By Noah Stein
This morning, our wilderness trip staff embarked on “Shakedown,” their week-long training trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. For those unfamiliar, the Boundary Waters, perhaps Nebagamon’s most frequented tripping destination for campers in 6th grade and up, span over a million acres of lush forest and wetlands, including more than a thousand lakes on the Minnesota–Ontario border. It’s a tranquil, remote place, far from city noise, known for having some of the cleanest water in the world.
The Boundary Waters are teeming with wildlife. Bald eagles soar overhead, bass and pike swim below, and campers might even spot a moose if they’re lucky. With no light pollution, the Milky Way illuminates the night sky. It truly is a special place.
As a former member of trip staff, I’ll admit I’m a little jealous of this year’s crew. In my experience, Shakedown is a transformational week. Our trippers spend their days paddling and portaging through the Boundary Waters while learning and practicing the skills they’ll need to lead safe, successful trips all summer long. It’s hard work, but it’s also a chance to connect deeply with nature, and with each other, before the camping season begins.
Yesterday, I sat on the Big House porch and watched the trippers prepare. They practiced knots, tested stoves, refreshed first aid kits and checked (then double-checked, then triple-checked) their gear. Their energy was electric. Seeing them brought back memories of my own Shakedown experience: the excitement, the nerves, the anticipation. Even after a couple of years on trip staff, I still felt a mix of anticipation and uncertainty the day before heading out. Would the weather be alright? Would the portages be tough? Would our group work well together?
As I was reminiscing, a new tripper approached and struck up a conversation. I mentioned I had been on trip staff and told her how envious I was that she was about to head out on Shakedown. She shared that she was excited—but also nervous. “Were you nervous before your first Shakedown?” she asked. I couldn’t believe it. Here was someone new to our community, but with excellent experience and qualifications, feeling exactly as I had years before.
I told her the truth: yes, I had been nervous. I shared how, on that first trip, my mind initially drifted to home and all the “what-ifs.” But by the second morning, I challenged myself to engage with the moment—to enjoy a canoe conversation, to watch a loon take off across the lake, to savor every ounce of cheese in our heaping pesto-carb dinner . At first, it felt like going through the motions. But by the third day, it felt natural. By the last few days, I was fully present. My anxiety had melted away. All that mattered was the place I was in and the people I was with.
Our trip staff aren’t the only ones feeling a mix of nerves and excitement right now. All around the country, as well as in Mexico, Australia, the UK and a number of EU countries, our campers are preparing for what promises to be an incredible summer at Nebagamon. Whether it’s their first summer or their seventh, they’re probably wondering: Will I miss home? Will I get along with my cabinmates? Will the food be good? (It will!)
And it’s okay to have those questions. It’s okay to feel nervous. That’s part of what camp is all about… doing hard things and discovering that…well… we can do them! Sometimes, the hardest part is just getting here. But just like that tripper heading out on Shakedown, our campers will experience a progression in how they feel. That first day might be tough, but our incredible counselors will be right there to help them plug into camp life. They’ll offer support, encouragement, and plenty of fun. And before long, those nerves will fade—and what remains will be joy…the kind that only summer camp can provide.
It’s time for camp.
Before this summer, I had never worked pre-camp. I had heard over the years about its early mornings, cold lake water, and docks that seemed to build themselves, but I never really knew what it looked like. Now I do.
Yes, pre-camp is busy work. But with camp people, it feels good. The people who show up come from all parts of camp life: trip staff, cabin staff, administrators, and folks who won’t even be here this summer but just want to help out. And somehow, it all clicks. Everyone just eagerly starts doing what needs to be done. It’s clear where everyone’s heart is. And being around camp people, even when you’re just moving dock pieces or driving goal posts around camp, reminds you why this place means so much. 
