The Camp Voyageur Podcast

John Burgman and Peter Grunawalt delve into the history of American summer camps.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, th...

Alex and longtime teacher and father of four, Chris Smith, explore how boyhood has evolved in a world where boredom is rare and distractions are endless. From reminiscing about boyhood adventures and the quiet lessons once learned through unsupervised play to confronting modern challenges like smartphones, social media, and shifting ideas of masculinity, they reflect on what’s been gained... and what’s been lost.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of t...

In the 1980s, Camp Voyageur’s founder and longtime director, Charlie Erdmann, wrote an article for the Ely Echo titled “What Has Happened to Camping?” Decades later, his reflections on wilderness, character, and the “total camping experience” feel more relevant than ever.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former cam...

One of Camp Voyageur’s most beloved former counselors, Dave Casey, sits down with host John Burgman for a wide-ranging conversation.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s something for everyone in each e...

The crew embarked on an eight-day voyage through the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on mighty Lake Superior, exploring crystal-clear waters, sandy beaches, historic landmarks, rugged shorelines, and enchanting sea caves.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Bo...

The boys recount the unforgettable trials and tribulations of their recent 4-day adventures in the Boundary Waters.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s something for everyone in each episode.

Can...

Get into the nitty gritty of planning and packing for a BWCA summer canoe trip! From gear lists to route tips, seasoned paddlers Alex and John break down what it takes to plan a safe and successful adventure in the Boundary Waters.  Links: Packing List & Basic Food Portions.

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John and Alex combined have spent over 550 days exploring the Boundary Waters.  They have paddled, portaged, and occasionally misnavigated in just about every corner of the BWCA. They reveal the best Boundary Waters destinations to plan your next trip around.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a cur...

Grit: a combination of perseverance and courage. To not simply deal with being uncomfortable at times, but to actively seek out opportunities and challenges which push the comfort zone.  

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Wat...

Ben has an eye-opening experience in New York following his summer of guiding trips into the Boundary Waters.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s something for everyone in each episode.

...

Alex and John are back to share tips on gear, preparation, and maximizing the wilderness experience.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on th...

Peter Grunawalt recounts his 39-day paddle to Hudson Bay alongside fellow Camp Voyageur alumni Elliot Keller, Charlie Steiner, and friend Matt Fossand. Setting off on June 15th, 2014, from the shores of Camp's bay, the team navigated rugged landscapes, wild rivers, and vast wilderness, arriving in Northeastern Canada on July 20th. Peter shares the challenges, triumphs, and life lessons gained from their extraordinary expedition. 

Check out their route here and trip video here.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, i...

Charlie was known for his larger-than-life persona and stories, wisdom, and love for teaching.  But don’t take my word for it, hear it “straight from the horse’s mouth”, as Charlie would say!

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwood...

Another throwback trip story from the pages of an old Paddle Post newspaper. Story by Mike Zwirn.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s something for everyone in each episode.

Can...

Longtime camper Tom McKenna recounts some highlights of his many trail adventures, including some experiences that took place in the rugged Alaskan backcountry after Camp.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former ca...

Grab a front-row seat as Alex shares stories from his crew's epic trip and the preparation involved.  Don't forget to check out his trip video! 

The Wabakimi Provincial Park in Ontario offers world-class wilderness canoeing and fishing.  After two days of whitewater canoe training, the crew rode a train into the park, embarking on a 12-day adventure traveling deep into Wabakimi.  The park encompasses 10,000 lakes and a network of rivers and streams that provide nearly 1,000 miles of paddling routes.  The park is pure northern grandeur, home to woodland caribou, eagles, and excellent pike, walleye, and lake trout fishi...

Veteran campers Ben and Huck share what it's like being a Camp Voyageur Olympic Captain, hiking in the mountains of Montana, paddling from Ely to Lake Superior, portaging over the 8.5-mile Grand Portage, & more.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast lo...

Join Ben and Ben live in the Mess Hall where campers and staff share hilarious stories of fish, epic trips, and current events.  John Erdmann closes the show with two songs you can't miss.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast loo...

Co-hosts Alex and John discuss some of the biggest “myths” about camping in the Boundary Waters, including common misconceptions related to portaging, weather, trail food, and more. 

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect...

A story about the time-honored camp day-trip of bushwhacking into Mystery Lake. Story by Jack Davidson and John Ranson.  
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boun...

Jim ponders how his tripping philosophy has changed since the 1960s and describes his visit with Dorothy Molter, the last permanent, non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters. 

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled f...

Ned Brandt recalls how the war canoe could be a heavy, cumbersome, water-logged vessel on the trail—but also how its size allowed for moving very fast across the water when absolutely necessary. 
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a for...

Charlie draws upon his experience raising four boys, camp counseling, and leading 100+ camping trips.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Vo...

Camp alumnus Tom McKenna recalls the camp programming of the 1960s, the memorable Greencastle and Monmouth cohorts of campers, and one of the most legendary “Voyageur Firsts.”

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days...

Dale Reckman reflects on a trip from the mid-1970s during which the solution to a particular dilemma resided in an unlikely place—on the muddy shoreline.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or a...

Ned recounts his fond memories of Coach, a certain infamous trunk, Charlie Erdmann, and growing up at summer camp.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel t...

Alex and John discuss some of the highlights from the recently concluded camp season, including pre-camp preparations, in-camp activities, and trail adventures. (Plus, Alex shares details and dates about the upcoming 2024 summer camp season!)

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether...

Camp alumnus Greg Lippert recalls having to improvise when it came to eating well on the trail.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast look...

Former counselor Joe Baumann reflects on an overly ambitious trip to Nibin Lake and Bibon Lake—known as “Nibin & Bibon” in Camp Voyageur lore.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a...

Bryan and Kyle share their 415-mile canoe expedition from Farm Lake to Minneapolis.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s so...

Dale Reckman was a camper for a couple of years in the mid-1970s, and he has continued to enjoy and explore the wilderness of Northern Minnesota ever since.  In fact, he has spent a total of more than 300 nights in the Boundary Waters and the Quetico...and has acquired a lot of wisdom along the way. 

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to C...

Greg Lippert attended Camp for a series of years that spanned the late 1960s and early 1970s. Almost immediately, he developed an affinity for the trail and became an avid fisherman. But more broadly, his time at Camp was marked by the historic happenings of the Vietnam War era, a unique and unprecedented time to be a camper.

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Former camper and counselor Ned Yonkers recalls a trail dinner mishap...and its feared consequences.   
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to impro...

Alex and John share some of their favorite gear tips. 

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Bou...

Otto's passion for the outdoors included his Camp Voyageur summer experience in 1974. His love for the outdoors led to a 30+ year career in outdoor recreation/education and wildlife conservation. This included working for Indiana University's Bradford Woods Outdoor Education Center, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After all the time that has passed since being a Voyageur camper, he still considers the experience one of his most cherished memories. His son also attended Voyageur in 2016.

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A fishing story for the ages...from the pages of an old Paddle Post newspaper.  Story by David Millett.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to im...

Joe Baumann was a counselor for many years, starting in 2007. His time at Camp included evolving from a total newbie to a renowned trail leader and trip enthusiast. But he also learned to embrace the quieter, easier times at Camp—and the special trail moments that are so hard to explain with words.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the...

An audio exploration of one of Camp's most meaningful traditions.
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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper, a current camper, or an adventure enthusiast looking to improve your Boundary Waters experience, there’s someth...

Why are we drawn to the Boundary Waters? 

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tip...

Ned started coming to Camp when he was 9 years old back in 2004. He made the long journey from New Hampshire to Ely every summer until 2018. From overnight trips to long expeditions in remote wilderness, Ned fell in love with the outdoors while at Camp, and forged some of his tightest bonds while on the trail. He now works as a university space planner in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Sometimes finding something really small on the trail can have a really big impact on the overall experience.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Wh...

Dylan is Camp Voyageur's Trip Director and has spent over 200 days paddling in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  Hailing from the Twin Cities, he is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stout studying computer and electrical engineering.  In his free time he loves to tinker, design, and make everything from canoe paddles to custom circuitry.

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What makes a campsite great? That’s actually a pretty loaded question!

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the Great Northwoods. They also trade Boundary Waters travel tips & advice compiled from over 550 days of canoe camping trips. Whether you’re a former camper...

Doug's love of canoeing began when he was a camper and counselor in the early 1970s.  Following a 51-day canoe trip to Hudson Bay, in 1979, he went on a 68-day Alaska canoe expedition through the Brooks Range.  He spent 1981 to 1982 living off the grid with the Ojibway First Nations people of the Winisk River in Northern Ontario.

Doug’s love of canoeing led him to marathon canoe racing and custom-building composite competition canoes. He built over 1600 canoes over 24 years. This self-taught skill carried him on to 17 years of developmental research programs in Aerospace and Defense Contracting. All born...

Do you remember crossing your first portage? For any outdoors enthusiast, it’s a rite of passage unlike any other.

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Co-hosts Alex Kvanli & John Burgman discuss all-things related to Camp Voyageur in Ely, Minnesota. They share trail stories, interview Voyageur alumni, & reflect on the lore of the...