Facilities should not be the ADVENTURE at Camp

Every so often, a group walks through our doors and reminds us what camp is really about. Every November, Copper Mountain Lodge is invaded by a local youth group. They’ve been coming to camp for years—not because everything is shiny and new, but because something meaningful happens here when students step away from the usual noise and make space for faith, friendships, and fun.

If you’ve ever watched a youth group arrive at camp, you know the sound: doors thumping, laughter echoing, and a whole lot of energy scrambling for the top bunk. It is a scene that often resembles the opening of the movie “Home Alone,” with shouts of joy, luggage flying everywhere, and adults nowhere to be seen. Every year, arrival is plagued with that Pacific Northwest darkness that seems to absorb light while it is raining. Helping them get settled this year highlighted the need for better outdoor and indoor lighting to receive groups well during those winter months. We love adventure, but we would rather the adventure be on the zipline and not simply trying to traverse the inky black expanse of a parking lot at night in the rain. Fear not! Their indomitable spirits were not hampered.

Two years ago, they survived the “hero’s journey” into Copper Mountain Lodge only to have the rain follow them through leaking skylights. But between worship, cabin time, and buckets collecting drips, there was still plenty of “camp silliness.” The goofy games that get everyone laughing, the friendly competition, that one leader who is so energetic and loud, and the moments when a quiet student suddenly joins in because they feel safe enough to try. Those lighthearted moments matter; it’s where students and leaders connect, share, and grow. Thankfully, we were able to fund the replacement of the meeting space roof, but for anyone who has experienced leaking roofs knows the attached dorm roofs are dangerously close to their end of life.

The gauntlet of facility challenges culminates with the final boss, the bathrooms. Leaders and campers have both shared the challenges of the bathrooms for years. The tile was already outdated back in the 70’s; there is no place to change, and showering is an impossible game of trying not to have the shower curtain stick to your leg as the walls seem to close in like the Star Wars “Death Star” trash compactor.

Here’s the honest truth: our facilities are showing their age. When a building has persistent leaks, when showers and bathrooms feel like they’re aging faster every season, and when tile and windows are long past their best days, it affects more than appearances. It affects how people feel, and most concerning, it can begin to muddy the path to the cross. Not all youth leaders are as eternally focused as this group, and that is when our facilities break the trust of Christ-centered hospitality that our staff work so hard to foster. That is when we lose ministry partners and ministry opportunities.

We are grateful for groups like this one that keep choosing camp and keep showing us the impact these weekends and retreats can have. Their story is joyful, and it’s also a reminder that investing in our facilities is investing in ministry.

When we improve the spaces where campers sleep, gather, and clean up after a day of adventure, we’re not just fixing a building. We’re protecting the camp experience, preserving a Kingdom asset, and keeping the path clear to the cross.

To help address the needed improvements mentioned above, click here To Donate.

Ryan Saenz, General Manager
Black Diamond Camp