Did you know that increased snow is a sign of Global Warming? Counter intuitive, yet true.

Temperature Increases: Most of us know that global warming is expected to warm the Polar Regions more dramatically than equatorial regions. Winter storms form in response to the atmosphere’s need to transport heat from the Equator to the North and South Poles. So, with a reduction in temperature differences from the Equator to the Poles the predictions are that we will experience fewer winter storms. Pretty straight forward, right?

Increased Precipitation: However, and this is where it gets good, with a warmer planet there is an increase in evaporation from the surface into the atmosphere. Although we will experience fewer storms, they will be loaded with much more moisture and therefore, precipitation. So less storms, but greater precipitation levels.

Strong Winds: When water vapor condenses into liquid or frozen water it frees the heat that was used to evaporate the water. This heat intensifies the winter storm by lowering the central pressure increasing the winds. As this warming trend continues we are likely to see less winter storms but a greater number of intense storms with increased precipitation.

Worsening the Problem: With more snow and ice to remove our winter wonderland can cause an ecological disaster. Rock salt contaminates our water and upsets the balance of soils impacting vegetation. Snow blowers are effective, yet two-stroke engines emit carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide affecting our air.

Clean-Up Suggestions: So how do you remove it without the negative impacts? We at Triple C Camp recommend the following environmentally friendly solutions for dealing with snow and ice:
• Shovel, or pay someone to complete this task. Shovels produce 0 emissions. Additionally, shoveling may burn over 400 calories an hour!
• Consider using environmentally friendly abrasive material such as sand or wood ash to prevent slipping on an icy surface. If it is necessary to melt the ice use Magnesium Acetate (CMA). It is less harmful to soil, plants, fish and aquatic life.

Hopefully you will not need to apply these techniques any more this winter. However, according to the almanac, we have one more large storm to endure. Best of Luck!

Just finished our first school’s day out program of the NEW YEAR! So much fun was had as the snow is almost melted around the main part of camp, however the Trailblazer Girls still built a snowman on the main field side of cabin 5.
Great job by our staff: Cosgro, Ian K., Michelle H., Rips and Mellisa L. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated people who really want to make such a positive impact in our campers lives.
The started with pick up at Barracks Road. “H” pointed out Charlottesville’s newest mountain at the shopping center. Once the campers arrived, we finished morning opening and all campers played Libby’s famous tape on the nose game. LOADS OF FUN AND LOTS OF LAUGHING.
Then we split into age groups and each group went their own way which included fort building, nature crafts, box building city, soccer dodge ball, and all this before lunch!
By the end of the day on the bus ride back to Barracks Road you would think all campers would be pooped! But nooooooooo, they were singing and laughing on the ride to back to the mall and were greeted by parents seeing their happy campers off the bus.

Look forward to our next school’s day out programs in February and of course Spring Break Camp in April.  http://www.tripleccamp.com/v.php?pg=77

Now that we are in the new year, focus turns to summer which of course means CAMP!

There are always exciting things happening at Triple C and this January is no exception. We have a school’s day out camp on January 19th, and we have programs toward the end of the month at the Double Tree Hotel with UVa athletes.
This winter we have been working on a new floor for the small swimming pool, a new pump house for both swimming pools, a new bathroom in cabin 4 AND cabin 1 had a major over haul for our fantastic staff. Thanks to all those who gave great ideas for these improvements.
As we continue to gear up toward summer, check out our other school’s day out programs and spring break camp. http://tripleccamp.com/v.php?pg=77
Other spring excitement includes the Albemarle Family Camp Fair on Februry 14th and we are planning our first Spring Break Camp Overnight.
CHECK IT ALL OUT and call or email with any questions.
434.293.2529   fun@tripleccamp.com

The leaves have fallen and we have received our first snow. This white blanket encourages us to double check our wood stores used for fuel throughout the winter. Heating with wood is a familiar past time where the crackle of wood relaxes the soul. Here at Triple C Camp we use sustainable practices to harvest firewood. One may ask what it means to have a sustainable harvest, so I would like to share with you what we do.
Our first source of firewood is from our trees and their branches that pose a threat to the safety of our campers, such as overhanging dead branches. These trees are assessed and trimmed accordingly. This wood is sawed into lengths and than split. The second source of firewood is from trees and branches that have fallen naturally. They are collected, split and stacked. No trees are felled specifically for the purpose of firewood at Triple C Camp.
As you select your firewood, we thought we would share how we select ours so you can make the best decisions, but sustainable and for optimum enjoyment. At Triple C Camp we are lucky to have a forest dominated with Hickories, Oaks, Maples and Yellow Poplar. Of these species, the Hickories and Oaks have the highest energy content due to their densities, producing more heat. The dense wood produces long-lasting fires and intense coal bed making them the best choice for firewood. In most cases, the hardwoods are limited and far too valuable to be burned. Maple is considered to be medium quality firewood however, producing more heat than the soft wood found with the Yellow Poplar. The positive thing about Yellow Poplar is that it grows the fastest of our dominant tree species and you will tend to find more per acre due to low light requirements.
Firewood is a renewable resource. However, demand can be greater than the trees ability to regenerate. What is readily available in your region should be taken into consideration when choosing species of firewood. By using great forestry practices and efficient burning devices some consider this Bio fuel to be relatively carbon neutral and an excellent energy source for home heating. So the next time you are looking to light a fire, be sure to look for firewood harvested by using sustainable methods such as environmentally sound management practices and consider using a blend of species to reduce pressures on our productive forests.

Fall brings a whole different workload of chores here at Triple C Camp. We spend hours this time of year dealing with the falling leaves. With so much time invested on this daunting chore it helps to step back and understand what is actually happening and why the leaves are falling.
Evergreens have developed a way to protect their tender leaf tissue by covering them with a heavy waxy coating and filling the cells with natural antifreeze. Unlike evergreen trees, deciduous trees drop their leaves in order to survive harsh winter conditions.
The first stage in this transition is when the leaves change their colors. Tree leaves contain pigments responsible for color. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color and this pigment dominates during the growing season. As the days grow shorter and chlorophyll production slows, carotenoids become visible providing the yellow, orange and brown colors. Anthocyanins are also produced in fall due to bright light and excess plant sugars giving some trees their red and purple colors.
Eventually this enjoyable color palette disappears to hours of labor. Although we view these fallen leaves as a nuisance, they are an important component of the nutrient cycle. Soil insects, fungi and microbes will decompose the leaves and release nutrients back into the soil. Decomposition of organic matter forms humus, a material that provides a variety of nutrients to plants.
By removing these fallen leaves we eliminate a natural source of nutrients. However, at Triple C Camp, we mulch these leaves and add them to our compost pile creating a nutrient rich soil conditioner to be used in our gardens. This not only saves us money spent on fertilizer but also helps prevent pollution of our watershed.
So the next time you feel that the solution for managing fallen leaves is to cut the trees down, think about the negative impact to the nutrient cycle and develop a strategy to use these leaves to benefit you as we do here at Triple C Camp.

We are so excited to be launching a brand new website. Usually we associate the fall with the changing leaves, dropping temperatures and dormancy. However, here at Triple C Camp this October is like spring and a new beginning is upon us. In addition to a new website we named our mascot. This past summer we named our mascot, a Five Lined Skink, “SAPA”. This name was taken from an aboriginal word for wisdom “Woksapa”. This fall as birds migrate and animals prepare to hibernate we at Triple C Camp look forward to sharing with you what happens at our facility during the winter months. Enjoy the new website!