Some Q and A with Spirit Magazine

all photos: Chris Hacker

March 10, 2008

Heard of Pathfinder? The boys’ summer canoe camp in Algonquin Park, Ontario, was founded by Rochester men in 1914 and has been in continuous operation ever since. Today, owner Mike Sladden of Brighton directs the wilderness camp in summer, and its co-ed outdoor school programs.

Spirit
How did you become Pathfinder’s 7th owner and director?

Sladds
My childhood camp counselor was Mac Rand. He later ran Pathfinder for 17 years. In 1999 Leslie and I teamed with Glenn and Heidi Arthurs to continue the great traditions here. Glenn and I have loved the camp since we were kids. I felt so passionate about what Pathfinder does that I bid farewell to a 13-year career in education at George Eastman House to move to the north woods. It’s been a terrific experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit
Did your family have roots at the camp?

Sladds
My dad introduced me to it when I was age 11. His father did the same for him. My uncles, grandfather and great uncles all attended Pathfinder in its earliest years. My great grandfather had canoed Algonquin at the turn of the century and knew camp’s legendary owner Herman Norton. Now our sons Quin and Jack are the 4th generation to paddle those red canoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit
Pathfinder celebrates its 95th anniversary this summer. What’s the key to that kind of longevity?


Sladds
I think any enduring tradition has to resonate with people across the decades. Pathfinder still resonates with parents and sons. The values and experiences are timeless. Those lakes and forests are still the ultimate setting for independence and positive life lessons. We’ve always had great counselors. We still paddle out on wilderness trips all over Ontario and Quebec. Boys still learn to live with the bare necessities and be comfortable. They leave their iPods, game machines and phones at home and reconnect to the natural world. They master muscle powered lifelong sports, and they do it all while making incredible friendships.

 

 

 

Spirit
Is Pathfinder only a boys’ experience?

Sladds
Our summer camp sessions remain boys only. There are also terrific girls’ camps in the north country. We really believe in single-gender camping. Our counselors are incredible, and they’re homegrown from camper age to be positive male role models at a time when we need that so badly in our world. And, for just a few weeks, boys are able to be themselves with no thought of social competition or distractions.


Spirit
Is your school programming co-ed?

Sladds
Absolutely. Pathfinder specializes in middle grades outdoor learning and at-risk high school leadership. Classes come to us in the spring and fall for up to a week. Ropes course elements, team challenges, survival skills, thriving in the backcountry by not fighting it or each other.

 

 

Spirit
Much is written about children’s lack of physical fitness today. How does this trend affect a summer camp like yours?

Sladds
Being sedentary at home and watching screens hours a day makes a place like Pathfinder more important than ever. Our lifestyle in the north woods is the ultimate cross-training program for growing boys. They eat well, they sleep well, and they’re in motion all day long. Paddling, swimming, climbing, hiking, sailing, camp chores. But instead of making it a workout, we make it an adventure. Then boys get hooked and the active life becomes a lifestyle as adults. It’s a lifestyle they will pass on to their kids.

Spirit
What if your son’s not a couch potato?

Sladds
We have more than our share of team athletes. In many ways, camp is a wholesome break for these guys. I worry that boys’ full time travel team sports and single-sport focus has unintended side effects. Our families want their guys to have a well-rounded childhood. The comradeship of the trail is just unique; you can’t get it on a sports team.

 

 

 

Spirit
Your older campers take two- and three-week wilderness expeditions. What about the younger guys?

Sladds
Our youngest campers are age 7-11. They thrive on in-camp activities and shorter camp outs. For most, it’s their first away from home experience. We have staff members trained and dedicated to this age group. Lots of nurture! We make sure camp is custom tailored to the little guys’ needs and abilities. The older boys are their idols.

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit
Pathfinder Island still has almost no technologies or amenities. Why do you keep camp so rustic to this day?

Sladds
The green ethic runs through everything we do. Live simply. Leave the camp site better than you found it. Minimal fuel and resources sustaining 180 people in safety and comfort. Think of the example these boys are setting for themselves. Our carbon footprint as a community is ultra low. Life is sustainable. The kids are a vital part of the effort, and they quickly embrace it. They know doing the little things preserves life, minimizes our impact on the land. And traveling an ancient forest on muscle power creates a love and sense of stewardship they’ll never lose.

I think this is why so many of our boys go on to be our guides, and then into studies and careers that will make an environmental difference. Whether it’s teaching or the sciences, forest management or environmental law, or the outdoor recreation industry, you’ll find Pathfinder guys wherever you look.