Compiled by Louis Levin
Of all the incredible places our wilderness tripping program brings our campers, none are as unique as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The BWCA consists of over one million acres of canoe country, two thousand lakes, and nearly one thousand portages – it’s a vast section of national forest, almost all of which is only navigable by foot and canoe. There has been a continuous effort over the last 100+ years to prevent the exploitation of the BWCA for its natural resources, from timber harvesters at the turn of the 20th century, to modern attempts to mine copper in the BWCA watershed. Camp Nebagamon’s tripping program flourished in lockstep with the protection of the BWCA. As the first Big Trips made their way through Sawbill Lake in the 1930s, the Minnesota Forest Association took it’s first steps in preserving the land. And as those efforts continued through the history of Camp, generation after generation of campers experienced life-changing wilderness trips to this precious, protected forest.
Last week, these most recent conservation efforts culminated in the Department of the Interior implementing a 20-year mining ban on federal land adjacent to the BWCA, protecting the BWCA watershed from harmful mining runoff. This ban is crucial in maintaining the beauty and character of a place so important to the thousands of Nebagamon Campers who have adventured and explored there in our 94 year history. In the words of current Trip Staff member, Salma Schwartzman (Boise, 2021-’23), “It was not until I heard my first loon call, while paddling across the windswept waters of Brule Lake, that I truly realized how impactful this raw expanse of nature is to the outdoor education provided at Camp Nebagamon. It is only when we experience such natural wonders, untouched by human influence, that we gain a visceral appreciation of the outdoors.”
Wilderness tripping in the BWCA teaches our campers life-long lessons: working together in a group to accomplish a goal, persevering through a tough portage, and that visceral appreciation of the outdoors Salma references, just to name a few. Right as the Department of the Interior made their announcement last week, we were in the process of securing permits to once again send campers to explore, adventure, and learn in the BWCA this summer. We are proud to say that we are offering these lessons once again in 2023, and plan to do so for generations to come.
IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW… In Minneapolis, we have a lot of campers hitting the slopes: Matthias Braude is cross country skiing with a ski league this winter, brothers Cole Moscoe and Kane Moscoe have been downhill skiing on top of playing matches with their tennis club, and Logan Siegel is skiing as well as playing basketball for his school. Will Schwarz was the center and long snapper for his high school football team this fall, and Asher Corndorf is joining his varsity lacrosse team in the spring. Sammy Waxelman and Drew Malk have lent their voices to their school choir (and they gave a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at our 4th of July softball game last summer!). And Max Kennedy has been highly involved with his local improv group, as well as his high school’s art club and musical. In Chicago, Sam More is averaging a 222 on his high school’s bowling team, Gabe Fisher is playing drums in his school’s musical production of Freaky Friday, and Johnny Wallach was selected to be apart of the youth Second City ensemble.
IN THE WHERE ARE THEY NOW DEPARTMENT…Peter Orner (Nowrich, VT, 1987-’88, ‘90, ’92 ’97, 2001, ’04, ’10) published a new book, Still No Word From You: Notes in the Margin. It was recently long-listed for the The PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. Walter Fromm (Kansas City/Minneapolis, 2006-’12, ’14-15, ’17, ‘19) is managing volunteers for Take Action Minnesota.
ENGAGEMENT CONGRATULATIONS GO TO… Andy Cohen (St. Louis, 2004-’10, ’12-’21) and Julia Katzman (St. Louis), and to Jonny Gerstell (DC, 2005-’10, ’12-’15) and Elisabeth Davis (DC).
BAR MITZVAH CONGRATULATIONS GO TO… Nathan Massel