Seven Washougal cross country athletes spent seven days together away from civilization and pushed themselves to the limit at the Steens Mountain High Altitude Running Camp, 60 miles southwest of Burns, Oregon.
The July 12 to 18 event featured 178 high school and middle school runners from Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Washougal High School head cross country coach Terry Howard said a few other states were also represented, and one camper was from Germany.
“It’s an incredible environment that helps kids mature and develop as individuals and as a collective unit,” Howard said. “This takes them away from the comforts of society to a place where they have to dig down deep and see what they have inside.”
There are several hiking and running events that require teamwork and assistance to make sure everybody crosses the finish line, safe and sound. The “Big Day” hike includes a 28-mile trek through Big Indian Canyon. There is also a group race across sage brush hills and a rugged canyon without trails. And finally, an uphill 5K on a gravel road at 7,000 feet above sea level.
This was the first Steens camp for Hannah Swigert, Gabriel Dinnel, Troy Prince-Butterfield, Koy Chaston and Morgan Stinchfield. Swigert is going to be a junior at Washougal High School this fall. Dinnel, Prince-Butterfield and Chaston are incoming freshman. Stinchfield will be an eighth-grader at Jemtegaard Middle School.
“It was an eye-opening experience for all of them,” Howard said. “They have a vision now of where they want to be, and how hard they have to work to get there. They are very motivated right now.”
Bailey Duncan and Aiden Pullen were the veterans of the camp for Washougal. This was the third trip for Duncan and the second for Pullen. Duncan is a WHS senior this fall, and Pullen will be a junior.
Dinnel finished in seventh place out of a field of 92 boys in the 5K with a time of 22 minutes, 4 seconds. Duncan earned 12th place (22:38) and Pullen took 30th place (23:51). Swigert grabbed 22nd place (28:24) in a race of 84 girls.
Runners from Mountain View High School, in Vancouver, teamed up with Washougal during the camp. Sam Garvin gained fifth place in the boys 5K (21:35) and Savannah Craig snagged sixth place in the girls 5K (26:27).
