ATLANTIC MINE – Keweenaw Base Camp is a faith-based facility, but that doesn’t mean only religious groups can use it, according to Blaine Welch.

Welch, who is director of Keweenaw Base Camp, said the facility can be used for businesses and other groups looking for a way to do team building.

This is the second summer for the operation of Keweenaw Base Camp, Welch said. It’s affiliated with a similar facility in Three Lakes, Wisconsin.

“It’s a branch of Camp Luther,” he said.

The idea for the 220-acre Keweenaw Base Camp came from Camp Luther board member Carl Treankler, Welch said.

“He had this property up here,” Welch said. “He went to the superiors at Camp Luther, the board of directors and said ‘Can we make a base camp here?'”

It was decided a facility in the Copper Country was a good idea, Welch said.

“They decided there was a need for outreach to high school and college-aged people,” he said.

The original conception for the new camp was in 2011, Welch said, and work on the site started in 2012.

The site has a 9-acre artificial body of water, now called Love Lake, which the visitors to the camp use, Welch said.

“It used to be a goose-hunting pond,” he said.

Welch said on the camp property there are four 16-feet-by-14-feet tents on platforms for guests to use. Each holds eight bunks. There is also a dining hall on the property.

Welch said it’s not necessary for those using camp to be doing so for faith reasons, but faith-based activities are important.

“Faith strengthening is number one,” he said.

The camp is open to people 13 years old and older, Welch said.

“Most of the groups we’ve had are established groups of people,” he said.

Youth groups, outdoor clubs and the Boy Scouts have made use of the camp, Welch said.

The camp does have rules with a Christian philosophy, Welch said.

Some activities, such as fishing and paddling are done on Love Lake, but Welch said there are also excursions that take place throughout the Copper Country, including kayaking, mountain biking, backpacking, mine exploration, a challenge course, and more.

“Everything we do we try to challenge people,” he said. “Our staff leads the groups.”

One week during the summer, Welch said there is program called The Edge.

“That’s for individual users,” he said.

Welch said the Keweenaw Base Camp is marketed to people living in a 12-hour-driving radius. Most, so far, come from Wisconsin, but there is interest from much farther away.

“I’ve had interest from as far away as California,” he said.

The season for the camp currently is mid-June to mid-August, but that may be expanded.

“We are working pretty quickly to get fall and winter programing,” he said.

For more information about all Keweenaw Base Camp activities, including costs, visit campluther.com/kbc.