Traditions at Camp Arrowhead
Mountain Day
Every week, campers get the opportunity to participate in Mountain Day. You can pick from three hikes, all ranging from a short flat hike to a bright blue lake, to a hike to the top of Dog Mountain where you can see camp from above. If you come back multiple years, you can build up to hiking more challenging trails.
Tajar Parties
These are special gatherings where a Tajar story is read to the group and then they have to complete a super special, super secret ceremony to become Tajars! Don’t forget to forget after!
Campfires
We have two campfires every week of camp, an opening and a closing campfire. Opening campfire is a chance to get together and celebrate the beginning of the week and learn about the different counselors and groups on camp. Closing campfire is a chance to share the memories that have been created during the week. Campers make their own skits representing their week on camp and perform them for the whole camp!
Overnights
Camper units have the opportunity to experience an overnight somewhere else on camp, outside of their unit, with or without shelter. They are trained on how to roll a sleeping bag with all the necessities inside, choose the location together, and earn a special bead if they sleep out under the stars!
Banquet Ceremony
This is the final hurrah of the camp week! Campers gather for their final lunch and everyone’s accomplishments for the week are celebrated, certificates, special beads, and camp necklaces are handed out, and songs are sung.
During banquet, we also celebrate the week with Wish Cakes (a.k.a. cupcakes). Campers learn a special song and sing it while lighting the candle on their wish cakes. They then make three special wishes and blow out their candle.
The banquet wraps up when the camp staff sings a special song to the campers to reveal their real names!
Camp Necklaces
Every camper who attends our camp will get a special necklace to represent their time at camp and all the years they have attended, properties they have stayed on, and extra challenges they have completed.
Year Beads
Every year campers come to camp, they get a pony bead to keep track of how many years they have been. For your first year at camp, you get a clear bead. For years 2-4, you get a light blue bead. For years 5, 10, 15, and every fifth year after that, you will get another clear bead. Years 6-9 get a dark blue bead. Years 11-14 get a blue-green bead, and years 16-19 get a dark purple bead. Many campers return summer after summer!
Camp Bead
For each camp property you visit, you get a big glass bead. Each has a different color and pattern.
Earned Beads
There are a variety of extra beads you can earn. Some by completing camp challenges, some by participating in camp traditions, and some by participating in specific programs!
