Camp Birchwood for Boys

Yesterday (Monday) one group of voyageurs pushed off from the dock on their west-bound journey along the Canadian border.  Today (Tuesday) another group set sail for the Camp sailboat with plans to sail from Silver Bay, MN to Knife River, MN.  It is always very exciting for us to send trips out and watch them via SPOT, but tomorrow will be a bit sentimental as we send out the last three adventure trips of summer 2011.

One group is heading down the North Shore of Lake Superior for some rock-climbing, another is starting on Gunflint Lake and traveling along the Voyageurs’ Highway to Rose Lake and the last is heading to a secret Birchwood walleye (non-motorized) lake to catch every Minnesotans’ favorite fish.

Look below and find either your camper’s picture or name (we will update the Wednesday departures tomorrow evening).  If you see their picture click on it and you will be directed to their current SPOT location.  If you see their name, click on the title of their trip above their name to see their current location.

The Superior Sailing Crew

The Eddy Falls and Beyond Voyageurs

Roy Lake Fishermen

Voyageurs’ Highway 2

Max S, Cole B, Aydan Y, Mike L, Taylor K

North Shore Climbing

No SPOT because this is a base camp climbing trip

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Campers were all screaming YA-TA-HEY (Ojibwa for hello/goodbye)  as they pushed off from the Camp dock yesterday and today (Thursday).  Cabin groups set off together for their short paddle or hike into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  Each group carried a SPOT device so you are able to follow their progress.  Click on the highlighted trip group link below to see the SPOT pages and feel free to share the link with family and friends.

Eagle Mountain Hikers

Will E, Edward H, McCabe R, Ethan S

Alpine Loop Explorers

Jacob F, Brady S, Brett V, Logan W, Aydan Y

Alpine Loop Climbers

Liam D, Danny S, Joel P, William H

Saganaga Island Hoppers

Cole B, David M, Matt S, Max S, Michael Z

Little Shavers Kayak/Climbers

Max B, Gunnar E, Sean M, Lake S, Jack S, Charlie S

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As the new set of two-weekers arrived at the end of the Gunflint Trail, the wind was blowing and the clouds were building.  It looked like we were in for a wet paddle to Camp, so we elected to board the Barracuda (Camp’s barge) and motor to Camp.  To our surprise the rain held off through the ride home, dinner, unpacking and tour.  It wasn’t until all campers were settled into their cabins that the rain finally began to fall.  As I walked around Camp this evening it was great to hear the Campers getting to know their new friends and talk about plans for the next few days of Camp.

Tomorrow campers will participate in Gunflint School where they will learn and refresh their wilderness camping skills.  We will focus on dry-land camping skills in the morning such as tents, fires and campsite etiquette.  In the afternoon everyone will move to the waterfront for canoeing and kayak intros.

I will be updating the photo page tomorrow night with pics of Gunflint School.  The password to view the pics is bwb4402.

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Today, two 30 foot ships were hailed.  First, was the group of campers listed below who set sail from Silver Bay of Lake Superior towards the Apostle Islands of Wisconsin.  The group boarded Camp’s sailboat Yacht-Ta-Hey just before noon and arrived  in the Apostle marina of Cornucopia this evening.  Click on the Superior Sailing Link below to follow the journey.

Second, was the group of new campers pictured above who hailed the Barracuda (Camp’s new Barge) after the long journey from the Minneapolis airport to the end of the Gunflint Trail.  The new group of campers have already made new friends and are visibly excited to begin their first Camp experience.

Tomorrow the Canada bound Northern Lights Lake Kayakers and the North Shore Climbers will push from the Camp dock to begin their four-day adventure.  I will post their spot links here after their departure so you are able to follow their progress.  All other campers will sign up for a fun day of in-camp activities and then pack out for the three-day trips pushing Wednesday.

Superior Sailing Crew

Abelardo, Roberto, Hadrian, Lyndon, Graham, Inca and Skipper Dan

North Shore Climbing

Joaquin, Noahlani, Jonathan, Isaac

Northern Lights Lake Canadian Kayakers

Joel, Charles, Jeremy, Matthew B, Calvin, Pj

Sag Lake Fishing

Lakota, Yves, Jack H, Carter, Noah, Franklin

Devil’s Track Mountain Biking

Jack S, Danny S, Matt, Damien

Romance Lake Fishing

Chaucer, Miles, Bryce, Fernando

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Tomorrow all adventure trips will push from the Camp dock for a three-day two-night adventure trip.  For some this is the first trip of the 2011 summer.  After a great day of Gunflint School (and open waterfront activities), the new campers are pumped to hit the trail to use their new and refreshed wilderness skills.  Below you will see the title of each trip and either the photo or names of those participating.  As trips depart tomorrow I will update the lists so you are able to follow the adventures.

The Canadian Fishing/Exploring Group

TJ, Henry D, Marcus, John B, Russell

The Granite/Alpine Challenge

Senior Leadership Program in Michigan

Danny, Joel, Lakota, Jack, Noahlani, Graham, Joaquin

Section 13 Hiking, Bouldering and Climbing

Cole, Flynn, Smalls, Andrew, Charles, Berni

Sail Superior

Hunter, Ben, Isaac, Noah, Matt B

Voyageur Highway Two

Logan, Liam, Lyndon, Hadrian, Calvin, Yves, Jeremy

Alpine Loop Climbing

Champ, Roberto, PJ, Fernando, Javier

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As the new two-weekers arrived at the Camp dock via the Barracuda, those already in Camp were eager to help them with their bags and show them around.  Melissa and I love hearing the current campers give the tours to the new campers.  So often those giving the tour just received the same intro a short two-weeks ago, but are now leading them as though they have been here for months.

Tomorrow new campers will learn and refresh their camping skills in Gunflint School while the Granite-Alpine Challenge departs from the Camp dock and the rest of the group signs up for a day of in-camp activities.  As groups depart for this weeks adventure trips, I will post their SPOT locations here on the blog.

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…jump into the Seagull river.

That is what we have all been doing for the past few days.  With high humidity and temps in the mid 90s we are all thanking mother nature for the naturally cooled river that flows through Camp.  As campers participate in each of the many in-camp activities, I see a lot of groups using the last 15 minutes of the hour at one of Camp’s docks jumping into the water to cool down, before heading to their next activity period.

All campers have signed up for their next round of adventure trips and the first group pushed off today heading for Ely, Minnesota.  The Ely group will paddle from Moose Lake along the US/Canadian border back to the Camp dock, arriving on Friday.  Below is a pic of the Ely group.  Click on the photo to follow the paddlers as they trace the Voyageurs’ Highway.

Tomorrow another group will push off, while the rest of the groups participate in activities and pack out for the trips departing Wednesday.  As each group starts their adventure I will update the blog so you are able to follow the progress of the groups.

On a side note, many campers are saying that they are receiving Bunk Notes telling them to write back, but they are not receiving Bunk Reply stationary.  If you are sending Bunk Notes and not receiving a reply, make sure you have attach the Bunk Reply stationary when you send your Bunk Note to your camper.

The Granite River-Alpine Loop Group (departed Tuesday)

Lake Superior Sailors (departed Wednesday)

Northern Lights Lake Kayakers (departed Wednesday)

Bikers (yelling for Crouch to join the photo before the battery ran out)–departed Wednesday

Grandpa Lake Fishermen (departed Wednesday)

Devil’s Kettle Hikers (departed Wednesday)

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On Tuesday all campers participated in Gunflint School (skills orientation) and by the time the day was through each cabin was eager to hit the trail to utilize their new found and refreshed wilderness skills.  But, before hitting the trail campers got to spend Wednesday in camp, trying out all the in-camp activities and enjoying the waterfront toys.  A third day of perfect weather made it easy for all groups to push off from the Camp dock today well before lunch time this morning on their way to eight different spots throughout the Boundary Waters and Quetico.  Every group, except Toules and Point cabins, took a SPOT device along for the trip.  The SPOT device allows friends and family to follow the group as they travel.  Click on the pictures below to follow that group’s adventure.

(above) The SLPs (Senior Camper) are resting in the Quetico Prov. Park of Canada tonight as they begin their nine day journey deep into the Quetico wilderness.

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Today was a first for me.  I rode the bus up with all the campers as a passenger.  Usually I am driving the vans or meeting the bus at the end of the Gunflint Trail, but today I got to see the nervous faces board the bus and change to smiling faces by the time we reached Camp.  Once the campers met their counselors and cabin mates they all pushed off for their short paddle to Camp.

Melissa and I visited each cabin this evening and as always bunks were made, new gear was laid out for tomorrow’s Gunflint School and new friendships were being formed amongst cabin mates.  During tomorrow’s Gunflint School campers will learn/refresh their camping skills such as pitching a tent, cooking over a campfire, paddling a canoe and the wilderness ethic of Leave No Trace.

I will continue to post brief updates here on the blog, but make sure you check out the Camp photo page for daily photo updates.  When groups are out of Camp on their adventure trips I am not able to post new photos, but when they return I will post pics from a camera that traveled with the group.

The link for the photos is: http://birchwoodboys.digitaleventsonline.com/gallery

The password to prevent spammers is: bwb4402

If parents, friends or family have any questions or just want an update, please call the Camp office at 218.388.4402.

Ya-Ta-Hey

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To most Minnesotans, the 4th of July weekend is really the “unofficial” start of summer.  Yesterday Mother Nature agreed.  When we all woke up yesterday morning (some on trail and others in Camp) it was nearly 80 degrees and extremely humid and for those of you who have visited this area you know that to have those temps in the AM is rare.  After all groups returned from their most recent adventure it was open waterfront for the rest of the afternoon.  By the time dinner was ready all campers and staff were cooled down and ready for the evening activity: Counselor Dress-up.

Today we all signed up for in-camp activities and enjoyed Minnesota’s second hot day of “summer.”  The waterfront was the most popular place by far as kids and staff hit the swing, log and trampoline to stay cool.  After dinner we headed to the Eagles’ Nest for a campfire and to say farewell to the group of three-week campers heading home tomorrow.  We will all miss the three-weekers, but we know we will see them all again next summer.

Ya-Ta-Hey

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