Summer

2011
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness, Ojibwe Canoe
Experience, June 4th – June 13th
or July 25 – Aug 3
th rd

Extension Department

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community

College

3/29/2011
 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,

Ojibwe Canoe Experience, June 4th – June 13th, or July 25th – Aug 3rd, 2011

Description

Summer in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In our part of the country the Boundary
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is identified as a true wilderness setting. It is a place
in which to enjoy the unspoiled nature of the North Woods. During our trip we will encounter
other paddlers, black flies and mosquitoes, but for the most part we should have this
extraordinary wilderness area to ourselves. The BWCAW is beautiful anytime of year, but since
we are traveling during the summertime we are sure to see and hear wolves, bears, moose,
beaver, otter, muskrat, and a variety of birds. We will experience a northern setting in which the
Ojibwe have paddled and lived for centuries.

Our trip will begin at entry point 16 Moose River Portage and will conclude roughly 70 miles
away at entry point 24 Fall Lake. We will experience six days and five nights of canoeing and
camping along a route that inlcudes rivers, lakes, waterfalls, pictographs and several portages
(the longest portage is one mile). Our paddling should be no more than 10-14 miles per day with
ample time for you to enjoy nature.
Objectives

These trips are separate and they have several outcomes in mind:

1. Serve as an introduction to Ojibwe culture, and can serve as a model for the development of
your own inquiry into Wisconsin’s Native cultures.

2. Provide an opportunity to learn about Ojibwe culture in a wilderness setting.

3. Designed to have you begin thinking about “wilderness” and Native cultures and their roles in
historic and contemporary American culture.

4. Designed to provide both leadership and teamwork experience.

Meeting these goals requires commitment and work that exceeds the normal load for a college
workshop. That being said these workshops offer the opportunity to experience an unforgettable
college workshop offering in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Materials

Each participant should consider the following texts and materials:

Canoe country camping: wilderness skills for the Boundary Waters and Quetico / Michael
Furtman; illustrated by Susan Robinson. Duluth, MN: Pfeifer-Hamilton, c1992.

Field Notebook/Sketchbook and drawing/writing materials (to be described at first meeting)

There will be other materials required for this course and a full list of required gear will be
provided several weeks before our departure. Following are several items from this list that you
should acquire now. You will need a pair of hard-soled, over the ankle hiking boots/shoes which
are well broken in. These boots will be used for portaging canoes and equipment and must
protect your ankles. You should have walked at least 50 miles in these shoes before the trip. A
camera and binoculars are also highly recommended.

Requirements and Regulations

During this course the BWCAW will be our classroom and as such we will require standards of
behavior appropriate to the classroom at all times. Drinking of alcoholic beverages is strictly
prohibited during the trip. If smoking is required by some individuals it will be allowed during
predetermined break times only. Finally, absolutely NO FIREARMS or LARGE RAMBO
KNIVES (pocketknife ok) will be allowed.

The BWCAW can be a dangerous place. You will be expected to be familiar with basic canoe
and wilderness camping safety protocols BEFORE we depart and to that end will be given a
safety quiz covering canoe safety. The safety quiz will be administered approximately two days
before leaving; a 90% score is required to pass - you will have a second opportunity to pass the
test should you fail it on your first attempt.
In conjunction with safety considerations, each person must be physically prepared to handle the
outdoor challenges associated with this course. You will be subjected to strenuous periods of
exercise under harsh climatic conditions. To ensure that you will be able to participate in this
course you should be certain that you are physically up to the task before leaving. To test
yourself, I recommend the following guideline - attempt to walk/run 3 miles in less than 40
minutes; if it's impossible, or makes you extremely uncomfortable, you should begin a serious
walking program immediately.

Fees and Registration

Registration in this course requires the signature/recommendation of any of the following: Dave
Bisonette, Jason Bisonette or Mike DeMarr. Space is limited and will be filled by referring to a
priority system involving factors such as Tribal Membership, extent of field experience and other
factors. Applications for the Workshop/Trip will be available before the end of March in the
spring semester of 2011. Applications and your deposit are due by April 29th. You will be
notified of your acceptance into the Workshop/Trip by the first week in May.

The workshop is offered as part of the LCOOCC's summer workshop offerings. While there are
no tuition fees for this workshop, there are fees associated with course travel and food. A fee of
$40.00, payable to the college, is required of each participant. This fee covers: transportation to
and from our field sites, camping fees, and all meals while in the field. It does not cover
personal incidental costs such as snacks, souvenirs, additional book purchases, etc., and you
should plan to bring additional "pocket" money to offset such expenses. A partially refundable
deposit of $55.00 is due at the time that registration is finalized. Any unexpended portion of
your travel fee will be returned to you at the end of the field portion of the course.

In addition, there are only 14 seats available for this trip, as we are limited by the number of
individuals allowed by our permits. We will take participant names on a first come first served
basis. If there are already 14 people registered, your name can be placed on a standby list. If
you are on standby you will be notified if someone on the main list has decided not to go.
 Workshop Schedule (Tentative)

The workshop activities will be divided in the following way.

June 4th or July 25th: Skills Day 1 (LCOOCC)

8:00 AM Course Introduction
Gear Lists
Route
Emergency Contact Information & Releases
Leave No Trace Ethics
12:00 PM Skills Portion
Duluth Pack/Gear Packing
Tent Set Up
June 5th or July 26th: Skills Day 2 (Chippewa Flowage)
8:00 AM Canoe Load/Unload
Paddle Strokes
Camp Selection
12:00 PM Camp Lunch
Canoe Rescue
Canoe Portage

June 6th or July 27th: Travel Day 1

8:00 AM Depart LCOOCC
3:00 PM Arrive BWCAW

June 7th – 12th or July 28th – Aug 2nd: Trip Days 1-6
7:00 AM Wake Up
Camp Tear Down
Breakfast
Morning Class
Paddle
Lunch
Afternoon Class
Paddle
Camp Selection
Tent Set Up
Evening Meal
Evening Class
Personal time

June 13th or Aug 3rd: Travel Day 2

8:00 AM Depart BWCAW
3:00 PM Arrive LCOOCC
Gear Turn In
Evaluations
Gear Cleaning
 LCOOCC, Extension Department
13466 W Trepania Rd, Hayward, WI 54843
715-634-4790 ext 196
alarson@lco.edu

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Ojibwe Canoe Experience

HOW TO REGISTER
Please fill out this form and drop it off in person or mail with
a check or money order at the Extension Department.
If you have any questions, please call 715-634-4790 ext 196.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOUR TRIP
Upon receipt of your Registration Form, we will send you
a detailed packet of registration materials, including a
medical form that your health care provider must fi ll out
and return us before your trip.

Until all necessary forms have been signed and returned

To LCO Ojibwa Community College, we will be unable to
guarantee your spot on the trip.
PERSONAL INFORMATION

First name:
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Last name: Trip fees include food, site permits, sites, and most
equipment.
Street address: Fees do not include personal clothing and other personal
gear or transportation to and from the college.
City:

State: Zip Code:

Phone number:
PAYMENT IN FULL
E-mail address:
Non-refundable Registration Fee
Fax number: Plus refundable deposit ($55) $ ________

Age: Gender: OR

DEPOSIT ONLY

Refundable Deposit ($15). $ ________

TRIP SELECTION
We will have two trips during the summer 2011.
First Trip, June 4th – 13th ; Second Trip, July 25th – Aug 3rd.
TOTAL ENCLOSED $ _________
First Choice
Trip number: Trip date:
Personal Equipment Expenses
If my fi rst-choice trip is full I’d like to take: Your expenses for personal items should be fairly
minimal. Personal equipment includes footwear and
Second Choice: clothing. We’ll supply you with a list of items you need.
Trip number: Trip date:
BWCAW GEAR LIST
Personal gear should be serviceable, durable and simple. Special care should be taken when deciding the
quality and quantity gear that you bring. Remember, there’s no Walmart around the corner, and more
importantly, you’ll have to portage (carry) every thing you bring.
When choosing personal clothing items, please keep in mind the varied temperature range of northern
Minnesota, where nighttime extremes may be in the 40’s and daytime temperatures may be in the 90’s.
Please follow these rules when choosing the rights gear:
1) Cotton Kills – cotton clothing retains water and is extremely slow to dry- AVOID COTTON
2) Everything you bring must be carried on your or your partners back – Leave the Sink at home!
3) Don’t skimp on quality, especially on Rain Gear and Wet Shoes
4) Murphy’s Law- If it can be broken, torn or lost-IT WILL – have gear that can be mended while in
the field
5) Ask questions – When in doubt about the “need” of an object - ask
6) If one layer of waterproofing is good, two is better – Completely soaked clothing is not fun,
especially when it's already raining

LCOOCC Supplied Gear:

1) Canoe
2) Paddles*
3) PFD (wearable life jacket)*
4) Duluth Pack*
5) Camp Kitchen Equipment
6) Throw bags
7) Tents
8) Sleeping Pads (therma rests)*
9) Camp Gear, i.e. Tarps/Bear Hang Ropes
10) First Aid Kit
11) Sewing Kit
12) Filet Knife
13) Food
*Personal Gear may be taken instead of LCOOCC gear*
Required Personal Gear:
1) Wet Shoes (to be worn in the water and on portage)
2) Dry Shoes (to be worn in camp only)
3) Long Sleeve Shirt – Fleece (light or medium weight)
4) Long Sleeve Shirt – Fleece (heavy weight)
5) Short Sleeve Shirt x 2
6) Quick Dry Pants (nylon)
7) Ball or Sun Hat
8) Winter Stocking Cap
9) Quick Dry Shorts
10) Heavy Wool Socks x 2 pair
11) Rain Gear – Top and Bottoms
12) Sunglasses
13) Sun Screen
14) Wide Mouth Water Bottle
15) Spoon/ Fork/ Bowl
16) Plastic Coffee Mug

Recommended/ Optional Personal Gear:

1) Fishing Gear
2) Camp Chair (crazy creek)
3) Camera
4) Hygiene Kit (biodegradables only)
5) Eye Glasses instead of contacts
6) Chap Stick
7) Sunscreen
8) Book
9) Medications in water tight/proof container
10) Money for the stop in Ely, MN
11) Bug Spray
12) Bug Shirt

Prohibited Personal Gear:

1) Fire Arms and Fireworks
2) Large Rambo Knives (small pocket knife ok)
3) Offensive materiel