Experiencing More Than Just the Wilderness

By Tom Brandt
July 26, 2019 (comments)

Camp Voyageur is more than an in-and-out wilderness tripping camp. At CV, campers indulge in an active outdoor experience which lays the foundation for a strengthened character and active lifestyle through challenge, friendly competition and responsibility. Many attribute camp’s character building and rigorous activity to the trail (wilderness trips), although that’s true, a lot of credit can be rightly given to Camp Voyageur’s in-camp program. There are three activity periods a day, followed by swimming, more activity and three balanced meals from camp’s talented kitchen staff. Needless to say, there’s no shortage of exercise while on the CV-peninsula. It’s not...

The Unbreakable Bond of the Trail

By Tom Brandt
July 05, 2019 (comments)

The passing of the Fourth of July marks the quick upcoming of the end of first session, and the halfway point for our second round of trips. Whether you’re on a 6-day or a 10-day trip, all campers experience and reflect on the remarkable bonding agents of the trail. The first day back home at camp is a surprisingly confusing time for campers. Many are happy to be sleeping in a soft bed, under the warmth of their covers in a cabin sheltering them from rain and bugs. Greeted with a home cooked meal from Deb’s kitchen, it’s easy to...

CVBB - New Hoops, New Game

By Paul Thompson-Nelson
June 28, 2019 (comments)

As campers started to pour into camp throughout the first day, many couldn’t help but notice one surprising change to our beloved CV peninsula. That’s right, the wooden basketball hoops we knew and loved were gone! But have no fear, because four new hoops are here! Basketball has always been a prominent activity period game, and with our brand new gear, it looks like basketball is going to have an even larger number of participants this summer.

Embracing Camp Voyageur Crazy!

By Dylan Jackson
June 17, 2019 (comments)

As a first year camper, the first day at Camp Voyageur is always a nerve-racking experience. Campers are often shy, self-conscious and reserved, and they experience these feelings for good reason, as they’re in a new environment separated from the comforts of their family, friends and home-routine. Surrounded by unfamiliar territory and people, every camper is forced into the discomforts of new experiences, and by the time they leave camp, whether it’s been 12 days, 4 weeks or an entire 8 week summer, each and every camper, in some form, will find they’re place in the wildly unpredictable comforts of...

The Art of Cooking on the Trail

By Tom Brandt
June 12, 2019 (comments)

From person to person, a love for cooking and a love for diverse food is ambiguous. Everyone has a taste for something different, so exploring these palates on the trail is fun, yet challenging. In most cases, cooking and eating on the trail is limited, so the need for creativity and experimentation is fun and necessary for a delicious and enjoyable trail feast. After all, food is life, and good food is love, so a masterful trail-chef is quite the treat in a place such as the BWCA, where perishable ingredients, and outstanding cooking is scarce.

Camp Voyageur Featured on Minnesota Bound

By Alex Kvanli
June 10, 2019 (comments)

Minnesota Bound is a television series that seeks out destinations and explores what makes them special. Watch Camp Voyageur’s story!

Safe Travels and Safe Returns: A Wilderness First Aid Experience

By Tom Brandt
June 04, 2019 (comments)

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a beautiful, pristine and remote area which becomes home to more than 250,000 visitors with every summer. Although sublime, Minnesota’s pride and joy, the BWCA, is a dangerous place for the exact reason we as campers, counselors and visitors appreciate it; it’s remote, untapped and uninhabited by everything outside the wonders and glories of the great outdoors and those who adventure around it. After all, our beloved north woods are considered a pristine wilderness. This information is not made to scare you, but in fact, is there to reassure you of the staff’s...

Staff Training Begins!

By Charlie Erdmann
May 30, 2019 (comments)

The paths are raked, the cabins swept and the stage is set for 2019 staff training. As the second week of work camp comes to an end, we say goodbye to generous CV friends and alumni who volunteer valuable hard work and time to prepare facilities for incoming staff. Thanks to Phil Dodge, Tom (N’orleans), the Clarks, Jim and Jim, Kerry Claros and Will Carls. Mikey Meves, along with his crew from Menomonie, and Alex Kvanli cleared brush, downed trees, then cut and moved the logs from the depths of the forest to the sauna. Although hauling wood is back-breaking...

Camper Insights: How Grand Portage Changes You

By Alex Kvanli
May 15, 2019 (comments)

We all experience defining moments in our lives, when we realize our journey has begun a new chapter. For adults it may be marriage, or a child being born. For many kids it could be going from elementary to middle school, getting their driver’s license, or making a certain sports team. But for campers at Camp Voyageur, a defining moment is without a doubt completing the Grand Portage. There are many benefits of wilderness adventure camps, and one is that is quickens emotional maturation. It is no exaggeration to say that the Grand Portage turns boys into men.

5 Old Camp Traditions

By John Burgman
May 08, 2019 (comments)

In many ways, Camp Voyageur prides itself on continuing in much the same manner that it has for decades. Although there have been necessary changes in order to adhere to new standards set by organizations such as the American Camping Association, the rhythms of any day in camp or on the trail are very similar to what they were in the 1950s. There is a reason for that. While technology and trends change, the principles of building good character do not, and enjoyment of the outdoors is timeless. Still, there are some summer camp traditions that have fallen by the...