Winter Expedition
Winter trimester, 6 days of travel in the BWCAW by snowshoe and ski.
Winter expedition places students in the BWCAW at a time when most of the water is frozen and the temperature rarely rises to anywhere near 20 degrees F. Students spend the week learning to adapt to living in the winter while spending most of their time dealing with issues of safe shelter, potable water, travel in difficult conditions and the personal struggle of staying dry and warm. By the end of the week students have gained a confidence and awareness...
Along with the personal growth experienced during the study the curricular goals of the Winter Expedition fall into two areas:
WILDERNESS
What is the role of wilderness in America today? What are the tensions on this (BWCAW) piece of wilderness? How does living in the wilderness change or reinforce your perspective? We begin by investigating definitions of wilderness held by the students and move to a more historical perspective. Aesthetic as well as pragmatic values are compared and students are encouraged to find their place in the national wilderness dialog.
BWCAW AS A WILDERNESS IN-BETWEEN
The BWCAW has a special place in the United State's wilderness scheme. Its uniqueness as a water system and its placement between the vast wilderness settings of the west and the small isolated ones of the east make it a special place. We will characterize this place and study how it functions during the season that sees few visitors.
- List of personal equipment
- A basic Description of the Expedition
- A copy of a note for parents during the expedition
- Learning circles and how they work in rich text format (rtf)
Day 1:
Depart on Saturday morning. Travel to the Ely area by van. Lunch in Ely.
Put in on Saturday on Snowbank Lake
During the balance of the study:
Travel as needed form site to site. Pull gear in sleds.
Bushwhacking by snowshoe/ ski across portages and on unused trails
Snow shelter, trench shelter, lean-to camping in the snow
Cross country skiing on lakes when possible
Eavesdrop on local wolves? Investigate winter ecology and BW history.
Star gazing on frozen lakes.
Outdoor cooking in bug-free environment.
On our out-day:
Hike out, stop by a lodge for some camper showers, breakfast in Ely
Drive home in vans. Arrive home around 6:00pm