It’s that time of year again! The Augur Lake Ice-Out Prognostication Committee is poised to take your predictions for when the ice will melt, freeing the Augur from its winter sleep!

Each year, we see who among us has the superior powers of prediction, capable of divining when the lake will be free of ice, ready to accept our swim and boat docks, slides and tippy rafts. A small crew of staff is poised to take on the task of installing docks, but they are uncertain as to how many layers of long underwear to bring for the challenge.  Knowing the ice-out date will allow us to calculate (using the formula’s laid out in Frau’s third law of Thermodynamics), the correct amount of insulation necessary to avoid hypothermia!

Therefore, we invite you to offer your prediction now.   You may submit a prediction through this survey link. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QLDV293

The Pre-Pre Camp crew thanks you!

We’re counting down the days until we see you moving into your cabins for another fabulous summer!

Slide show link:

http://northcountrycamps.smugmug.com/Other/Jan-2013-reunion-slideshow/27506622_RmVd3C#!i=2314766537&k=HqHjrq9

Below, you’ll see pictures of Colba and Keir playing with their chicken buddies, Lois the “surprise” rooster, Colba with Little Brandy, Keir with Trout and about a week’s worth of eggs!

Happy holidays from everyone at NCC.  We hope to see you at the reunion, January 5th!

As you can see, the colors in the mountains were really beautiful, so what better opportunity to gather with friends for a wander in the woods, before catching up over a hearty meal.

Things have definitely been a bit chillier in the High Peaks, with evidence that winter is right around the corner. Since these pictures have been taken, it’s been reported by Doug Furman that there is a good covering of snow above 2,000 ft elevation in the mountains.

We hope that you’ve all been creating your own adventures and are gearing up for a terrific Holiday season!

Hello from the beautiful northcountry!  It’s a bit chilly today, and the definite flavor of Fall has been in the air these past few weeks.  The sky is a deep clear blue, the leaves continue to turn, and there is a dusting of snow on the high peaks.  We can only hope that you’re all sharing in such a glorious Autumn!  It’s hard to believe our luck after such a beautiful summer of hot and dry weather and campers and staff all eager to play hard, learn new things and explore the Adirondacks together.  It really was a spectacular summer and many tears were shed at its end.

And as alumni who know the experience of camp, we would like to remind you all that the campers at Lincoln and Whippoorwill come to us almost exclusively through word-of-mouth referrals from people like you!  This would be a great time to pass on the word about North Country Camps to someone you know who may be interested in a fantastic summer in the Adirondacks.  Kate and Doug will be starting to organize home visits over the coming weeks and they would be thrilled to meet with any prospective families you may know.  Please feel free to pass along our contact info, or to contact us yourselves with referrals.  In recent years, we’ve even had some alumni offer to host a group informational gathering at their homes, inviting people who might possibly be interested to come meet us and watch the camp slide show.  This has been fun and productive!  Another way in which we would greatly appreciate some help is in the realm of school contacts.  We would love to find a way to make ourselves known in likely school communities and would appreciate any help you might be able to give in terms of advice, contact info, etc. for schools in your area.  We would be more than happy to mail brochures for you to place in a school, doctors office, etc.  Just let us know and thank you!

We are incredibly lucky that our alumni are so willing to share us with their friends, relatives and neighbors.  And, of course, we would be thrilled to welcome your kids to NCC as well!

We’re also so thankful for your generous contributions to the Chief’s Fund, which has been able to give financial aid to a significant number of families; some of whom need quite a bit of assistance to attend, and some of whom need just a little.  It’s a fantastic organization run by a volunteer Board of Directors, making camp a more realistic option for many children each summer, be they from alumni families or not.

Speaking of alumni, our 2012 Old Timers Weekend was a huge success.  Many former Lincoln and Whip campers and counselors joined us for a few days of great fun and food in August.  We shared stories, reconnected with old friends and enjoyed the local mountains and the lake.  Make a note on your calendar for August 22-24, 2014!

You can easily find more information and links to Alumni through our website which hosts it’s own ‘Alumni’ page.

http://www.northcountrycamps.com/alumni

Here you’ll find ways to keep us updated with your news along with instructions on how to register for Oldtimers weekend in 2014.

Best wishes to all and thank you!

Kate, Doug and Nancy

Doug Furman, Director of Camp Lincoln:   doug@northcountrycamps.com

Kate Green, Director of Camp Whippoorwill:   kate@northcountrycamps.com

Nancy Gucker Birdsall, Executive Director of NCC:  nancy@northcountrycamps.com

Yesterday I had a chance to hike Poke o’ moonshine with several other people, representing the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation, the Adirondack Mountain Club and Friends of Poke o’ moonshine.  We were there to look at the trail up from the campground and assess what work will need to be done to it to make it a long-term sustainable trail.  The list is long, but one of the things I enjoyed about the hike was seeing all the work that has been done on this trail by groups from North Country Camps!  We passed numerous projects, from the brushing in of herd paths done by the 2011 work group, to a series of rock steps done by the 1996 workgroup.  And, of course, the trail re-route completed by this summer’s work group! 

I love that our campers get involved in community service projects, not just in camp, but out in our local community as well.  It’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the natural resource that we get so much enjoyment out of each summer.  We’re already planning a project or two for next summer, so get those muscles ready!

While taking a few photos of the group, I discovered a shot of the workgroup trail work trip that I led in June.  This group spent a 90 degree day digging and fortifying water bars to divert water off the new section of trail.  It looked great yesterday WG 2012.  Nice job!

-DF

Whippoorwill and Lincoln

July 4, 2012

Arrival at camp!

Together with those who arrived by car, girls and boys headed off to choose beds in their cabins, check in with nurses, Brandy and Mary, and take an inaugural swim in the lake. Workgroupers helped their Birdie and Cub buddies settle in, unpack and figure out where everything goes. For dinner we enjoyed a delicious meal of baked chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables, before heading to the Nest at Whip and the Lodge at Lincoln  for introductions and songs at our first council fires.

Weather these first ten days has run the gamut from chilly and showery to hot and sunny, fortunately in that order.  Spirits are high, health excellent.

At  WHIPPOORWILL during the first full day, section groups met to discuss various important matters such as camp boundaries and customs, and each group agreed upon how to come together as a community.  In addition girls made choices for which morning activities they wished to try during the first week.  A huge number of campers completed their swim tests in order to enjoy boating activities, while many others made a great start to this process, undeterred by overcast sky and cool temperatures. We welcomed a batch of freshly hatched chicks to Whippoorwill and girls have been helping take care of them during their free time.

New born

By Tuesday morning we were in full swing, with girls heading to weekly activities. These included Drama,  Art (in which campers made memory/camp logs), Swim, Canoe, Sail, Windsurf, Kayak, Biking, Horse riding, Ropes course, Archery and Tennis.

Sailing on Augur Lake

Afternoon choices have shown the range of the creativity we can achieve  here at Whippoorwill. There has been the opportunity to try “Squirreling,” which is a new activity where campers can track squirrels and chipmunks, while dressed in green and brown camouflage. The aim is to watch the animals and mimic them, by scurrying around and freezing upon the sighting of a human. Sailors ventured into the west end of the lake, bundled up for polar bear sailing during the first cold days, and practiced flipping their boats when our heat wave appeared later in the week. Artists made tissue paper stained glass, worked on needle felting projects and created nature landscapes from items found around camp, such as pinecones and needles. We’ve also taken advantage of the lake’s cool water, by offering splash ball fun, Nutty craft and a swim to Whip Island, in addition to kayak water polo. A Jacques Cousteau lake exploration took place with Dr. Nancy, collecting water samples to monitor the local lake environment as part of an Adirondack lake assessment program.

Campers got started on their trip experiences from pretty much the first day of camp – some taking a hike up our local mountain, Pinnacle, on the first full day, with Megan and Nikki. Others joined Robin on a hike up Skyline, which boasts views from the far end of the lake. Birdies and Juniors headed out to learn about setting up a campsite and cooking over a fire, during their cookouts on Birdie beach and at our Junior lean-to.  A group of paddlers enjoyed burgers on a Lake Champlain beach, after paddling down the Ausable River.

Our first big event of the season was the Pioneer Meet, which typically pays tribute to Independence Day. Two teams of campers dressed themselves in either blue or red colors, and took part in events such as the nail drive, obstacle race, water relay, tent pitch relay, dress the Birdie, pudding eating, fire building and, of course, the egg toss – one of the most nail biting events.

Lining up the Whips and Wills for the start of the bucket brigade

Bucket brigade

Despite Mother Nature’s decision to test our enthusiasm with two days of cool temperatures and rain at the start of the season, LINCOLN boys dove right into activities like sailing, swimming, baseball, horseback riding and archery.  Many boys were able to check off their basic swim tests during those first days, which freed them up to enjoy boating activities like canoeing and kayaking.  We continue to get regular announcements that another boy has swum across the lake, thus completing his tests. Every boy receives applause from the whole camp and you can see the thrill of accomplishment in their faces.

Baseball

Plenty of boys have been out on the baseball field, practicing for our games this week, and the tennis courts and archery range have been popular spots as well.

Caring for the week-old chicks

A dozen just-hatched chicks have found a home at Lincoln, to be fed and cared for by young naturalists from the Cubs Den, most of whom have never gently held a fuzzy little chicken before.

A mid-week switch in the weather has since driven much activity down towards the waterfront.  Where else would you want to be when it’s 88 degrees and sunny?!

Trips are a big part of our lives here at camp and we don’t waste any time getting out to enjoy the local mountains, lakes and rivers.  In one short week we’ve had groups out to climb Pinnacle, Poko, Roostercomb, Jay, Street, Nye, Cascade and Porter. Another group paddled the Ausable River on Wednesday, to cook burgers on the beach and then travel down Lake Champlain for a few miles.  With a group of experienced sailors, Andrew and Alex skippered the 25-foot Orion on its first Champlain shakedown cruise of the season.  The boys have returned from all of these trips with smiles, laughter and adventurous stories to share.  The pace will not let up at all next week, with many hikes, paddles and overnight camping trips planned!  When Emily announces new trips to sign up for, she seems to disappear behind an eager throng of boys, wanting a place in the group.

Weekends are a time for special activities at camp and this past weekend was certainly no exception.   On Sunday morning an industrious crew of counselors, under the direction of our good friend Art, cooked “Eggs Amler” for breakfast, a fitting way to store energy for the annual Pioneer Meet that was to follow.  The red team and the blue team spent all morning in friendly competition.  Since it is a “pioneer meet,”  the events were a bit on the old fashioned side.  We started with the traditional bucket brigade, where the boys race water up the hill from the lake to put out an imaginary fire near the lodge.  After, we moved to the field for tug of war, human pyramids, egg tossing, fire building, obstacle races and a turkey shoot.  Cross cut sawing, nail driving and log toss followed.  With the teams nearly tied, it came down to the pony express, a relay race from Whippoorwill back to Lincoln.  In the end, both teams had a great time and displayed great sportsmanship.  They also worked up quite an appetite, just in time for a big turkey dinner (for lunch)!

The energy level is high here at Camp Lincoln.  There’s so much more to do in the coming weeks; trips will continue to venture deeper into the Adirondack wilderness.  Activities will continue as well, with more and more boys trying things they’ve never experienced before.  And, of course, we’ll sprinkle in special events for good measure.

Choosing afternoon activities in the Lincoln dining hall

On our first Saturday evening BOYS and GIRLS met together to enjoy our traditional burger cookout.  It was great to see brothers and sisters checking in and sharing stories of their adventures so far. The day wrapped up with mixed activities – kickball for the Cubs and Birdies, initiative games for the Juniors from each camp and a dance in the Red Barn for the Seniors.  A small team of Workgroupers climbed Poko with Doug and Jess on Friday, to work on a trail project for the Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine.  And girls and boys from the Work Group, under David’s leadership, initiated this season’s construction project by moving the Lincoln dishwashers’ cabin down hill to make room for an expansion of the tripcraft cabin.  In the process they learned to use surveyor’s tools.

We wanted to draw your attention to our electronics policy, which is slightly altered this year. We were much more specific in our allowance of iPods than in previous years and had asked that iPods be restricted to either the ‘shuffle’ or ‘Nano’ variety. Many of you have noticed this change and been diligent about sending these types of iPods, but for some the policy has escaped your attention in the busyness of preparing for camp. We are willing either to collect any other forms of iPod and hold onto them until Parents’ visiting day, or to have campers delete any apps, games or video footage that their iPods may contain. 

 Thank you so much for your cooperation!

Sincerely,

Kate and Doug