Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW)

Over 10,000 years ago, continental-sized glaciers scraped their way across much of Ontario and northern Minnesota leaving deep ruts, ravines, and holes in their tracks. Eventually, as the glaciers melted, these ravines filled with water, creating a seemingly endless interconnected web of lakes and rivers.

In 1978, the United States designated over 1-million acres of this Northern Minnesota landscape as a protected wilderness area called the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Because no roads, power lines, or motorized craft may enter its borders, the BWCAW has remained relatively unchanged since the glaciers receded. The BWCAW extends nearly 150 miles along the Canadian border and encompasses more than 1,000 lakes and rivers. Over 1,200 miles of navigable routes lead to over 2,200 campsites and provide an unparalleled opportunity to travel by canoe and dogsled.

In the winter, the BWCAW transforms into an even more severe and remote wilderness. While more difficult, winter enthusiasts’ travel over frozen lakes and rivers by dogsled, cross-country ski and snowshoe. Winter in the Boundary Waters is mesmerizing, peaceful, and exhilarating. It is a place of spectacular extremes, trackless snow, bracing cold air, glowing warm embers, and powerful silence.

Homeplace, Voyageur Outward Bound School Basecamp, Minnesota

Homeplace is located at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. Situated where the Kawishiwi River meets Birch Lake in the Superior National Forest, the Voyageur Outward Bound School basecamp provides an ideal location for launching/ending BWCAW paddling and dogsledding trips, and practicing white water paddling skills. The surrounding boreal forest also makes Homeplace a great location for spotting moose, wolves, beavers, deer, woodpeckers, eagles and black bear.

Canoeing – It’s possible to canoe to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans from the Voyageur Outward Bound School basecamp in land-locked northern Minnesota. These journeys, which take anywhere from 3 months or longer, always begin in northern Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW); a million-acre protected expanse of interconnected lakes and rivers. It is also one of the most historically significant and remote wilderness areas in North America.

Because all Voyageur Outward Bound School canoeing courses are un-resupplied, groups paddle with absolutely everything they will need for their entire expedition, allowing students to journey deep into the wilderness. This type of extended wilderness experience, along with our highly-trained Instructors, help students develop and refine new expedition skills, cultivate a deep connection with the environment, form meaningful friendships, and develop a better understanding themselves through challenge and discovery.

During a Voyageur Outward Bound School canoeing expedition, students learn a variety of paddling skills to contend with diverse weather and waterway conditions as they canoe from campsite to campsite. Wind speeds tend to increase around noon and sometimes remain strong throughout the day. For this reason, groups will often rise early to take advantage of flat waters in the morning and then enjoy a longer lunch break as they wait for the windiest part of the day to pass. Paddling partners work together to steer and power their boats through rivers, swamps and lakes, usually traveling between 8 and 20 miles a day. Students also learn how to portage, navigate with a map and compass, cook over a fire or stove, and employ Leave No Trace® wilderness ethics.

Course End – All courses end with a shower, graduation ceremony and celebration dinner. Shower facilities are available at the basecamp.

The following is an example of what your course itinerary may look like. Your actual itinerary will vary according to weather, student skills and abilities, and instructor preferences.

Day 1: The course begins at the Duluth Airport before transporting to your first campsite near the Voyageur Outward Bound School basecamp in northern MN. Meet your Outward Bound Instructors, organize your equipment, eat dinner and sleep in tents.

Day 2: Participate in a half-day of rock climbing at a stunning outdoor rock climbing site before entering the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to begin the expedition. Learn to paddle and portage a canoe, set up camp, and cook over a fire. Travel until it’s time to set up camp each night.

Days 3-4: Continue paddling and portaging from campsite to campsite as you refine your wilderness skills and get to know your group.

Day 5: Experience Solo. Take time to rest and reflect at your own little campsite on the shore of a lake. You will not travel during this time and your Instructors will check on you occasionally.

Day 6: Travel back to the Voyageur Outward Bound School basecamp. Clean your expedition equipment, experience the high ropes course, and enjoy sleeping in a bunkhouse.

Day 7: Shower and attend a graduation ceremony before enjoying a final banquet celebration.

Day 8: Eat an early breakfast and depart for the airport to travel home.

In addition to the expedition itself and all of the skills and learning associated with it, Outward Bound’s time-tested curriculum includes education on the many aspects of personal growth and learning that can be found in each activity you undertake. You will learn four important Outward Bound Core Values:

• Compassion
• Integrity
• Excellence
• Inclusion and Diversity

You may find that the most important lessons you take home are learning about yourself and your community while acquiring backcountry skills and having an adventure.You’ll learn to protect and appreciate the unique, unspoiled environments through which you travel.

Successful completion of your course demands mastery of skills, trust, fitness, confidence, tenacity, leadership, initiative and compassion. The promotion of these qualities and the discovery of what’s in you is the purpose of Outward Bound.

Skills To Thrive

Colleges are looking beyond tests and grades—they are seeking students with character. Here are some elements of character that your program and our research will explore

• Open-mindedness– willingness to try new things
• Initiative– preference to start tasks promptly
• Resilience– rebounding from unexpected situations and changing circumstances 
• Self-control– monitor and control thoughts and actions, and what to say to others 
• Social awareness– responding to everyday situations appropriately
• Teamwork– engaging in supportive behaviors and emphasizing empathy that enables productive collaboration

Assets For College

This program will provide you with some value assets for college preparation and admission:

• Outward Bound Character Expedition: To highlight in the admissions process
• Personal Reflection: To articulate self-discovery
• Outward Bound Character Certificate: To demonstrate character program completion
• Character Recommendation: To explain your Outward Bound character experience
• Character Publication, Video, and Social: To elevate, validate, and share your growth and research participation

Roundtable

One of the most valuable aspects of this experience happens after the expedition. You’ll have a chance to continue growing your leadership after your expedition. You’ll convene with students and leaders from other participating schools to share your expedition experience and insight with one another, EMA, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and college admissions decision-makers. This is an opportunity for you to lead change and advance character in college admissions. This isn’t just an outdoor trip. It’s an opportunity to shape the future.

Minnesota’s weather can be unpredictable with a wide range of temperatures.  In the summer the temperature tends to stay between 60 and 85 degrees. Summer brings occasional thunderstorms and rain showers. Expect cooler evenings, misty mornings, occasional rainstorms, and hot days perfect for swimming.

Click here for more information about Preventing Illness on Your Expedition 

Please utilize the resource below to physically and mentally prepare for your course. The more preparation you do, the better your experience will be! 

VOBS Course Preparation Guide

Camp & Shelter Setup for Spring, Summer, and Fall Courses:

Campsites in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the St. Croix River, and on the Superior Hiking Trail contain tent sites, fire grates, and pit toilets. After arriving at your campsite in the evening, you'll care for your feet, gather lots of firewood, and set up tents for sleeping in and tarps for sheltering gear and yourselves in inclement weather. You'll cook your food over an open fire and gather for evening meetings. On St. Croix courses you may cook over a camp stove instead of a fire.  

Preparing and eating tasty meals in the backcountry is part of the Outward Bound experience.  

Under your instructors' supervision, you and your crew will prepare group meals in a camp setting over an open fire on a US Forest Service firegrate. Meals are eaten as a group and may start off with group announcements, appreciations, or an inspirational quote. We use this time together to reflect on the successes and challenges of the day and to plan what is to come for the following day.   

Your group will travel with all the food you need for your expedition. For some longer courses, our support staff meet up with your group in the wilderness to restock your food. This meet up is called a “re-supply.” 

Our courses are physically rigorous, and our meals emphasize protein and carbohydrates to re-fuel your body. All course food is packable and non-perishable. We use a mix of dehydrated foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Our goal is to provide meals that are familiar. However, we ask that you be open to trying foods that may be new to you. 

Participants should not bring their own food or snacks unless authorized to do so by your Course Advisor.   

Our Food Pack Out Process  

All meals at Outward Bound are cooked outdoors in remote camp settings. We work diligently to provide familiar and tasty foods, and we acknowledge that our food options are limited while we are on expedition, away from our supply facilities.  

We depend on clear and accurate food allergy and dietary restrictions disclosed during the admission process to adequately plan and pack your group’s meals and snacks before your course start. Our processes are not designed to accommodate last minute dietary requests or to loosen dietary restrictions originally disclosed.  

Dietary Restriction Options

• We can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and various other dietary restrictions
• Soy Milk (Oat milk for those with soy allergies)
• Sunflower butter and nut-free trail mix for those with nut allergies
• Beans and hummus for vegetarians and dairy-free/vegan options
• Gluten-free noodles and oats (all our granola is gluten-free)

MEALS AT OUTWARD BOUND

The following list represents common meals at Voyageur Outward Bound (this is not a menu)

Breakfasts

• Granola (locally made in Ely, MN) with milk (powder)
• Oatmeal with fixins’ (raisins, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, sugar)
• Cheesy Grits
• Grape Nuts cereal with Milk (optional: add honey or vanilla pudding powder)

Lunch

• Bagels and cream cheese
• Pepperoni or Summer Sausage with cheese on tortillas
• PB&J Tortillas
• Hummus & Tuna & Crackers
• Bean and Cheese Burrito
• Extras: Trail mix (GORP)/ Dried Fruit

Dinner

• Refried Beans and Rice with peppers and fresh salsa
• Spaghetti: Noodles with tomato sauce and veggies
• Pesto Pasta
• Peanut Noodle Stir Fry
• Voyageur Stew: lentils, rice, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage with a side of biscuits
• Chili and Cornbread
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Chili Mac
• Curry with potatoes, lentils, and carrots

Snacks & Extras

• Apples
• Dried Fruits
• Trail Mixes 
• Flappers (homemade “granola bars”)
• Chocolate Cake
• Brownies
• Cornbread
• Biscuits
• Bread

Drinks

• Tea (both bags and house-made chai mix)
• Cocoa
• Coffee
• Drink Mixes (Lemon-Lime and Orange)

Maintaining personal hygiene in the wilderness is important and is taught on every course. You will be outside while on course and won't have access to a shower or bath. You will be able to do basic cleanup every day: brush your teeth, wash your face and comb your hair. At the end of your course, you will be able to do a more thorough cleanup.

As the Voyageur Outward Bound School is an outdoor program, you can expect to learn and use Leave No Trace camping techniques. Know that it is natural to have questions regarding sanitation in an outdoor setting. Your instructors will answer your questions and will teach you the hygienic and environmentally safe way to dispose of waste as well as techniques for basic cleanliness - don't hesitate to approach them with any questions or concerns.