Lessons from the Father of Modern Conservation

By Alex Kvanli
April 01, 2025 (comments)

Sigurd Olson is recognized as a driving force behind the protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The renowned writer and environmentalist helped inspire people to care more about protecting wild places. However, his accomplishments were made possible by the work of others who came before him, or as they say, “he stood on the shoulders of giants.” One of Olson’s giants was Aldo Leopold, often called the father of wildlife ecology and modern conservation. Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac is a collection of essays rooted in observation and deep ecological understanding. The book helped shape the...

What's in a Name?

By Alex Kvanli
March 01, 2025 (comments)

Sitting around the family table in the Mess Hall one night John, Deb, and Vicki Erdmann and Bill Burgman were engaged in one of their favorite pastimes–sharing stories of Camp connections. Between the four of them, I believe they can recall almost every camper who’s attended Camp Voyageur since 1951; Where they’re from, how they found out about Camp, and pieces of their families’ backgrounds. Listening to them debate over which city someone was from, where his dad owned that gas station (It was 1st street. No, it was 2nd street right across from that old market. They sold the...

The Character-Building Power of Summer Camp

By Alex Kvanli
February 01, 2025 (comments)

What is character and how can it be “built?” Most people have an intuitive sense of character but find it difficult to define. Great thinkers have pondered this subject for centuries. Aristotle defined good character as “the life of right conduct—right conduct in relation to other persons and in relation to oneself.” Thomas Lickona described it as “operative values, values in action—knowing the good, desiring the good, and doing the good.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that “intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” The American Camp Association defines it simply as “intentions and actions that...

9 Voyageur New Year's Resolutions

By Alex Kvanli
December 31, 2024 (comments)

Since 1951, Camp Voyageur has been a place of renewal and reflection. Kids leave feeling strong, resilient, and mindful—perfect goals for the year ahead. Here are nine ways to harness the rejuvenating power of Camp Voyageur in 2025. 1. Embrace the Great Outdoors Whether you spend five days in the Boundary Waters or five minutes at a small park, the outdoors offer perspective and peace. 2. Unplug More Often Resolve to set aside tech-free hours each day to reconnect with family, friends, or yourself. Trade doom-scrolling and brain rot for storytelling around a fire pit or over a board game....

Few Places Like Camp Voyageur Are Left

By Alex Kvanli
December 01, 2024 (comments)

How many places are left where kids can disconnect from modern distractions for a month, immerse themselves in nature, create lifelong friendships, AND build character? Camp Voyageur offers an increasingly rare and valuable experience at a time when day camps are replacing overnight summer camps, year-round sports are displacing exploratory summers, and glamping is often mistaken for real camping. While learning wilderness camping skills can take people to extraordinary places, the true outcome of a summer camp program lies in fostering the growth of the whole person. Each night in camp, two different-colored floodlights and (sometimes) one soft-white lightbulb bring...

Trip Stories: Fishing Along the Border

By Alex Kvanli
November 01, 2024 (comments)

By: Henry, 13 years old, 2nd year camper We started our trip at the Angleworm portage–Mitchell, Whit, Owen, Ben, our counselor Kevin, and me. The intimidating 640-rod (two miles!) portage to begin the trip was rough but satisfying once we had completed it. It dropped us right into the heart of the Boundary Waters. That night, we camped on Home Lake where Kevin caught a walleye. The next night, we found a great campsite on Friday Bay, and I caught a 20.5-inch plaquer walleye! We paddled to Saturday Bay, where we set up a base camp and went on a...

Old Friends, New Faces at Fall Rendezvous

By Alex Kvanli
October 01, 2024 (comments)

This month, we’re hittin’ the road for a series of Midwest reunions! Whether you’re an alum with unforgettable memories, a camper eager to see your friends, or a family member who has seen firsthand the joy Camp brings, this event is for you. Alumni, campers, family, and friends are all invited to join a rendezvous near you: Sun. October 13th – Edina, MN, Rosland Picnic Shelter, 1-3 pm Sun. October 20th – Winnetka, IL, Indian Hill Park, 1-3 pm Sat. October 26th – Indianapolis, IN, Eagle Creek Park, Shelter D, 1-3 pm Sun. October 27th – Cincinnati, OH, Alms Park,...

Trip Stories: Wildebeest Trout

By Alex Kvanli
July 02, 2024 (comments)

Hi, my name is Oliver, and this is my story about our trip from Snowbank Lake to Moose Lake. On this trip, we had eight people: Grant, Grayson, Drew, Gianni, myself, and our counselors Oscar, Asher, and Davis. Our first day was a push day. We breezed through Snowbank Lake because the conditions were perfect—tailwinds and clear sky. I was proud of everyone, especially considering they were first-years. We all struggled on the portages, carrying the heavy gear over slippery rocks. For dinner, we had Asher’s “special” beans and rice, which was surprisingly delicious. On day two, we made it...

Canoeing: A Lifelong Pursuit

By Alex Kvanli
May 29, 2024 (comments)

Alone at the end of a portage long after nightfall, a young Jim Nicholson vividly remembers looking up at the stars feeling astonished at the beauty of the natural world and realizing just how small he was. “It was an awe-inspiring experience we all have from time to time,” he recounts in our interview for the Camp Voyageur Podcast. Jim received his first taste of the great Northwoods on a family trip to a cabin, southwest of Ely on Bear Island Lake in the summer of 1961. His father, James, had visited the area in the 1940s while in college....

Critters Along a Historical Boundary Waters Route

By Alex Kvanli
March 06, 2024 (comments)

We began our journey canoeing on the Little Indian Sioux River North. That afternoon, we saw a mama black bear and its cub at a campsite on Little Shell Lake. The pair paid no attention to us, but we decided to put on a few more miles until we camped on Lynx Lake that night. Day two was particularly tough because we had lots of portages. Things did get a lot better, however, when we saw a moose swimming its way down the lake, with just its head and antlers peeking out of the water! That night we stayed at...

Alex Kvanli

Assistant Director & Blog Editor