Top 10 Mistakes Made at the Campsite

By John Erdmann
May 02, 2016 (comments)

I believe wholeheartedly that Camp Voyageur groups move through the woods in the most responsible and efficient ways possible. Camp works hard to train its staff and inform its campers of the best environmental and safety practices. Still, it’s an ongoing process of learning and evolving, and even the most efficient group has its sluggish days. Here’s what I see as 10 of the most common mistakes made by folks at a campsite—not necessarily Voyageurs, mind you. Do you have any to add to this list? Let us know! 10. Not setting up the tent right away This is an...

Summer Camp: An American Tradition

By John Burgman
April 16, 2016 (comments)

Author, traveler, and veteran counselor John Burgman writes from South Korea… Over the weekend, a low-pressure system that had lingered for days and dropped nonstop rain on my town finally dissolved. When it did, the landscape emerged in a seemingly new state: grasses appeared with deeper greens than before; flower buds spiraled open to reveal the beginnings of their colorful blooms. Even the soil somehow looked healthier—it was no longer that dull, moon-like gunk of winter. As I stepped onto my deck and took in the scene, I took a deep breath of fresh air and something clicked inside of...

Dear friends and families of Camp Voyageur:

By Peter Grunawalt
April 10, 2016 (comments)

Imagine. The camp peninsula, with nearly 10 cabins full of boys each session. The Mess Hall so full of life at meals that there are tables set up on the stage. From a big game on Pine Stadium to the sailboats in the bay, from the swim docks to the archery range, practically every sport and activity is happening simultaneously. Campers on their way to lunch cheer as another Voyageur crew returns from a week in the Boundary Waters. Trips come and go constantly. That was camp about 30+ years ago. Camp to me was an incredible place to do...

Trip Stories: "Atop the Boundary Waters"

By Peter Grunawalt
March 07, 2016 (comments)

This trip story comes in from first year camper Chris during his 8 day trip in the Northern Boundary Waters. Although it was his second trip here at camp, it was his first canoe trip. He writes… On my eight day trip from Snowbank Lake to camp, we took a lot of time to savor the great land that lay before us. We basked in the splendor of breathtaking overlooks, massive cliffs, crystal clear water, and brilliant green forests that surrounded each lake and river that we traversed. We were constantly rewarded for our hard work with these magnificent views,...

Our Own Little Civilization

By Peter Grunawalt
January 14, 2016 (comments)

In an interview with Vicky Erdmann Burgman, we explore the relatively unknown history of camp, which features the ice house, the generator hut, and a few other quirky things about camp from the 50s and 60s that we bet you had no idea existed! We had our own generator. Back in the 50s and early 60s, camp electricity ran off a generator, which at best worked half the time. We used kerosene lamps for lighting as well. In a sense, we were our own little civilization in those days. The generator only ran at night, when we needed lights. My...

Camp Legends & Lore: "Nature Boy"

By Peter Grunawalt
December 01, 2015 (comments)

Many an alumni have fond memories of Nature Boy, a mysterious log that floated vertically in the camp bay. But few campers within the past 30 years know the full story of Nature Boy, or that he still may live just beneath the surface… The following interview took place with Vicki Erdmann Burgman in the summer of 2015. The story goes that “Nature Boy” is from the logging era, and that at least one or more people died chaining it to the bottom of the lake. You could take the log and spin it, and it would unwind, which is...

Archiving the Past: Photo Gallery Updates

By Peter Grunawalt
September 16, 2015 (comments)

When we created the Camp Voyageur photo gallery, we envisioned not just being able to upload full-resolution images and videos from recent summers. We also wanted to go back in time and upload the photos of previous years and make all that content available to download. It'll be an ongoing project, but during the off-season, we'll begin to upload all the photos we have readily available and some of the summer videos that have been produced over the years. In doing so, we hope that the website will become a more valuable source for alumni and campers alike, and that...

Trip Stories: "Moose!"

By Peter Grunawalt
September 10, 2015 (comments)

This trip story comes in from veteran camper Andy. He joined five others on a 9 day Grand Portage trip from Moose Lake to Lake Superior. He recounts his encounter with not one, not two, but three “Meese.” What, meese is a word, right? Anyways, here’s the story… “Alright you can get out of the boat now,” Peder said. Naturally, I was already halfway out, getting ready to stop the boat from running into the portage landing. Inquisitive as to whether this portage would be a hop skip or a long stroll, I asked Peder. “I think this is about...

CVNN: "Voyageur Radio is Always Live"

By Peter Grunawalt
August 27, 2015 (comments)

About once every session, regional talent scouts pay Camp Voyageur a visit. Why, you may ask? Well, throughout the years, word has gotten out that we put on a radio show, featuring talents perfect for radio entertainment like miming, martial arts, and juggling. In fact, these radio shows have become so popular that we've begun attracting quite the characters, such as celebrity news hosts Donny Frontback and Clint Matthews. As these hosts put it, "we have a valuable partnership with Camp Voyageur where we use their audience to further our own careers with no regard for the actual content of...

The State of the War Canoe Address

By Peter Grunawalt
August 20, 2015 (comments)

Camp Voyageur’s trademark boat, the War Canoe, will be spending this 2015 summer season off the water. The unique eight-man, bright yellow, and fast-moving canoe has been turning the heads of Northern Minnesota’s paddlers for over 25 years. Originally manufactured by Old Town in the 1960’s, the Camp Voyageur War Canoe has been a symbol and tradition since its arrival on the camp peninsula in 1968. It was originally built for the U.S. Naval Academy at the William & Mary College in Indianapolis in 1962. The war canoe was bought (used) in 1968. It was originally painted orange. Camp Voyageur...