Alumni to Hit the Trail

Just in case you missed it, the second Camp Chippewa Alumni Canoe trip heads out this summer in late July.  CJ and Mike Endres will lead these intrepid explorers as they relive some old memories and certainly have a few laughs along the way.  It's going to be a blast!  I only wish I could join everyone this time around.

More details can be found on our Alumni Canoe Trip page.  Space is very limited!

Tam-A-Rack

It would seem that the tam-a-rack is not reserved for Knutson Hall.  Well done, Hafts.

Spot on the Kopka River

The guys from Marshall and Muir cabins have begun their journey down the Kopka River. Keep track of their progress by following this map.


View Kopka River 2011 in a larger map

The Musical Men of Muir Triumphantly Return!

Adventure, tradition, character. All three in abundance on the Gammon River. Our trip was an epic odyssey from Red Lake to Lake Winnipeg, with more rapids, portages, and high adventure than you can shake a stick at. Upon our arrival back to camp we exited the van sporting our beautiful new Lindsay Tams, to be greeted with handshakes from old friends and counselors, and the wide eyed wonder of the young campers as they heard the tales of our adventures on the trail. After that, we headed down to Knutson Hall, to engorge ourselves on a spectacular Sunday lunch of pork, mashed potatoes, fried zucchini, and to top it off, we all ate ice cream sundaes of biblical proportions. We had an unbelievable trip and were welcomed back with open arms.

-posted by campers Alex Haft and Spencer Dillon

New Canoes A'Comin'

Last summer, we sent Nova Craft canoes on a test-run to the Arctic. What came back were resounding positive remarks about the canoes. The result : we have ordered three more Nova Craft Prospector canoes.

Chippewa voyageurs have even more to be excited about! Check them out here!

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)

Canoe Class?

Parts of a Canoe

There will be a test at camp. Or maybe not, but it sure is handy!

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.

New Canoes A-Comin'

Just ordered! Three new Old Town Tripper and two new Old Town Penobscot canoes. We've been paddling Old Town canoes from the very beginning and I'm excited to replace a few of our older boats. Voyageurs: start your paddles!

Quetico Turns 100

This is the Centennial Year for the Quetico Provincial Park, the prime paddling destination for our first year Canadian canoe trippers. Congratulations Quetico!

The Quetico has set up a stewardship program in honor of this landmark year. Check out their website for more info. The Quetico is a remarkable resource for us and for all paddlers.

A Journey To Remember

Last summer, Charlie returned from the Little Churchill River trip completing a 19 day descent to Hudson Bay. This fall, in preparing college applications, Charlie wrote a wonderful essay about his trip and his many years at Chippewa. You can find the entire essay on the camp website. Here is a small excerpt.

"This past summer, a group of nine experienced trippers and I embarked on an adventurous and challenging 19-day voyage to the Hudson Bay. Canoeing 300 miles across pristine lakes and dense forests, we would paddle down roaring whitewater rapids and tell jokes around the campfire.....

Reaching the Hudson Bay after 17 days of paddling brought on a feeling of accomplishment I can’t explain. I had prepared for this moment for ten years of my life. Every year I went on progressively more challenging trips, starting with an overnight when I was nine years old, to a three-week trip in northern Manitoba when I was 17 years old. It was the culmination of my canoeing and tripping career at Camp Chippewa......

The most beautiful sunset I have ever seen lit the forest on fire, dyed the lake a dark orange and yellow, and stained the clouds a deep purple. I was completely at peace with myself for the first time in years. I had time to pause my stressful life and reflect on the natural beauty of my surroundings. I had the pleasure of looking at one of the most beautiful sights I will ever see with some of my best friends by my side....."

Anyone who has paddled the north country in a Chippewa canoe can relate to your sentiments, Charlie. Thanks for sharing.

75 Years and Still Fishing

(Jerry at the Final Banquet, 2007)

2010 will mark camp's 75th annivesary with exciting new canoe trips, fun special activities and an alumni rendezvous. Looks like Jerry Graham beat camp to the punch, however. Jerry recently celebrated his 75th birthday. Congratulations Jerry!

Jerry has been working with the men and boys at Chippewa since the 1950s. No doubt we'll be seeing him at age 76 back at Silent Isle, his Canadian getaway, and of course on Cass Lake. One of his friends In Miami, Oklahoma wrote a short homage:

Good gracious sakes alive,
Ole Jerold Graham is seventy five.
He has no hair to part
but has a kindly heart.
Behind him are birthdays galore.
Now is the time to wish him more.

(Jerry in Canada circa 1980)

Canadians for 2009

"What trips are going out next summer?" you ask. Great question!

It is a bit early to nail down all of our routes, but the plans are underway. In particular, we are still exploring the options for our longer trips. Three very exciting ideas, however, have come to the front. First, a possible return to the Missinaibi River. It has been over 20 years since our canoes made their way towards James Bay on this Canadian Heritage River, so we are thrilled about this possibility. We are also exploring river descents in the province of Saskatchewan...a first for Chippewa. Several routes have been identified, though we have not yet finished the logistical study for the trips. The grandfather of Chippewa's remote Canadian canoe trips, the Bloodvein, is also a likely candidate with its challenging portages and huge rapids. These are some amazing options for you guys.

For those of you who just completed your first Canadian last summer, plan on heading to the Wabikimi Provincial Park. Whether it be the Flindt, Allanwater or Kopka Rivers, true adventure awaits!

I'll be sure to keep you all posted. In the meantime, don't hesitate to email me or Sam with questions. It's going to be an awesome summer for Canadians.

The Bannockburn Tam - A Study

Looks like Joe Margolies is up to his ears in school work. I recently received this interesting study of the bannockburn's color pallet. You may recall that this was the inaugural summer for the bannockburn tam. Does this mean you like A&W rootbeer, Joe?

2nd Session News

What a wonderful session! Heck, what a wonderful summer! From the moment the campers arrived on the bus this session, the adventures have been memorable.

The weather this session has been outstanding. With warm days and cool nights, the boys found dip time a welcome part of the day and lights out at bed time a chance to regenerate for the next day's adventures. Camp was healthy and happy. I am certain that tonight's final campfire will reveal highlights of a remarkable summer.

Trips to Hook Island, Sanford Lake, Apostle Islands, the Quetico, Mississippi River and all around Minnesota returned with happy memories and pride of accomplishment. The wilderness challenges of the trail helped build the character of each trip and revealed the excitement of camping in the northwoods. Whether sailing for five days on Lake Superior or shooting whitewater in northern Ontario or even paddling six miles across Cass Lake to camp on Star Island, the adventures came alive.

Special activities around camp were a blast. Even Batman and Forest Gump made visits to camp this session with the creation of Batman and Forest Gump days to complement the traditional Pirate Day. Perhaps a highlight for the summer was during Waterfront Day when a dunk tank was created on Buck Lake to sink your favorite counselor, or even the director. It was fun and creative, if not a bit wet!

It was just a couple of days ago that we hosted neighboring Camp Kamaji for Girls, Camp Thunderbird for Boys and Camp Thunderbird for Girls in a regatta at Chippewa. We had a ball! Chippewa sailors found their way around the marks in light winds, crossing the line in first and second place. On both the archery and riflery range, the results were the same with the Chippewa campers demonstrating great sportsmanship while competing. The new Bearpaw tennis courts hosted the tennis players under a cloudless sky, with the all of the camps sharing success on the courts. While the friendly competition was a joy, the fun of the day was in hosting neighboring camps to our summer home.

I look back at the last eight weeks with a smile on my face. Many of the same traditions were strengthened, complemented by new ones. Unique trip pins for local canoe trips, a new Chippewa sailing manual, the new Knutson Hall and Bear Paw tennis court and fencing strip, and Black Tie Dinner were exciting additions to an already full and varied program.

In just a few hours, the final banquet will signal the conclusion of camp's 73rd year. As we creep closer to our 75th anniversary, I couldn't be more pleased with the summer of 2008. Thanks again for sharing in the adventures! See you next summer.

Spot on the Sanford

Just like the first session, we have sent the new Spot device on a canoe trip. This time it is with the guys from Muir cabin on the Sanford-Elsie trip. Be sure to click on the map to zoom in or out to watch their progress.

View Larger Map

Spot on the Churchill

This summer, we are experimenting with a new device called a Spot. It is essentially a satellite tracking device that allows us to watch the progress of our Canadian trippers while they are on the trail. We sent our first Spot along with the guys on the Little Churchill, our Hudson Bay trip. Below is a map that marks points at which they "checked in." If you click on the map, you can look back to their route and even see Hudson Bay looming ahead of them today. It is neat technology and we hope to expand its use in the coming years.


View Larger Map

First Session News

It has been a wonderful first three weeks of camp! I can't recall a summer with better weather to start the summer...blue skies, warm temperatures in the day, cool temperatures in the evening and plenty of blue skies! Perhaps no day better typified the fun of the summer than this previous Sunday. While five cabins were out on canoe trips, those still in camp found a sail trip to Star Island or a Sand Castle building contest on Cass Lake shore. Two boats sailed abreast across the lake for a day long cruise and swim break at Star Island. Meanwhile, four countries competed to host the 2016 Olympics by building sand castle venues on the sunny, sandy shore of camp. It was a fun day!

Throughout the past two weeks, the boys found success in the activity front. From tennis to archery, riflery to fencing, ranks have been passed and progress has been made. Traditions like Skit Night and Capture the Flag have been joined by new events like Chippewa's first Black Tie dinner. It may not have been the Ritz Carlton, but the new Knutson Hall was a fitting host, each of us looking quite dapper in our black bow ties.

Without a doubt, the new Knutson Hall and the recently completed Bear Paw tennis courts and fencing strip have been highlights. Both have added an exciting new dimension to the camp program. In addition, John Lindman, a master birch bark canoe builder, will complete an authentic birch bark canoe to be hung in the new Knutson Hall. Several of the boys have helped in the construction, no doubt a life-long memory that will still hang in camp many years from now.

I'm looking forward to an exciting conclusion to the first session. Trips will return from the far reaches of Canada and from a first-ever houseboat trip on Rainy Lake, a regatta with neighboring Camp Kamaji for Girls will put to center stage the boys' skills in archery, sailing and tennis and a final campfire will find highlights from the passing summer days. The time has passed to quickly, but the memories from a delightful summer will remain.

More photos and videos to come, so stay posted!

Canadian Permission Forms

I have received a few calls from parents wondering if a Canadian Permission Form is necessary for their son if he brings his passport to camp. The answer is yes.

The Canadian Permission Form is required for any of our campers who intend to go to Canada. The form indicates that you give permission for Camp Chippewa to bring your son across the Canadian-American border.

If you need the form, please head to the Chippewa Forms website.