Rob Eskridge and his family pulled into the Lair of the Golden Bear from all over the map—Sacramento, Seattle, Washington State, Nevada, Montana, and St. Louis—like a puzzle finally coming together, piece by piece, car by car.
The journey was no Sunday stroll: flights were booked, carpools coordinated, and a pit stop for lunch at Rob’s sister’s house in Sacramento turned into one last family rally before the final push up the mountain.
“It was the perfect family vacation,” Rob told me. “There are so many informal opportunities at the Lair to reconnect, in a way you just can’t do over Christmas dinner or a long weekend.”
With 21 family members in tow, aged 2 to 75, Rob described their week in the woods as nothing short of a celebration.
Why the Lair?
As a former camp director, Rob knows the magic of a summer camp experience. Decades ago, he ran a camp in Malibu for kids who were blind or deaf. Years passed, but Rob remained active in his camp network, through which he befriended one Jim Rogers, himself a former director at another camp: the Lair of the Golden Bear.
“It was friends who recommended the Lair,” Rob said. “Once I heard about it, I thought, you know, this would be really great to get the whole family up there.”
His expectations for the week were humble: camp food, camp crafts, some sports, and the chance to enjoy being outside.
The Staff Is Special
It didn’t take long for Rob to realize what made the Lair come alive: the staff. “The staff’s high energy, their passion for the camp and skill at sports activities, and their connection with all of the kids in our family were absolutely magical.”
The staffers Rob met throughout the week weren’t just college students doing their jobs—they were forces of nature. From athletes whose moves spread like ripples on a still pond, to budding entrepreneurs whose ideas seemed like seeds in the soil, to young souls fumbling through the dark, trying to figure out their next steps, every single one brought something interesting to the table.
“They didn’t just hang out together,” he said. They reached out.
For Rob, these moments of connection often unfolded in the dining hall, where he swapped stories with staffers and even met someone from his hometown of St. Louis. “It was fun to connect with someone from my hometown and just talk about, you know, how it’s changed over the decades.”
Fun-Filled Days
In the mornings, stomachs full of eggs with cheese and oatmeal with brown sugar, Rob’s grandkids joined age-group activities like nature walks and scavenger hunts, leaving the adults free to pursue their own pastimes: pickleball matches, yoga classes, or simple relaxation. In the afternoon, the family came together for hikes, swimming in the pool, and tie-dying at the Art Arbor. This time spent together, these shared experiences Rob said, “closed the distance between where we live.”
One of the most memorable moments? Rob’s 14-year-old granddaughter learning to play volleyball. “She’d never played before,” Rob said. “But during a staff-camper volleyball game, the staff recruited her to join their team. Now she’s on her school’s team, and they’re 9-2 this season.”
“This time spent together, these shared experiences,” Rob said, “closed the distance between where we live.”
Another highlight came courtesy of his 10-year-old grandson, who spent afternoons fishing in the creek. “He caught a dozen fish every day,” Rob said. “Little bitty brookies, just hiking down the creek. It’s something you can’t do in the city.”
The Secret Sauce
What makes the Lair different from other vacations? For Rob, it’s the raw energy of the staffers and the raw energy of being in the woods. “The Lair offered so many more informal opportunities to reconnect than had we been staying in a hotel, or a motel, or a theme park,” he said.
His family agrees. They’re already clamoring for a return trip.
Rob’s advice for first-time campers? Trust the process. “So many campers come back year after year, decade after decade,” he said. “That tells you everything you need to know. You’re going to have a great week.”
If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to truly reconnect with the people you love, the Lair might be just the spot.
It’s hard to pin down in words, but there’s something electric in the air at the Lair. There’s a sense that you’re not just passing through; you’re part of something, something real and shared. Come experience it for yourself!
