Camp Focus:

Description:

Our Site

All of our camps are nestled in the beautiful and scenic woods of Harriman State Park along Lake Kanawauke.  Harriman State Park , New York’s second largest state park, provides 200 miles of hiking trails, 31 lakes and access to the Appalachian Trail  among its 46,000 acres of wilderness.  Thirty miles from Hackensack campers are bused to camp each day from the Y.  Two waterfronts and a fleet of canoes, kayaks, rowboats and paddle boats offer a wide variety of waterfront activities. 

Our Quality Staff

The YMCA of Greater Bergen County Camp Staff is dedicated to provide your child with an exceptional camping experience.  We recruit our summer staff through local colleges and online camp job sites.  All hired have experience working with children and many are seeking college degrees in education and outdoor education.   In addition, we hire international staff for our residential camp in order to introduce campers to other cultures.   Specialists are hired to provide your children with the best progressive and goal oriented instruction for activities such as: boating, arts and crafts, nature, rock climbing/challenge course and archery.  All staff are given background checks and participate in an extensive 4-14 day orientation training.

Our Camp Programs

Our camps are traditional, back to basics summer camps.  Each camp offers an unplugged experience for children to reconnect with the outdoors while being introduced to a variety of activities.  All our programs promote the YMCA’s core values of Caring, Respect, Responsibility and Honesty developing self confident and independent campers.

Camp Michikamau is perfect for those parents looking to give their children an unplugged, traditional camping experience.  Our facilities include a dining hall, two recreation halls, athletic field, shallow water crib, boat dock and sports center with basketball, floor hockey and tetherball. 

The program provides a balance of structure and choice activities.  Campers are given the opportunity to custom design their program each week by signing up for three elected activities.  In addition there are two open activity periods where campers can choose to go boating, swimming, go to the sports complex, work on an art project, shop at the camp store or just relax and enjoy time with their friends.  Each camper will take swim lessons taught by qualified swim instructors that use the YMCA Progressive Swim program.  Mornings are spent with their cabin mates doing an activity that the cabin chooses.  Each evening after dinner campers will enjoy an all camp activity such as: casino night, dance, scavenger hunt, gold rush or talent show.  Each evening ends with candlelight, a time where campers get to share with their cabin mates about their day and experiences. 

Weekends at Camp Michikamau are special.  Each weekend has a different theme and the entire camp is intertwined in theme related activities such as:  International Weekend, Survivor Weekend and Color Wars.  Sunday mornings are a reflective time for campers where the core values are discussed and practiced.

Some of the most memorable moments happen on the overnight experience. Each session campers will plan their meal, pack their gear, hike to their destination, pitch a tent, build a fire, cook and sleep under the stars.

The challenge course, a series of obstacles, is always a camp favorite. Some elements test individual skills; others promote teamwork and leadership.  New this year is our Zip Line through the forest!  This is a cable that is run across an incline to allow campers to traverse through the forest.  The course and zip line is run by a trained staff member who teaches proper methods and ensures safety and most of all fun! 

Camp Michikamau prides itself on hiring staff from around the world.  The diversity of staff enhances the experience for the campers.   Staff represent countries such as:  Canada, USA, South Africa, Spain, Hungry, Australia, New Zealand, and England.  Each cabin has a counselor and an assistant counselor which provide a nurturing and safe environment for campers to live and learn.  Campers develop independence, self confidence and self reliance along with understanding, respect and responsibility through their experience living with nine other campers of the same age. 

Counselors In Training (CIT) for Michikamau

Age 16 or entering 11^th grade

Session 1             June 28-July 24^th

Session 2             July 26^th-August 21^st

Cost:  Members  $1400  Non Members $1500

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