OUR MISSION

TO inspIRE the growth of young men through fun and challenging wilderness adventures that promote self-discovery, RESILIENCE, teamwork and service to others

 

  • Kooch-i-ching is a place where boys learn by doing—and by modeling the behavior of young men showing the best characteristics of humankind.

    TORIE LUDWIN | PARENT

  • Kooch-i-ching is more than a summer camp. It is a place for young men to become the best they can be.

    KIER MALLOY | STAFF MEMBER

  • Kooch-i-ching is such a driving force in Ian’s life and every minute at camp is precious to him.

    ELSBETH REDFIELD | PARENT

  • So happy to be part of the Kooch-i-ching family. Best decision we have made for our son.

    SUSAN HART | PARENT

  • I’ve learned to be grateful, to be positive, and to never give up. And I’m happy to say that I learned it at Kooch-i-ching.

    COLIN CAMPBELL | CAMPER

 
 
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CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY

The boy who comes to Kooch-i-ching finds a Northwoods that is as stimulating as it is magnificent. It demands that he stretch his abilities to their limits. It encourages him to develop enduring values. It introduces him to the joy of serving others. The Kooch-i-ching experience strips away the artificiality of modern society and the distraction of technology. It presents problems, and it presents opportunities for their solution. For a boy, Kooch-i-ching is an investment in a man of the future.

 
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Northwoods Paradise

The sole occupant of Deer Island on Minnesota's Rainy Lake, Kooch-i-ching is situated on the doorstep of the finest canoe country in the world—a labyrinth of lakes that extends for hundreds of miles. Yet Kooch-i-ching is also just 10 miles from the town of International Falls, with all the conveniences of the modern world. Of course, Kooch-i-ching men and boys prefer the isolation and serenity of Deer Island, a jewel of unspoiled wilderness that looks the same as it has for thousands of years.

 
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Learning Through Doing

Life on Deer Island centers around an instructional program that includes dozens of activities for young men of all ages and abilities. The lakes and forests form a learning laboratory that looks the same today as it did when the first group of campers arrived 100 years ago. The basic method is still that of learning through doing, but the avenues for achievement have expanded manyfold.

 
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WILDERNESS QUEST

The heart of the wilderness quest at Kooch-i-ching is canoe travel through Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Travel that follows the trails of the voyageurs and fur-traders. Travel that blazes new trails of its own. Through backpacking and climbing, Kooch-i-ching has expanded westward into the Rocky Mountains, but the canoe and stout paddle remains its primary means of mobility.