A sense of adventure and spirit of giving is inspiring a new generation of wilderness explorers.
Four young women will set off from the Gunflint Trail on May 29th for a 1,239-mile trip to Hudson Bay. The “Journey 4 Renewal” expedition is raising funds for Wilderness Canoe Base, a beloved summer camp where the long-time operators are now trying to purchase the property from the long-time owners.
All of the paddlers are past staff members at the camp. Tessa Larson, Chelsea Froemke, Steph Branchaud, and Whitney Vogel believe Wilderness Canoe Base “changes people’s lives in amazing and wonderful ways.” So far, they have raised about $10,000 of their $50,000 goal. The camp needs to raise $1.2 million total to purchase the property.
“We want to try to raise an awareness of Wilderness Canoe Base and how it has been a formative part of our lives,” Tessa Larson told Northern Wilds. “We want to show other women that they can do this, too.”
The trip will take the group along the Border Route to Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods. From there, they will follow other rivers to Lake Winnipeg, paddle up the huge lake, and then follow more rivers to York Factory. An interactive route map is available here.
Along the way, they will not only paddle for about 75 days, shoot rapids, carry over portages, and camp in the wilderness, but they will also lead community sing-alongs and create art.
More information is available on their website and Facebook page.