Camp Pathfinder
Encyclopedia
Camp Pathfinder is a boys' camp located in Algonquin Provincial Park
, in Ontario
, Canada
. The camp is best known for its canoe tripping
program. Pathfinder follows a tradition of using wood and canvas canoes. Several other camps in Algonquin and elsewhere follow a similar tradition of tripping with, building and restoring canvas canoes. Pathfinder's canoes are painted a distinctive bright red. The current director is Michael Sladden.
, in Algonquin Park, just more than a mile away from Highway 60. Source Lake
is an access point to the Algonquin Park canoe route system. There are no campsites on Source Lake
. There are, however, a few residential cabins and the camp itself on the lake.
The camp is located on an island in the lake, commonly referred to as Camp Pathfinder Island or "CPI". On the opening days of each session, the whole camp meets at the new Indian council ring, and a meeting introducing the camp session is held. This meeting, and other aspects of the camp, have a number of traditions. For example, there is a site believed be the grave of a Native American man known as "Algonquin Joe", and it is traditional to put a fallen leaf on the site.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Additions since its creation have increased...
, in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The camp is best known for its canoe tripping
Canoe camping
Canoe camping is a combination of canoeing and camping. It is similar to backpacking, but canoe campers travel by canoes or kayaks...
program. Pathfinder follows a tradition of using wood and canvas canoes. Several other camps in Algonquin and elsewhere follow a similar tradition of tripping with, building and restoring canvas canoes. Pathfinder's canoes are painted a distinctive bright red. The current director is Michael Sladden.
History
Camp Pathfinder was founded in 1914 by William Bennett and Franklin Gray. In 1922, the camp was sold to Herman J. "Chief" Norton, who became one of Pathfinder's most influential owners. Pathfinder was almost shut down or sold to the Ontario Provincial Government when the government told Norton the lease for the camp (and the others in the Park as well) would not be renewed. The government later renewed the lease and the camp (and all the others in the Park) remained in operation. Since then, owners or co-owners have included Frank J. Horton, Bill Swift, Roy Thrall, Mac Rand, Glen Arthurs, and Michael Sladden. Camp Pathfinder is located on Source LakeSource Lake (Ontario)
Source Lake is a small lake in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada. It is the source of the Madawaska River, which empties into the Ottawa River.Camp Pathfinder, a boys' summer camp, is located on Source Lake.-Sources:* retrieved 2007-11-02...
, in Algonquin Park, just more than a mile away from Highway 60. Source Lake
Source Lake (Ontario)
Source Lake is a small lake in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada. It is the source of the Madawaska River, which empties into the Ottawa River.Camp Pathfinder, a boys' summer camp, is located on Source Lake.-Sources:* retrieved 2007-11-02...
is an access point to the Algonquin Park canoe route system. There are no campsites on Source Lake
Source Lake (Ontario)
Source Lake is a small lake in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada. It is the source of the Madawaska River, which empties into the Ottawa River.Camp Pathfinder, a boys' summer camp, is located on Source Lake.-Sources:* retrieved 2007-11-02...
. There are, however, a few residential cabins and the camp itself on the lake.
The camp is located on an island in the lake, commonly referred to as Camp Pathfinder Island or "CPI". On the opening days of each session, the whole camp meets at the new Indian council ring, and a meeting introducing the camp session is held. This meeting, and other aspects of the camp, have a number of traditions. For example, there is a site believed be the grave of a Native American man known as "Algonquin Joe", and it is traditional to put a fallen leaf on the site.
Canoe Tripping
Pathfinder has an extensive canoe tripping program. Trip duration and destination varies by age group of the campers on the trip. The youngest campers normally stay within the boundaries of Algonquin Park or very close to. The older campers venture on longer and more challangeing trips with varying destinations. Some trip destinations outside of Algonquin Park have included:- Attawapiskat RiverAttawapiskat RiverThe Attawapiskat River is a river in Kenora District in northwestern Ontario, Canada that flows east from Attawapiskat Lake to James Bay.-Course:The Attawapiskat River travels a distance of , and has a drainage area of ....
- James BayJames BayJames Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut... - Big East RiverBig East RiverThe Big East River is a river in Muskoka District and Nipissing District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. The river is in the Great Lakes Basin, is a left tributary of the Muskoka River, and flows from Algonquin Provincial Park to Huntsville.-Course:...
- Bloodvein RiverBloodvein RiverThe Bloodvein River is a pristine river on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, in Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. This wilderness area has no logging roads, mines, or hydro developments nearby. Many native locals and tourists enjoy canoeing and fishing in this remote and clean river...
- Lake WinnipegLake WinnipegLake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg... - Broadback RiverBroadback RiverThe Broadback River is a river in northern Quebec, Canada. It drains into Rupert Bay , just south of the Rupert River and Cree community Waskaganish...
- Coulonge RiverCoulonge RiverThe Coulonge River is a predominantly wilderness river in western Quebec, Canada. It is 217 km long, has a drainage area of 5060 km² , and runs in a general south-eastern direction from its headwaters in Lac au Barrage to the Ottawa River at Fort-Coulonge, Quebec...
- Noire RiverNoire RiverThe Noire River is a river in western Quebec, Canada. It runs in a south-eastern direction into the Ottawa River at Waltham, Quebec. It is named after the dark colour of its water .... - Dumoine RiverDumoine RiverThe Dumoine River is a river in western Quebec with its source in Machin Lake near La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve. From Dumoine Lake, the river flows almost due south off the Canadian Shield and empties into the Ottawa River, just west of Rapides-des-Joachims, Quebec, or Rolphton, Ontario...
- Harricana RiverHarricana RiverThe Harricana River is a river in western Quebec and northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is long, has a drainage area of , and has a mean discharge of 570 m³/s...
- Lady Evelyn RiverLady Evelyn RiverThe Lady Evelyn River is a river in Temagami region in Nipissing, Sudbury and Timiskaming Districts, Ontario, Canada. The river begins at the confluence of the North and South Lady Evelyn Rivers and flows to its mouth at the Montreal River...
- Temagami RiverTemagami RiverThe Temagami River, formerly spelled as Timagami River, is a river in the Nipissing District of Ontario, Canada, west of the community of Marten River in the Temagami region. Its source is Lake Temagami and flows through Red Cedar Lake. It is well known for its outstanding whitewater stretches... - Lake SuperiorLake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
- Michipicoten RiverMichipicoten RiverThe Michipicoten River is a river in the Algoma District of northern Ontario, Canada, which flows from Dog Lake and joins with the Magpie River to empty into Michipicoten Bay on Lake Superior near the town of Wawa...
- Missinaibi RiverMissinaibi RiverThe Missinaibi River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Missinaibi Lake, north of Chapleau, and empties into the Moose River, which drains into James Bay. This river is in length...
- James BayJames BayJames Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut... - Lake TemagamiLake TemagamiLake Temagami, formerly spelt as Lake Timagami, is a lake in Nipissing District in northeastern Ontario, Canada, situated approximately 80 km north of North Bay...
- Magnetawan RiverMagnetawan RiverThe Magnetawan River is a river in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, which flows 175 km from Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park to empty into Georgian Bay at the community of Britt on Byng Inlet....
- Missinaibi RiverMissinaibi RiverThe Missinaibi River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Missinaibi Lake, north of Chapleau, and empties into the Moose River, which drains into James Bay. This river is in length...
- Moose RiverMoose River (Ontario)The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
- James BayJames BayJames Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut... - Missinaibi RiverMissinaibi RiverThe Missinaibi River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Missinaibi Lake, north of Chapleau, and empties into the Moose River, which drains into James Bay. This river is in length...
- Lake Superior Provincial ParkLake Superior Provincial ParkLake Superior Provincial Park is one of the largest provincial parks in Ontario, covering about along the northeastern shores of Lake Superior between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie in Algoma District, Northeastern Ontario, Canada...
- Sand RiverSand River (Ontario)The Sand River is a river in the Unorganized North Part of Algoma District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is in the Great Lakes Basin, is a tributary of Lake Superior, and its entire course lies within Lake Superior Provincial Park.The river is named after the sand bar formed across its mouth...
- Lake SuperiorLake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the... - Rupert RiverRupert RiverThe Rupert River is one of the largest rivers in Quebec, Canada. From its headwaters in Lake Mistassini, the largest natural lake in Québec, it flows west into Rupert Bay on James Bay. The Rupert drains an area of . There is some extremely large whitewater on the river, but paddlers can avoid...
- White RiverWhite River (Ontario)White River is a river in Ontario Province, Canada. It is one of many tributaries that feeds Lake Superior.-Sources:...
- PukaskwaPukaskwa National ParkPukaskwa National Park is a national park located south of the town of Marathon, Ontario in the Thunder Bay District of northern Ontario, Canada. Established in 1978, Pukaskwa is known for its vistas of Lake Superior and boreal forests...
- Lake SuperiorLake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
Sources
- Camp Pathfinder Official Site
- Rand, Mac (Ed.) (1995). Paddles Flashing in the Sun: The Stories of Pathfinder in Algonquin Park. West Seneca, NY: Quaker Park Press. ISBN 0-9649728-0-8