The Mailgabber features writing by members of the Camp Family. This month, we present an essay by 2026 8th Grade camper Bryce Shepherd, reflecting on his summer in LJ-.5 and on Isle Royale. Interested in submitting for Mailgabber? Send submissions to louis@campnebagamon.com!
Camp means so much to me, and I could say so much about it. It has helped me grow as a person, friend, leader, and peer through the wide variety of people, activities, and experiences it offers. As I go to camp year after year, I realize how different I would be without it. At camp, I feel as free as a 13-year-old boy can possibly feel.
One of the main aspects of camp is the tripping program. As you get older, you can go on longer and cooler trips, and in your last two years at camp, you can go on big trips. This summer, I went on a big trip to Isle Royale in Lake Superior. We hiked across the entire island in 14 days, meeting people, making memories, and experiencing things like nothing before. I remember getting there and how on edge I was, and then on the ferry back, not wanting to go back to camp and wanting to stay on the Island.
The people on my Isle Royale trip truly made it special. Our trip staff, Ania Vilius and Tyler Gray, made the trip so fun, lifting our mood during the few times we were down and making our experience better every day by coming up with things to pass the time, laugh about, or just do. The other campers brought their own ideas and fun, making it better in so many ways and bringing their unique stories from home into our trip. One thing I didn’t think would happen was wishing to go back to the tents, waking up wet and dirty, and being happy about hiking eight miles a day. The memories I made on Isle Royale will be some of my favorites.
Camp Nebagamon is truly special. I live in Vail, Colorado, and Vail’s motto is “Like No Place on Earth.” That motto really belongs to camp. I wait every day to go to camp again next summer, and I am already sad that this will be my last summer as a camper, though I know it has the potential to be the best. I will never forget the memories I made, the friends I met, and the experiences this camp gave me. As the camp song goes, Thank You, Camp Nebagamon.