It's said that faith will move mountains.

Mountain Conquerors participants are neither required to move a mountain nor expected to scale one on their own.

Instead they will have an opportunity to embark on a potentially life-altering adventure.

Mountain Conquerors is an organization founded in 2010 by pastor Matt Kroll. "It is an outdoor camp that teaches leadership skills, life skills, and grows character," he said. "It provides the experience of a lifetime. That's our motto, and that's what we do."

Until this year, the expedition, which is free thanks to sponsors, was only available for boys ages 13 to 16. MCg, Mountain Conquerors Girls, will have a separate trip for girls in the same age range. Applicants must be residents of Lancaster County.

The inaugural MCg, which will be led by Kari Stauffer, will take place Monday, June 30, to Thursday, July 3. The application deadline is Monday, June 23. The boys' excursion will be held Monday, Aug. 4, to Saturday, Aug. 9. The application deadline is Monday, July 21. Base camp for both trips will be set up in Halifax.

Each trip is limited to 12 participants, so everyone who applies is not ensured a spot. Forms are available at http://www.mountainconquerors.squarespace.com.

"Our job is to provide an experience for these kids that will last a lifetime and get them plugged in, if they're not already plugged in, to a healthy structure," said Kroll, who is the program's coordinator and the leader of the boys' camp. "Whether that's church. Whether that's a teen center. That's the goal. We don't want to reinvent the wheel of the structure."

Staff members, who are all volunteers, will lead campers on practice hikes before taking a backpacking trip along the Black Forest Trail. "The whole premise of Mountain Conquerors is to build young (people) of character," said Kroll, who is pastor of The Lord's House of Prayer in Lancaster city. "We use the outdoors to facilitate the classroom. Subjects we are really (focusing) on are character, potential, goal setting, teamwork, leadership skills, and overcoming fears."

Justin Reed participated in Mountain Conquerors in 2020 and is now one of the trek's leaders. "I learned skills and that you can overcome things with God helping you," he said. "I had never experienced anything like that before." Reed said he teaches younger hikers to embrace the things they can't control and take on the challenges."

Mountain Conquerors is designed to test one's mindset. "You don't know what character you have until you put it under pressure," Kroll said. "Are you going to whine? Are you going to quit? You start hiking up a hill; your true character comes out. We're good with that because now we have something to deal with."

The pastor cited Galatians 5, which includes the allegory of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit and characteristics such as patience and kindness. "We're looking at all those things, the staff included," Kroll said. "We all need to grow, and we want to challenge each other and encourage each other and hold each other accountable. By changing your thinking and the words you speak, you can change the outcome. The kids begin to overcome the obstacles they didn't think they could ever overcome. These are life skills you can teach in a classroom but can't experience unless you really do it."

Mountain Conquerors camp provides challenges that test the mind and body. Traditionally, on the first day of the boys' camp, participants are instructed to plant a flag after 90 minutes of hiking. The following day, campers get a workout on the ropes course before going on the same hike as the day before. They are challenged to beat their time from day one. "There's never been a year where they haven't beaten their mark," said Kroll.

At the end of the week, campers must trek one by one up a steep incline that Kroll refers to as Challenge Hill. Until that point, everything is done as a team. "It's great to have a support network, but there are many times in life when it's just you, your hurdle, and God," Kroll said. "I've seen some amazing things in this camp. From the beginning to the end, the transformation of the kids is pretty cool."