Anyone been to Northern Tier High Adventure recently ?

[Mike R.]

Thanks for your input, Chief Decorah. The one thing I thought I had made a definitive decision about was using a private outfitter rather than NT but in lieu of your high recommendation I'll keep my options open. We have almost a year to make the decision.

 

By the end of next summer I'll have a better idea what my boys can handle. We've scheduled three canoe training campouts. The first is two days on a lake, the second is three days (25 miles) on a creek and the third is a five day "50 Miler" on both. On the second and third they have to pack all their gear in the canoes and paddle to the campsites. It won't be BWCAW or Quetico but it should give us all some idea what we're ready for.

[BrentAllen]

I don't know if you can access this photo album without permission, but if you can, it is a great album of a local Troop's trek to Bissett (through Northern Tier). You can check out the gear NT provided. Let me know if the link works and you can get in.

 

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=6dyfsmz.beo20hqj&Uy=vvh4l&Ux=1&UV=658906882546_263994069503

[Mike R.]

Brent, the link worked and I viewed the pics. Very nice. Thanks

[Chief Decorah]

Glad to help, Mike. Northern Tier does a nice job and it's run the Scouting way. I think you'll be happy with them if that's the way you go.

 

One other thing... you don't really have a year before you have to decide on where and when you want to go in 2010. NT starts accepting reservations for 2010 treks around April 1, 2009. It's a phone-in system that will get you a busy signal for a while (unless you're really lucky), but usually after an hour or so of trying, you'll get a staff member at the base to take your reservation.

 

Getting your reservation made on the first day gives you the best selection of dates, but you could certainly call after April 1st and have a very large number of dates. The farther away you get from April 1st, the less options you'll have. I suggest picking dates for your trek within the next few months so you can make the call to NT right away in April.

 

Again, good luck with your planning.

[DonM]

I wanted to chime in my agreement with Chief Decorah as I didn't want my earlier comment to be seen as putting down Northern Tier generally.

 

Three to a canoe is definitely a good idea for the reasons he gave. We found it to be critical paddling into a 20+ mph head wind.

 

In addition to other first aid issues, NT provides radios with each crew, instructions for establishing contact in remote areas, and constant monitoring of the radios. If you go with an outside group, find out how they handle emergency communication.

 

Also, the scouts like working toward the Triple Crown - Northern Tier, Sea Base, and Philmont.

 

Despite the minor issues we had, I would still do Northern Tier again.