, but here are some thoughts on Pigott.

Negatives:

-Land maintenance issues like the clearcutting don't make for a pretty camp

-Buildings were sterile and lack character

-It's small and aside from some cool programs (cope, climbing, shotgun etc.) there's not much to distinguish it from any other camp

Positives:

-Like Hahobas, there's lots of potential here including outpost hikes and facilities

-Everything is new and in good condition

-The lake is pretty and provides a scenic backdrop for the chapel and campfire bowl

-If Dan Gelis continues as camp director, I'm sure the program will just get better and better. He had great training at Parsons, after all. (You know I had to throw that in there!)