Reflections from the Arctic

In the last issue of our CHIPS newsletter, I published an excerpt from the journal kept by the crew on last summer's Arctic canoe exploratory, the Coppermine. The excerpt was written by one our the campers, Wil Gehl, who shared some wonderful thoughts, not only on the journey to the Arctic Ocean, but on his journey as a camper during his many years as a camper.

You can find the journal entry on our website. Take a look!

Thanks Wil! (pictured shooting some rapids on the Coppermine)

Photos from Labor Day, Part IV

Chris and Cammy at the reception.

Cammy, Martha, JP and Todd celebrate Martha's new rank.

Sam out for a sail.

Photos from Labor Day, Part III

JR and Xan had a ball!

Eric and Bob sailed in the 3rd Chippewa Alumni Regatta.

JP and Jerry sing "A little bit o' Luck"

Trevor snagged a mighty fish...but we've seen mightier!

Photos from Labor Day Weekend, Part II

Free swim for Tim!

Ted lends a helping hand on the Paul Bunyan Swing


Part of the 1987 Bloodvein crew retell old stories


John accepts a commemorative 75th Anniversary platter at the banquet.

Photos from Labor Day Weekend, Part 1

Nearly 130 alumni and families joined the celebration!

Mike and Sam at the Chippewa Yacht Club reception.

The waterfront was busy all weekend.

Dick and Peter reminisce on Cass Shore.

More photos coming this week....

A Spectacular 75th Celebration

Over the Labor Day weekend, almost 130 alumni, current families and friends of Chippewa descended on Cass Lake to celebrate our landmark summer...and what a celebration it was. Among the many highlights were the Chippewa Alumni Sailing regatta with all twelve boats underway, the riflery tournament won by alumnus Tony Hirsch, a ceremonial opening of the Alumni Cabin, the Chippewa Yacht Club reception at Sanders Sail Shanty, a banquet honoring JP and much, much more.

Thanks to everyone who attended. It was truly a remarkable and memorable event. Photos will be posted here on the blog and in CHIPS, so check back next week. Now it's off to summer 76!

Summer 75 - A Fond Farewell

Camp is eerily quiet for what should be a busy 1st period. Summer 75 has come to an end. Congratulations, Camp Chippewa, for 75 remarkable summers. And to the campers and staff from our landmark year, we bid you 'farewell'....and see you next year!

The Coppermine Returns

After 34 days and over 500 miles of paddling to the Arctic Ocean, the Coppermine River crew completes their epic adventure for Chippewa's 75th summer.

Isle Royale Sail Trip Photos

Isle Royale Sail Trip

As part of our special 75th Anniversary summer, five sailors (Byron A. Jesse O, Patrick H. Calvin W. and Sing Lok W.) have been sailing Lake Superior from the Apostle Islands to Isle Royale. This is sailing! You can watch their journey unfold by clicking the link below. Fair winds!

Isle Royale Sail Trip Navigation

1st Session Coming to an End

All is quiet in the camp office, but down on the Ivy Bowl the World Cup is about to crown a champion. Tonight, a Murder Mystery banquet and final campfire will conclude a spectacular first session. We kicked off the 75th in style! I'll be back tomorrow for a 1st session wrap up. What a session it was!

Spot on the Coppermine River - The Arctic Awaits!

View Coppermine River- Arctic Trip in a larger map

Coppermine Guys Pack Out

On Tuesday, the guys from Chippewa's first Arctic Circle exploratory departed from camp at 6:00am. We'll see them back in August after five weeks on the Coppermine River. Here are a few shots as they prepared to leave for the longest trip that camp has ever taken and the furthest north and west camp has ever voyaged. A memorable trip for our landmark 75th summer.

Check back soon to check their progress on google maps as they "Spot" in along the way.

Alumni Cabin Nears Completion

In a word, spectacular!

Get Excited! Summer 75 is Almost Here.

Only 10 Days Left...

....to claim the Early Bird special discount rates for Chippewa's 75th Anniversary Celebration over Labor Day weekend. So what are you waiting for? Your friends will be there, you want to be there, so don't wait another day. Everyone's invited; alumni, current families, friends, wives, kids, future campers...come on and join the crowd. Register today!

Here's a link :

75th Anniversary Labor Day Weekend Celebration

A long, long time ago in a place you know very, very well.

Labor Day Weekend Bash

As you know, we are hosting our official 75th Anniversary Chippewa alumni celebration over Labor Day weekend this year. The big news is that the number of alumni and families who have already registered for the event has exceeded our expectations. Former (and current) campers from just about every decade are planning to descend on Cass Lake. It's shaping up to be quite an event.

More importantly, the early bird registration date is coming up. So if you plan to make the trip north to camp, as we hope you do, make sure to grab the best rates by registering by May 15th to receive the special discounted rate.

You can find all of the details on our 75th Anniversary registration page. Join us!

Chippewa Featured in Magazine

Exclusively Yours magazine of Milwaukee is running a short feature on Chippewa in the March 2010 issue, available now. Pick up a copy around Milwaukee or contact me and I'll send a copy out to you.

Thanks to Andy at Exclusively Yours for the article which showcases camp and our 75th anniversary summer. Don't miss our ad in the issue as well...it looks great!

Update : Just added the article to the camp website.

Registration is Open

Hey Chippewa alumni! Registration is now open for our special 75th Anniversary event over Labor Day. Check the website for more details then click the 'Register Now' button. Isn't it about time you returned home to Cass Lake?

The response so far has been unbelievable. So talk to your old camp friends and plot your return....and bring the fam too. It's going to be a blast!

Conference Reflections

Last week I attended the American Camp Association (ACA) National Conference in Denver. It's always great to meet with other camp directors and staff to exchange ideas and share experiences. In fact, I was selected as a presenter at the conference, speaking on the conversion from a for-profit to a not-for-profit camp, as Chippewa did in 1999.

In preparing for the presentation, I reflected a bit more about the series of events that led to the creation of Camp Chippewa Foundation. It is a remarkable testimony to the Chippewa philosophy that we have inherited from the Endres family. The sons and daughters of Cap and Mom provided us with foresight, gifting the entirety of camp without any compensation or tangible benefit in 1999. Instead, what they have created is a legacy that we will all honor into perpetuity. We have been left with a boy's camp unlike most any other camp and a philosophy that is as relevant now as it was 75 years ago.

So on behalf of the future generations of campers, thank you to the Endres family and to all of the alumni and families who continue to strengthen Camp Chippewa. As JP often says, the best years are indeed ahead!