Who provides transportation for my group to and from the entry points from Camp Vermilion? Responsibility for transporting your group and your personal gear rests with your group. Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry transports canoes, food and equipment packs, and VLM staff in camp vehicles. More details will be given upon arrival at Camp Vermilion.  Please inform VLM on the mode of your transportation in your Trip Planning Questionnaire.

What time does my group need to arrive at Camp Vermilion? 
Orientation begins at 3:00 pm. As a courtesy to other groups, please be on time. If you are running late, please call Bjørn, Director at 218-780-2696 so VLM staff can adjust schedules as needed.

Do Group Leaders need to fill out Health Forms?  Yes! All participants, regardless of age, must send a completed Health Form to Camp Vermilion. If the participant is below the age of 18, this form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian. 

What about our group’s permit? When you arrive at camp we will print your permit. Each group leader will then sign the permit for their trip.

What is a Wet Foot Policy and why does Camp Vermilion suggest two pairs of shoes/boots/sandals? In the tradition of the voyageurs who handled their canoes carefully, our groups step into the water when entering and exiting their canoes to minimize canoe scrapes and damage. No weight will be put into a canoe while that canoe is on land. For this reason, two pairs of boots/shoes/sandals are necessary, one pair of “wet” shoes and one pair of “dry” shoes. See the Packing List for more information.

Members of my group want to fish. Is this OK? Is there anything more I should know? Camp Vermilion welcomes fishing by participants. As a courtesy to us, please mention on the Trip Planning Questionnaire if, and how many, campers would like to fish. This information will help us plan for your group. Additionally, be sure to read the information about fishing licenses in the Detailed Packing List section of this document or visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses.

Tell me about portaging and canoeing each day. What is “portaging” and what should I know about the packs we will be carrying? The average personal pack weighs less than 45 pounds (depending on how much gear you bring) and each pack contains the gear for two participants – this includes all clothing, personal items, sleeping bags and ground pads. As you can see, the lighter and smaller the gear, the better. The equipment and food packs weigh about 75 pounds each at the beginning of the week. We use aluminum Grumman and Alumacraft canoes, which are durable, but are heavy to carry - about 75 pounds. Typically, groups will paddle between 7 and 15 miles a day. Between lakes, groups will carry all gear across the portages (“portaging”). We try to carry no loose or hand-held items across portages in order to save time and energy.

I’m worried about the amount of gear I am bringing.  Is all this stuff necessary?Good question! Below are some handy tips for minimizing the amount of gear you bring with you:

• Fancy, expensive gear is unnecessary.

• Comfort, not style is key.

• Share a bottle of sunscreen.

• A pair of shorts can double as a swimsuit bottom

or vice versa.

• Share flashlights.

• Use layers of clothing (t-shirts, jacket) instead of a 

heavy sweatshirt or jacket.

• Share a tube of toothpaste.

• Use rolled up T Shirt/Fleece as a pillow.

• Share Bibles.

• If you bring a towel, keep it small.