BASE CAMP GirlS TRAIL GUIDE

Base Camp Girls runs from first thing Friday morning July 11th through 12:00 p.m. on Sunday July 13th. We will start the weekend with an all-camp activity bright and early on Friday morning so please plan 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 (or about 2 hours from the Denver Airport). If you are planning to fly in and spend the night nearby on the 10th, Fort Collins in the best option 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 bathrooms 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 daughter 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 daughter. The very fact that you are bringing your daughter on an outdoor adventure is evidence of your desire for her to know your intention and love for her. Throughout our time together, we will experience adventure, fun, and the beauty of creation. But this is more than a camping trip.

As fathers we must be willing to engage our daughters differently than our sons (understatement of the century). Our intentional pursuit, specifically as our girls start to become women, is much different than the process of ushering our sons into Godly manhood. Base Camp Girls seeks to help fathers engage their daughters in meaningful ways that will platform their transition into the woman God created them to be.

Because of this, preparing for the Base Camp has far more to do with your heart than it does gathering up gear and taking time off work. And this is the surprising part: it begins with you looking back. If you are seeking to relate to your daughter in a new way, you must first consider your own life. How did (or didn't) your father engage you? What was the tone in his voice and actions? Has that example bled over into how you engage your daughter? Those are undoubtedly daunting questions, but they're the starting point for understanding a pursuing a new relational posture with your daughter. The more honest you are with how you were engaged by your parents, the more you'll be able to pursue and create a new type of engagement with your her.

This summer, our focus will be on preparing you to be the father she 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!

Fathering daughters can be one of the greatest gifts in a man's life. It can also be extremely challenging. Whereas raising boys calls a father to remember for himself what it was like to be a boy, dads just don't have that same experience with girls.

The process of girls becoming women is both vastly different and strangely similar. Both sons and daughters need the intense intentionality and presence of their fathers. But they need it in different ways. Far more with daughters, fathers are called to assume a different posture with their girls in order to launch them into womanhood. Rather than teaching them about what it means to be a woman, fathers create both the space and the platform to launch her into the fullness of both her beauty and her strength.

When a good relationship is established now, it sets the stage for the next (often more challenging) seasons to come. If a daughter feels close to her father now, she will trust the father's guidance and instruction in the future. Dad's role in raising daughters ultimately is more about clearing the path for her to become rather than teaching or training her (as he might for his sons). 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-daughter experience.

At Restoration Project, we challenge men to first investigate their own stories, digging into the narrative God has been telling in and through them. As you prepare for this experience with your daughter, we encourage you to spend some time reflecting on who God made you to be, and who he is calling you to be on behalf of your young woman.

We also want to encourage you to spend some significant time preparing for the experience WITH your daughter. Set aside time to pray with her, talk with her, pack up gear together, look at the maps, and ask her to write down her dreams and anticipations. The more you lay this foundation now, the more she will be ready to engage when you are actually at the expedition. Let's go!

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 daughter, what excites you? What scares you?

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

9. Are you willing to discover a new posture toward your daughter -- one of servant leadership and sacrifice?

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 women 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 woman?

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

5. Play several rounds of "Would You Rather?" Have some fun with her and be a bit crazy, but also seek to know who she is and what she's like. (i.e. Would you rather have hiccups for a year or only eat ketchup for a year? Would you rather go rock climbing or shopping? 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 daughters outdoors. We have designed the weekend to give you maximum time with your daughter, 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 daughter)
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 will work for this)
Notebook and pen/pencil
Bible
Feminine products (If needed)
A sense of humor and adventure!

There will be some free time for you and your daughter. 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.