Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
On Wednesday, August 30, 2017, students and faculty participated in Mountain Day, a long-standing Storm King tradition that dates back to the early 1930s. Mountain Day is an annual event where the entire SKS community comes together to hike and get to know the beautiful mountain we have called home for the last 150 years. This annual trek has become a highlight of Orientation Week with the aim of boosting school unity and spirit. With The Storm King School‘s 150th year underway, Mountain Day was the perfect beginning to this special time in our history.
Mountain Day circa 1935
Mountain Day Past
It was Storm King’s sixth Headmaster Anson Barker who initiated the first Mountain Day during the fall of 1932, the first year of his 19 year tenure. He excused students from classes on a crisp morning in November of that year and sent them into the woods on hiking excursions which later culminated in a picnic feast. The event proved to be so successful that its tradition has endured to this day.
Over the years, Mountain Day has evolved to become a hallmark event of the School that it is today. In past years groups were often sent off separately to different locations within Black Rock Forest. Other years featured a picnic lunch served at the Stone House on Black Rock’s Arthur’s Pond. Eighty-five years later, Mountain Day has grown to become a day when students, faculty and staff hike all together to reach a single destination – the summit of Storm King Mountain. There, they take a break and enjoy the beautiful views of the campus below them and the Hudson River in the distance before making their way back to campus to enjoy a BBQ lunch.
Mountain Day 2017
Mountain Day Present
This year’s Mountain Day began with clear skies and mild temperatures perfect for hiking. After a hearty breakfast, students and faculty met bright and early under the gazebo wearing their white, blue and gold t-shirts and hiking shoes. After splitting into their advisory groups, the students and faculty members departed on the morning’s hike. First up the Mountain was the group headed by Dr. Lance and Ms. Barbosa, with senior Jah’bral Davis leading the way. Ms. Barbosa praised her group’s determination and commented that “Jah’bral was very proud of himself for remembering the trail from last year.”
Assistant Headmaster of Student & Residential Life Al Lewis, the event’s head organizer, was also very pleased with the day’s success. “The weather was perfect and mild enough that we didn’t have to worry about dehydration, even though faculty had extra water bottles in their packs. And this year everyone made it all the way to the top and back. No one got lost or turned back in defeat,” said Mr. Lewis with a smile.
Following their descent from the heights of the Mountain, the weary hikers returned to a barbecue lunch on Ledoux Terrace. After their meal and some rest and relaxation, the students spent the rest of the afternoon with their advisory groups fostering school spirit, playing field games, and participating in other activities.
Keeping up with Storm King tradition, this year’s Mountain Day was a great success and got our Sesquicentennial Year off to a great start. Many thanks go to the faculty members who organized the day and kept the students safe and hydrated throughout the hike. A special thank you also goes Chefs Andrew and Gil and the dining hall staff who prepared and served the delicious feast to the hungry hikers upon their return.