The Staff Trip: Camping Like It's Your Job

By Peter Grunawalt
June 08, 2016 (comments)

Once per summer, some of the most qualified wilderness leaders of the century gather in one location to test and hone their skills. That place happens to be Camp Voyageur. And these wilderness leaders I speak of? Why, they’re our camp counselors of course! Over the past two weeks, our counselors have been put through the ringer. They’ve been trained and tested in risk management, wilderness first aid, life-guarding, CPR, aquatics and water safety, behavior management, counseling techniques, transportation safety, healthcare, and a number of specialized activities we do here at camp. That’s not including the other certifications they need...

Camp's Garden of Eatin'

By Peter Grunawalt
May 29, 2016 (comments)

The following post was written by veteran counselor Ned Yonkers, who has spear-headed the gardening movement at Camp Voyageur this summer. He writes... Phase one of the project involved setting the posts for a fence and planting the garden. "Being at camp invokes the feeling that we are living in a community independent from the outside world. It is a place where no matter what is happening everywhere else, we’ll all be fine here. To enhance this feeling of independence, this year’s staff have worked on expanding camp’s garden, bringing in more herbs and vegetables than ever before. Nothing says...

"Make Camp Great Again"

By Peter Grunawalt
May 26, 2016 (comments)

Camp is what you put into it. This has been true since its founding in 1951. In fact, most of the structures and facilities around camp have been built up not only under the direction of the Erdmann family, but with the combined foresight and initiative from our counselors. Without them, few of our favorite in-camp facilities would be around, and even fewer traditions that generations of campers have enjoyed would exist. In recent years however, we’ve had to focus more on maintenance than lofty projects. Many an alumni can testify after a quick tour of the facilities that camp...

Introducing Wandering Elk Radio: The Podcast

By Peter Grunawalt
May 08, 2016 (comments)

Veteran counselor, educator, and author John Burgman writes from South Korea... "A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to write a book about camp. Over the years, camp has produced so many memorable moments, characters, and captivating trip stories—and I thought those aspects of history deserved preservation. I wanted the book to provide a chronological narrative of camp’s past, but also contain adventurous tales told from the alums (and current campers) themselves. Very early in the planning stages for the book, I realized that the project would entail hefty research. I would need to interview and record dozens—if...

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...