Child 1 Age 13 - 15 (Female)
Program(s) focused in Wilderness Out-tripping
(5) Overall experience
Camp Northway is the absolute best! There are so many great features of Camp Northway. My daughter speaks of the sheer beauty of the place and how it stays with her throughout the year. Mostly, she has a lot of fun. I like that there are no cell phones so that there is a respite from the digital world. This is a terrific camp that I think is rare in its offerings. The setting in Algonquin Park is really beautiful.
(5) Reason for choosing the camp
I went to Camp Northway when I was young. The camp is the same as when I went all those years ago - a rarity of beauty and wilderness. Even though we live far away, we still make the effort to go to this camp because it is so special.
(5) Program quality and activities
My daughter enjoyed the trips the most. This is something she had never done before going to the camp. This is where the campers go out for several days canoeing, portaging, and camping in the wilderness. While the trips are tough physically, they are also fun. The skills she learned, I think are rare these days and also confidence building.
(5) Social dynamics and experience
Yes, it is easy to make friends at this camp. There are three campers plus one counselor per tent. There are a variety of age groups in the camp (but per tent are similar age groups). There are points throughout the day where everyone comes together, for example breakfast, around the fire, or at the end for the camp play. I like that people come from different countries.
(5) Skills and growth
My daughter has learned how to canoe - first mastering bow and then mastering stern. The camp has a step-by-step methodical approach to obtaining certification, which is motivational. She also learned to sail and wilderness survival skills, among other activities. I like that the camp sends home the certifications after the camp as a benchmark of where the camper will start the following year.
(5) Staff/Instructors/Counsellors
The staff has always been responsive and welcoming. I have had many questions before the camp began and sometimes questions while the camp started. They are definitely responsive (slower when camp begins, which they say ahead of time on their correspondence and makes total sense). I also like that the communication is clear and that their website is straightforward to use. They also post pictures on social media, so I might get a chance to see my camper in action.
(5) Preparation and packing
All items on their detailed and helpful packing list were necessary. I would additionally pack a crazy creak camping chair (or similar), and make sure to have a warm blanket (don't rely on the sleeping bag for the in-camp sleeping as the bags can get wet on the trips).
(5) Advice and tips
I am so glad I sent my daughter to this camp. It provided her experiences and knowledge that are quite unusual in this modern era and will have a positive and lasting impact throughout her life. I think this camp is special. I enjoyed it when I was young and so does my daughter. They seem to have many returning campers from multiple generations, which I think speaks volumes.
My oldest daughter loved Northway and this past summer was her second year at camp. She made wonderful friends and enjoyed spending over three weeks in Algonquin Park. My younger daughter will go to N...
My daughter has attended Northway for two summers (ages 8 and 9) and continues to talk frequently about how much she can't wait to go back. Not only did she develop and deepen friendships with peers h...
Having never been to this camp before, or an overnight camp for this long, my daughter was both excited and nervous. I attended this camp as a counselor for two years in '91 and '92, so she's heard m...
