High Profile Adventure Camp 2013

Image courtesy of High Profile Adventures

My adventure this last weekend led me to YMCA Camp Benson in Mt. Carroll IL.  This was the 8th annual Adventure Camp hosted by High Profile Adventures L.L.C.. I was a participant in their second camp and have volunteered every year since.  The camp is geared toward people of all levels interested in adventure racing and adventure travel.  The camp includes lectures and hands on training in fixed ropes, rock climbing, kayak and canoe paddling, navigation with a map and compass, and an option of a 4 or 8 hour race the last day of camp.  This year for our ropes course we had rappelling, ascending, a zip-line,  a slack line and Tyrolean traverse across the Waukarusa River, and a climbing section.

This year we set a record for coldest camp yet, snowing on the last day!  Needless to say events had to be altered due to extremely cold water and a frozen Mississippi River.  No kayaking and rappelling into water this year!

Overlooking the Waukarusa River nestled in the heart of camp on Saturday morning.

One of the new camp additions this year was the "luge."  There are two giant drainage pipes that sit on the side of a hill.  All you need is a plastic sled, a helmet, and off you go!

This is what the volunteers get to do during the navigation lecture.  

Weeee!

After getting warmed up with a little fun we gathered some extra ropes to do some fine tuning at some of the rappel and ascending sites.

A view from our rappel station.  You can barely see the red slackline crossing the river over the island.  To the left of that in the corner you can see the white Tyrolean traverse cross the river too.

Our rappel from the base.

I'm a super jazzed belay instructor!  what what! | Image courtesy of John

Slackline!  |   Image courtesy of John

Wouldn't ya know it when we stopped in town for lunch at Charlies this is what they had on their wall!  HA! There were actually 4 bison on one wall in addition to the squirrels!

Robyn Benincasa  |  Photo courtesy of Robyn Benincasa

One of my most favorite parts of the weekend was hearing Robyn Benincasa's presentation.  Robyn is a World Champion Adventure Racer, 3 Time Guinness World Record Kayaker, San Diego Firefighter, Founder and CEO of Project Athena, an author, and she has had 5 hip replacements.  I can't even tell you how incredibly inspiring it is to hear her speak!  

If you would like to see some more photos or learn more about this totally rad camp check out High Profile Adventure Camp.

Love ya Bunches!!

~Megan