Women’s Wellness Weekend at Lair of the Golden Bear is hit with local sisters

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Women’s Wellness Weekend (actually a long weekend, Wednesday through Sunday) was held this past weekend at the University of California, Berkeley’s Lair of the Golden Bear. While Cal blue and gold could be seen everywhere in camp, one need not be a graduate to attend.

The camp is located in the Stanislaus National Forest, just minutes from the tranquil Pinecrest Lake and is operated by Cal’s Alumni Association. The weekend, run with expertise by the Lair of the Bear summer staff, includes yoga, hiking, kayaking, art, swimming, chorale, Pilates, fabulous guest speakers, but most importantly, wonderful, relaxing sisterhood.

Solo campers, large groups of old friends, mothers and daughters, sisters, sisters-in-laws, first time campers and campers who started attending the camp as children, all came to camp for a common reason — to spend time with wonderful women in a beautiful setting.

Although a Cal grad, I had never been to the Lair before this weekend. I attended the camp with my sisters [pictured top], and over the weekend we discovered that camping with your sisters is a wonderful experience. We spotted other sisters, young and old, all enjoying precious time spent together. There were even sisters on staff.

The three of us left the camp feeling “well” with many new friends. And we definitely plan on going again — same time next year.

Author of this post and photographer, Laura Pitchford, grew up in the Atherton home that her mother was raised in and lives not far down the street today.