Camp Sancta Maria Announces St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Ropes Course
New ropes course will blend Catholic faith, adventure, courage, and community in northern Michigan
GAYLORD, Mich. – May 21, 2026 – Camp Sancta Maria, a Catholic summer youth camp, has announced the construction of the new St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Ropes Course, a major enhancement to the camp’s adventure and faith formation programming that will debut in June for the 2026 summer season.
Inspired by St. Pier Giorgio Frassati — the adventurous young Italian Catholic mountain climber known for his joyful witness, athleticism, and love of the outdoors — the course is named after his famous motto, “Verso l’Alto” (“To the Heights”). Campers will be challenged to grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually through experiences rooted in courage, perseverance, trust, friendship, and faith.
The new ropes course project follows the devastating 2025 northern Michigan ice storm, which damaged several existing high-ropes elements at the more than 90-year-old Catholic camp. Rather than simply replacing what was lost, the nonprofit camp’s leadership saw an opportunity to create a more visible, accessible, and transformational experience for future generations of campers.
“This project reflects who Camp Sancta Maria is at its core,” said Fr. Bob Spezia, president of the Camp Sancta Maria Board of Trustees. “We are committed to helping young people encounter Christ through authentic friendship, adventure, challenge, and the beauty of God’s creation.”
Spezia added, “St. Pier Giorgio Frassati is a powerful example for our campers because he understood that the pursuit of holiness is much like climbing a mountain — challenging, rewarding, and best experienced alongside others.”
Camp Sancta Maria has long used outdoor adventure, authentic friendship, and life away from technology to help young people deepen their relationship with God. Campers will be encouraged to choose their own challenge, pushing themselves to try new things while remaining within a safe, supportive community of campers and counselors.
“Jesus calls us to climb toward heaven and draw closer to Him in everything that we do,” Spezia said. “The St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Ropes Course is a symbol of each young person’s journey toward God and fully becoming who they were made to be.”
The new modular ropes course can accommodate up to 16 campers simultaneously and includes multiple skill levels designed for a wide range of ages and abilities. The course features 16 high-ropes elements and a quick descent experience.
Camp Executive Director John David Kuhar said, “In God’s Providence, what began as a challenge following the 2025 ice storm became an opportunity to reimagine and strengthen Camp Sancta Maria’s outdoor adventure programming for future generations.”
Kuhar added, “St. Pier Giorgio Frassati once said, ‘The higher we go, the better we shall hear the voice of Christ.’ Similarly, we want campers to discover the strength and confidence God has placed within them. The ropes course will encourage them to step forward with courage, trust one another, and grow in confidence while surrounded by an atmosphere of faith, friendship, and fun.”
Camp Sancta Maria offers young people a unique Catholic summer camp experience on 96 beautiful, wooded acres in northern Michigan near Gaylord. The camp includes a lake, horseback riding, hiking trails, waterfront activities, campfires, athletics, outdoor skills, and extensive opportunities for prayer and spiritual growth, including daily Mass at the onsite chapel.
While Camp Sancta Maria primarily serves boys, it also hosts girls’ camp sessions during part of the summer. Each year, seminarians from Sacred Heart Major Seminary serve alongside lay staff as counselors and mentors, helping foster a joyful Catholic culture that has shaped generations of young people and inspired numerous priestly and religious vocations.
Marita Emond, a member of the Camp Sancta Maria Board of Trustees and mother of six current and former campers, said the camp has had a lasting impact on her family. “Two of my children have served as junior counselors, and this year, one of my daughters will be a counselor for the first time. Camp Sancta Maria is our happy place. It is where God, friendship, nature, and peace all come together in an unforgettable summer experience.”
Recent upgrades to the property include a new beach house and expanded waterfront; a new corral, stable, and fenced-in riding arena; and updated bathrooms. Existing camp favorites, including the climbing tower, zip line, and rock wall, were preserved following the storm and will continue to complement the new ropes course experience.
The project’s cost is $180,000.
About Camp Sancta Maria
Founded in 1933, Camp Sancta Maria is a Catholic youth camp that primarily serves boys, with a few weeks reserved for girls. Located at 5361 West M-32 in Gaylord, Michigan, the camp sits on 96 wooded acres in a beautiful northern Michigan setting. Its mission is to let God meet the deepest needs of today’s youth by forming and transforming young lives. The camp provides young people with a fun, technology-free, faith-filled environment centered on outdoor adventure, authentic friendship, and opportunities for spiritual, personal, and communal growth.
Camp Sancta Maria is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit https://campsanctamaria.org/.
