A Quick History of TrailRidge Mountain Camp

​www.mindstretchadventures.com1978 - Started Open Road Experiences as a travel camp. It was from this program that the idea of TrailRidge became a reality. 

1980 - Searched for property with a realtor from Burnsville. Every property had something that just wouldn’t work, but then...he showed me Buladean. Yep, there wasn’t a flat spot on the place...but it looked like camp to me!

1981 - Property becomes mine.

1982 - TrailRidge opens in June thanks to Bobbie who came up in the cold in March to oversee the beginning of land clearing and construction. TrailRidge would have never made it beyond one summer had it not been for her dedication and hard work.

1995 - Sold the property after that summer, but had plans to continue TrailRidge as a travel camp.

1998 - Last year of TrailRidge as a travel camp run by Mark & Bobbie.

1999 - David & Kim Broshar take over TrailRidge as a travel camp and operate it for another nine or ten years.

2004 - After helping David & Kim for five summers I decided I wasn't quite so old that I couldn't take a group out once more, so in 2004 returned to Europe for the first time since 1981. My trips didn't really have a name at that time but have just recently gotten one - MindStretch Travel Adventures. www.mindstretchadventures.com

2011 - Michael Andry's sons Becker & Ras signed up for our 2012 adventure to Wyoming & Montana to become the first "second generation campers." It's been a long time coming.

​2014 - The TrailRidge property was acquired by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conversancy to protect it for the future. Read about that here.


And to learn the rest of the story, check out the blog and rest of this website from time to time.

Rock climbing on an early Open Road Experiences adventure.

Carving a hiking stick in 1982, the first year of TrailRidge Mountain Camp.

Waiting for a turn in Alaska as a member of a MindStretch Travel Adventure trip - the current form of TMC.