Michigania East

Opened in 1973 and situated on a 25-acre peninsula in upstate New York’s Adirondack Mountains, Point O’Pines hosts Camp Michigania East. Just northeast of Lake George and about 30 miles from Fort Ticonderoga, Point O’Pines is located on Brant Lake, near Chestertown. The Point O’Pines Farm, a 500-acre property five miles from camp, provides campers with hiking, horseback riding, and other recreational opportunities.

Michigania campers live in cabin units that are perfect for families and couples. Each unit offers privacy and has its own bathroom and shower. All units have electricity, blankets, pillows, and storage space for clothing and equipment. Campers may bring their own towels and bedding, or they may be rented at camp for a nominal fee. Families with infants should bring their own cribs, high chairs, playpens, and favorite toys.

Red clay and Har-Tru tennis courts await avid players, and free tennis instruction is provided for beginning through advanced players. All sport and boating equipment is furnished at camp, with the exception of tennis rackets and softball gloves (though there are some available). Campers may bring their own kayaks, canoes, or sailboats.

Those so inclined can visit nearby out-of-camp attractions, including Fort Ticonderoga, Ausable Chasm, Lake Placid, and Saratoga Springs.

Michigania East Summer 2022

For Summer 2022, we will only be running one week of East Camp.

Week 1: Aug. 14–21

Michigania East Application

Dec. 15–Jan. 15 (for lottery eligibility)

See below for information on lottery eligibility.

Before You Apply

A $300 deposit is required to submit an application.

A $150 COVID cleaning fee will be added to the primary camper in each unit.

All adults who are not full-time college students will need to have an active membership with the Alumni Association before attending camp. Camp Michigania is an exclusive benefit of the Alumni Association.

Applying to Camp

Eligibility for the Lottery

To be eligible to submit an application during the initial lottery process, the primary camper must be one of the following:

Be an alum of the University of Michigan (attended the university for at least one semester in a degree-granting program)
Have obtained Dedicated Camper Staff Alumni Member (DCSAM) status (closed December 2012) and kept their alumni membership active
Be a member of the Alumni Association without lapse since June 30, 1999
Be faculty with emeritus status as assigned by the University of Michigan
Be current University faculty/staff

To enjoy the benefit of Camp Michigania, every adult over the age of 18 not currently enrolled in college or university must be a current member of the Alumni Association prior to attending. “Family, Friends and Fans” alumni members are not eligible to participate in the initial lottery and will be placed in the secondary lottery. Non-alumni can join as “Family, Friends and Fans” members and have access to many other Alumni Association member exclusives.

Requirements to Apply for Camp Michigania

A family member who qualifies for the lottery needs to apply as the primary camper and must have a current active Alumni Association of the University of Michigan membership. Cabin units will be assigned on the basis of one unit per reservation form. Cabin units contain one bathroom and one or two bedrooms.
Spouses/domestic partners are entitled to one unit and may NOT apply separately. Children need to be on their parent’s application.
A single or couple qualifies for a one-bedroom unit. There may be circumstances where we ask parent(s) with one small child (under 3 years old) to share a one-bedroom unit.
Members of “extended families” wishing to be assigned separate cabin units must fulfill the membership requirement, lottery requirement, AND submit their own camp application forms.
Buying a membership to the Alumni Association does not make you eligible for the initial lottery (see eligibility above).

Logging Into the Application Form

In order to access the Summer Camp application, you will need to use a U-M Login ID and password. University of Michigan alumni can log in with their U-M uniqname. Non-alumni can log in with a U-M “Friend Account.” To create or recover your login information, please follow the instructions on our login help page.

Instructions for Filling Out the Application Form

When filling out the application, you will need the following information for each camper:

Name, as written on their membership. Each member of your party over the age of 18 (who will not be a full-time student in the upcoming fall semester) must be a member, and we will cross-reference whether each person is already a member or needs to be charged for a membership.
Address, phone number, and email
Birthday
For children, provide the grade level they are entering in the fall so they can participate in Kids’ Camp with their peers.
Alumni / Membership ID. Please provide this 7-10 digit number for all adult campers who have one to help us correctly match campers with their membership status. The ID number can be found on past Camp invoices, mailing labels from U-M and the Alumni Association, or by calling the Alumni Association at 800.847.4764 during business hours or emailing us at alumni@umich.edu. If the Alumni / Membership ID field is left blank on the application form, a new account will be created and a membership fee will be charged for that individual.
For questions regarding Camp or how to fill out the application, please contact Camp Michigania by phone at 231.582.9191 or email at michigania@umich.edu.

Definitions

Alumni

Status is available to those who have been regularly enrolled for at least one semester in a degree-granting program at the University of Michigan or have been designated as honorary alumni or granted an honorary degree by the Board of Regents.

Associate Members

Are those who were Alumni Association members prior to June 30, 1999, and have continually maintained their membership, as well as current or emeritus faculty and staff. Associate members who joined (or re-joined) after June 30, 1999, are classified as “Family, Friends or Fans” members.

Family, Friends, and Fans

Memberships are for non-alumni who wish to join as members of the Alumni Association. (This status is not eligible for the lottery.)

Questions? You can contact Camp Staff by phone at 231.582.9191 or email at michigania@umich.edu.

Recreational Activities

With the backdrop of beautiful Brant Lake, campers learn the skill of archery. Target Archery is a unique sport that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of previous experience. We teach both beginner archery skills and further develop the skills that campers bring to the range.

Our facility includes high-quality, modern wood and laminate recurve bows in sizes for all ages, and a shooting line with capacity of up to 18 archers at a time.

For the competitive archers, there is a weekly tournament.

The Point O’Pines Farm is home to our extensive English riding program. Caring professional instructors introduce beginning riders to our horses and riding, while more advanced riders are assessed by the instructors so that individual programs can be developed to fit their specific needs.

Our small group lessons provide an ideal opportunity for riders of every level to learn from our experienced staff. We have numerous horses appropriate for every level of rider. Our staff takes great care in matching each rider with the most suitable horse. Instructional facilities include our dressage arena, an oversized jumping and cross-country field, and two large circle arenas. Our 500-acre farm provides miles of trail-riding opportunities.

Classes are offered by sign-up only, and the opportunity to participate is not included in camp registration.

Our skilled sailing instructors come from all around the world to give campers the opportunity to become successful sailors, canoeists, and paddleboarders in a safe and enjoyable environment. Toward the end of each week, a regatta is also organized. The camp has a small fleet of Sunfish that make it easy to learn basic sailing. Small groups can enjoy sailing on the camp Hobie Cat. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are also available for use but campers are welcome to bring their own boats.

In addition to daytime boating, canoeists and kayakers enjoy sunset paddles on the lake. Toward the end of each week, sailors will have a chance to compete in a regatta.

Our waterfront has a spacious lane and dock system that is ideal for all swimmers, and the swimming area is open daily.

Children’s classes include aquatic games and activities that challenge and entertain children of different swimming abilities. The activities are designed to include all the children in the class regardless of ability.

Our swim instructors are all American Red Cross certified and have their certificates in Water Safety Instruction. All swimming lessons are based on the American Red Cross standard progressions.

Each camper has a chance to experience the thrill of water skiing on beautiful Brant Lake. With two performance Ski Nautique watercraft and one Sport Nautique with tower always in use, our campers have ample opportunity to glide on the water. Novices learn to ski with a ski boom on the side of our boats and have the security of our ski staff right beside them to give them direction and instill confidence.

Campers of all ages can sign up to enjoy a group ride on the giant inflated banana as it is towed.

Waterskis and wakeboards are available but campers are welcome to bring their own.

Adirondack Park provides Point O’Pines with a spectacular setting and plentiful opportunities for adventure in the wilderness. Our Wilderness, Adventure, and Discovery, or “WAD,” program provides our campers with endless opportunities to be inspired by our gorgeous natural surroundings.

Our farm property, with 500 acres of breathtaking mountains, is an ideal setting for hiking and outdoor enjoyment. In addition, day hikes varying in difficulty are offered in other locations within Adirondack Park.

The farm is also home to our “challenge course.” Campers can participate in weekly challenge activities that promote self-confidence and facilitate team building.

Campers of all ages also enjoy the challenge of the mile-long obstacle course with many features, including monkey bars, balance beam, and tire obstacles.