Zipline Blog
Zipline helps you stay up-to-date on programs, capital projects, and the people and participants of Adventure Unlimited. Read inspiring stories and find out what's happening with Adventure Unlimited alumni. It's all here!
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A Day in the Life of a 100 Elk Staffer
Philip usually drove the Land Cruiser, bumping over the dirt path to the Round-Up corral and down through the pasture to the South Woods. Wyatt usually rolled down the window, stuck his head out and commented emphatically on the way the sunrise hit Buffalo Peaks in the distance. It was always beautiful. […]
Alumni Profiles: Where Are They Now?
Zipline catches up with alumni from the A/U Ranches and the A/U Chapter program (now DiscoveryBound Outreach): Clark Gray, Tim Terry and Scott Harrison. Clark attended Sky Valley Ranch as a camper 1966-1970. In 1971, he was in the Conquerers program and worked in grounds maintenance. He also worked as kitchen staff with Nellie Determan for two winters. […]
Opportunities for Alumni
We love our alumni! If you’re looking for a way to stay connected to the organization that loves and values you, check out some of these opportunities: spreading the word among your young friends about Summer Youth Camp, participating in Memorial Day Work Weekend, being a bunkhouse parent, and working for Adventure Unlimited as DiscoveryBound Outreach’s Western Regional Manager or as seasonal staff at A/U Ranches Youth Camp and 100 Elk Outdoor Center. […]
What Christmas Camp Means to Me
It is now, as the year ebbs away, that my thoughts turn to 20 years of Christmas at the A/U Ranches. There are no words adequate to describe the pure sense of wonder – the almost tangible sense of holiness that saturates the atmosphere. […]
Thanksgiving in June
One summer, the counselors and staff decided that instead of Christmas in July, they would hold Thanksgiving in June. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I was thrilled. But I wasn’t so sure how it was going to fly with high school age campers. […]
Feeling Loved, Accepted and Valued
Being at the A/U Ranches again after all those years – seeing so many dear friends and reminiscing about old times – brought Adventure Unlimited to the forefront of my mind again. It was a reminder of how my experiences at the A/U Ranches, spanning the ages of 11 through 22, influenced my life and set me on a path that would have been very different otherwise. […]
Exciting Changes at the A/U Ranches: Listening and Following
Throughout the A/U Ranches’ 60-year history, the programs and their duration have varied to meet the needs of campers and families. What hasn’t varied is the dual focus that Cap and Marianne originally established: “character education and emphasis on the individual’s growth in Christian Science through observing and doing.” […]
Harvest Song: Unified Through Service and Prayer
One summer morning, Shane Witters Hicks found himself running a new route that took him through mountain neighborhoods to a scenic, natural overlook of his hometown of Golden, Colorado. While taking in the majesty of the moment, Shane was hit with an “indescribably strong and passionate feeling” that gave him “a powerful sense of perspective,” he says. […]
Where Are They Now? and Other Alumni Profiles
Zipline catches up with alumni who came home to the 60th Reunion at the A/U Ranches in August: Jenni Lee Hebert, Bill Webster and Tori Blackhart. Bill participated in three camper sessions and 21 staff program seasons of Adventure Unlimited activities beginning in 1971. He’s been a part of six summers, 11 winter programs, two reunions […]
After the 60th Reunion: What We Share
As I turned onto the dirt road and passed under the A/U Ranches sign, I couldn’t help but remember being greeted by counselors on horseback as I arrived for my first summer as a camper. I also remembered hanging from the sign with ropes as a mountaineering counselor, eagerly waiting for the airport bus to arrive with first session campers. I can’t help but wonder how many memories we all have of turning into the ranches and seeing Five Fingers, Yale and Columbia welcoming us back with open arms.