A dedicated program for traditional wilderness canoe trips in the Canadian north for boys and girls ages 10-18. Founded in 1893, Keewaydin Temagami is the world’s oldest wilderness canoe-tripping camp.
Keewaydin Temagami is a canoe tripping camp located on Lake Temagami, Ontario, which provides single-gender wilderness canoe trips for boys and girls ages 10 to 18. Keewaydin Temagami remains true to the vision of our founder, A.S. Gregg Clarke, who, over 130 years ago, saw the value of challenging wilderness canoe trips. Today, the value of a wilderness canoe trip is perhaps greater than ever.
Keewaydin Temagami caries on the tradition: paddling in wood canvas canoes, using leather tump-lines to portage canoes, double packs, and wooden wannigans (boxes in which we carry food and equipment). Meals are cooked over open fires and the groups prepare all of their food from scratch. “Sections” (groups) of six to eight kids travel the surrounding wilderness waterways, often portaging from lake to lake or up and down rivers, making camp at new spots each night, and sleeping in tents with one or two other campers.
Campers grow with our program, returning each summer, expanding their skills, and traveling to new lakes and rivers, for longer intervals, all while enjoying the beautiful landscapes and simple living that wilderness canoe tripping provides. In addition to the majority of our campers who come from all over the United States, we have Canadians and international campers as well. They represent different religions, races, cultural backgrounds, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Traveling in the remote, pristine regions of Ontario and Quebec, campers become part of a team, each member essential to the group’s success. Fun, empowering and safe excursions build outdoor skills while fostering strength, leadership, self-reliance, and confidence. Lifelong friendships are formed and campers return home with a renewed sense of self after an experience unlike any other.
Nothing is more important to running a successful camp than having an outstanding staff. Keewaydin prides itself on the quality and commitment of its staff! Mature, caring, talented and fun-loving, they are dedicated to providing the best possible summer for our campers.
Emily Schoelzel, Director, is dedicated to the opportunity Keewaydin gives young people to immerse themselves into a simple way of living, learning to lean upon themselves and their section during a summer away from home. Emily is thrilled to help shepherd Keewaydin traditions and welcome new and old campers and their families to Keewaydin. Emily began her career at Keewaydin in 1999 as a pioneer—helping start the girl’s program and leading the first Keewaydin girls’ trips from the shores of Devil Island. She led trips for 4 summers before switching gears to a professional wooden boat builder, and 10 summers as the Associate Director.
Over the last 20-plus years with Keewaydin she has built relationships with parents and focused on expanding Keewaydin’s risk management, social and emotional needs of campers and staff, and the quality of equipment used on the canoe trips. As the Director of Keewaydin, Emily is excited to talk with parents about the ways Keewaydin can positively impact their child’s life.
John Frazier, Associate Director, grew up spending summers on Lake Temagami and started at Keewaydin Temagami as a twelve-year-old camper in 1996. After six years as a camper, John joined the trip staff for eighteen years. He worked with campers in each of the age groups, from Manitou to Long Trips, and led Section A for his final eight summers on trip staff. John grew up steeped in the stories, traditions, and reverence for the experience that Keewaydin provides, with his father being deeply connected to the camp since the 1950s. After 24 years as either camper or trip leader, John has seen and felt this firsthand. As Associate Director, he is able to work with the next generation of trip leaders, campers, and parents, and assist in the day-to-day operations and ongoing stewardship of the camp’s values.
While the majority of our staff are working directly with the campers as trip leaders, the “Headquarters Staff” are those who fill various roles around Basecamp, including emergency management, transportation, maintenance, and myriad jobs required behind the scenes to keep camp operations running smoothly while the trips are on the water.
Trip Staff are Keewaydin’s greatest asset and share a passion for wilderness canoe tripping. Knowledgeable in the ways of the North Woods, lakes, and rivers, they are the heart of the Keewaydin experience. A large percentage of the staff come up through the program as campers. With an average of eight years of experience canoe-tripping with Keewaydin, our leaders continually inspire growth, maturity, curiosity, and strength, enabling Keewaydin campers to build lifelong skills. They join the trip staff as “Assistant Staff” and work their way up through the ranks as they return each summer. Together with the headquarters staff at base camp, the trip staff provides leadership and guidance while acting as mentors to their campers.
Each group is led by the Staff, who is the senior member of the trip staff. They are responsible for the overall safety and well-being of every member of the group and make all decisions regarding the group’s welfare. The Staff is assisted by the Guide, who is the second in charge and oversees all trip preparations. In addition, the guide plans the route, sets the pace, and is responsible for establishing camp, cooking, and taking care of the trip equipment. The trip staff involves campers with all of these activities as their age and interest permit. In younger groups, the Staff and Guide are assisted by up to three Assistant Staff to help with chores and provide additional supervision.
Keewaydin is proud of our thorough staff training program which focuses on how to both effectively and appropriately work with children and how to also be skilled canoe trippers and sound decision-makers. Staff training takes place over a two-week period before the campers arrive, and it focuses on the tools trip leaders need to be successful. All trip leaders complete the 80-hour Wilderness First Responder medical course and the eight-hour Wilderness Water Safety course, as well as training in risk management and emergency procedures, leadership, canoe and equipment repair, navigation, and trip skills. The leadership traingin is specifically focused on building skills and self-esteem in the campers.
In addition, our trip staff spend time learning about the social/emotional lives of children with renowned psychologist Dr. Michael Thompson, author of Raising Cain and Homesick and Happy.
The program is structured as a progression such that the trips get longer and more remote as the campers gain experience. camp is broken into four main groups for boys and girls, according to a combination of age and experience. Within each of these main groups, campers are further broken down into “sections,” the smaller group or 6-10 campers, depending on age, with whom they will do all of their trips. Keewaydin Temagami is a dedicated canoe tripping camp, so campers spend the majority of time away from basecamp.
The Manitou wigwam (sections: Mattawa, Abitibi, Gowganda, and Matachewan) are for our youngest boys, who are between 10 and 13 years old. These campers have the option of three or six weeks. Three-week campers will go on a five-day and 10-day trip in the Temagami region. Six-week campers will go on two five-day and two ten-day trips in the Temagami region. Campers attending for the first three-week session will join in Mid-season festivities before they return home, whereas those attending the second three-week session experience the final Paddle-In day and festivities and the Final Campfire. Staff to camper ratio of 1:2.
The Waubeno wigwam (sections X, Y & Z) is for boys between 13 and 15 years old, who attend camp for the full 6-week season. These campers will do a five-day, 10-day, and 21-day trip in the Temagami region. Between the 10-day and 21-day trip, these campers spend several extra days at the basecamp for Mid-Season festivities. Staff to camper ratio between 1:3 and 1:4.
Sections E & F are our boys’ Outpost sections, with campers typically 14-16 years old, who spend the entire summer taking trips from our Outpost cabin in the Wabakimi Park region of Western Ontario. Based out of Keewaydin’s cabin on the shores of Kawaweogama Lake in western Ontario. Campers typically travel to the Evans Outpost via train from Temagami. Lake and river trips range in length from 15 to 25 days. Campers learn to paddle moving water and build their hard tripping skills such as canoe carrying, felling, and chopping trees for firewood. Staff to camper ratio between 1:3 and 1:4.
The Temagami wigwam is comprised of our oldest and most experienced campers, typically 16-18 years old. These expedition-length trips travel through remote regions of Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Labrador. Following at least 1 summer at Evans Outpost, campers can move up to Section B. Section B is a more rigorous canoe trip, that may entail both up river and down river travel in more remote regions of Quebec, Ontario, or Labrador. Section A is our biggest and most rewarding adventure. Section A is the final canoe trip we offer young men at Keewaydin, which is 7 weeks long and culminates on Hudson Bay.Section B does a single six-week long canoe trip, often in Northern Quebec / Nunavik or Labrador. Section A, the oldest campers, in their final summer, embark on their “Bay Trip,” a seven-week trip ending at Hudson Bay or Ungava Bay. Staff to camper ratio between 1:4 and 1:7.
The Songadeewin wigwam (sections: Kipawa and Kokomis) is for our youngest campers who are between 10 and 13 years old. These campers have the option of three or six weeks. Three-week campers will go on a five-day and 10-day trip in the Temagami region. Six-week campers will go on two five-day and two ten-day trips in the Temagami region. Campers attending for the first three-week session will join in Mid-season festivities before they return home, whereas those attending the second three-week session experience the final Paddle-In day and festivities and the Final Campfire. Staff to camper ratio of 1:2.
The Winisk wigwam (Sections Q and R) is for campers between 13 and 15 years old, who attend camp for the full 6-week season. These campers will do a five-day, 10-day, and 21-day trip in the Temagami region. Between the 10-day and 21-day trip, these campers spend several extra days at the basecamp for Mid-Season festivities. Staff to camper ratio between 1:3 and 1:4.
Section G is our Outpost girls’ section for girls, typically 14-16 years old. These campers spend the entire summer taking trips from our Outpost cabin in the Wabakimi Park region of Western Ontario. The adventure starts with a train or van ride west and a paddle to the Outpost cabin, where trip gear and trip food are prepared. The region boasts a rugged landscape and a network of lakes and small rivers ideal for a multitude of creative canoe trip routes that introduce campers to river travel. Staff to camper ratio between 1:3 and 1:4.
The Temagami wigwam includes our oldest and most experienced campers, typically 16-18 years old. These expedition-length trips travel through remote regions of Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Labrador.Following at least 1 summer at Evans Outpost, campers can move up to Section 2. Section 2 is a more rigorous canoe trip, that may entail both up river and down river travel in more remote regions of Quebec, Ontario, or Labrador. Section 1 is our biggest and most rewarding adventure. Section 1 is the final canoe trip we offer young women at Keewaydin, which is 7 weeks long and culminates on Hudson Bay.
Staff to camper ratio between 1:4 and 1:7.
“Keewaydin Club” trips are offered on a limited basis for adults. Five-day trips in the Temagami region, and sometimes trips of 10 or more days that go further afield, are available on a provisional basis.
Offerings vary from season to season. Both men’s trips and women’s trips are often available. Typically all levels are welcome, and prior canoeing experience is not required, except for specified trips.
At Keewaydin, a camper’s belief in their own capabilities will grow throughout the summer due to the nature of our program, compassionate staff, supportive teaching, and opportunities to learn and master daily tasks. Through wilderness experiential learning, campers are able to take positive risks and experience significant growth, greater self-esteem, confidence, and inner strength. Wilderness canoe tripping also gives young people the opportunity to find their inner voices and the confidence to express those voices both at camp and at home.
The staff teach campers the skills required to be successful members of their section. From starting fires, and preparing meals from scratch, to learning the paddle strokes necessary to navigate lakes and rivers, campers work toward mastery of all the requisite wilderness skills. By achieving the mastery of new skills, campers return year after year to help continue and eventually pass on the camp’s traditions to future generations.
We believe all campers should be given the opportunity to learn about their own abilities as individuals and their place in the environment as it relates to fellow humans and to nature. The camp motto “Help the Other Fellow,” adopted in the early years of the camp’s existence, embodies this focus of balancing pulling your own weight with helping those around you.
In order to achieve the goals mentioned above, the staff strives to:
The Keewaydin Foundation acknowledges that our organization and camp programs are based on the traditional territories of the Western Abenaki and the Teme-Augama Anishinabai. We respect their past, present, and future generations, the land, and their traditions. We are grateful for the opportunity to gather, learn, and travel on these lands and waterways.
You can learn more about the Vermont Abenaki here and more about Temagami First Nation here.
A summer at Keewaydin Temagami builds confidence, skills, and life-long friendships.
Keewaydin Temagami staff are among the most engaging, thoughtful, and committed people as well as some of the most accomplished canoe trippers. From trip staff to kitchen crew, there are many roles at camp, and many ways to be involved. For more information, please visit our employment page.
Whether you are a parent traveling to camp during Mid-Season or End-Season, a Keewaydin Alum, or simply someone looking for place to relax, Ojibway Family Lodge has comfortable yet rustic accommodations, gourmet food, and a fantastic location on Lake Temagami, Ontario.
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Keewaydin Temagami is a dedicated canoe tripping camp. Campers spend minimal time at our basecamp, a 50-acre island on Lake Temagami, and most of the summer is spend on canoe trip. For the younger campers, more time at basecamp provides time to learn techniques, outfit trip food, and ready trip gear before each trip. The older campers spend fewer days in camp, with nearly all of their time being spend on trip. While the duration and remoteness of the trips are commensurate with the age, maturity, and experience of the campers, much of the daily routine on canoe trip is largely the same across the age groups.
Campers in the Manitou / Songadeewin and Waubeno / Winisk wigwams, arrive at basecamp and spend three nights (two full days) before heading out on their first trips. Just after arriving, campers will settle into their cabins, check in at the camp infirmary, be fitted for a paddle and pdf, and stow their electronics and valuables in the office. The following two days are filled preparing for trip: learning basic canoeing and camping skills, doing a swim test, looking at maps, and helping to pack the food for the trip.
The Keewaydin style of canoe tripping is based around time-tested systems and techniques. Campers will learn how to make a bed roll and pack their duffel, tie knots using a leather tumpline, how to carry their loads, and how to organize their personal gear for trip. Campers will get out in the canoes to learn some of the basic techniques and strokes. Once on trip, all these skills will be internalized through practice and application.
Campers are involved in the preparations for their trip, and assist in the outfitting of food. Campers help the staff measure, weigh, bag, and pack the ingredients for the meals they will make on trip, from scratch, using real ingredients, rather than relying on pre-made freeze-dried meals.
For the campers who return to Basecamp between trips, the majority of the time is spend preparing for the next trip. It is also a time to do some laundry, take a hot shower, write a letter home, and catch up with friends in other sections. There is also a storytelling campfire, where each camper gets to tell a story from trip.
For Waubeno and Winisk campers, Mid-Season affords added time at basecamp before outfitting, to join the Manitou and Songadeewin campers in some festivities such as the Cooking & Camping Contest, the canoe and swim races, and the Mid-Season Show.
While much of in-camp time is spend preparing for the next trip, there are times when campers can just relax. There are also ample opportunities to swim off the docks, paddle a canoe or paddle board, go fishing, play an instrument, challenge a friend to tetherball, shoot some hoops, play tennis on our rustic clay courts, or play Frisbee or softball on the ballfield.
Storytelling is an integral part of Keewaydin. As is the tradition of wilderness travel, our stories are told around the campfire. At the Opening Campfire campers are welcomed to Keewaydin and hear the stories and history of the camp. After each trip all campers also have the opportunity to share a story or anecdote from their travels. At the end of the summer, the Final Campfire is an opportunity for the oldest campers, who returned from their seven-week trip to Hudson Bay, to share their stories with the camp community.
Keewaydin trips remain true to over 130 years of history, still seeking the allure of remote, wild landscapes, using traditional methods, and enjoying learning the simplicity and elegance of wilderness tripping. Through teamwork, a section (a group of 6-10 campers) grows into a cohesive unit, setting and achieving goals together. Staff seeks to build a positive group dynamic where members gain a sense of self-confidence, strength, leadership, and self-reliance you cannot find in a classroom or on a screen. Campers learn how to be both self-reliant and interdependent on section mates. Campers at Keewaydin Temagami spend the majority of their time on canoe trip.
Staff typically wake up before the campers, to get a head start on starting the fire and to make breakfast. Most days are travel days, and the section will move camp after breakfast. When time to “Up and Roll,” campers make bedrolls of their personal gear, take down the tents and join the staff in the for a hot breakfast. After the meal, it’s time to clean up, pack-up, break camp, and load the canoes.
Most days’ travel includes a blend of paddling across lakes and portaging across land to the next lake. As campers move through the program and gain experience, they will learn to travel on rivers as well, which often includes paddling in moving water and portaging around sections of river that can’t be paddled. A Keewaydin section learns to travel efficiently across water and land. Of course, there are opportunities to take breaks throughout the day, whether a paddle break during a long lake paddle, to go for a swim, or to throw in a fishing line.
When it is time to pull over for lunch, the section has the opportunity for a mid-day break. In some cases, a section will build a fire and make a hot lunch. Other times, the section may eat a variety of pre-made cold options. Either way, lunch provides a chance to rest, eat as a section, and refuel for the afternoon.
Sometimes the staff may plan to arrive for lunch at a particularly good spot for a “half day.” If this is the case, the section has some down time between setting up camp around lunchtime and starting preparations for dinner. A half-day is often planned for a particularly nice campsite. If traveling after lunch, the routine is similar to the morning.
By mid-afternoon, it is time to find a campsite, depending on the itinerary, the staff may have a site in mind, or will chose one based on appropriate timing for the day. When the section arrives there is lots to do. Setting up the kitchen area, pitching tents, putting up a rain fly, processing firewood and building a fire. Depending on age and experience campers will either assist in making dinner, or take the lead! Campers learn to work together around the campsite to accomplish all the necessary tasks.
While most days are travel days, staff will plan to take occasional rest days as well. Rest days allow the opportunity to sleep in a bit, perhaps have a relaxed make-your-own pancake breakfast, followed by ample free time throughout the day. Rest day sites are usually chosen for their location, which might allow for a casual hike, lots of swimming, or canoe games. Rest days are a chance to attend to things like laundry and gear repair, and also simply relaxing.
Food on trip at Keewaydin is not only sustenance for the body and a key to morale, but it is also integral to the experience of learning to live comfortably in the woods. Our campers and staff cook over open fires, using raw ingredients and age-old techniques which add to the richness of the experience and the adventure of being on a wilderness canoe trip. We can accommodate a wide range of food allergies and dietary restrictions, ensuring that everyone receives the necessary nutrition.
Breakfast provides fuel for day’s travel and typically centers around hot cereal, such as oatmeal, 7-grain, cream of wheat, or grits. Staff enjoy finding ways to keep the breakfasts interesting, sometimes adding fruit, nuts, or other flavors. On rest-days make-your-own pancakes or fresh baked cinnamon buns are favorites. Double smoked slab bacon is a staple of trip breakfasts, however there are nutritious alternatives for those who do not eat bacon.
Lunch provides a boost in sustenance, as well as a good chance to rest mid-day. In many cases a section will stop for a “hot lunch” which involves starting a fire and making a hot meal. The classic hot lunch is macaroni and cheese. A “traveler” bannock baked the night before provides a vehicle for peanut butter & jelly. Lunch can also include dried fruit, hearty trail mix, nuts, and cured meat. Lunchtime can be a great time to throw in a fishing line as well!
Much of the campsite activity revolves around dinner, and for good reason. Dinner is a chance to refuel after a day of canoe tripping. Often centered around either pasta or rice, there are many classic Keewaydin recipes that are delicious, filling, and nutritious. From spaghetti and red sauce with corn bread, to corn chowder and biscuits, to pizza and calzones, the sky is the limit when prepared with individual ingredients. A metal “reflector oven” and full baking supplies allows our campers to bake anything from casseroles to bannock, yeast bread, pies, and brownies.
When trips return to Basecamp, campers enjoy three hot meals per day, cooked by our top-notch kitchen crew. The Keewaydin kitchen, which gets frequent deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables, is renowned for the high quality of our in-camp food. Food is made with great care and from scratch. Several times during the summer, there are special cookouts, and at the end of the summer there is a final feast which includes parents and families. A wide range of dietary restrictions and food allergies can be accommodated.
Throughout the summer, during the times when campers are in Basecamp, there are several special ceremonies and events. At the beginning of the summer (and at the beginning of the second session for younger 3-week campers) there is an Opening Campfire, which is an opportunity to welcome everyone and set the tone for the summer. Between each trip there are also campfires led by the wigwams, in which each section has a chance to report on where they went for their trip and campers tell stories from their travels. At Mid-Season, the campers spend extra time at Basecamp for festivities, games, and the Cooking and Camping Contest. At End-Season, Paddle-In day is a joyful time when all the trips paddle home to Devil’s Island, arriving to cheering crowds of friends, family, and fellow campers. All campers have opportunities to tell their stories, and older campers demonstrate their skills in the Gunn Canoe Competition. The final night ends with a closing ceremony and the Final Campfire.
The Final Campfire is the closing ceremony for the summer, it offers an opportunity for the whole camp, including all those sections who have been tripping all summer, friends, families, and even local islanders the chance to celebrate a successful Keewaydin season, and hear tale of the adventures. At the beginning of the campfire some special awards are given out, including the Gunn Canoe Trophy.
The highlight of the evening are the tales from the oldest campers, who have been on trip for seven weeks to Hudson Bay. The evening is captivating and bittersweet, and marks the end of a summer full of adventure, challenge, friendships, growth, and accomplishment.
Current parents can log in for access to current photos from camp as they become available! Photos of past seasons are also available without a login here.
Enroll your camper now to reserve a spot for next summer. Join Keewaydin’s legacy of tradition and excellence in camping and youth development, now in its second century.
Keewaydin Temagami is a summer camp that specializes in all boys and all girls wilderness canoe trips for boys and for girls. In order to attend, children must be physically and emotionally prepared to fully participate in the program. Keewaydin Temagami serves children who meet the criteria for admission regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or transgender or non-binary status, or any other protected classification under applicable civil rights legislation.
Keewaydin Temagami is an Accredited Camp, under the Ontario Camping Association (OCA).
Special note: A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required with the application.
(Deposits will be refunded only if we are unable to accept a camper.)
June 28-August 12- $8,975*
June 28-July 20 – $6,000
July 21-August 12 – $6,000
June 21-August 12- $12,600*
June 28-August 12 – $8,850**
For new 8-10 year-olds only – limited availability
June 23-July 6 – $5,400
July 21-August 3 – $5,400
Wilderness campers only, 5 weeks for ages 16-18. Contact the camp director for more information at pete@keewaydin.org or (802) 352-4770
June 23-July 31 – $9,550
The Keewaydin Foundation is committed to making the life changing experience of our camps possible and accessible for campers from all backgrounds and partnering with families into the future so their child can attend camp for summers to come. Once we award scholarships, campers are eligible to return with scholarship aid for the duration of their camp career. Financial aid is available to families of a range of income levels.
In 2024, 141 campers enrolled in our three camps — Keewaydin Dunmore, Songadeewin, and Keewaydin Temagami — received over $987,000 in financial aid, which represented over 20% of our total camper population. Scholarship awards range from $1000 to full financial support. We aim to make it possible for children to enjoy the wonders of summer camp, canoe trips, and meet kids from all over the U.S. and world.
Our ability to provide aid to new campers depends on the needs of the family and the available funding after we have provided for our returning scholarship campers. Let’s begin this process; we are eager to welcome you into our camp communities!
How to apply
Timeline & Scholarship decisions
Please contact the Keewaydin Temagami director, Emily Schoelzel (emily@keewaydin.org) if you have any questions about scholarship opportunities at Keewaydin Temagami.
Join the directors and other families for an information session about the Keewaydin Dunmore summer experience. It is a great chance to learn more about the camp, ask questions, and meet other Keewaydin families.
Please check back in October when dates will be posted!
Villanova, PA
Thursday, November 9, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Alexandria, VA
Sunday, November 12, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
ZOOM
Thursday, December 7, 6:00-7:30 p.m. (ET)
Mamaroneck, NY
Wednesday, January 10, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
New York, NY
Thursday, January 11, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Dorset, VT
Sunday, January 14, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
ZOOM
Wednesday, February 7, 6:00-6:45 p.m. (ET)
ZOOM
Thursday, March 14, 6:00-6:45 p.m. (ET)
Please email Director Emily Schoelzel (emily@keewaydin.org) to attend, for more information, or to inquire about hosting an event.
Parents are welcome to visit Devil’s Island during Mid-Season and End-Season. Accommodations are available at Ojibway Family Lodge, on the north end of Devil’s Island.
The well-being and safety of campers is our highest priority. Keewaydin has mature, responsible and well-trained staff. Staff hold current Wilderness First Responder and wilderness water safety certifications. Aside from medical training, staff training includes training on social and emotional wellbeing, risk management, and emergency procedures.
What Safety Precautions Are Taken?
The Keewaydin staff is committed to an understanding that the basics of safety are born out of prevention and maintains this standard throughout every aspect of our day-to-day operation. Every trip staff member completes an annual re-certification in Wilderness First Aid and CPR through a nationally recognized training organization. Their knowledge is passed on to campers systematically through several days of interactive training after they arrive at camp. At the beginning of the season, every new camper must pass a swim test, and receive thorough training in safe canoemanship and water rescue.
Keewaydin Temagami has invested in the quality of its risk management practices by participating in Risk Management Training offered by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), an organization with over 50 years of experience managing risk in wilderness environments. As a result of this training, while NOLS does not endorse or certify our practices, Keewaydin has developed its risk management strategy. We have invested time and resources in these practices because the health and well-being of our canoe trippers is one of our highest priorities.
Keewaydin follows the health mandates of the Ministry of Health of Ontario and the Temiskaming Health Unit.
What Health Services Are Available?
Keewaydin has a fully equipped infirmary and medical personnel on Devil’s Island twenty-four hours a day while camp is in session. If further medical services are needed, hospitals are available in nearby North Bay and New Liskeard. There is emergency communication with medical personnel while on canoe trips and evacuation can be done if necessary. It is also possible for campers or staff to be treated, recover at base camp and rejoin a trip.
Accessibility
Keewaydin Camp is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Accessibility Plan and Policies for Keewaydin Camp 2022-27
Here are some of the common questions parents and campers have. If you have any other questions, or would like more information pertaining to any of the questions below, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
For our younger campers, 10-13 years old, the ratio is 2 campers to 1 staff. As campers grow older, their skills increase and they grow stronger, the ratio changes until on our longest trips, 17-18-year-olds, it is 6 campers for each staff.
Each cabin is comprised of a group we call a section. Most sections are 6-8 campers and they stay together with the same staff on trips and in camp, for the whole summer.
Most of our campers fly to Pearson International Airport in Toronto where they are met by our staff and drive north to the shores of Lake Temagami in a chartered bus, stopping along the way for a quick dinner. From there they travel the final ten miles up the lake in a motor boat, usually arriving on Devil’s Island by about 7:00 p.m., just in time for a quick swim and a snack, before going to bed. Parents are also welcome to drive to Pearson International Airport to meet the bus and staff. The bus departs Toronto Pearson Airport at 12:30 p.m.. Campers must arrive in the morning for sufficient time to check in with Keewaydin staff and prepare for the bus ride to camp.
We have Ojibway Family Lodge at the north end of the island just for this purpose. Parents can learn more about this beautiful lodge and how you can visit during Mid-Season or End-Season.
In base camp, campers get three hot meals a day made in our kitchen with the freshest ingredients available. On canoe trips, all meals are prepared from scratch by campers and staff and cooked over an open fire. Breakfast is often bacon, dried fruit and hot cereal; lunches are often macaroni and cheese, gorp (trail mix), tuna wraps and/or bannock (a baking powder bread) with peanut butter and jelly. Dinners vary depending on the staff and the tastes of the section. Some favorites are pasta with red sauce, honey lime chicken with rice, pizza, burritos or whole grain stews. If the fishermen are lucky, the catch of the day will be breaded and cooked up over the fire. Dessert is often bannock, cakes if there is a birthday, or pies when there are berries to be had.
Because we make everything from scratch we are able to adapt our menus to suit all campers’ dietary needs. Some of our staff are vegetarians and all are prepared to cook in that manner on trip and at basecamp. Vegan is not a problem, but parents will be asked to give a specific list of foods their camper can’t or won’t eat.
No. Our trips are single-gender; each is led by trained and qualified staff of the same gender, many of whom are graduates of our camp program and Hudson Bay Trips.
Letters! Despite all of the advances in communication, letters and postcards remain the best way to communicate with your child when at camp. We ask campers to write postcards home after each trip (we supply the postcards and the stamps). We encourage parents to send letters as well because the news from home and the familiar penmanship are always eagerly received. Campers return from trip always eager to see if they have any mail from home. Magazines, articles and fun pictures are encouraged, bags of candy and cookies are not (too much attraction to the mailroom for little critters). We have a phone, but it is solely to be used for emergencies.
Not too bad. The black flies usually are done for the season by mid-June. We do have mosquitoes and other biting flies. Fortunately much of our time is spent on the water where the bugs are not bad during the day. We tend to be in our snug, bug- proof tents when the biters emerge at dusk. Of course we do see them on portages, and hope the encounters are brief and discouraged with insect repellant.
No electronics … no iPods, cell phones, game machines. Actually, these are okay on the bus, or plane ride, but they’ll be locked in the camp safe upon arrival. No cell phones are permitted, even for use as a camera. Campers should not bring highly valuable items, such as expensive watches, heirloom pocket knives, expensive clothes or sunglasses. Knives should be small folding or sheath knives. No need to worry about sending extra food, we have plenty and they eat well on trips.
Film or digital cameras … binoculars … books … canoe paddles … sunglasses … fishing rods …journals. Check our packing list, it is pretty complete.
Passports, birth certificates, airline tickets, wallets and other documents will be put in an envelope and placed in our safe at the camp office for the summer. If you drop your daughter or son at camp personally, you may leave those items in the office safe.
All of our staff are trained in Wilderness First Aid, an 80 hour medical course and are certified in Wilderness Lifesaving, a lifeguarding course for wilderness situations. If a camper needs medical attention, a doctor at camp is available at all times to see campers while in from trip or to serve as a consultant by phone. Our staff carry satellite phones and Spots (Satellite GPS Messengers) for emergencies.
DO send prescription meds to us in the original containers and specific instructions written on the health forms. If you send over-the-counter meds as well, be sure to give us specific instructions. Campers with an albuterol rescue inhaler or epi-pen may keep their device with them.
Yes, some campers even swim every day they are at camp, winning fame and awards for their hardiness at the end of season! We encourage kids to stay clean by swimming and using biodegradable soap (Dr. Bronner’s is the best) while out on trip. When kids return to base camp, the first thing they do after putting away their gear is to head to the shower house.
No. They do it themselves with scrub brushes and soap. We make sure they stay clean and healthy while out on trip. More importantly, we insist they have clean clothes to return home in and when they are around base camp.
Pretty good and in many cases world-class! Walleye, northern pike and bass are the typical species seen in the Temagami region. Longer trips find the trout to be abundant in the northern regions.
First, don’t worry, it is natural. We all miss our kids. Second, they are having the time of their lives; making friends, having adventures and growing in ways that will shape their character for years to come. Campers will be busy; they are with staff who are making sure they are well taken care of. Third, be sure to check out our website. Despite our remote wilderness location, when campers are in camp we will post pictures from their trips so you can see the fun they are having. Finally, they will write. Promise.
Keewaydin is not like many other camps which have the ability to constantly take and post photos of the campers. Since our campers are mostly out on trip, we cannot replicate this type of coverage. More than that, our staff are focused on the campers experience on trip, not necessarily constantly thinking about giving parents photo updates. So, if we have photos around basecamp, or if we get photos between trips, we do our best to post them to our smugmug account for parents. We do not make any promises about what gets posted throughout the summer. After the summer, however, there will be plenty of photos, and a yearbook will be sent to each camper. The best way to see photos of the summer is to send your camper with a digital camera!
Current, registered parents can access their Keewaydin CampMinder account by clicking the link below. Update your family information, fill out camp forms, and have access to important camp resources.
There is no camp uniform; plain rugged outdoor clothes in good condition are suitable for both base camp and canoe trips. Our camp store offers tumplines, duffel bags, ground sheets, and some sundry items like toiletries, camp T-shirts, sweatshirts, and water bottles. Store pricing covers only the camp’s costs for these items. It is important to bear in mind while outfitting your camper that equipment and clothing will see hard use. Likewise, your camper will be exposed to the elements while on trip. Cool, wet weather should be anticipated as well as hot and sunny. Dressing in layers is essential to remain warm and dry as well as cool.
Outfitting a camper with the proper clothes helps to set them up for success. By starting to gather gear in advance, one can take advantage of sales, discounts, second-hand options, and gear exchanges. Our older, more experienced campers, who will be participating in full summer canoe trips will receive a separate equipment list from their trip leaders.
Keewaydin does not require a camp uniform. Here are a few tips, but be sure to consult the full Equipment and Clothing List for Basecamp Campers before packing for camp!
Rugged outdoor clothes are the general rule. Typically campers like to wear long pants and long sleeves. Dickies work pants are the most popular because they are rugged, cheap, and dry quickly. But you’ll want some comfortable and shorts and t-shirts as well.
Living in the outdoors, a camper needs to have clothing appropriate for temperatures ranging from 50 degrees to 90 degrees. Having a layering approach is best. It is important to have a good raincoat, long underwear, a mid-weight layer, good, warm jacket (e.g. fleece or wool). Cotton is not appropriate for anything that should keep you warm!
It is also important to have enough shoes and proper footwear: campers typically wear a non-waterproof light hiking shoe during the day, which will often get wet in the loading and unloading of the canoe. Once at the campsite, a second, dry pair of shoes is critical. Swimming is done in sandals such as Tevas or Chocos (not slip-ons or flip-flops!)
Each camper needs to have personal camping gear such as a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, toiletries, and personal water bottles. Keewaydin provides equipment such as tents, paddles, PFDscooking equipment, and other section gear. Some campers chose to bring their own PFD, paddle, drybag, etc. Keewaydin-specific personal gear such as the canvas duffel and tumpline are available in the camp store.
It has long been a tradition to maintain a place for the campers that is simple, rustic and close to nature. One of the aspects of camp that campers, staff and parents most appreciate about Keewaydin is the opportunity to “unplug” from technology! Keewaydin is a tech free environment: no cell phones, mobile devices, computers, etc.!
Cameras (as long as they are not part of a phone or other wifi or cellular device) are permitted and encouraged.
Don’t forget that thrift shops, eBay, and hand-me-downs are great sources of trip clothes and gear too!
REI
Campmor
L.L. Bean
Backcountry. com
Sierra Trading Post
Northern Mountain Supply
Patagonia Web Specials
Patagonia Worn Wear
Dickies
Filson
The North Face
Ibex
Cloudveil
Helly Hansen
Mountain Equipment Company (Canada)
The camp store offers a variety of Keewaydin t-shirts, fleeces, vests and sweats, along with mugs and water bottles, etc. A limited selection of items may be purchased from the web store in advance of camp.
Keewaydin Temagami is located on Lake Temagami, Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are North Bay, about an hour and a half south, and New Liskeard, about an hour to the north. Lake Temagami is about six and a half hours due north of Toronto, and about six and a half hours northeast of Ottawa.
Campers generally get to camp in two ways:
Fly to Toronto: Campers meet Keewaydin staff at Pearson International Airport, from there they take a chartered bus to the lake and camp motorboat to the island. Campers can register as “unaccompanied minors” to have supervised travel.
Drop Off: Some parents chose to drop their camper off at Pearson International to meet up with the campers and staff heading north in the chartered buses. Occasionally parents will drop their child off at the boat landing on Lake Temagami or directly to the island.
We provide more detailed travel information for parents in our CampMinder parent portal. And we collect travel details for your camper closer to the start of summer.
The collection of camper and parent information begins with our CampMinder application and online forms. All forms can be found on the CampMinder parent portal. It is essential to our planning and preparedness to have parents or guardians fill out all required forms by the designated deadlines. Our staff relies upon this key information to be ready to welcome your camper, and ensure we can support their health and well being, may that be medication or food allergies. Important information and documents will be available to registered families through CampMinder, including items such as the Family Handbook.
