When: July 17-25, 2024
Where: Boundary Waters, Northern Minnesota
Cost: Estimate of $2,100 per person
Spots remaining: 1 (1 Scout spot remaining)
Where to upload photos
Not Crew specific: Usual "Scouting at Oak Grove" shared photo album at https://photos.app.goo.gl/j8kn5GzY2vXFSAjp7 (linked from oakgrovescouting.org/photos )
Crew specific: Share to both "Scouting at Oak Grove" and the album for your Crew
For all albums, be sure you visit the album's "⋮ More options" menu, "Options", and choose to "Share photo locations"
Swim Test info added below
Updated payment deadlines and details are below
Handbooks
Advisor Handbook (all attending adults should read through . . . as you will skim over parts that don't pertain to us it is a fast read)
Participant Handbook (all Scouts should read)
A form to capture your questions or ideas has been added here.
PowerPoint presentation from our August meeting
Northern Tier in-person meeting is Tuesday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. Meet in Scout Hall. Agenda is . . .
Crew Formation
Paddle and Portage Training Dates
Payments
Wilderness First Aid and CPR Training (All adults must get and older youth are highly encouraged to get. We will need 3 people on every crew to get this training)
Gear prep
Travel and Logistics
Fill remaining slots (it is to our benefit!)
Interested in going to Northern Tier, but haven't let us know yet?
Click on the "Register your Interest Here" button above, complete the info and then email akrafty@me.com
Pay the deposit and the first payment ($650 total) as instructed below. All money is non-refundable, unless all spots are filled.
Northern Tier is the premier BSA experience for canoeing. Paddling in North America's Canoe Country is a time like no other. With lakes stretching as far as the eye can see, all connected through a large web of waterways, we will paddle across them in specially designed tripping canoes. Completing short portages between waterways will get us from lake to lake as we explore the biodiversity of the Northern Boreal Forest unique to Northern Minnesota and Canada.
Wildlife, remoteness, beautiful camping, fishing, and maybe even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights! Join us!
Each of our crews can have up to 8 people, with 2-3 of those being adults. We will also have a guide with us the entire time we are paddling and camping. Each canoe has three people in it. The person in the back steers, the person in the front provides paddling power, and the person in the middle navigates with the map and takes a break. Those positions rotate within the canoe and people can switch between canoes during the trip.
Who is eligible to participate?
Those who are 14 or 13 years old AND have completed 8th grade by the time of arrival at Northern Tier.
Weight between 100 - 295 pounds. If a participant weighs less than 100 or more than 295 that person cannot participate.
Adults
We are glad you want to go and we need adults to particpate (2-3 per crew)! Know that for this trip and others where there could be limited space, those who have given the most time and effort to T77, T177 or Venture Crew 77 are prioritized to participate. If you want to learn more ways you can volunteer, please contact the Committee Chair, Scoutmaster, or Advisor for T77, T177, or Crew.
When you sign up recognize that you are expressing your interest in participating, but are not guaranteed to participate. When registration ends, the Crew Leadership will review the signup list to finalize who will participate.
If you do not meet the criteria you will not be able to go. There will be more trips in the future!
Our trip includes a 7-night trek . . .
Day 1 / July 17 - Fly to Minnesota
Experience some sights in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St Paul
Stay overnight
Day 2 / July 18- Travel to Northern Tier to begin our adventure
Stay overnight at Northern Tier
Day 3-8 /July 19-23 - Paddle and Camp
Day 8 / July 24 - Return to Northern Tier base and stay overnight
Day 9 / July 25 - Drive to airport and fly home
Total estimate is $2,100 per person (sell Camp Cards!)
$886 per person is the Northern Tier outfitter cost
assumes an 8 person crew for a total cost of $7,085 per crew. If there is 8 or less, the cost that is covered by each crew is still $7,085.
$603 airfare
$395 Roundtrip transport to and from airport, lodging in Minnesota before Northern Tier, and activities.
$150 Crew Gear and fluff
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Optional: Add $110 per person if a crew wants to paddle and camp in Canada, offering a more remote and wild experience. More on that later.
Personal expenses
Enroute meals and expenses - $75
Gear costs (e.g. boots, dry bag) - $150, but dependent on your current gear.
All of these numbers are estimates but should be close and hopefully a little high. Some estimates depend on our final number of participants.
We have one youth spot remaining. Encourage your fellow Scouts to consider registering!
Payment Schedule
3/28 - Initial Deposit $150 due (check made out to Andrew Kraft or PayPal account).
September 1 - $500 is due (Check made out to Andrew Kraft)
March 1 - Hotel and flight payment is due ($800) (Make check to BSA Troop 77)
April 10, 2024 - Remaining balance is due (~$600) (Make check to BSA Troop 77)
Crew formation (September, 2023)
Some of the crews may form naturally due to existing patrols or the age of youth. However, it likely will not work out perfectly for some or all crews. When you commit to signing up and paying a deposit, know that the mix of your crew may end up being different than what you may have initially wanted. Give it a chance. Be flexible. Know that you are going to have an awesome adventure no matter who is on your crew . . . maybe even a better experience.
Cancellation and refunds
Once each payment is made to Northern Tier there is no refund for that money. If all slots are replaced in the end, then money can be refunded to those who canceled)
For flights and hotel, there may be some options.
Consider getting Trip Insurance
Check out the Northern Tier website and the last video from our Venture Crew (below).
To help offset some of the trip cost, selling Camp Cards and doing some work between now and the trip to earn some money are all great strategies to help lessen the cost! In addition, if you are in need of a scholarship, submit a written request to your Scoutmaster or Crew Advisor.
During the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024 we will do our shakedown paddles and practices.
When we fly in and out of Minnesota, Blue Sky will host us. Check out the details here.
Northern Tier 2024 Coordinator: Andrew Kraft, 678-778-5824, akrafty@me.com
High Adventure Coordinator for Venture Crew: Clinton Cole, (678) 595-3332, ctcole0308@gmail.com
Northern Tier and Venture Crew Advisor: Mitch Leff, (404) 861-4769, mitch@leffassociates.com
Wilderness First Aid- For the links below, for the ARC and SOLO classes, the link goes to the same page. Find the correct vendor towards the bottom of the page. Notice that every class is two days. For the ARC classes you have a choice for the first day.
CPR
Youth Protection Training and Hazardous Weather Training - Both courses are online, at my.scouting.org. Help in accessing those classes can be found here.
Winter 2024 BSA Swim Testing
Attention Scouts and parents! The Troop is offering an additional swim testing date for scouts who have not completed their BSA swim test in the last calendar year. This opportunity is primarily for those scouts and parents who plan on attending either the trip to the Okefenokee Swamp (Feb. 16-19) or the April paddling trip (April 13-14). The Troop will hold another large testing day to cover Summer Camp, Philmont, Northern Tier, and fall rafting trips.
Date and Time: February 3, 2024 - 11a - 1pm
Location: Dynamo Swim Club (3119 Shallowford Rd, Atlanta, GA 30341).
Swim tests are only good for a year and must be renewed. Every scout or adult planning on attending the spring paddling trips must have a valid BSA swim test on file. If you have questions about your testing status, please contact Eric Hoffman (Eric.A.Hoffman@gmail.com)
To sign up for a Winter Swim Test, please follow this LINK and complete the form so we can plan accordingly. Alternatively, you can go to:
Patagonia article about the efforts to protect teh boundary waters from a mining project. Beautiful photos included.