Thursday, July 30, 2009

Spot on the Kopka River

Track the guys from Muir cabin as they make their way to Lake Nipigon. I'll make regular updates as they check in via their Spot device.


View Kopka River 2009 in a larger map

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Lower Camp Update

The session has kicked off with a bang, despite a little rain and some cool weather! Lower camp is rockin and rollin' and the boys have started going on canoe and fish trips. Demonia and Kamaji just returned from Hook Island with many tales of big fish and adventure. Sam K. caught the most fish. The boys have been excelling at their individual activities and passing ranks rapidly. Rafe S. passed three ranks in riflery alone. The boys from Badger and Bunkhouse went to Star Island a few days ago and had a blast. Sam H. and Ben B. went off the Paul Bunyan swing after much fear and loathing. A camp play called "The Bear who wanted to be a Bear" starred many from lower camp : Scott E, Stephen L, Gus Z, Carter O, and Mick M. The play was outstanding and hilarious. Camp is cruising along and we'll miss the Badger campers as they head home after a great two weeks.

Your Lower Camp reporter this session,
Teddy Mundt

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Hot Start to a Cool Session

It was opening night at the Chippewa Jazz Club, host of the second session Skit Night. The weather may be a bit cool, but the session is off to a hot start. Parents, news is on the way...Sunday is hot dog letter night. Check your mailboxes soon! Second session is rolling...

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Session Wrap-up from Middle Camp

What an amazing summer!! Over the last four weeks, Middle Camp has been filled with sounds of laughter and excitement as campers from Sooner and Olson cabins experienced a fun filled summer. Campers enjoyed a large range of amazing special activities, exciting trips, and extraordinary advancement in everyday activity periods.

The boys from Sooner cabin started the summer off right with a canoe trip down the wildlife filled Crow Wing River. Famous for its steady current and amazing amounts of wildlife, the Crow Wing is always sure to please those who adventure down its constantly curving waters. This summer, the trip did not disappoint! With great weather, plenty of swimming, and over 200 turtles spotted along the way, Sooner cabin enjoyed a wonderful trip.

Not long after the Crow Wing, campers from middle camp found themselves adventuring to either Canada’s beautiful Hook Island or on the unique Apostle Island sailing trip on Lake Superior. Up on Hook, campers found themselves in one of the best fishing summers in many years! Many large Northern Pike and tasty Walleye were caught by our experienced anglers, as well as fun and games played on the island itself. On the Apostle Island sail trip, Jake E., Austen L., Ethan F., Jack M. and Elliott M. were able to crew a 38 foot sailboat with Captain John Crabb on Lake Superior. A long tradition at camp, this special opportunity provided campers with beautiful scenery, some great swimming, as well as learning invaluable teamwork skills in running such a massive sail boat!

Olson Cabin took a canoe trip to beautiful Rainy Lake in the Voyageurs National Park. This canoe trip is the final preparation for our lower campers before heading into Upper Camp next year where they will embark on their first Canadian canoe trip. Five days are spent paddling, fishing, and camping to learn the skills necessary for their trip next year. After the campers have worked hard for these five days, they are rewarded with a two day adventure on a houseboat. This mosquito free, fully powered massive vessel is a great treat for the campers, which even included a quick trip to Canadian waters for a dip off of a slide on the back of the boat!! It was a great way to wrap up a fun and important canoe trip.

Back at camp, middle camp continued the tradition of passing ranks and improving skills in activities such as sailing, riflery, archery, swimming and tennis. Middle camp made strong showing at the end of the summers First Annual Chippewa Invitational where campers competed against each other in many of our activities, including washers!

Alas, first session has come to an end, but the memories created in middle camp this year will surely remain for years and years to come. Great job middle camp! See you next summer!

Signing off from first session,
Marshall Bruner

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Spot on the Missinaibi

The Spot device has helped us track the guys from Athabasca on the Missinaibi River trip. Check out their route on this fanatstic 14 day Canadian!


View Missinaibi 2009 in a larger map

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Lower Camp Update

With most of the older boys out on trips, lower camp has been well represented the past couple weeks here at Chippewa. Thanks in part to the fact that most of our two weekers stayed on for four weeks, we have had just the right number of boys to have some really exciting special activities this session.

The boys in Badger and Bunkhouse have all been out to the improperly named Little Bass Lake and the fishing has been nothing short of amazing. Augie A. landed an elusive walleye in the last minutes of daylight in the same spot where Joe H.W. had caught an enormous 4lb largemouth just a day earlier. The fishing has never been better.

Between overnight trips to Star and roasting hot dogs over the fire, the boys managed to fit in a truly spectacular 4th of July celebration. A dramatic reenactment of the events surrounding our country's founding, complete with musket fire in the distance, set the stage for an exciting day of trying to free Thomas Jefferson from captivity. I wouldn't suspect their knowledge of the actual happenings of 1776 was reinforced, but certainly the Chippewa version is fresh in their minds.

Well, the adventure continues and if I find myself with some time away from the fishing I will be sure to post some more about what is happening around here.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Ready, Aim, Fire!

It was a ceremonial opening for the new rifle range last month with a ten man firing line cracking the air with a simultaneous shot. Ready, aim, fire!

The day before, however, it was alumnus Trevor Lyons who took the first shots down range. Trevor has been a longtime supporter of riflery at Chippewa, so it was fitting that the first target on the new range was his. Was it a counter? After more than 30 years since his last shot on the range, I am proud to announce the score...a 41, the target below.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Upper Camp Update

Upper Camp so far…

We don’t seem to have been in camp long, but already Upper Camp is emptying! Just a few mornings ago, Athabasca left for their trek along the Missinaibi River, and two days ago Muir followed them north to the Allanwater River. In less than a week, Upper Camp will be quiet once more when Marshall and Manitou start their Quetico adventures.

There has been a lot of traffic through the Trip House, but still, Upper Camp have been busy on the activity front, Sam E being the first to pass a rank on the brand new Rifle Range (in which Upper Camp was well represented at the “official” opening ceremony!)

It won’t be long before Upper Camp will be filling up again, and the tales from the trail will begin.

Your friendly Brit signing off from Upper Camp,
Simon