Pathfinder Boundary Waters Canoeing & Backpacking
Discover your strengths and develop skills that will shape your future on this 30-day canoeing and backpacking expedition.
Intentionally focused on character development, personal leadership, self-awareness and accountability, this expedition is designed to cultivate confident and compassionate young adults. While you’ll certainly acquire an extensive range of practical outdoor and life skills, even more important is the confidence, independence and pride that comes from mastering those skills. Learn to take risks, take ownership for your actions and identify your own strengths–all amidst the stunning Minnesota wilderness. Prior to completion of the course, participate in a facilitated conversation where your whole family can gain insight into your experience and discuss how your newfound knowledge will transfer back to your daily life.
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.
UPCOMING COURSES
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For detailed information on course availability statuses and what they mean, click here.
Course # VMPF-362
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $7,695
Dates 7.17.23 - 8.15.23
Course # VMPF-363
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $7,695
Dates 9.18.23 - 10.17.23
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.
I entered this course with the hope that I would grow and learn but had very little idea how. I hoped that I would gain confidence and courage, I hoped that I’d find my way. But this course was hard. I was uncomfortable. And that was the greatest gift Outward Bound could have given me. There is little room for growth within your comfort zone and miles and miles and miles of growth out there, in the wilderness. And out there you also find lessons about concepts you never even thought of. I could probably write a book on the things I’ve learned during these 30 days!
Learn the art of paddling a canoe on an extended expedition through a variety of conditions. You’ll practice and learn map and compass reading, route finding and Recreate Responsibly principles. Groups navigate a variety of waterways such as lakes, rivers and swamps, as well as working as a team to carry packs and canoes over portage trails when transitioning from one lake to another or to get safely around challenging rapids. Traveling by canoe allows groups to go far beyond where motorboats operate. Once there, it is possible to quietly observe bald eagles, moose and peaceful sunsets on mirror-calm lakes.
On the southern edge of the massive Canadian Shield, a granite rock formation that runs from Minnesota to Hudson Bay and the Northwest Territories, sits the largest freshwater lake in the world: Lake Superior. The Superior Hiking Trail follows the northern shore of Lake Superior from Duluth, Minnesota to Canada, covering almost 300 miles along the low-lying Sawtooth Mountain range. Students spend four to six 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.
Note: In an effort to adhere to CDC guidelines for social distancing and to limit interaction with the public while on course, the backpacking course area may be slightly adjusted from the Superior Hiking Trail.
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 encourage the expansion of their comfort zone.
The incredible ropes course is located 30 feet in the air and looks out over the top of the boreal forest. 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. This opportunity creates space for students to challenge themselves while being supported by their team after their expedition experience.
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 your crew plenty of support.
At one point during the expedition students are provided a secluded spot to reflect alone, with all the food, skills and supplies they need, and are monitored by staff throughout the experience to maintain safety. We call this part of course, Solo. 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. 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.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
Established in 1978, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a labyrinth of lakes and rock that has been specifically protected as a true American wilderness. No roads, power lines or motorized craft may enter its borders. Therefore, the Boundary Waters wilderness has changed little since its unveiling when the glaciers melted 10,000 years ago.
Over one million acres in size, the BWCAW extends 150 miles along the Minnesota/Canadian border. With over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites and more than 1,000 lakes and streams, the BWCAW is a truly amazing place to experience the wilderness. It contains portage-linked lakes and streams, interspersed with islands, forests and crags. It has no piped water, prepared shelters, or signs to point the way. Within these borders you can canoe, portage and camp as the native peoples and French-Canadian Voyageurs did before you. The Boundary Waters' paddling routes offer outstanding opportunities for solitude, remoteness, teamwork, adventure and challenge. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) nations.
Superior Hiking Trail, Minnesota
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. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Métis and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) nations.
Course Stories
I entered this course with the hope that I would grow and learn but had very little idea how. I hoped that I would gain confidence and courage, I hoped that I’d find my way. But this course was hard. I was uncomfortable. And that was the greatest gift Outward Bound could have given me. There is little room for growth within your comfort zone and miles and miles and miles of growth out there, in the wilderness. And out there you also find lessons about concepts you never even thought of. I could probably write a book on the things I’ve learned during these 30 days!
On my pathfinder journey, I learned many things about myself. I learned that I can do anything I set my mind to & I can push myself further than I ever believed possible. I am the master of my own destiny and how I act and portray myself greatly affects the outcome. I appreciate the chance I got to spent 30 days and 30 nights with eight other people searching for answers to questions we didn’t even know we had.
On this experience I learned a lot about myself as well as how to live and work with a group of people. All of us came from different backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. We learned how to use those strengths to benefit the group. We learned how to manage and support others through their struggles. Although Outward Bound is challenging, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment like no other when you finish. And you definitely see the parallels of the simple tasks in the back country to the complex situations life throws at you in the front country.
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Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
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.