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For information on Owasippe's host council, click on to...
> Chicago Area Council, BSA
OWASIPPE SCOUT RESERVATION is 5,000+ acres of deciduous and
evergreen woodland, fenn, streams and lakes nestled in the southwest corner of the Manistee National Forest. It is located
six miles east of Whitehall, Michigan. The Admin Center is at the intersection of Russell and Silver Creek Roads in Blue Lake
Township, about 8 miles north of US Hwy 31 and Muskegon.
OWASIPPE IS A BUSTLING HUB of Scouting distributed among
two section camps, namely Blackhawk and Wolverine, as well as the Reneker Family Camp, and a host of "outpost" program
areas for older Scouts. A backpacking and float program, dubbed "The Manistee Quest" uses the North Country
Trail in the Manistee. The "Ad Center" campus is also home to the E. Urner Goodman Owasippe Museum housed in the original
Blue Lake Township Hall built in 1910.
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EACH SECTION CAMP AT OWASIPPE is independently staffed and runs a traditional
Scouting summer program for a host of units. Camps Blackhawk and Wolverine each have in excess of 20 unit sites. Camp Blackhawk
is a dining hall camp while Camp Wolverine has "hotpack" meals delivered to each troop site.
Raw food cooking is available at each camp.
ALL SECTION CAMPS have a sanitary unit with a shower, wash basin,
and flush toilets. Hot showers are available in all section camps. Campsites come with a flush water hydrant, picnic tables,
and a campfire area. Sites range from 1/2 to 2 acres in size and are in close proximity to most of the program areas. Units
are supplied with 6' high canvas wall tents, floorboards, and cots. Campsites are located in older growth forests on sandy
soil with good drainage.
>>> ARAMARK...More information on Owasippe's catering firm for 2006
OUTPOST PROGRAMS are challenging, exciting, and play well to BSA Venturing. Some outposts are standbys
such as COPE which sports a high and low ropes course. Another unique program feature to Owasippe is its Diamond-O Ranch which
hosts guided trail rides, overnite treks to a remote location, and horsemanship merit badge. Some of the newer outposts which
have proven very popular with the Scouts and also make available merit badge programming are Astronomy, Fishing, Photography,
and Sailing. There is also a Tubing Outpost which takes Scouts down a "lazy river" in inner tubes.
THE
MANISTEE QUEST is also a part of the older-Scout and Venturing program allowing units to plan off-camp backpacking
treks into the Manistee National Forest along the North Country National Scenic Trail for up to one week in length. Treks
are guided for their entire trip and Scouts are encouraged to work on the 50-Miler Award. Part or all of the trek can be done
by canoe on any of three rivers, Pere Marquette, Pine or Manistee. Such float trips can be integrated with the national forest
trail network for easy rendezvous through a licensed outfitter. Longer treks are available upon request.
Trek leadership
(2-deep) is provided by the unit, however there will also be a "provisional" program thereby allowing individual Scouts
or crews with only one leader to participate with camp-supplied leadership. In any event, Owasippe will provide a trek guide
and instructor for the trip. Crew sizes for each trek must have a minimum of 6 participants but no more than 10. Not more
than 1/2 of the crew (minus one) can be adults, age 21 and over. The minimum age to participate in this program is 13 by January
1.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE INFO >>>
Manistee Quest - High Adventure Treks
Above: Owasippe is indeed blessed to have several
nesting sites of the American Bald Eagle right on its own property. Scouts can often witness these magnificent birds of prey
soaring high above the camp on thermals or fishing the waters of Wolverine, Big Blue or Sauger Lakes.
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RENEKER FAMILY RESORT
...hosts living quarters and program facilities for
the families of Scouters attending Owasippe with their units. This way, they do NOT have to sacrifice a family vacation for
the sake of Scouting as their family will be in close proximity to each other and still on the reservation.
Camp Reneker
sports 40 family cabins, a swimming pool and lessons, interactive evebts, campfire programs, nature trail, archery
course, and a program area featuring crafts and games for smaller children. Children can enroll into various programs based
on age-groups. Families can sign into as much or as little as they want. For 2004, the one-week fee for a cabin and program
will be $210 with a related unit in camp and $310 if NO UNIT Is in camp at the same time.
Families are on their own for food. Each cabin has
two bedrooms with two beds each, a living room, and a fully-equipped kitchen. There is electricity and hot water with seperate
bathroom and showering facilities within 50 yards of each cabin. Camp Reneker is divided into an A and B
section with each having 20 cabins in a communal setting.
Tree Talk...Camp News
Sassy-Links And Portals
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OFF-SEASON CAMPING AT OWASIPPE
Any Scouting unit or Scout-Family is invited to visit Owasippe in the "off-season", use its facilities, and
stay overnite! Tent camping is available for $25/campsite at Camp Wolverine. Cabin rentals (Spring and Fall) are available
at $30/night at Camp Reneker, $50-75/night at a Lake (Wolverine) cabin, and $60/night at the Milton Gray Staff Village. All
cabins have electricity, hot water, an applianced kitchen, and are propane-heated (except for Reneker cabins). Those interested
should call the CAC Service Center for details and a reservation form at 312-421-8800.
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Michigan State Parks in the Owasippe-Area offer off-season and on-season attractions, ie. P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon.
This scenic park is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and has a campground and the Gillette Nature Center whose primary
focus is the sand dunes of Lake Michigan and its eco-system. A naturalist is on duty and an interactive computer area is
available. For more info, click on the above icon.
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Click on the above Weather Channel icon for current
weather conditions at Owasippe.
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OWASIPPE STAFF ASSOC, INC
If you served on the Owasippe Staff or as a unit
leader at Owasippe, you may want to look into joining the Owasippe Staff Association or at least check-out their website for
more info (CLICK BELOW). The OSA was formed in 1978 and continues to provide service to the camp program and properties while
maintaining social and informational ties between camp staff and leaders...
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The Boy Scouts of America Camp Study
Harris Interactive of New York designed a study for the Boy Scouts of America on the impact of summer camp in the
lives of Boy Scouts. The researchers concluded that, within the typical six days of Boy Scout summer camp, boys are in an
environment that comprehensively provides them with critical elements of healthy youth development.
A few very encouraging national findings from the study will be included in this and the following issue of the
in Support of Values newsletter. Marketing materials highlighting the study findings will be available in May at the National
Annual Meeting.
For the 2000 Camp Study, conducted by Harris interactive, parents of Scouts were randomly selected to complete
surveys about their feelings toward their sons' summer camp experience. Overall, parents speak highly of and are impressed
with Scout summer camp programs. Many parents believe that Scout camp provides many positive experiences that directly benefit
their sons.
More than half (51 percent) of the surveyed parents said that their son's Scout camp experience had
exceeded their expectations. Further, more than eight of 10 parents (81 percent) feel that they saw a positive change in their
sons, such as improved self-esteem and further developed social skills, after they returned from camp.
| SONS OF OWASIPPE - BH FIREBOWL CEREMONY |
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| pic courtesy of Edgar Wolff-Klammer |
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Operational Summer Camp Forms
Below are a selection of useful forms for you as you prepare your troop or crew to attend
Owasippe, "America's Premier Scout Camp":
> Owasippe Summer Camp Prep List
> BSA Class-3 Medical Form (adults/staff)
> Camp Unit Roster
> Equine Release Of Liability
> Owasippe Site Reservation Form
> Reneker Family Camp/Cabin Registration Form
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* 2006 CAMPER FEES *
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ONE-WEEK UNITS:
$190 p/Scout CAC units
$205 p/Scout Out-of-Council
$30 Late Fee after May 31st
$105 Leader
Fee (all councils)
$25 deposit per Scout by 02/28
$100 reservation site deposit
NOTE: 2-week Stays Available!
MANISTEE
QUEST (subj to change)
$225 pp/w/2 Ldrs - backpacking
$245 pp/w/2 Ldrs - combo trek
$315 pp/w/2 Ldrs
- canoeing only
$100 Crew Reservation Fee
NO Out-of-Council surcharge
Campsite Reservation
Fee @ $100 per site/per week locks in a specific campsite of your choice and is credited toward final fees at camp due May
31. An initial per-Scout deposit of $25 is due by Feb 28 and is credited toward final boy fees.
$$$ CAMPER$HIP$ ARE
AVAILABLE TO CAC UNITS AND CAN BE APPLIED FOR BY UNIT LEADERSHIP. Out-Of-Council units should check with their
home councils for the availability of financial assistance, camperships.
> Owasippe Site Reservation Form
> Reneker Family Camp/Cabin Registration Form
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More Info-links On Owasippe...
> 2006 Summer Program Leader's Guide
Owasippe Summer Program Features
OSR Resources FACQs
Manistee Quest - High Adventure Treks
Owasippe Photo-Shoot
Camp Staff And More
The Legend of Chief Owasippe
> The Scarlet Sassafras
The Camp Blackhawk waterfront looking north across
Big Blue Lake. The lake which is roughly 1-1/2 miles long has about 2/3 of its shoreline belonging to Owasippe Scout Reservation.
Of all the section camps at Owasippe, Camp Blackhawk is the oldest having opened in 1922.
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MAP AND TRAVEL INFO:
Click on to "Mapquest" below for a map of Owasippe Scout Reservation...or click below that for a road map of the
White Lake Area around Owasippe.
>> Owasippe Aerial Photo
>> Michigan Road Advisories
>> Need An Owasippe Topo Map? Click Below Icon...
The above picture captures action near the Diamond Bend rollway on the White River, a national scenic river, which flows just
to the north of the reservation. River trips can range from a 3-hour day trip to a 2-day overnight excursion which would
culminate at the confluence with White Lake between the towns of Whitehall and Montague and in real close proximity to the
only Dog N Suds remaining in the State of Michigan.
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Below: Prickly Pear grows abundantly at Owasippe in open sandy prairies
and fenn, often in clumps that are 3-5 feet wide. In July, brilliant yellow blooms dot the landscape that previously had
been devoid of any color at all. This cactus is a protected plant unique to coastal Lake Michigan that typically is only
found in the US Southwest.
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FISHING AT OWASIPPE
Owasippe's primary lakes for fishing enthusiasts
are Lake Wolverine, Big Blue Lake, Sauger Lake, and Bass Lake. The first two have boating access. There are other smaller
lakes and ponds on the reservation where one may go fishing, ie. Mud Lake, Boot Lake, 9-Acre. Only Big Blue Lake requires
any fishing permit as it is a public access area and is subject to the rules and regulations of the Michigan Dept of Natural
Resources. However, a license would only be required of those age 16 and older. When fishing any other lake or pond that
is land-locked by the reservation, it is considered "private" property and not subject to state licensing provisions.
> Bass Fishing Techniques
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POISON IVY VIRTUALLY UNSEEN AT CAMP
Owasippe's topography
and environment is such that campsites are virtually free of poison ivy! As a matter of fact, there are only a few areas
at camp that have the famous "three-leaflets". We are not aware of any poison sumac or poison oak in this area
of the state. However, you can find poison ivy vines sporadically along the shoreline of Big Blue Lake and as shrubs near
the waterfront of "Old Blackhawk" and along the White River shoreline where iT grows both as a shoreline shrub and
as an inland vine. It has not been found in the higher elevations of Camps Carlen, Crown, Wolverine or Reneker. At Owasippe,
it tends to like moist ground.
For MORE INFO on poison ivy and treatment for the resulting rash and itch that may
occur when one is in contact, go to:
> POISON IVY INFO
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Have More Questions Or Comments?
If you have additional questions on this site's content or are in need of further assistance,
you can email the webmaster, Ron Kulak, at Owasiron@juno.com or go to this page...
Contact Owasiron
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