Our purpose is to offer our campers and their counselors an extended opportunity to live together simply in safe, healthy, cheerful, and yet challenging outdoor surroundings. We believe in introducing children to a camp community where they have a say in what takes place; where life is dynamic and purposeful, yet unhurried; where they can develop skills at their own pace; where they can find their own style and self-worth without excessive competitive tension; where adventure is real, yet carefully supervised; where learning is the result of participation. We are eager to sharpen children's awareness of the wilderness environment, to work with them in finding sensible ways to preserve it.

Camp Lincoln was established in 1920, and Camp Whippoorwill in 1931, by Colba F. "Chief" Gucker. His son, Peter L. Gucker and his daughter, Janet G. Farrington, directed Lincoln and Whippoorwill since the late 1950's, and now serve in consulting roles. Pete's daughter, Nancy Gucker Birdsall, directed Whippoorwill since 1984 and is now serving as overall Director of North Country Camps.

Kate Green directs Camp Whippoorwill and Doug Furman directs Camp Lincoln. Kate worked with Nancy for ten years, spending years as an Associate Director of Whippoorwill before taking on the Directorship in 2007. Doug is a third generation Lincoln leader, having spent his childhood as a camper at Lincoln, and working as a Counselor, Section Head, Trip Leader, and Associate Director before taking on the Director position in the fall of 2008.

Susan Gucker Dion manages the camp food service and office. Peter H. Gucker oversees physical plant maintenance and development.

Kate and Doug are joined by Associate Directors Steve “Frau” Frauenthal, David Birdsall, Liz Westergaard, and Betsy Byrne. Fourth generation Mandy Dion, Corey Birdsall, and Logan Birdsall also work full time during the summer seasons. Our counseling staff of almost sixty young men and women is composed of a number of experienced head counselors and activity leaders, together with several recent college graduates and present college students, many of them former campers. A majority return to the staff from one summer to the next. Each camp has a Registered Nurse or Health Care Professional in residence. Physicians are on call within three miles, and the city of Plattsburgh provides a modern, well-staffed hospital.

Lincoln and Whippoorwill are "brother/sister" camps, organized independently from one another, with separate dining, sleeping, and program facilities. Yet we are one organization, operating on the same schedule, and joining together for a variety of activities.

Ours are small camps, functioning more like a large family than a formal institution. Enrollment is limited to ninety-five boys and ninety-five girls, ages eight to fifteen. Many are the daughters, sons, and even grandchildren of former campers. More than eighty percent of eligible campers return each season.

Because resourcefulness and confidence grow through willing effort, work experience is offered to all campers - from waiting on tables to bringing in the hay; from sweeping the cabins to rolling the tennis courts, varnishing canoe paddles, or helping to care for the horses.

Both camps are divided into three separate housing areas, the youngest girls and boys in cabin groups of four or five, Juniors in groups of five or six, and Seniors in groups of six or seven. A counselor lives with every cabin group. Serving as bedroom, resting place and hangout, the cabin becomes central to each camper's life at camp, where friends are made, thoughts and ideas are shared, and much can be learned about the give and take of living with others.

Bathrooms are connected to the cabins of the youngest girls and boys. Juniors and Seniors walk a short distance to their washhouses, and all bathrooms and showers feature conventional plumbing.

Each age group has a central gathering place, with fireplace, bookshelves, ping pong table, and space for indoor play.

In the dining halls we sit family-style at tables of seven or eight campers and counselors. Every boy or girl takes a turn waiting on table once a week.

A half mile apart, the two camps occupy 150 acres of forest and meadow on the wooded shore of Augur Lake. To the east is Lake Champlain and to the west are the high peaks of the Adirondacks. Camp is located along the Adirondack Northway, connecting New York with Montreal. A ferry from Burlington, VT, docks at nearby Port Kent. Airports at Burlington and at Plattsburgh, NY, serve several airlines. (Directions)