Last week a number of enthusiastic kids took the Sawtooths by storm! The younger generation has always played an important role in what we do at SMG, and we believe building a lifetime passion for the outdoors can’t start too early.
After getting warmed up on the Super Slabs, guides Drew Daly and Matt Scrivner took 14 and 15 year olds Thomas, Charlie, and Alex to Warbonnet, a spectacular hunk of granite in a remote corner of the Sawtooths. With climbing difficulty up to 5.7 and lots of exposure, the summit of Warbonnet is no gimme. The kids took it all in stride – include the free hanging lower off of the summit!
This year’s Sawtooth Alpine Kids Camp was booked to capacity with girls outnumbering the boys. In this popular program, kids learn self-confidence and independence through the challenge of outdoor skills and activities. Whether learning camp craft, hiking, rock climbing, or mountain fishing, kids learn to be reliant on themselves and each other. Of course FUN is a huge component as well – see the photos below for proof!
And showing that being a kid has more to do with your attitude than physical age, 76 year old Ruben summited the Devil’s Bedstead – proving you don’t stop going to the mountains because you get old, you get old because you stop going to the mountains.
