Echo Ranch Bible Camp

Steve and I spent 2 weeks volunteering at Echo Ranch Bible Camp, about an hour north of Juneau, AK in late May-early June 2018.  We spent 1 week here in 2017, and were so impressed with the ministry here that we decided to return.  I worked in the kitchen, and Steve completed a variety of projects, including this tower for the zip line. I made these cream puff cakes for dessert one night.   The view of Echo cove from the dining hall.  We saw whales swimming in the bay several times.

The camp is a traditional kid's camp, with cabins, bathhouses, a dining hall, gym and chapel. They host around 100 campers each week, and most come from SouthEast Alaska.  Many have had NO exposure to the Gospel, and have no concept of who Jesus is.

This was the view from the cabin where we stayed.  It was quite basic, but the view made up for it! 

The camp has about 20 horses, and campers and sometimes volunteers are allowed to ride.  Naturally I was quick to say yes.

  They also have a Wilderness Camp which is even more isolated and rustic.  This is our friend Austin, and Steve walking to the wilderness camp.

 Steve and I on the Wilderness Camp Road.

We're almost there!  The final step to the Wilderness camp was this Trolley across the river.  

This is our friends Mary and Susy.  They are sisters from Ohio, and came to volunteer just like we did.  

 One of the wilderness camp cabins.  The dandelions were very healthy, and so were the mosquitoes! Although these were very scenic, and are used during the summer, we are thankful
that our cabin was just a bit more modern. (only a bit!)

You have to look closely, but there are 3 black bears that we saw on the way back from Wilderness Camp!  They were pretty far away, and we weren't in any danger.

 The camp is literately at the "end of the road", then you have to take a boat, or if it is low tide, and you have a sturdy truck, you can drive in.  Although it is a challenge to get there, it's well worth it for these views!

 Shooting stars.  We have these in Tennessee, but they are white, and very rare.  There were fields of these purple ones in AK, and I thought they were just beautiful

 Skunk Cabbage.  This is supposedly edible, but it smelled so bad, that I would have to be pretty hungry to try it.  On the right are Forget-Me-Nots, Alaska's state flower