“In my experience, Duluth Packs are somewhat bomb-proof. We put our packs through significant stress and they always hold up. We have hundreds of packs, including the #4, #3, and #2 styles. You just know that your Duluth Pack is going to last forever.”

In the final episode of First Bell’s first season, Pat, Zach and Matt rendezvous with Assistant Director Tim Downey for an off-the-record interview about his ambitious long-term vision for camp: solar power, Coca-Cola and a battle for the directorship decided in Little Council.

Reconnect with fellow campers and staff members. Share photos, updates and memories. Introduce, employ and mentor young alums. Advance your career through inside connections working in top companies. All in one place.

On January 6, 1999, then-Ohio Congressman Rob Portman stood before his colleagues in the US House of Representatives to pay tribute to one of Cincinnati’s “finest citizens.” He was speaking about longtime Kooch-i-ching Director John Holden, who had recently succumbed to cancer at the age of 75.

In the summer, you’re likely to find him leading a postprandial paddling session, poring over maps in the Map Room, fixing zippers in the Trip Center, or ripping across Rainy Lake in his Boston Whaler.

Do you miss campfire cooking as much as we do? Well now you can brush up on your baking skills with this tutorial on how to use a reflector oven from Ogichi staff woman Sara Upson, aka Uppy.

As the true impact of the vote reverberated across the call, the disappointment was immense. At the same time, we took comfort in knowing that we had made the correct decision.

“We are going through an incredible amount of contingency planning. We have to prioritize the health and safety of campers, staff and the community. We have a relationship with International Falls, and it's a relationship we respect.”

Teresa Baños is back with not one, but three recipes for making s’mores without a campfire. So grab some graham crackers, chocolate bars and marshmallows, and follow along!