Hi NAME,

Welcome to May! We are officially on the home stretch before we kick off the Year of the Woodsman and our 91st summer.

We are so excited to welcome your son to the Northwoods and the shores of Cass Lake.

With summer around the corner, we thought it would be perfect timing to share a little bit about the travel ninja, Will Norris. He is the mastermind behind camper and staff travel coordination and all things program scheduling at camp.

Without further delay, here is Will’s 5 Favorite things at Chippewa:

The People

My first year at Chippewa was 2003, and I consider some of the cabinmates I met my best friends to this day. Seeing the same people year after year really solidified those friendships and made them that much more special.

The campers and staff are some of the most genuine people I have met in my life, and what makes it even better is that everyone is there for the right reasons. The staff care about working together with kids in a like-minded community, and the campers all seem to care about the experiences they have and the connections they make with one another. Our kitchen staff are extremely caring and serve delicious food (more on that later). They are a part of the Chippewa community and participate in activities and socialize with campers and staff alike.

The Lakes (and sailing)

Camp Chippewa is situated on two lakes (Buck and Cass) in the middle of a National Forest. Cass Lake is the 12th largest lake in Minnesota, and we are so fortunate to live there. The lake is clean, and there is nothing more refreshing than a morning or evening dip.

Every day, it's amazing to see the lakefront alive - canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, sailboats, and waterskies frequent the waters. For me, sailing has always been one of my biggest passions, and Cass Lake is perfect for it. There's so much water to sail on, and the winds are usually amazing. Camp is where my love for sailing started, spending time in the X-Boats with Phil Sanders and all the other quality staff. This propelled me outside of camp to sail competitively in high school and college, competing all around the Midwest. Even after 20+ years at Chippewa, I still spend 2-4 hours a day on the X-Boats.

The Tripping Program

Our canoe trips are truly something special. I think back to some of my fondest times at Chippewa, both as a camper and a counselor, and they take place away from camp. Whether it's an overnight trip to Star Island, a 3-day trip down the Crow Wing (shoutout to one of the first canoe trips I led out as a staff member, with Sam Endres. It still remains one of the best canoe trips I've been on), venturing down the Bloodvein River for lots of days of sweet whitewater, and canoeing with beluga whales on the Arctic Ocean.

The amount of once-in-a-lifetime experiences I've had on these trips is incredible. It's hard to put into words how special these trips are - they are challenging yet extremely rewarding, and I credit a lot of the grit, resilience, and confidence I have today to them. Honestly, going on these trips might be the best part about Chippewa.

The Food

It's impossible not to rave about the food at Chippewa. It is not the stereotypical summer camp meals - they are home-cooked, fresh, and oh so delicious. From biscuits and gravy to a multitude of soups and sandwiches, to freshly grilled chicken and pork chops, to numerous salads and fresh veggies, I just cannot get enough of it.

Having three home-cooked, healthy meals prepared each day for you is awesome - we are so spoiled. I definitely eat the best and healthiest at Chippewa, and I'm getting hungry just typing this out... I mentioned the kitchen staff earlier, but we might just be the luckiest camp ever. The return rate of our kitchen staff is high, and I'm not lying when I say they might be the nicest people I have ever met. I can't wait to be sitting in the dining hall soon!

The CLT Program

The Chippewa Leadership Training Program has been one of the things I've loved about camp for a long time. I participated as a camper, and I've been fortunate to run it for the past 7 or so years. It's different from a typical cabin counselor role, but that uniqueness is part of what I love about it. I get to work closely with almost college-aged kids who have been coming to camp for many years. I get to coach them on what it means to be a counselor at camp and a leader, while watching them work with younger kids and staff alike. It's very special to have known many of these CLTs when they were 8-10 years old, to work closely with them as CLTs, and to work alongside them later as staff members. This continuity within the journey of young camper who becomes a CLT who becomes a staff member is just so special, and I'm very fortunate that I get to be a part of these journeys.

We hope you enjoyed Will’s Top 5. If you have any travel-related questions, please feel free to contact him at will@campchippewa.com.

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Counting the seconds until the first bus arrives,

Ryan

P.S. I love chatting about all things camp. If we haven’t connected yet (or recently), feel free to grab some time on my calendar.​
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