Exploring the history of Ontario summer camps, the Temagami region, and the outdoorswomen who pioneered the first co-ed wilderness canoe tripping programs has been a very personal undertaking. I am privileged enough to have attended Camp Wabun on Lake Temagami for five years as a camper and served on staff for three years as a young adult. These institutions have shaped my youth in powerful ways, and I am excited to share their history with an audience. My last semester at Smith has been irrevocably changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but I always felt joy returning to this project even amidst the upheaval of the last month-and-a-half.
Thank you to Dick Lewis, Cynthia and David Knudson, and Emily Schoelzel for taking the time to speak to me about your experiences with women and wilderness tripping on Lake Temagami.
This project was made possible by the support of Professor Kelly Anderson, Travis Grandy, and Mario Valdebenito Rodas. Thank you all!
