During the winter of 1973-74 with the energy crunch being felt by all, the forestry department sought a location for camp nearer to Ames than those previously selected by the department. After much searching and negotiating, they selected the University of Wisconsin's Civil Engineering camp near Cable, Wisconsin as the site of ISU’s 1974 forestry summer camp. Located in the Chequamegon National Forest, it had originally been a CCC camp but was eventually purchased and improved by the University of Wisconsin for their engineers, although it had remained idle for a few years prior to ISU's arrival.