Welcoming 2022
As we start the process of welcoming another year, the first item is our Annual Summer Letter! This letter is sent out at the beginning of January to all our guests who have been penciled in for the summer weeks of 2022 (when we get into June, we send out an updated letter to our guests who have reservations in the fall). It gets the juices flowing and the count-down can begin!
Without further ado:
Dear friends,
Happy New Year! What a weird winter so far. North Bay froze over on November 24 while the main lake remained open for almost a month longer, freezing on December 20. Snow came at the beginning of December but very little after that. Despite rain on Christmas a couple inches of snow remained. This worked in our favor since our plow truck was at the dealer waiting over a month to be fixed…patience is a virtue!
As we reflect back on the past season and year, one word to define it was unpredictable. A season like no other. Although challenging, it made us stronger. We were grateful for our amazing staff, ¾ of which were either in a new position or starting with us for the first time. Some of them worked for us years ago and returned to moonlight for a week or two at the end of August, waiting tables and cleaning cottages. What fun that was!
As more electric cars are making their way to The Waldheim, we are researching the possibility of installing a charging station. There are multiple logistics to consider- location, aging infrastructure, electrical draw, and cost to name a few. We’ll keep you up to date as decisions are made.
The Waldheim was built over 115 years ago. Unlike municipal septic systems ours can not handle anything but human waste and toilet paper. Flushable wipes?- nope, fabric cloth?- nope, girlie products?-no, chicken bones?- sorry, but no. When all of the “no no’s” get flushed, the pumps have to work harder to break it down and eventually the pump burns out. Up goes the sign, “Out of order until further notice”! In camp we have more than seven septic pumps. Since 2016 we have had to replace all of them and in some locations, multiple times. It is very important that nothing BUT “#1 & #2” and toilet paper is flushed.
At this point, come spring, the guys plan to finish up the last two years projects, most of which will be unseen. They hope to rewire the point- Dream to the pumphouse, install power poles- the trees just aren’t holding up, replace some culverts and possibly work on the road.
As Covid-19 lingers we suspect that there will be expectations of staff and guests in order to provide a safe environment for everyone. Five months from now may tell a very different story. Please be patient with us as we assess the situation. Like last year we will keep you up to date as decisions are made.
To confirm your reservation please do so by JANUARY 24, 2022. If you do NOT intend to confirm your reservation, please notify Kelly by phone or email as soon as possible so that we might rent to someone else.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Kelly, Jason, Keriann, Andrew, Nancy and Roger
Looking at you, 2021!
We’d like to start out by saying that we hope you have all had a really nice holiday season and are starting off 2021 on a good note! We, at the end of Martin Road, have finally received some good snow and are enjoying some winter activities. Kelly and Keriann have been getting out for walks and x-country skiing on the lake and Jason and Andrew have been busy plowing the road.
We are moving forward with our 2021 season! You may have received our confirmation letter for your summer reservation (fall reservations will go out in June). As a quick reminder, next Monday, January 25th is the deadline for confirming your summer reservation. Please give us a call or email if you think your confirmation card might be delayed in the mail.
As we make these moves toward welcoming you back to The Waldheim this summer and fall (which we are SO ready to do!), we know that there will be some changes in how we operate here. In order to stay compliant with NYSDOH and CDC guidelines, we are working together to see how we can put it in place. Since our opening day is 5 months away, there could be changes to what our guidelines will be. Which means that we are taking this little by little, doing a lot of brainstorming and planning for various scenarios. Our first change for this season is that we have decided to modify our cancelation policy. In order to be issued a full refund of your deposit you will have up to 6 weeks prior to your arrival date to cancel your reservation. If you cancel your reservation beyond that point (less than 6 weeks before arrival), a refund will be dependent upon our ability to re-rent your cottage. If we can re-rent the cottage for the entire week, your deposit will be refunded in full. If we are only able to re-rent the cottage for a few days, a partial refund will be issued. Please call Kelly at 315-357-2353 for any questions.
We will do our best to keep you updated through emails, phone calls, social media and here on our website of the changes that we will need to make to The Waldheim this season to ensure the health and safety of our guests, staff, and community.
365 more days!
Kicking of the count-down to the start of our 2021 season in our favorite Waldheim gear!
Send us a picture of your most loved piece and we’ll add it to our social media.
Closed for the 2020 season
Dear friends,
As we gather our thoughts to write this letter, we usually begin with describing the weather, the wildlife sightings in the area, and our progression with spring projects. These are the farthest from our minds. Our thoughts right now are of you and your words of encouragement, unwavering support and commitment to The Waldheim.
These past couple of months have been a stressful time for all of us. We have had to social distance and isolate ourselves from our family, friends and loved ones. Now as most of the country is engaging in the initial phases of reopening, we crave any semblance of normalcy.
When we look at the logistics of operating The Waldheim, we must consider all that are involved- guests, staff, family and the community. With what little guidelines the NYS Department of Health, CDC and other agencies have given us for operation, we keep coming back to the simple question, “Can we confidently provide an environment that is safe for everyone?” Sadly, the answer is no.
It is with heavy hearts that we inform you, our Waldheim family, that we have decided to close for the 2020 summer and fall season. In this regard, please get in touch with Kelly concerning your deposit and future reservation. We assure you this decision was not made lightly and was truly the hardest we have ever had to make.
During what would have been our 117th season, not a moment will go by when we will not be thinking of you. Many have already expressed that they need The Waldheim more than ever this year and what hurts us the most is that we will not be able to fulfill that need. Our only consolation is knowing that we will not be putting you at risk and that we will see you safe and well next year. Until then, please know that you will be greatly missed. Calls and emails are always welcome- we would LOVE to hear from you!
With much sadness from your “home in the woods”,
Your Waldheim Family
Jason, Kelly, Andrew, Keriann, Roger and Nancy
2020 Season Update
Dear friends,
We hope you are well and not suffering too badly from quarantine fatigue. We are all hanging in there while keeping busy with homeschooling, building the chef’s cottage, and thinking about spring cleaning. The last of the snowbanks have finally melted and the new season of spring is emerging every day. That brings us hope.
To update you, New York State is currently on pause until May 15 when the powers that be will hopefully set some guidelines as to if, when and how we can operate The Waldheim. At this time, we are trying to figure out how to proceed to put everyone’s mind at ease. It is understandable that some of you may have hesitations due to health concerns and maintaining appropriate social distancing. Therefore, we are waiving our cancellation policy for this upcoming 2020 season. If you decide it necessary to cancel your reservation, we can refund your deposit in full or apply it to the 2021 summer season. The last thing we want to do is add undue worries.
Now that spring is here, summer is in sight. We are going through all the possible scenarios of how to operate safely but as you well know, there are many uncertainties and the situation changes daily. We are reluctant to send out a plan that may have to be altered the next day. Our concern and decisions will be for our whole Waldheim “family”- guests, staff and us alike. We will keep you informed as things change and decisions are made.
Many of you have expressed how The Waldheim is your “happy place” and gives you a sense of renewal each time you are here. We understand the importance it has for you and want to be here to fulfill that need.
Stay safe and know that you are all in our thoughts!
COVID-19 Update
Dear Friends,
We hope you and your family are safe and well, practicing social distancing yet maintaining a certain level of sanity. For all of you working on the front line providing heath care, keeping our grocery stores stocked and operational, delivering goods and supplies, and simply working with the public every day, we thank you!
We here at the end of Martin Road are all fine, keeping a safe distance from the rest of the community. Keriann and I have taken on the job of “Home School Teacher” which keeps us busy. She’s learning lots of new songs while I am relearning 8th and 10th grade math (yay). Each day our families get out for a walk simply down to camp or a little farther down the road. In addition we’ve hiked to Duanes Rock, Windfall Pond and around Moss Lake. It’s a little trickier getting to these places since the snow isn’t quite gone, especially in the wooded areas. Big Moose Lake is still frozen and we all count down the days until it opens up. We’re lucky to have a plethora of puzzles and books to pick from in the library too. Jason and I can say we’re getting better at “Mario Party” and “Brawlhalla”, video games we are learning to play with the boys. Andrew and Keriann are getting their hair and nails done daily by Addie and now that she’s walking, take turns chasing after Harriet!
As you may know, New York State has one of the highest COVID-19 reported cases in the country. The affect on our community has yet to be seen. As things change day to day, the future is unpredictable. Please know that we’ll be monitoring and assessing changes in our state, county and community through the CDC, NYS Department of Health and other means of gaining up to date information. At this point we still aim to open The Waldheim on June 27th. It’s our hope and desire to provide you with a well deserved vacation this 2020 season and continue our tradition for the 117th year in a row! As we learn more over the next few weeks about how our regular operations may be affected, we will keep you updated. In the meantime, please call or email us with any questions you may have. We are here for you!
During these times our best is put to the test. In the end when this clears up and the world returns to some type of normalcy, it’s possible that we’ll all realize we are stronger than we were before and grateful for the true things in life that matter.
Loving thoughts,
Keriann, Andrew, Jason and Kelly
New year, new website!
If you are reading this, it probably means that you’ve heard about our NEW WEBSITE!
We are excited to have updated some things, such as, how our availability is viewed, increasing mobile responsiveness, and improving the ease of navigation. We would appreciate any feedback to help us keep our website up to date for all our guests.
Speaking of availability, all of our summer cottage openings are up on our website! Click here to view it! If you are looking for an unique family experience, give us a call or email. From 1 bedroom all the way up to 5 bedrooms, cottages are available at various times during the summer and fall months.
Maybe you’re looking for a place for a family reunion or maybe just a quiet get-away with your partner. Our resort is a place where you or your family can disconnect from many of your everyday worries. Since 1904, we have worked to create a place where our “Home in the Woods” is comfortable, restful and rejuvenating to all who stay with us.
We hope you’re enjoying your winter!
Welcome 2019!
A little business before we get started: Our annual letter went out at the beginning of this month. We have received many confirmations of guest reservations, but we want to remind you that the deadline is this coming Friday, January 25th. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are planning on keeping your reservation for this season or not. If you have any questions, give us a call or email! (315-357-2353 & CampWaldheim@gmail.com)
Read MoreIs It Really September Already?
It is hard to believe that we are already into September here at The Waldheim. This summer season has just flown by! As much as we have been a cool retreat for families and pets to get away from a city, we have had one of the warmest and humid-est (is that a word?) summer I can remember. The beginning of July was in the 90’s and probably close to 90% humidity! Phew!! At one point, Big Moose Lake was up to 80* in some locations. It has made for a very water activity filled season! Lots of canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing, and swimming happened for our guests and our staff. Not to mention the fishing! The bass and perch that have been pulled out at our main dock have been numerous and BIG!! I’ve personally seen a few 18″ bass being caught…catch and release, of course! The kids and adults were bass-ically having too much fin…I mean fun.
Read MoreThe Start of the 2018 Season!
Wow! What a fast spring we had! We started spring cleaning in mid-May and were finalizing the last projects the day our first guests arrived on June 23rd!
Read More