My name is Dominik and I have been the Ropes Coordinator for three summers running. I started as a counselor in 2018 and have stayed ever since I discovered the magic of Camp Alta Mons that first summer. Now my job is quite a bit different with its own rewards and challenges. Being the Ropes Coordinator mainly consists of setting up the Ropes Courses, inspecting the equipment, and of course facilitating the actual High Ropes elements. Since most units can’t do High Ropes on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons, Monday ends up being inventory and inspection day and Wednesday is big for being able to interact with units outside of the challenge courses. Many of my Alleluia moments happened while campers were on the course, but some of the more meaningful ones happened in that unstructured time.

            Every week the zipline proved to be a fountain of Alleluia moments. This is the course on which most junior high kids who are nervous or afraid of heights manage to confront their fears. Some kids who had not even contemplated getting on a ladder earlier in the week would face the tree climb to the zipline only a day later. This was the most rewarding part of my job this summer, and the zipline will always hold a special place in my heart because it allows these rare moments to happen every week.

            A different kind of Alleluia moment occurred during Wednesday nights, Home-in-the-Woods. What can be a scary time for some younger campers, turns into a more relaxed and chill time for the older ones. Despite the two year gap between the last time campers could come to Alta Mons and this summer, many remembered me and the events of that summer. One camper asked me about a co-worker from that summer and called him her “best friend” and asked me to make sure he was doing alright. The next week I had a camper at my Home-in-the-Woods site yell “I love you” as I was leaving to drive the tractor for a different unit. He later claimed he was yelling to camp as a whole, but that moment will stick with me for a very, very, long time.
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            Overall this summer was a wonderful one because I was so much more focused on looking out for these small Alleluia moments. It is easy in the rush and excitement of camp to lose those little moments in favor of grand triumphs or major complications. However, this summer made it clear that what allows us to praise God every day are those little everyday moments that are so easy to miss.

Hey everyone! My name is Emily Bush and this year I served at camp as the Weekend Program Coordinator. This was a really exciting opportunity for me, as the past two summers I have served as the Resource coordinator, and to get to be the first ever Weekend Program Coordinator was an honor. This year, because of Covid, we wanted to make sure that we dedicated resources to help our counselors and staff stay on camp property on the weekends. This meant that I was in charge of figuring out a schedule and food services to help our staff rest, recuperate, and have fun. While I wasn’t doing weekend things, I was busy working with the Program Team to adjust our regular camp program to one that adhered with our Covid restrictions. All in all it was an incredible experience. 

More specifically, and going along with our theme for this year, I want to share a couple key Alleluia moments that I had. One of our weekends I hosted a Christmas in July themed weekend (it had to take place during late June due to scheduling issues) and that was just a long series of Alleluia moments for me. Firstly, that weekend was the first time I had ever hiked Christmas Tree Mountain, which is a goal that I have had for myself to do for the last 3 summers. Standing at the geocache at the top, writing in a notebook with a group of people that I had come to love was certainly an Alleluia moment for me. It felt like such a long time coming and it was 100% worth the wait.

Another big Alleluia moment for me was when campers that first week gathered for worship the first night. Not having camp last year was hard, and it felt like so much of my life had been stripped to the bare bones experience. Watching kids sit in their units, tell jokes, and sing songs for the first time in two years was a moment in which I just felt that both camp and my heart were so full. 

Yours in love of nights under the stars,

Emily Bush

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Hello, readers! My name is Vincient Keeling and I was one of the Program Coordinators for the summer of 2021. I have been attending this camp since a very young age, I was a camper then a CIT for two years, and a counselor in 2019 and was hired as a counselor in 2020. This past summer
was an amazing experience. The theme for the summer was Alleluia-- this means praise God.

This summer I had many ‘Alleluia’ moments that were very memorable. Some of these moments happened while serving campers, working with other staff members and some
occurred when I was alone. One of my big Alleluia moments was when I was working with a camper that had some behavioral problems and we sat down and talked about the issues that
the child was having and ways to fix it so that the week went along better for everyone involved.
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While I was walking around with the child talking about different solutions to this issue I learned
why working at camp is so important not only to me, but to the children involved. Just in that
short conversation I had an affect on this child and the other children's week at camp. The
importance and impact that I had on this child's life might seem meaningless and insignificant to some, but I will always remember walking around for 30 minutes just listening and talking to this child.

Your interest and continued support of Alta Mons made this possible. My life has been
changed for the better because of Alta Mons. What happens on these 850 acres is amazing
and is a very unique experience. Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve God and these children.

Hello everyone! I was one of the Program Coordinators this summer. It is a position of great responsibility, and a new experience for me. My main goal was to head off problems before they occurred. Then, when they did occur, I would have a solution as fast as possible. I always had to think three steps ahead which is what Meredith told all the coordinators to do this summer. This summer’s theme, Alleluia, connected directly to the feelings of finally getting campers back to camp. We focused on finding moments throughout the summer where we were praising God. I had countless Alleluia moments this summer, and I want to let you know of a few significant ones for me. My biggest Alleluia moment for me was bringing my mountain bike to camp. My bike allowed me to get everywhere so much faster and to get so much more done around camp. Alta Mons is over 800 acres, and as Program Coordinator I seemingly have to be everywhere at once. I love to ride my bike outside of camp so, it was a no-brainer to bring it to camp. Plus I got so many skits and nicknames from riding the bike around camp. I felt so much love this summer.

Another Alleluia moment for me was getting to photograph unit photos. In 2019, I was the Media Coordinator, so it was an honor to pick up my camera again and photograph the smiling faces of all the campers for another summer.

A third Alleluia moment that I experienced this summer was every time I told a Willie Jack story. I have always enjoyed listening to Willie Jack stories. These are short stories about the resident honest and hard worker of Alta Mons, as well as his adventures. Only Program Coordinators get to tell these tales on tractor rides. It has been a goal of mine ever since I was a counselor to tell these stories to campers, and this summer I was finally able to really do it. This summer was a great return to camp. I enjoyed every moment and felt like I truly had a positive impact on these campers. I learned so much about leadership such as keeping communication at the forefront of my mind and being open for people to talk to when they may need my support. I love that I was able to spend my summer at Camp Alta Mons.

​There’s no hiding that this winter is different. As the pandemic rages on, where are you finding peace? Where are you finding renewal? It is our sincere hope that Alta Mons can be one of those places for you. From our serene hiking trails to our cozy houses to our beautiful starry skies, we want to be your place of refuge.

So, this winter, chose Alta Mons. Make the great outdoors your playground. Hike, play, run, picnic, and walk on these 850 acres of sacred and beautiful land. Our public restrooms are open 9 AM to 5 PM and are sanitized frequently. Here are some tips and ideas to get you started:

-Make sure to bring a variety of layers! Shawsville can be about 10 degrees colder than Roanoke on a typical day. A good layering system includes a base layer (form fitting, non-cotton; think long underwear), a mid-layer (fleece pullover, down jacket, hiking pants, etc.) and an outer layer (thick, wind proof jacket and pants) The key to cold weather dressing is to create a personal layer of air that you carry around with you. Trapping this air close to your body will help keep you warm!

-Don’t forget the details: hats, gloves, scarves! It’s a myth that you lose 40% of your heat through your head. You just lose heat from anywhere that isn’t covered, which may or may not include your head. Neck gaiters and mittens are great too!

-A good pack: Make sure to carry a good backpack with you. This way, you can shed layers as you warm up. You want to avoid sweating in the winter, as this ultimately makes you colder. Backpacks are also great for carrying snacks!

-Food and Hot Drinks: Pack them! Bring your thermos filled with steaming soup, coffee, hot chocolate, or whatever hot food fuels you in the winter! Snacks are key to staying warm and happy!

-If it’s snowed recently: Come prepared to have fun in the snow! Bring your sled, snow boots, and enjoy a winter wonderland! If you plan to hike to the falls, mini-crampons or spikes can be helpful for icy conditions.

-Keep moving: Exercise is a principal way to help you stay warm in the winter. If you are just looking to talk but want to stay outside, go for a walk. When you cool down after stopping for a bit, start moving again. This is key for little ones. Encourage children to run and play to help them stay warm.
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-Finally, if you don’t want to leave, you don’t have to! Alta Mons has cozy homes that are available for you to spend the night and wake rested and renewed. Our houses are equipped with full kitchens, bathrooms, fire pits, and gorgeous views! It doesn’t have to be a day trip—make it a weekend getaway! 

This fall has been one of the most beautiful fall seasons in recent years. From hiking to picnicking, to RV and Tent Camping, to staying overnight in one of our houses, Alta Mons has been a place for individuals to find rest, renewal, and reflection during this difficult year. As winter looms, please know that we are still open for day use recreation. Bring your own basketball and shoot some hoops at the courts, have a family picnic on a sunny day, or come for a classic hike to Stiles Falls. Alta Mons is open each day from dawn to dusk for public use. Our Camp Post bathrooms are open each day from 9 AM to 5 PM for your convenience. If you're looking to plan a visit, here are some tips to help you make the most of your day at Alta Mons:

-Plan on no cell phone service. While service has expanded in recent years and coverage is getting better, it's still not great. Plan to be away from your phone. We have 2 emergency landline phones located on the property for your use. One at the front of camp (The Camp Post porch) and the other near the back of camp (The Pearman House porch). 

-Dress in layers! Alta Mons can be up to 10 degrees cooler than areas in Roanoke and the New River Valley. Bring several layers including a rain jacket/wind shell, warm insulating layer, and hat/gloves. 

-Pack the snacks! There's nothing worse than being hungry. While there are a couple local restaurants (some with limited hours) it never hurts to have food on hand. After a hike to the falls, there's nothing like sitting down at one of our public use picnic tables and having a bite to eat. 

-Prepare a Picnic! If you're looking to have more than just some snacks, that's great! Feel free to bring a full picnic spread-- tablecloth, plates, utensils, etc. We have 6 picnic tables available for free to our day use guests. We also provide bleach spray and paper towels at the hiker sign-in board to sanitize the tables between uses.

-Do something different! Remember, hiking to the falls is not the only thing to do at Alta Mons! Fly a kite, go on a leaf hunt, walk around the Wetlands, visit the Intersection, bring a canvas and paint the scenery, and much more! Winter is also a great time to hike the Christmas Tree Mountain Trail because you can see much more of camp with no leaves on the trees. Just make sure to stick to the trail and follow the orange blazes closely-- it can be confusing at some points. The hike also features 3 geocaches that you can visit along the way!