Trip Stories: Record River Monster

By Alex Kvanli
July 01, 2025 (comments)

Intrepid explorers Jack C., Luke C., Charlie J., Browning G., and Chuck J. led by nurse Elena Richardson and assistant director Alex Kvanli hit the trail on Lake One one hot summer day on a fishing trip for the record books. Chuck J. navigated the crew with occasional assistance from Jack “Gouverbolt” while Alex guided them to secret fishing holes he’d uncovered from a dozen Little Triangle trips spanning nine summers. Alex shared that sometimes river fishing is simple: Keep your line wet, cast near moving water, don’t get snagged, and use wacky worms. A few failed attempts casting into...

Dancing with Wabakimi Rapids

By Alex Kvanli
June 02, 2025 (comments)

By: Jack Casebolt, camper 2021-2024 Shortly after New Year’s in 2024, an anticipated email message arrived stating I’d been invited on the 14-day Wabakimi Canoe Expedition. My excitement filled the room. Eager to see who else was invited, I texted my Camp friend group and discovered that the other campers attending would be Anders Malmberg, Ben Hummel, John “Huck” Ginn, and Peter Harris. Assistant Camp Director Alex Kvanli was slated to lead the canoe expedition and Billy Idol’s Greatest Hits CD would provide the eight-hour soundtrack for the van ride.

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...

Building Character Through Canoeing: Life Lessons from a Wilderness Adventure Camp

By Alex Kvanli
September 18, 2023 (comments)

Adventure is an efficient teacher, and the ancient waterways of Northern Minnesota offer a unique platform for building character in kids. The journey across the Boundary Waters isn’t just about paddling; it’s about personal growth, teamwork, resilience, and learning invaluable life skills. Here are some of the ways canoeing builds character at Camp Voyageur:

Trip Stories: Moose Lake to Camp Voyageur

By CV Staff
June 29, 2023 (comments)

5 Nights on the Trail By: Joey Erdmann with Ben K., Finn H., Lleyton A., Chuck H., Demetri S., and Trip Leader Charlie Erdmann. Day 1 We loaded two small vans–later than expected– because our big van had been hijacked for a rescue mission. Alex trekked us up the Fernberg Trail to the Moose Lake landing where he and Kevin O’Kane helped us to the water and snapped a photo to see us off. The wind had picked up by this time, so we paddled across the waves to a protected point and crossed paddles. “May the wind be at...

10 Things to Look For When Choosing an Overnight Canoe Camp

By Alex Kvanli
May 09, 2023 (comments)

Summer camps come in all shapes and sizes. The following tips are for parents searching for a sleepaway camp where canoe camping is a primary focus of the camp’s program.

2023 Trip Options

By Dylan Jackson
January 20, 2023 (comments)

In a couple of weeks, the National Forest Service will open wilderness reservations for the 2023 summer season. In addition to our most popular wilderness routes, CV will offer an array of options for traveling outside of our region. Each permit we reserve requires the names of four registered campers. Select your son’s trip preference from the options listed below; he can pick one trip per four-week session. Please contact me to sign up or if you have any questions!

Hiking vs. Canoeing in the Boundary Waters

By Alex Kvanli
May 06, 2022 (comments)

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is rightly famous for its backcountry paddling adventures, but it’s also home to a variety of rugged hiking trails like the Border Route Trail, Kekekabic Trail, PowWow Trail, Sioux-Hustler Trail, and more. The 300+ mile Superior Hiking Trail to the east usually receives all of Minnesota’s hiking glory. However, it’s not located in a designated wilderness so therefore it’s considered frontcountry. If solitude is what you seek, you’ll find more of it in the BW. Perhaps you couldn’t snag a BW paddling permit this summer, you’re looking for a change of pace from canoeing,...

Camper Ranks Explained

By Alex Kvanli
April 18, 2022 (comments)

There are a few words in Camp Voyageur lore which are sure to inspire reverence whenever mentioned– words like Grand Portage, Quetico, Plaquer, and Gouvernail. There is a natural progression, that comes with guidance and practice, for campers when participating in sports and wilderness camping at Voyageur. Campers are encouraged to try all activities, to learn from peers and counselors in training sessions as well as through experiential recreation. Campers make obvious physical changes and improve in performance on athletic fields. They get stronger, becoming more adept at wilderness tripping skills as they take on new challenges and succeed. One...

2022 Trip Options

By Alex Kvanli
January 14, 2022 (comments)

Hi from the Trip Director! In a couple of weeks, the National Forest Service will open wilderness reservations for the 2022 summer season. In addition to our most popular wilderness routes, CV will offer an array of options for traveling outside of our region. Please note that each trip has age and other requirements. Each permit we make requires the names of four registered campers, so we ask that you select your son’s preferences from the options listed below. Please to sign up or if you have any questions!