Summer 2020 Projects

July, Source Lake, 2020.
Does the Island Sleep? No, she only dozes.
 

The normal bustle of May Crew was absent for the first time since Glenn and Sladds took over camp in 2000. And then, of course, Summer 2020 was cancelled when Ontario closed overnight camps. But CPI is indeed only dozing: a tiny work crew has been polishing and prepping camp for all the action we're looking forward to in 2021.

A sign of renovations this year? This still life of items lost under the Canoe Dock over many years, recovered once the decking came off in July.
Every object tells a story?

The Source Remains the Same ...

Sladds was in Canada when the border closed March 21, and lived in Huntsville, where he monitored the pandemic and worked for the Ontario Camps Association board as a volunteer. Commercial leaseholders were permitted into Algonquin when the park was otherwised closed to the public.  For him, a trip to Whitney might see no other cars on Hwy. 60. Ice walks to the island became walks on the camp road and rail bed, as snow and ice rotted. And then, suddenly, ice was out on Source by May 1. The park was in its full glory. Where would the summer lead?

Late May saw camp closures announced, and he set up some maintenance projects for this regrettably historic summer. Water levels dropped with an early summer heat wave, and a big storm hit the park. Summer brought high heat and perfect swimming water, along with a ravenous crop of chipmunks and squirrels. The crew gathered and set to work.
 

So, Shine Up the Conveyances ...

Our legendary camp vans and trailers were completely refreshed for 2021 trucking, and the railing pontoon barge went home to the mothership for a month of beauty treatments, plus a new center pod and pontoon end caps.
 

CPI canoe maker Dave Statten kept busy in his Bancroft shop over winter, rebuilding 4 classic Pathfinder trip canoes: the Tom Pigeon, the Jake/Gerry Brent Store, the Stan Rand, and the Roy Thrall.

These canoes arrived back at Source with David for spring finishing by our small Canadian June crew. Freshly canvased and light as feathers, they were filled, sanded and painted by Simon McNamee, Riley Hanson, Savannah French and Ally Rail.

A Summer of Brushing ...

Many crew days so far have seen painting, varnishing, oiling and staining everything in sight, from deck chairs to canoes to screen doors, platform tents and window frames. Here on the lake side of Lodge One we’re staining but also adding trim siding above and below the new windows. This is one of camp’s oldest buildings, and was for many years a workshop, since replaced by Bug House. But Lodge One is now as she originally was, a sleepage tucked up against the lake with great views. The lodge sports the old railway sign for Source and Pathfinder, and makes a great first impression when you land at camp’s ‘front yard.’

The wee George Liederhaus canoe got a new canvas and coats of baby blue. More brushes painted cabin interiors and furnishings. Pierre Roy's space-age panel reorganized our water treatment equipment for under the DH. Note a refinished and covered Giesler in background.

A mountain of firewood is coming from storm damage and our hardwood supplier Gilbert in Whitney. (Wait until you see the OCR.) Donated chip from Park tree-felling came to camp. The crew weeded and replanted the gardens in front of the DH, and the place is looking terrific with new trail chip everywhere.

Star-studded supporting cast ...

Canoe work is again a daily routine on CPI. With gorgeous new outer skins, time came for varnishing 5 good coats on the rebuilds. Later on, more canoes will line up for this treatment. This game of patience  includes our late June arrivals Dylan Moeser, Paige Clark, Addison Egan, Chris O’Brien and Jack Sladden.

Dave is teaching this bunch so they can pass it on.

It's not often we capture a shot of Dave Statten. Here’s a lucky candid – actually a portrait of two couples with Pathfinder connections. Dave and his fiancé Svetlana Zeran are pictured at right. Who’s on the left? Cam McRae and his bride Christine Luckasavitch McRae. She’s our indigenous educator, and Cam runs historic McRae Lumber. The two couples are close friends, living in Whitney and Bancroft and spending much of their time in the Park. Lately, Christine is writing a book on Algonquin people’s history in the Algonquin region. This huge project is being co-sponsored by the camps and lodges of Algonquin, by AO and the Friends. She'll publish late next year what will be an instant classic with Park scholars, cottagers, campers and more. Go Christine!

Sylvan Scene Seldom Seen ...

The Ball Field in early June, lush and ready for mowing. At least the outfield can be mown. The rest of this historic spot, where Fred Lamke famously cleared the forest and leveled the field with downed trees and hand-dug soil, scene of countless track and field meets in the old days? Well, let’s say you remember it better from modern times: infield ravines, bedrock and gulches making for lively ‘local hops’ on this ball diamond, where campers Glenn and Sladds once 'ran the mile' for Lou Montgomery.

Staff have shown us the way to restoration with recent additions of a new backstop and some fine bleacher seating. Stay tuned for more late-summer news from the top of the island. (Read Chatter!)

Work Hard, Play Hard ...

A serious storm in early summer took down a few CPI giants, near Canoe shop, Sunnyvale, Doll House and T11. Cleaning up took days. Then, on to stripping the Canoe Dock for a renovation that would never be possible in an active season. And, more little touches, like Paige's new tent plaques, new cedar railings, etc.

Evening paddles and filming sessions are popular right now. When the lake is flat calm, the style paddlers are out. Wait until you try your solo skills in the back channel, where a downed pine in the water makes a great obstacle course challenge.
 

Pathfinder canoes even made it out on the trail. Camp families who contact us about a Park trip are invited to use boats and gear without charge, to get outdoors and away from the madding crowd. Here's a shot, too, from work crew’s break, a trip on French River.