1st Session Photos IV

A Logger's Tale

The hushed-quiet of a traditional silent breakfast with Paul Bunyan-sized pancakes was broken by the sound of two chainsaws this morning as we prepare for Paul Bunyan Day. It is truly the year of the lumberjack at Chippewa. It should be an exciting afternoon of log tosses, match splitting and a few other surprises.

The time is flying at camp! Our two-week campers head home on Saturday, but not before the annual Black Tie Dinner and a shadow puppet play on Friday evening. The week has been a busy one for all of the campers as the Trip House was buzzing. Sooner cabin returned from a 3 day trip down the Crow Wing, Demonia cabin is fishing at Hook Island in Canada and Muir and Marshall are exploring the canoe trails of Ontario. Later this week, our sailors head to the Apostle Islands and more local trips will come and go down the Mississippi or across Cass Lake to Star Island. Undoubtedly, those evenings around the campfire will provide some of the most exciting memories of camp.

It looks like the rain has finally given way to a few days of sunshine, so everyone is thrilled about the blue skies. Despite the rain, the activities have been running on all cylinders. Just a little bit of random news of interest around camp which demonstrates the point : Henry M. shot a perfect 50 on the rifle range. Wow! Chippong has grabbed the imagination of the table tennis enthusiasts (details best left for an evening at home), Olson cabin garnered Honor Cabin for the first week with the coveted green paddle now hanging in the window, Badger and Bunkhouse cabin had their first spin tubing behind the Beluga last night with Jake S. a highlight with airborne antics and Christian M. and Nicolas M. were top fisherman with Sam during quick fish trip to Moose Lake yesterday.

More adventure means more news ahead.....

MKT

1st Session Photos III

Spot on the North Knife

View North Knife 2011 in a larger map

1st Session Photos II

I Can See Clearly Now....

The rain is gone and the sun is shining! I just arrived in Cass Lake after missing the first part of camp. It's a bit unusual for me to arrive late, since I've been here for the past 10 years to start the summer. So, I didn't really know what to expect, but I should have. Everything was how it has always been. Rounds being fired, arrows hitting the gold, and JP could be heard on the tennis court from the Ivy Bowl down to Buck Lake.

Upon arrival, the rain that had been present for the past three days stopped! In spite of the rain, activity orientation carried on and the counselors have the guys off to a fantastic start. All of the campers have taken the swim test, and some have even passed their water ski test! Ranks are starting to be passed down on the Rifle and Archery ranges and the report from the Sail Shanty is that camp may have some new First Mates to take the helm of the Chippewa fleet. The men of the Athabasca are on their way down the North Knife to the Bay with the hopes of paddling with Beluga whales. Camp is buzzing and moving full speed ahead!

Last night, the stage became The House of Rock! The Airband competition was a crowd favorite and hilarious! The boys from Kamaji cabin were crowned champions with their rendition of Queen. Nice work Jack, Ian, Max, Josh, Andrew, and Philip!

Your Chippewa update from John Olson

1st Session Photos I

The guys from Muir cabin with a song and dance.

Hank wins the Lumberjack challenge for early enrollment by lighting the match!

Happy Birthday Jordan!

First fish of the summer.

Dip time....

...then Taps. All is right with the world.

Summer 76 has arrived.

The Chippewa Staff is Ready!

Only Two Days to Go...

...and the summer will be here! Don't forget those moustaches, old timers!

A Well-Worn Tradition

The tradition begins in less than a week!

A Sight to See

And he may be headed your way. A Minnesota man is paddling the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to Minneapolis....standing up on a paddle board. The local newspaper had an article last week and he came through Cass Lake shortly after the report. I get tired just looking at him, but what a great adventure. To date, I now count a paddleboarder, canoeists, kayakers (including some of our counselors), a swimmer and even a man on an inflatable tube descending the Mississippi from the headwaters to Minneapolis or beyond. I wonder what's next.

New Activity for 2011

The rumors are true! I would like to officially announce that Trap Shooting will become regular activity at camp this summer. Awesome!

The program will be headquartered at a rarely used site in camp near the old clay pit and will be open to all campers who have earned at least their Sharpshooter in riflery and are at least 12 years old. You can expect 20 and 12 gauge shotguns and ranks that are similar to riflery. It's gonna be great!

So get excited! It isn't too often that we add a new activity to camp, but we think that trap is an exciting addition and is consistent with Chippewa philosophy. Watch for more details in the new couple of weeks before camp starts. It's another reason to join the summer 76....I wonder who will earn the first ever rank?