Five members from Ada Boy Scout Troop 124 completed a 10-day high adventure canoe trip to Northern Tier Canoe Base in Ely, Minnesota.
Northern Tier is a canoe base owned by the BSA and is on the Boundary Waters between Minnesota, Ontario, and Manitoba. The five members attending were Isaac Spar, Dexter Woods III, Jacob Butterfield, and adult leaders Don Spar, and Tom Lehman.
Over the course of 10 days, eight spent on the water, the group canoed over
77 miles and portaged there canoes around 17 times, one portage being over a
mile. All food, clothing, and equipment for the eight days was carried in
the canoes and portaged over land.
Upon arriving at Northern Tier on June 13 the group was met by staff and given an orientation. This is when the met their guide, which is called an interpreter.
The interpreter went over with the group what equipment was necessary for the trip and assisted in getting their other equipment from the supplies.
After breakfast the next morning the group got their canoes and were off. There was three people plus gear to a canoe, the interpreter stayed the whole trip with them.
Along the way the group saw many bald eagles with eaglets, swans with cygnets, beaver, deer, loons, and even watched a turtle laying eggs. There was also an opportunity to see ancient Native American drawings on a rock ledge.
Besides the opportunity to sharpen their canoeing and map reading skills the
boys and adults learned to work as a team.
On the ninth day they returned to base where they checked in their equipment and took a much needed shower, and had their first kitchen made meal in eight
days. In the evening they were treated to a program put on by the staff.
The morning of the 10th day the group had breakfast, packed up their gear and headed home. On the way home they made a few side trips, one to the Duluth Trading Company and the other to stop and buy fudge in Mackinaw City.
They arrived home on June 23.
