BASE CAMP BOYS TRAIL GUIDE

Base Camp runs first thing Friday morning, July 18 through 12 p.m. on Sunday July 20. We will start the weekend with an all-camp activity bright and early on Friday morning, so please plan your travel accordingly.

We will send out the specific meetup time and location a few days before the camp. However, to give you an idea, we will be camping 45 minutes west of Fort Collins, Colorado, about 2 hours from the Denver Airport. If you are planning to fly in and spend the night nearby on the 17th, Fort Collins is the best options for a hotel stay. Sunday, we will finish around noon. For those flying out on Sunday, the Denver airport is about 2 hours away from our campsite.

We have a beautiful spot reserved just for us, and we couldn't be more excited. The views, the woods, and the place are simply stunning. There are toilets and showers on-site. All drinking water and meals will be provided, so you do not need to worry about food unless you'd like to bring extra snacks or have specific food requirements (please be sure to let us know if you haven't already). We have the weekend packed full of exciting activities.

This is a guided expedition with planned activities. For the cohesion and enjoyment of the group as a whole, we ask that you and your son actively participate in all segments of the weekend. Believe us, you'll be glad you did!

In many ways, this weekend is more about YOU as a father than it is about your son. The very fact that you are bringing your son on an outdoor adventure is evidence of your desire for him to know your intention and love for him. Throughout our time together, we will experience adventure, fun, and the beauty of creation. But there is more to this weekend than just a camping trip.

As fathers, we desire to intentionally raise the next generation of godly men. To do so, we must do two things: first, we must honestly engage our own father-stories, for good or for ill, and recognize how these narratives have shaped us into the men we are today. While a fortunate few may have stories filled with blessing and love, the vast majority of men have suffered lack, violence or disappointment at the hand of their fathers. Now, as we turn our hearts towards our children, we are called to heal our own wounds as we father our sons. Richard Rohr says, "If we do not transform our pain, we will transmit it in some form." Passing on our pain is the last thing we want to do, right? The reality is that it is inevitable unless we actively transform it.

But what does that even mean? It means asking the hard questions of yourself with regard to how you were fathered, and by whom. It means honestly addressing the areas of your life where things were less than ideal, and appropriately naming that pain rather than doing the typical "man-up" thing and ignoring it and pushing it aside. It means talking through your experience as a boy and young man with someone else who is bold enough to ask you hard questions, not to expose you but to bring the light of God into those unspoken places. It means taking inventory of your soul and how you struggle with the questions, "Am I enough?" and "Do I have what it takes?" and "Am I a man?"

Yeah, not an easy assignment. You thought Base Camp was just a camping trip...

The more attentive you are to your own father-story (that is, how you were fathered), and the more honest you are with what you received or didn't receive in your own journey into manhood, the more present, powerful and free you will be to offer your son a better story. You are embarking on some of the most significant times of his life. What do you want his father-story to be?

Preparation for this experience has far more to do with your heart than it does gathering up gear and taking time off work. This is why you are receiving this now, months before our trip.

Second, we must ask God for a vision for our sons and turn our hearts toward them with purpose, commitment and intention. The key to unlocking godly manhood in your son is through your fatherly intention toward him. There is no one else on earth designed to make a man out of your son but you. As you prepare for this summer's expedition, spend some time talking with your wife, your friends, your pastor, your brothers, your own father about your intention to raise a godly man out of your son. Pray for him regularly, and seek God's direction, wisdom and strength.

As Base Camp is designed for 8-11 year old boys, your work now is to lay a foundation for him and his masculine heart. It is to prepare yourself for the journey ahead, and to build anticipation and excitement in him for what is to come. You have time on your side. He's not yet in the throes of adolescence. Now is the time you can begin to cast a vision for his future as a man, and let him know you are there for him all along the way.

This summer, our focus will be on preparing you to be the father he needs. Yes, our time will be full of adventure, excitement, activity and fun. But our primary goal is to get you ready for the fathering task beyond. Thank you for stepping into the ring and joining us. We are thrilled!

At this stage in your son's life, establishing a solid and good relationship is most important. More than anything else, your relationship with your son now will set the stage for good relationship in the future. Far too many dads realize this too late, and attempt to speak into their sons' lives when they are teens, only to be disregarded or disrespected.

Boys at this age are too young to truly grasp and retain many big "manhood" concepts. What they most deeply need at this stage is for you, Dad, to intentionally pursue a close relationship. Have fun. Do stuff. Enjoy one another. Pursue his heart, and get to know who God made him to be. This is vital for all future stages of his life. Miss this, and you miss him for years to come.

He has grown beyond the little-boy and is now able to take some responsibility for himself, but still needs significant guidance and help from you. He is entering the stage of his life where he identifies more with dad than with mom, though he still loves her nurture and comfort. During this 8-11 year old season, he needs to know that when he leaves the care of his mother, his father will be there to catch him.

When a good relationship is established now, it sets the stage for the next (often more challenging) seasons to come. If a boy feels close to his father now, he will trust the father's guidance and instruction in the future. Therefore, intentional fathering now involves creating multiple experiences that focus on building a solid relationship. That is why we designed Base Camp as a fun-focused memory-building father-son experience.

Throughout Restoration Project we challenge men to take a good, deep look at their own lives and father-stories. The more you can investigate your own glories and wounds as a result of your father, the more you will be free to father your son. We will talk more about this at the Base Camp, so be prepared to enter your own past, present and future.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What was the general atmosphere of your family growing up?

2. What is one or two highlight memories you have of you and your father together?

3. How would you characterize your father? Was he present, busy, involved, absent, angry, distant, happy, empty, spiritual, abusive, fun-loving, etc? (Be honest here. Notice if you feel the need to defend him.)

4. What are some essential aspects of manhood you learned well from your father? How did you learn them?

5. In what ways do you feel he missed or wounded your heart? What do you still long for from him?

6. How do you feel towards your father? (i.e. grateful, empty, angry, confused, distant, loving, desirous, etc)

7. When you consider fathering your own son, what excites you? What scares you?

8. What do you need to attend to in your own life as you launch into raising a man out of your son? What exists in your life that you do NOT want to pass on to him? (i.e. attitudes, addictions, entitlements, etc.)

9. Think 10 years into the future, when your son is in his late teens. What do you want to be true about him and his heart? What kind of man do you envision him becoming?

10. What help or assistance do you need in this journey of fathering? Who do you need to initiate with in order to help you offer the best version of yourself to your family? (i.e. wife, best friend, counselor, pastor)

1. Who are some men you look up to? Why?

2. What are some fun things you would like to do together in the next couple of years?

3. What scares you about growing up into a man?

4. Who is your favorite movie or book character, and why?

5. Play several rounds of "Would You Rather?" Have some fun with him and be a bit crazy, but also seek to know who he is and what he's like. (i.e. Would you rather have hiccups for a year or only eat ketchup for a year? Would you rather go hunting or go downtown? Would you rather climb to the top of a mountain or swim to the bottom of the sea?)

6. What makes you angry? What makes you happy?

7. What are you most excited about with the Base Camp we are doing this summer? Why?

This is going to be fun! We love getting dads and their sons outdoors. We have designed the weekend to give you maximum time with your son, while also providing an atmosphere of togetherness and excitement. As you prepare, keep in mind that our camp site is easily accessible by car, so feel free to pack for comfort rather than be concerned about weight or volume (since we are not hiking it in). All meals are provided. Therefore, you do not need to bring any food preparation gear, unless you have special needs or particular tastes. Finally, we will be at a high elevation, and nights can get down into the 40's. Be prepared.

Camping Gear:

Tent (for just you and your son)
Sleeping bags
Sleeping pad/air mattress
Pump for air mattresses (if needed)
Pillows
Folding camp chairs

Clothing:

Moisture-wicking T-shirts
Moisture-wicking underwear
Quick-drying pants/shorts
Long-sleeve shirts (for sun, bugs)
Sun-shielding hats
Swimsuits (there is a pond!)
Hiking Boots/shoes
Socks (synthetic or wool)
Sleepwear
Insulating jacket or vest (i.e. fleece)
Warm hat and gloves (for night time)
Rainwear (jacket and pants)
Water sandals
Towel

Personal Items:

Refillable 1L water bottles
Bandanas (useful for many things)
Multi-tool/knife
Daypacks (for hiking)
Headlamps /flashlights
Extra batteries
Sunscreen
Lip balm
Insect repellent
Hand sanitizer
Eyeglasses/contact lenses (if needed)
Prescription medications (if needed)
Toothbrush, toiletry kit
Eye-mask for sleeping (optional)
Earplugs for sleeping (optional)
Camera (phones work great for this)
Notebook and pen/pencil
Bible
A sense of humor and adventure!

There will be some free time for you and your son. While we WILL have activities available for this time, you are also welcome to bring your own equipment/supplies for games and activities that you like to do together outside or at a table.