About Camp Nicolet
Programs
Schedules and Fees
Staff Opportunities
Parents Page
Training Schools
Alumni News
Contact Us
July 10, 2003
It's another beautiful day at Camp Nicolet... the sun continues to shine, it's not too hot, it's not too cold,
everyone is having fun, and there are still some exciting events to come before first session winds down in
just a few days. Everyone in the Drama department is really excited for the first session Nicolet Players
production, which will be a story of the REAL Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It's a
drama production
you really don't want to miss, as many people have been working really hard and they are really excited to present
it for you. Of course, today is a big day at camp, too, as the Isle Royale Honors trip departs. Last issue we ran
an article describing the trip and the traditions behind it, and, in this issue, we will be re-running that article so
you can check it out again if you wish. Also in this issue, we want to show you lots and lots of pictures from Nicolet's
Eco-Challenge which takes place every other summer at camp; this is an awesome Sunday afternoon activity in which campers are
given a spot on one of 15 different teams and these teams race to finish a course of environmental-based activities which range
from "leave-no-trace" fire building, to the rope swing challenge, to portaging canoes, to climbing a wall, and more! It's a
really great day that gets everyone involved. We'll also show you more cookout pictures from Week 2 which are just too great
not to show you, and also pictures from the first ever Masquerade Ball held on Tuesday evening, July 8th, in the Dining Hall.
Campers made their own masks from scratch in Arts & Crafts and then were able to show them off at the ball... how cool! So, thanks
for dropping by this second edition for Week 3 of "News From Franklin Lake," Think Sunshine, and expect another update sometime around
July 21st!
July 10th, 2003:
Isle Royale Honors Trip Departs!
July 11th, 2003:
Visitation Begins & First Session Nicolet Players Production
July 12th, 2003:
First Session concludes & 7 Weeker Special Trip!
July 13th, 2003:
Second Session campers arrive!!!
July 15th, 2003:
Second Session Camp Sister Party!
July 16th, 2003:
Week 4 Cookouts & Trail Adventures!
July 17th, 2003:
Isle Royale Honors Trip Returns
July 18th, 2003:
Second Session Photo Day
July 19th, 2003:
Nicolet Invitational Sailing Regatta & Campfire!
July 20th, 2003:
Marathon Day 2003!!!
July 21st, 2003:
Sylvania Wilderness Canoe Trip I Departs
July 22nd, 2003:
Apostle Islands Sea Kayak Trip Departs
A Tradition..."
Isle Royale 2003
by Jeremy Starz
The 2002 trip marked the beginning of a new tradition at Camp Nicolet... and we are excited that the 2003 trip will continue that tradition! Of course, I'm speaking of the Isle Royale Honors Backpacking Trip, one of Nicolet's new flagship Camping/Tripping experiences. Just as Wendall Schrader and Staff were able to give Advanced Campers and CITs the opportunity to travel to Canada for a week-long Boundary Waters canoe trip from the late 40's through the early 70's, Chris and Jeremy Starz along with 2003 Staff Allison Adams and Gabriel Brockman are able to lead these older campers on a week-long backpacking experience to Lake Superior's most beautiful and most rugged island, giving these campers a camping experience which would be hard to find anywhere else other than through an outdoor leadership program or the like. It's a trip centered around the ideology of setting goals, attaining goals, accepting challenges, challenging previous limits, and building self-confidence. The challenging atmosphere which the Isle has to offer makes it a one-of-a-kind experience - an positive experience which can stay with you for years to come. Here's a little about this year's trip; we will depart Windigo this year, heading south on the Feldtmann Lake trail which follows old beachlines, interesting rock formations, and winds through the woods and marshes of the west end of Isle Royale. Eventually the trail will lead us to Feldtmann Lake, a beautiful body of water crowned in the southeast corner by Feldtmann Ridge and Sugar Mountain off in the distance. We will camp there the first night. On day two the Feldtmann Lake Trail becomes the Feldtmann Ridge Trail, which takes us up 240 feet in elevation, onto the high conglomerate rock bluffs of Feldtmann Ridge, and eventually to a very scenic point where we will be able to see Grace Harbor, Rock of Ages Lighthouse, Siskiwit Bay, and the Greenstone Ridge. Then we will head into the Siskiwit Bay Campground where we will spend the night. On day three we will be hiking the Island Mine Trail which is a historical walk through much of the park’s past. Along the way, we will hike near the beaches of Siskiwit Bay, across the Big Siskiwit River, and will pass by Senter Point with was used by the Island Mine Company in the 1870’s to store their explosives. Further along the trail we will be hiking through an old mining town, down mining wagon roads, and past the old Island Mine itself before arriving at the Island Mine Campground, our destination for the evening. Day four will be spent hiking north out of the Island Mine Campground, up to the crest of the Greenstone Ridge, and then eastbound along the ridge to the junction of the trail with will take us to the South Lake Desor Campground. This campground is a beautiful spot, situated above the shoreline of the lake itself. The Greenstone Ridge Trail, on which we will be hiking exclusively on day five, follows a series of ascents and descents which provides views of Lake Desor, the Minong Ridge, and across Lake Superior to Canada. The trail will then make its final and steepest climb to the top of Mount Desor - elevation 1394 feet - which is the highest point on Isle Royale. We will pass Sugar Mountain, where, up until the 1870’s, Native Americans would tap the sugar maple trees for the sweet sap. From Sugar Mountain, the hike to Windigo and the Washington Creek Campground - which serves as our destination - is mostly downhill. As we near Windigo, the trail will make a rapid descent off of the Greenstone Ridge, which can be a rather sentimental moment as this means we are nearing the end of our Isle Royale adventure. We will pass the junction with the Minong Ridge Trail, and then just ahead is the Washington Creek Campground, which is just a very short distance from Windigo. Our stay at the Washington Creek Campground will give us some time to reflect on the trip and to prepare for the boat ride back to Grand Portage and the journey back to Nicolet late in the afternoon on the following day. We are all so excited about this trip, and hope to update you with some comments and stories from participants upon our return to camp a week from this coming Thursday. All of us are looking forward to Isle Royale 2003!
2002 participants make a lunch stop at the Three Mile pier on
day five of the trip.
photos by Jeremy Starz
You may have seen it on TV... it was the first of the real "challenge-type" reality television shows... it's called "Eco-Challenge!" Camp Nicolet launched it's own version of the outdoor activity-based race a few summers ago, and it's been a favorite special Sunday afternoon activity ever since. All of camp becomes fifteen seperate teams who race through a fifteen station environmental-based obstacle course. Events include "leave-no-trace" fire building, climbing a wall, passing through a giant spider's web, working together to paddle a war canoe around tree island, doing the dock-to-dock river run, and more. Each team starts at one station and then must try to be the first to complete all the obstacles before being the first to arrive on the tennis courts. Most stations are set up so that if a team is moving very quickly, they can pass other teams at those stations. Thus any team can win depending on how quickly they work together to complete the different challenges in the obstacle course. Here are a bunch of pictures from 2003 Eco-Challenge... it was evident by the smiles on campers' faces and the dirt on their clothes just how much fun everyone had this year. A congratulations to the "Stripes" team, who came in first in 2003... and of course, everyone is a winner at Camp Nicolet!
without waking up the spider!
Light Green on the dock-to-dock!
and contemplating crossing the river!
and the Stripes team comes in first!
|
First Session winds down at camp... by Jeremy Starz It's hard to believe that in a few short days, First Session 2003 at Camp Nicolet will be coming to a close. We feel privledged to have had a great group of campers and and a great group of staff with us at camp this year for first session... but it's not good-bye, yet! Although we will be saying "so long" to our three-week campers in a couple of days, we will be welcoming our 2003 second session campers to the Nicolet family also in just a few days time. 7-week campers, of course, are sad to see old friends go and are excited to welcome new friends to camp. In taking pictures these last few days around camp, the strong friendships a place like camp can help build are so evident, and it feels so good to see those constantly growing. We would like to extend a warm welcome to our second session campers, and we look forward to seeing you in just a few days! |
|
|
and Jeremy cooks 'taters for Tamarack! Fun!
|
Masquerade Night by Jeremy Starz  Campers have been working very, very hard this past week in the Arts & Crafts shop making from scratch their own masks to wear at a special dining hall night this past Tuesday evening. The masks are made of gauze and plaster and are custom fitted to each camper's face. Participants covered their faces with conditioner, and then applied the gauze strips one by one, filling in the spaces and cracks with more plaster.  This process takes about 20 minutes or so, and then campers could build more onto their masks with more gauze and more plaster. After the "foundations" of the masks cure completely, then the plaster could be painted and decorated with beads, sequins, feathers, and other unique items. It was very neat to see the hard work of all the Arts and |
Crafts participants showcased at the first ever "Masquerade Night" in the Dining Hall. Great
job to everyone! The masks are awesome!     |
|||||
There's something calming about paddling a war canoe
with your cabin across the sparkling waters of Franklin Lake...
See other issues of the newsletter.
