This three-week backpacking and sea kayaking course is your opportunity to explore the rugged North Shore of Lake Superior and the pristine Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area of Canada.
Build self-confidence, enhance your decision-making abilities and develop self-reliance on this exciting, challenging and introspective adventure. First, learn the art of paddling and balancing a sea kayak and complete challenging open water crossings amidst fog, waves and adverse weather conditions along the rocky, remote Canadian Superior shoreline. Next, trade kayaks for backpacks and hit the Superior Hiking Trail, which meanders through dense boreal forest, offers awe-inspiring overlooks and plunges into pristine river valleys. Ideal for individuals looking to gain outdoor skills and embark on an impactful personal challenge, this journey through the remote and unspoiled North Woods of Minnesota and Ontario is the expedition of a lifetime.
*Please note that you will be required to have a valid passport in order to cross into Canada. If you do not have a passport or need to renew it, please start the process now as it can take weeks to receive your passport.
NOTE: Outward Bound strongly recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and up to date as defined by the CDC prior to arriving to their course start. For all open enrollment courses beginning on or after April 15, 2023, Outward Bound will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For questions regarding this policy please see this page or call us at 866-467-7651.
Ropes Course, Service, Whitewater Kayaking, Rock Climbing
Skills
Technical
Basic First Aid
Basic Paddle Strokes
Belaying a Climber
Campcraft
Food Preparation and Cooking
Knots
Map and Compass
Navigation
Rappelling
Travel Techniques
Water Safety and Rescue
Interpersonal
Camaraderie
Character
Communication
Independence
Leadership
Positive Risk Taking
Problem Solving
Resilience
Self Awareness
Sense of Social Connection
Service
UPCOMING COURSES
This course is closed for the season.
APPLY NOW This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
Sample Itinerary
DAY1
Course start
DAY2
Rock climbing and sea kayaking skills introduction
DAY3-7
Sea kayaking expedition along the shores of Lake Superior in Canada
DAY8-9
Solo
DAY10-12
Main sea kayaking expedition
DAY13-14
Transport back to the states, resupply and begin backpacking expedition
DAY15-20
Backpacking expedition
DAY21
Complete backpacking expedition and high ropes course
DAY22
Personal Challenge Event and course end ceremonies
I have grown and challenged myself during this course and I am more focused on things I can do to challenge myself in life. I will carry this experience with me as a positive reminder on the lessons of life and the importance of challenging myself.
Do you ever want to unplug, step away from your daily responsibilities, and face new challenges? Adventure is calling! Outward Bound’s Classic expeditions for adults are designed to help you hit the reset button by breaking your routines and radically changing your surroundings. This is an opportunity to build new skills and remind yourself (or discover for the first time) what it feels like to crest a mountain peak, hear the echoes at the edge of a vast canyon, or feel the rush of whitewater. Put some “firsts” in front of you and you’ll find that the moments of unexpected discovery linger long after you return home.
Build skills, form connections: Meet like-minded peers and make connections as you work through priorities and adventures together, learn outdoor skills at the hands of expert Instructors, and earn every good night’s sleep.
Value strengths and strengthen values: Re-discover your inner strength, renew your natural leadership abilities and practice adapting to new environments. Tap in to your trust and compassion as you tackle obstacles with a support crew standing beside you.
Demonstrate mastery: As you awaken your wilderness skills and dig deep to rise to the physical and mental challenges, the bulk of the expedition’s leadership and decision-making responsibilities transfer from the Instructor to the crew. Work together to achieve team goals, solve problems and succeed both individually and together.
What you’ll learn: By allowing yourself to focus beyond daily responsibilities and obligations, you’ll master more difficult skills and open yourself up to new directions and opportunities you never thought possible. You’ll find clarity in the life changes you’re facing, you’ll uncover inspiration in the wilderness, and you’ll renew your sense of adventure to take on the next challenge in front of you.
Return home with newly expanded wilderness acumen, an energized outlook, a rekindled allowance of empathy into situations and relationships and an eye toward the future.
Student groups travel to the Canadian north shore of Lake Superior to begin their sea kayak expedition from the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Students learn the art of paddling a sea kayak in varied weather, landing the craft in a variety of conditions, as well as navigation and rescue techniques. Instructors share the secrets of handling and balancing the boat safely, regardless of the elements. Students develop paddling skills and bond as a group while traveling and camping along the rugged, rocky Superior shoreline.
The Superior Hiking Trail follows the northern shore of the lake from Duluth, Minnesota to Canada, covering almost 300 miles along the low-lying Sawtooth Mountain range. Students spend multiple days hiking on the trail. Well-marked trails, designated campsites and challenging terrain make the Superior Hiking Trail a great backpacking experience for all skill levels.
During climbing days, students learn about general rock climbing equipment, safety and etiquette. Students have many opportunities to climb, belay and rappel while learning and employing safety systems that are compliant with national standards. The rock climbing sites provide a number of different route options including cracks, sheer faces and chimneys. Regardless of a student’s rock climbing background, they are sure to find a route that will engage them and encourage the expansion of their comfort zone.
Looking out over the top of the boreal forest and located 30 feet in the air, the high ropes course is incredible. Students swing from Tarzan ropes, walk on tightrope wires and climb a cargo net before jumping on the zip line for an exhilarating ride back to solid ground.
Service is a cornerstone of every Outward Bound experience. From the seemingly small daily acts of service for the environment to the regular tasks of being part of an expeditionary team, students have ample opportunities to experience the value of giving back to the larger community. On the expedition, students are encouraged to practice environmental stewardship in the form of Recreate Responsibly ethics. Students also practice regular acts of service for their team by preparing and serving meals, securing drinking water, setting up camp, and giving their crew plenty of support.
The Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition and gives students the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience. Many students use this reflection time to make decisions about their future, journal and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings unencumbered by the constant external stimulation of modern life. The duration of Solo depends on the course length and type, as well as the competency and preparedness of the student group. With all the food, skills and supplies they need, students are given a secluded spot to reflect alone, and are monitored by staff throughout the experience to maintain safety. Students find that Solo provokes profound and powerful learning in a short period of time and often becomes one of the most memorable parts of their Outward Bound course.
Outward Bound courses vary in length from four to 85 days. On shorter courses, participants will receive an introduction to leadership skills, strength of character and a desire to serve while activities fill most of the time and the pace is quick. With longer courses, the same outcomes and benefits are achieved with the opportunity to reach a more profound level of mastery as there are more chances to develop technical skills, receive and implement feedback and further personal development. However many days the expedition lasts, the strength and impact of the experience lasts a lifetime.
Kayaking, backpacking and wilderness navigation techniques are great practice for the essential skills and habits that help prepare for new challenges at work, home and in the community. Outward Bound expeditions encourage students to:
Remain engaged and present, giving every challenge their best effort, even when the goal seems beyond reach.
Form a team and focus on the team effort.
Share responsibilities, communicate and lead. Leadership roles are shared within the group, and responsibilities rotate each day.
Find reserves of tenacity and compassion.
Outward Bound courses are designed to expand and stretch your limits so that every expedition is a true accomplishment and a memorable journey.
The largest inland sea in the world, the clear emerald green waters of Lake Superior offer a great variety of paddling conditions for sea kayakers. The Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area is a wilderness archipelago along the Canadian north shore of Lake Superior. A rugged and pristine landscape of sparkling, clear water, cliffs, pebble and sand beaches and numerous islands, it is the largest freshwater, protected marine environment in the world and an ideal destination to hone sea kayaking skills.
Superior Hiking Trail
On the southern edge of the massive granite rock formation known as the Canadian Shield, which runs from Minnesota all the way to Hudson Bay and the Northwest Territories, sits the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior.
The Superior Hiking Trail is a 296-mile footpath that largely follows the rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior on Minnesota's North Shore from Duluth to the Canadian border. Well-marked trails, campsites and challenging terrain make this a perfect thru-hike destination.
National Geographic says the Superior Hiking Trail “is the best long hike in the country between the Continental Divide and the Appalachian Trail.” At its lowest elevation, along the lakeshore, the trail is 602 feet above sea level. At its highest point the trail is 1,750 feet above sea level and more than 1,000 feet above Lake Superior. The Superior Hiking Trail is characterized by ascents to rock outcroppings and cliffs and descents into numerous river and creek valleys that feature abundant wildlife viewing opportunities.
Course Stories
I have grown and challenged myself
I have grown and challenged myself during this course and I am more focused on things I can do to challenge myself in life. I will carry this experience with me as a positive reminder on the lessons of life and the importance of challenging myself.
— ZachVoyageur Outward Bound School Alum
You are stronger and more capable than you think you are.
What did I learn from my Outward Bound experience? Just because there's an easy way, it doesn't mean it's the one you can or should take. When it doesn't seem like there's a clear path, by pausing and looking again, new paths can appear. You are stronger and more capable than you think you are. If you can't get out of it, get into it. Living purposefully and intentionally allows me to become more fully whole and human. You can't control what others will do or what will happen to them (or to you), all you can do right now, in this very moment, is to be here right now and to enjoy it for what it is.
— DanielVoyageur Outward Bound School Alum
Every ritual, routine and challenge were exactly what the doctor ordered.
Every ritual, routine and challenge were exactly what the doctor ordered. I could not dare accomplish this without our Instructors. They knew exactly when to step in with support and encouragement. It was if they were in my head and knew what I needed.
— DabneyVoyageur Outward Bound School Alum
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To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.