Exploration Week Plans

Greetings!

Plans are underway for our annual Fall Exploration week. This year we are heading to Northern Minnesota to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Here is an excerpt from the Superior National Forest website describing this wilderness area and a bit about it’s history:

The Boundary Waters was recognized for recreational opportunities in 1926, named the Superior Roadless Area in 1938, the BWCA in 1958, and federally designated under The Wilderness Act in 1964. It wasn’t until October 21, 1978 that The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act was established to provide specific guidance for managing the million plus acres of the Superior National Forest.

The BWCAW has changed little since the glaciers melted. With over 1,500 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites, and more than 1,000 lakes and streams waiting, the BWCAW draws over 250,000 visitors each year.  As part of the Superior National Forest, the BWCAW is managed by the US Forest Service.

We are very much looking forward to experiencing this adventure together.  Three faculty and six students will be on each trip and they will travel via canoes and portaging for 5 days and nights. We will depart for Ely Minnesota on Saturday September 12^th and will set up camp the first night at Fall Lake campground where we will camp all together for that first night.  Sunday September 13^th our 7 designated trip groups will start out on their adventure from various entry points into the BWCAW in the Ely area where the real adventure will begin!  We will be on trail Sunday – Thursday morning. Each group will paddle out to their designated pick up spot and rejoin the whole Conserve School contingency.  We will share great stories and wonderful memories of the fun times spent together in this very serine and pristine place.

In preparation for Fall Exploration the students and faculty are spending at least 2 afternoons each week honing skills needed for the trip such as practicing canoeing, portaging (carrying canoes and gear overland to the next lake), outdoor cooking and fire building. The students get input on the route they will be paddling and the food they will be cooking and eating on the trip.  Each student will have a responsibility to their group and everyone shares in the work and everyone shares in the fun! We will have many photos and so many memories to share with you upon our return.

Voyage onward!

Cathy