Staff Spotlight: Alex Ernst Takes Trips Program to the Next Level

By Ben Woods

Alex returns from a canoe trip in 2018. (Kate Downey)

Meet Alex Ernst, the Camping & Education Foundation’s wilderness trips director.

Chances are, though, that you already know Alex, because he’s been a quiet but powerful presence at Kooch-i-ching for three decades. Alex first attended camp as a Junior in 1991 and has been coming back ever since. A longtime Prep and Junior unit head, he’s achieved legend status down at Woodsmanship and in the trips department, having led countless canoe trips over the years—at camp and in his home state of Maine.

In the summer, you’re likely to find him leading a postprandial paddling session—“Looks like a nice night for a paddle”—poring over maps in the Map Room, fixing zippers in the Trip Center, or ripping across Rainy Lake in his Boston Whaler. He spends the rest of the year in Industry, Maine with his wife Johanna—the incoming Ogichi director—and their girls Delia, Addie and Clara. 

In his Foundation role, Alex is creating a trip head accreditation process, documenting and digitizing all aspects of our 100-year tripping history, and ensuring that our leave-no-trace practices are best in class. He even got his Coast Guard captain’s license so that he can drop off and pick up trips in our “big boat,” the Endeavour.

So if you don’t know Alex, be sure to say hi. He might even invite you to join him for a paddle.