Trip Stories: "The Perfect Storm"

By Peter Grunawalt
July 19, 2015 (comments)

This trip story comes in from camper Max on his first round trip of second session with a little editing help from his trip counselor Ethan Shafron. Max experienced one of the fast-moving, hard-hitting storms typical of the Boundary Waters during July. It was just before dusk, about 9 PM, when it hit all of us. We scuttled into the tent as the rain hit the rocky ground surrounding us, kicking up mud and pine needles. Our crew banded together to watch as the yellow sky swallowed our campsite from the west, signaling the start of what was to come....

Trip Stories: "Big Man by Surprise"

By Peter Grunawalt
July 17, 2015 (comments)

The trip stories blog series will feature hand written accounts of campers on the trail. Camper Ethan B. writes this one, recounting his first trip of second session and his experience as a “Big Man,” a term reserved for the older campers who are not only expected to carry and stern a canoe, but also assist the counselor on the trip. It’s a chance for them to pick up some responsibility and learn about what it means to be a leader. Of course, the circumstances of Ethan’s story are different than usual… My three day camp to camp trip with...

The Adventure Begins: First Round Trips

By Peter Grunawalt
July 09, 2015 (comments)

The first round of trips at Camp Voyageur have returned! Here's some of the video that came back from this first round, as well as a little music from counselor Evan Pydych. Enjoy!

Green-head Gossip: The "Throne Poem"

By Peter Grunawalt
June 04, 2015 (comments)

On the right, Gary Dexheimer, Ft. Wayne, IN, counselor for two years. Photo taken in the summer of 1971. Former counselor Gary Dexheimer brings us the story of the mysterious throne poem. He writes: For far too many years, I have carried a poem in my wallet copied from the underside of a box-toilet lid from a camp site on an island with the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area). I spent two wonderful summers during college as a counselor at an outdoor adventure canoeing based camp in Ely, MN. On one memorable trip, I found this note inscribed on the...