Wilderness Trips Teach Courage
This morning, the Pine and Manor cabins officially set off into the Canadian wilderness in Quetico Provincial Park. Last night they stayed at Canoe Canada Outfitters in Atikokan, Ontario, where they got their final gear checks and slept in the legendary 4-high bunk beds. The place is part staging ground, part rite of passage, and for many of the boys, it’s their first taste of the adventure ahead. As they walk through the outfitters, they see paddles with the names of North Star campers for generations, and they fill with nerves and excitement about creating their own place on those walls. This morning they loaded up their canoes, waved goodbye, and pushed off into the wilderness, bound for lakes and portages they’ll remember for years.
Cabins S-1 and S-2 hit the Superior Trail for their hiking adventures, while S-3 launched their canoes onto the Brule River. The Wilderness Trip Leaders spent the afternoon yesterday preparing their cabins for the adventures, ensuring that they had the requisite skills for tent setup, fire building, navigation and canoeing. They helped them select their gear, learn how to pack a pack, and be ready to take their place in the backcountry as wilderness warriors.
For one camper, though, the fear was more than the usual pre-trip nerves. He was visibly anxious starting at breakfast, and told his counselor he was terrified. His counselors spoke calmly with him to talk through the concerns. His Tripper (our slang for Trip Leader) walked him through the trip and the safety measures in place. But what made the biggest difference was when two of his cabinmates quietly came over, and encouraged him. They just said, “We’ve got you” and “We’ll be with you the whole way” and that’s what helped him take the first step.
Camping trips challenge our boys in ways few other experiences do. They leave behind the comforts of camp and their routines. They test their strength, patience, and resilience. These trips are designed to serve three purposes: adventure education, outdoor appreciation, and team building. Adventure education teaches campers new skills and fosters confidence through experiential learning. Outdoor appreciation deepens their respect for nature and the beautiful, wild spaces we’re lucky to explore. And the trips strengthens cabin bonds through shared challenges that require communication, collaboration, and trust in ways that few other activities can. And we’re so lucky to have an incredible Wilderness Trip Staff leading the way.
At camp, our evening program was King’s Candy, a fast-paced game where each cabin works together to collect as much candy as possible from different stations across camp. The “candy” is actually in the form of different colored balloons. Meanwhile the Oompa-Loompas are roaming, and working to pop the balloons. It’s a game of strategy, teamwork, and a whole lot of running—and the energy around camp was electric.
