The Adirondack Ranger Experience: Building Confidence, Character, and Community

At Adirondack Camp, growth is part of the adventure. For our oldest campers, the Ranger Program offers a meaningful bridge between camper and counselor life—a chance to step into leadership, build confidence, and give back to the community that has shaped them.

The Ranger Program is open to 16-year-old campers spending their final summer as campers. Before the season begins, these teens can choose to join the program or remain as regular campers. Those who become Rangers live together in either Crazy Horse on the boy’s line (Pine line) or Wolf Den on the girl’s line (moss line), forming a tight-knit group of peers with shared goals and new responsibilities.

At its heart, the Ranger Program is about leadership, collaboration, communication, and service. Rangers take part in projects and activities that stretch their skills and deepen their appreciation for the Adirondack way of life. They help with camp-wide traditions like cookie break and Sunday morning pancakes, lend a hand running Awiskini, and organize special days for the whole camp community. Through these moments of responsibility and teamwork, Rangers learn that leadership isn’t about standing in front—it’s about supporting others, staying adaptable, and contributing to something bigger than themselves.

Each week, Rangers come together for a daily activity period of “Rangerific Fun”—dedicated time for teambuilding, reflection, and planning longer-term projects. Whether tackling communication challenges, journaling about personal growth, or organizing an event for camp, these sessions give Rangers space to reflect on who they are and who they want to become. Throughout the summer, Rangers take on pillar challenges in land, water, arts, and wilderness trips, working collaboratively to set goals, problem-solve, and celebrate success.

Ranger Program Overview

By Chris O’Connor, Ranger Head

The primary objective of Adirondack Camp’s Ranger Program is to build upon each camper’s unique strengths while encouraging them to strive for excellence in areas previously unexplored. The Ranger program helps to cultivate and grow these senior campers into young adults who will strive and thrive into the wider world with Adirondack ideals and knowledge. Involving them with every pillar to gain knowledge and understanding as well as hopefully a bit of appreciation. The program is meant to provide a leadership path from eldest camper to CIT and then hopefully staff. It will also prove an opportunity for some to find a passion they may not have known they had. And it will hopefully spark interest to return as staff one day with fond memories of their Ranger year(s).

Many Rangers go on to become Counselors-in-Training, and then on to staff, carrying forward the skills, friendships, and lessons they’ve built. But even for those who don’t return as staff, the impact of the Ranger Program lasts well beyond the shores of Lake George. It’s a chance to discover passions, build confidence, and learn that leadership—like life—is best approached with curiosity, courage, and heart.

Ranger camper Ryan takes us on a tour of Crazy Horse cabin.

What are we adding for 2026?

Next summer we have some exciting additons planned to enhance the program, new elements that connect to Adirondack’s plaques and values, providing even more opportunities for creativity, service, and leadership. Some of these include woodworking & creative carving, farm-to-table learning through a partnership with a local farm, and expanded certifications - in addition to CPR, we plan to offer Red Cross Babysitting and investigate other valuable certifications that build real-world skills. We’re excited for these additions and hope to have many campers return and join us for their Ranger year in 2026! Thinking about enrollment for next summer? Click here to enrol now, or check out our dates and rates page for session information.