The Indian Brook Wilderness Program is in a brand new site, a high meadow full of wildflowers and fireflies, perfect for stargazing on clear nights, with blueberry patches and a view of Saltash Mountain.
This is our program’s fourth summer, a chance for female-identified and non-binary-gender campers to live together in a small-group, free of technology, and immersed in a wilderness experience.
Carving a comfortable home out of the wild space is our main project for the summer. We have clear well water and a brand-new outhouse already at the site. It was up to us to build a cookfire space with benches and a tarp awning, as well as to put up the three round canvas tents. The Gathering Tent is slated for rainy day activities, and campers live in the two other tents. Our task involved felling a few small spruce trees to be center poles for the tents, and preparing the trees by cutting off the limbs and peeling away the bark. Then we erected the tents together, four people holding the central pole upright while everyone else pounded in stakes and tightened ropes until the structure could stand up sturdily on its own. These tents protect us from rain and bugs while we sleep each night.
When we weren’t building our home, we were practicing archery, swimming in the nearest swimming hole, gathering herbs from the meadow to make tea and salve, and learning survival skills for our 24-hour solo. Upon our return to Indian Brook, we also did some trail service work; clearing away trees blown down on the trails we use to hike to our site.
In the next session we will fell more trees and build an A-frame kitchen shelter for our cooking space. We eat so well out there, and we want a kitchen that’s as fantastic as our fire-cooked meals!
May your arrows fly true,
Murphy Robinson
Indian Brook Wilderness Program
