OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE | 2015

College is not just about what happens in the classroom. At Northland we get out and explore. This all starts with Outdoor Orientation. WHAT IS OO? WELCOME! New student orientation is for all first-year and transfer students. The Northland College faculty and program is made up of an on-campus orientation and the Outdoor staff, the Outdoor Orientation Orientation (OO) trips. New first-year students are required to Steering Committee, and all of participate in both the on-campus portion and in an OO trip. Transfer our student leaders would like to students (those arriving at Northland with more than 24 credits) are take this opportunity to welcome required to participate in either a one-day on-campus orientation or you to the Northland community. can choose to take a transfer orientation trip designed specifically for transfer students. The orientation program will help you become acclimated to Northland College, prepare for the first day of classes, offer opportunities to meet other new students, and answer any questions you have about living at Northland College. PLACE MATTERS The OO trip is designed to introduce you to other first-year As an environmental liberal arts students while exposing you to life in northern Wisconsin. All new college, Northland is intimately students must participate in one of these trips as part of graduation tied to its surrounding landscape. requirements. This guide features descriptions of this year’s trip Almost all of the OO trips are options—which includes everything from backcountry expeditions to within ninety miles of campus . Have some fun looking over your options! and the trips that do leave this radius intentionally incorporate practices to reduce the effects of the —and to help you begin creating your unique place at Northland. Make sure you register for your top three choices as soon as possible, as trips are first-come, first-served.

1 OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE | 2015 2015 SESSION DETAILS FALL ATHLETES This guide will help you understand Northland College’s unique orientation program and to tell you about the available trip options. If Your OO trip should not interfere with the start of fall practice. Use you have any questions as you look things over, please call one of the this as a guideline on which session following people: to attend. Check with your coach if you have any questions. Lucas Will, Orientation Coordinator Grace Krysinski, Outdoor Orientation Student Coordinator CROSS COUNTRY: session #1 [email protected] GOLF: check with your coach (715) 682-1846

SOCCER: session #1 Session 1: August 12-18 (5-day trips) VOLLEYBALL: session #1 or #2 August 12-25 (12-day trips) This session includes 5-day trips and extended 12-day trips. If you are a fall student athlete and would like to do an extended trip please check with your coach to see if this is possible. FINANCING HELP Session 2 : The Northland College Outdoor August 31-September 6 (5-day trips) Orientation Grant Program is Open to all students however, students enrolled in Superior available if you have completed your Free Application for Federal Student Connections will need to attend this session. This session consists Aid (FAFSA) and have been found to entirely of 5-day trips and also includes a special trip selection have an expected family contribution designed especially for transfer students. (EFC) of $4,500 or less.

Registration We offer ten grants of $100 each to help defray the cost of your Outdoor Trips are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and will be marked if Orientation trip. To apply, simply they have been filled or canceled. check the financial assistance box on your registration form. These grants When we receive your completed registration form we’ll send a are first-come, first-served and no grants will be offered after August 1. confirmation to your Northland email. This email includes information on which trip selection you received, a letter from your leaders, arrival dates/times, and a suggested gear list. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call or email us!

Pricing 5-Day trips range from $275 to $325 12-Day trips range from $550 to $600 These costs are automatically added to your total student bill—you do not need to send any additional payment upon registering for an OO trip. We can offer some financial aid assistance. (See side bar)

2015 | OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE 2 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND SUSTAINABILITY Trips are Student Led and Student Designed Sustainability is an important aspect Trips are planned and led by fellow students. Leaders have completed of the Northland College community. Outdoor Orientation staff and an outdoor skills and leadership course, are CPR certified, and every student leaders make sustainability trip has at least one leader trained as a Wilderness First Responder. a core value when planning and implementing our trips. We Scheduling continually strive to put Northland’s If you live within one day of travel to campus, please consider Session Outdoor Orientation on the front line 1. Each session consists of a welcome and move-in day where you of sustainability in wilderness travel. will meet the College president, move into your room, finish any last minute paperwork, and have any questions answered. It also includes Most OO trips are held within ninety one training day before your OO trip. miles of the Northland campus, taking advantage of our amazing If attending Session 1, you will not be able to stay on campus after local natural resources and reducing your session ends unless you are playing a fall sport. Northland will our transportation-based carbon provide two different shuttles at the end of each session—one along footprint. Those that travel beyond a Duluth, Hinckley, and Twin route for $40, and one along this radius incorporate intentional a Wausau, Stevens Point, Madison, and Chicago route for $60. If practices to reduce the impact of the planning on using this service indicate it on your registration form. greater transportation. If attending Session 1, plan on returning to campus between All of the fresh fruits and vegetables September 5 and no later than September 7 at 9 a.m. On campus eaten on the trips are grown orientation begins on September 7. You’ll start your first year in the Northland community experience, meet with academic advisors, and participate in a variety garden or produced locally in the of other orientation activities. Chequamegon Bay area. As much as possible, we try to purchase other Trips are Ranked by Physical Demand food products locally. Trips are rated either easy, intermediate, or difficult. When reviewing your options look at the difficulty level and travel distances. There is The sustainability efforts of each trip are recorded and measured using the no previous experience necessary on any of the trips, but please keep As Sustainable As Possible Model physical demands and eligibility critera in mind. (ASAP), a nationally recognized sustainability model created by Northland faculty and students that takes a number of aspects of backcountry travel (transportation, gear, etc.) into account and calculates a sustainability “value.” Using ASAP, we can evaluate and improve our progress toward sustainability from year to year.

3 OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE | 2015 Overall Eligibility Criteria We set this criteria to establish who can participate in an activity, based on participants’ ability to perform the essential skills required for the activity. Our goal is to give participants the information needed to identify whether or not they have the ability to participate. In addition to trip specific crteria (shown on the next page), all particiapants must be willing and able to:

• Share responsibility with course participants in daily group chores. Each participant might not do an equal share each day, but over the span of the trip each participant should do a proportionate amount. • Manage all personal care such as dressing, toileting, eating, and drinking independently, as well as handle the mobility to do these tasks independently. • Effectively communicate with the instructor and other course participants about ideas and concerns on an individual and group level. • Independently understand and follow instructions given by instructor to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to avoid hazards and/or manage risks.

All trips have a basic training component before hitting the trail or water.

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INDIVIDUAL TRIP ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

(● easy ■ intermediate ▲ difficult)

In addition to the overall criteria, the following criteria are specific to each trip. If you have any concerns or questions about your ability to perform any of these criteria please contact us.

PARTICIAPNATS MUST BE ABLE AND WILLING TO: Oh, S.H.T.—Look at Those Stars! ▲ Paddles, Pines & Portages ▲ Chequamegon Bay Highlights ● Becoming Suave in the Sylvania ■ Never the Same Day on the Bay ● ■ Trails Two-Timing Fish are Friends and Food ▲ ■ Lookin’? Good Cookin’ What’s Come Sail ● Away Let’s Get Weird in the Woods ■ Searching the For Namigator ■ Paddling In ■ T.D.L. Space Odyssey ▲ Ponder the ● Waves Livin’ la Vida Loca ● for Camping’s Sake ■ Camping and Cragging ■ Surviving ■ Sylvania Shootin’ the ▲ S.H.T. Wear basic protective equipment including a PFD* Exit a capsized boat independently**

Hold breath under water and independently turn from a face down to a face up position while keeping head above water and wearing a PFD Control a paddle and pull it through the water in order to propel the boat Wear basic protective equipment including a bike helmet Maintain balance while cycling in conditions such as, but not limited to, human-made trails and ascending or descending slopes Travel during periods of inclement weather Travel in conditions that may include, but are not limited to, uneven sloping terrain; human-made trails; ascending, descending, or traversing slopes Travel while wearing a pack weighing no more than 35% of body weight Communicate signals; this may include hand signals, spoken signals, or a rope tug system** Provide a reliable belay to another climber during roped climbing by manipulating a climbing rope through a belay device** Wear basic protective equipment including a helmet and harness Move around sailboat cockpit as to shift weight and secure self so the boat will handle properly and/or avoid hazards on-board Fend for self while in the water away from the boat, attain and exit out of the water to shore, and grab onto another boat or rope as necessary for rescue purposes Move through water near the shore with a rocky bottom in rough water while landing and casting off Enter a boat from a standing or floating position while in the water with our without assistance

* PFD personal floataion device 5 OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE | 2015 ** Particiapnts will recieve sufficient training SESSION 1 12-DAY TRIPS | AUGUST 12-25

Oh, S.H.T.—Look at Those Stars! /Superior Trail Cost: $550 Level: Difficult ▲ Distance: 0 to 9 miles/day, maximum 50 miles total Leaders: Zeke and KayDee Stargazing, hackeysacking, frisbee, hiking, swimming, communing with nature, napping in the woods, reading, card games, watching the sunset, sitting around the campfire: these are a few of the things that we, Zeke and KayDee, enjoy. And if you enjoy these things too, you should consider hoppin’ aboard our trip. Our extended, twelve- day long, astronomy-themed adventure will have you looking up to the stars and into yourself (that’s a little cheesy, we know) as we trek the Superior Hiking Trail (S.H.T.) near ’s pristine North Shore. This trip is rated as difficult—while there will be a couple of rest days in the mix, some days will also include up to ten miles of hiking in hilly terrain. If you’re looking to be challenged, prior backpacking experience isn’t necessary, but know that it won’t be a walk in the park. If all of this jives with you, and you can identify as a cosmic wanderer, then sign up!

Paddles, Pines & Portages: A Boundary Waters Excursion Canoeing/Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Cost: $600 Level: Difficult ▲ Distance: 0 to 9 miles/day, maximum 71.75 miles total Leaders: Charlie and Brontë Join Charlie and Brontë on a canoe expedition in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. We will experience a vast feeling of connection to the rugged wilderness and the hardy adventurers traveling through it. By canoeing through the glaciated landscape and paddling past sheer cliffs and wise pines, we hope to inspire more than just a love of the land, but also a visceral connection to place and being. This trip will be covering a lot of ground and water. We will be challenging our physical limits and paddling at a steady pace in hopes of seeing and doing many things. Apart from swimming, paddling, and relaxing, we will also offer ample time to reflect on and explore this experience and the upcoming time at Northland College. It will be a physically challenging trip, but when we crawl dirty, smudged, and smiling from our canoes on day twelve, we will have changed who we are and how we think. 2015 | OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE 6 INTERNAL PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT FORM

SESSION 1 5-DAY TRIPS | AUGUST 12-18

Chequamegon Bay Highlights (A.K.A. Baylights) Combination/Chequamegon Bay Cost: $250 Level: Easy ● Distance: Canoeing: 1 mile/day, maximum 2 miles total Cycling: 6-8 miles/day, maximum 16 miles total Leaders: Paul and Alyx If you are looking through all these options for your Outdoor Orientation trip and thinking, “I just want to go everywhere and do everything,” then we have the trip for you. Join trip leaders Paul and Alyx on a place-based trip that hits tons of the highlights of the Chequamegon Bay and surrounding area. Join us as we start with a biking and day trip around Ashland and Washburn, then do some camping on Madeline and Oak islands of the Apostle Islands and visit a local farmer, and finally end with a nice night at Saxon Harbor. We have many fun activities in store for you that will undoubtedly get you familiarized with what will soon become your new home!

Becoming Suave in the Sylvania Canoeing/ Cost: $300 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 3 to 6 miles/day, maximum 16 miles total Leaders: David and Brandon Do you ever have that dream where you find yourself canoeing through the Sylvania Wilderness for a college orientation trip? Wait, what—that’s a real thing? You’re telling me that some guys named David and Brandon are leading a five-day canoe trip that teaches you to become suave in the Sylvania? What does that even mean? Oh, I see. So you become suave by opening yourself up to new experiences such as fishing with David or slacklining with Brandon? But wait, what if those things don’t interest me? What if I am already a slacklining and fishing master? Well, I suppose you are right, the splendor of spending time outside and questioning the purpose of my existence would be enough to keep my mind occupied for a couple days. Wait a second—will it be a difficult expedition for my body to handle? So let me get this straight, you mean to tell me that these guys are so accommodating that they are willing to work at the pace of the whole group? Well gee, that sounds like the trip for me!

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Never the Same Day on the Bay Combination/ Chequamegon Bay Cost: $300 Level: Easy ● Distance: 0 to 10 miles/day, maximum 20 miles total Leaders: Ellie and Lynn Come explore the Chequamegon Bay area with Ellie and Lynn by kayaking, fishing, canoeing, and paddle-boarding! Each day will be a great opportunity to learn something new, and every night there will be campfires and stargazing. We will teach you everything you need to know and show you all the cool places to go. Bring your shades, and bring your smile; let’s go on an adventure for a while.

Two-Timing Trails Backpacking & Biking/Superior Hiking Trail & Gitchi-Gami Trail Cost: $275 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: Backpacking: 4 to 9 miles/day, maximum 23 miles total Cycling: 14 miles/day, maximum 14 miles total Leaders: Emily and Lainey Time’s a ticking’, and it’s prime time for blazing a trail (or two) on Minnesota’s North Shore. Get on Northland time with Emily and Lainey for hiking and biking while observing the important moments of the day. Catch sunrise and sunset, make a wish at 11:11, celebrate your birth minute, and watch today turn into tomorrow— all while soaking in beautiful Lake Superior. Starting near Little Marais, we plan to hike twenty-three miles over four days on the Lake Superior Hiking Trail, and then bike fourteen miles of the Gitchi-Gami Trail on the last day to end in the time-stoppingly beautiful Gooseberry Falls . Whether you’re ahead of the times, or feel like Father Time, it’s always the right time for trail time!

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Fish are Friends and Food Canoeing/Turtle-Flambeau Flowage Cost: $300 Level: Difficult ▲ Distance: 6 to 13 miles/day, maximum 40 miles total Leaders: Betsey and Kert Wanna snag a fish and a great meal too? Come join Betsy and Kert on the beautiful Turtle-Flambeau Flowage for a five-day canoeing adventure. We will be learning how to fish and prepare awesome backcountry meals on the trail. Bring your shades, but don’t plan on laying back and tanning—at least not for the whole time! We will be moving at a faster pace, hoping to cover longer distances. Come ready to paddle and seek adventure on the flowage. Don’t worry about not having your own fishing gear, we have plenty! (But do feel free to bring your own.) Don’t forget your camera either. You’ll want it for when your friends say, “pics or it didn’t happen,” and for when you land a monster fish. Don’t be a guppy, be a musky! *If intending to fish, you must have a valid Wisconsin fishing license with you on the trip.

What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’? Backpacking/Superior Hiking Trail Cost: $275 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 2 to 5 miles/day, maximum 20 miles total Leaders: Alec, Matthew, and Adrian Get your , cooking utensils, and a good appetite, and prepare for an unforgettable quest on the Superior Hiking Trail. If you choose our trip, you can expect a laid-back jaunt along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Expect to stop at beautiful waterfalls, see a pebble beach, and have plenty of time to kick back and masticate food with Alec, Matthew, and Adrian. We are three laidback, awesome, and stylish dudes. Come escape to the beautiful shores of Lake Superior where there will be lots of time for eating. Extensive cooking and backpacking skills are not required. Grab a spatula and your gear, and you’re good to go.

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Come Sail Away Sailing/Apostle Islands Cost: $300 Level: Easy ● Distance: Hiking: 0 to 1 miles/day, maximum 5 miles total Leaders: Marina and Brontë Hop on board to sail away with Marina and Brontë as we explore the wondrous Apostle Islands. This five-day adventure will be a chance to connect to your fellow adventurers, Lake Superior, and the land around us. We will be sailing through the islands on the Abbey Road, a fifty-two-foot schooner, and a Lake Superior tall ship. Through our , we will get acquainted with the works of prominent nature writers and philosophers like Sigurd Olson. Come and learn to sail on one of the world’s largest lakes—no sailing experience required, just an open mind that’s ready to learn.

Let’s Get Weird in the Woods Backpacking & Canoeing/ Cost: $300 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: Backpacking: 4-7 miles/day, maximum 11 miles total Canoeing: 6-8 miles/day, maximum 16 miles total Leaders: Riley, Megan, and Sam Join the spunky Riley, the sassy Megan, and the timid Sam for an exciting adventure in northern Wisconsin. We will be traversing the North Country Trail near the Brule River and enjoying the starry nights skies, beautiful summer afternoons, and company of new Northland friends. After hiking, we will hop into the refreshing waters of the magnificent Brule, paddling away the second half of our trip in luxurious canoes. All the while, we will be singing songs, playing games, and havin’ a rip-roaring good time. Look forward to good food, great activities, and better friends while we get weird in the woods.

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Searching For the Namigator Canoeing/Namekagon River Cost: $300 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 6 to 13 miles/day, maximum 60 miles total Leaders: Ellie, Olin, and David Do you like water? Do you like canoes? How about fish? Alligators? If you said yes to any or all of the above, come join Ellie, Olin, and David in their quest for the Namigator! On this ridiculously awesome trip, we will be paddling canoes down the Namekagon River. In total, we will travel about fifty-five miles, averaging almost eleven miles a day. Haven’t paddled? Don’t worry. No experience is necessary. This trip is of moderate intensity, and is an excellent choice for novice and expert paddlers alike. We will teach paddling basics and even test our skills on some small class-one rapids. Each day will be filled with fun activities, including fishing, swimming, camping skills, and mastering the art of relaxation. So come join us in making new memories with new friends, and be ready to get wet.

Paddling In: Chillin’ in the Big Canoes (Superior Connections) Voyager Canoeing/Chequamegon Bay Cost: $300 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 7 to 13 miles/day, maximum 40 miles total Leaders: Casey, Hailey, Asa, and Zeke Begin with a six-day traverse on Lake Superior’s waters and learn the art of paddling thirty-foot Voyager canoes; immerse in the weather and rhythms of Lake Superior by journeying to Waverly Beach’s sacred sand on the Bad River Chippewa Reservation; trace voyager routes to Old La Pointe on Madeline Island; follow the sandstone sea caves to the town of Washburn; and finally, cross the Chequamegon Bay to land on Ashland’s Maslowski Beach. Get to know leaders from older generations of the Superior Connections Program, your own generation of Connectors, and your Superior Connections faculty before meeting them in the classroom. Join trip leaders Casey, Hailey, Asa, and Zeke for a journey into time on Lake Superior in which we’ll learn how those who arrived here before us shaped the history of this colorful and unique area. *Limited to Superior Connections students.

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T.D.L. Space Odyssey Canoeing/Sylvania Wilderness & Kayaking the Sea Caves Cost: $300 Level: Difficult▲ Distance: Backpacking: 1-6 miles/day, maximum 7 miles total Canoeing: 4-5 miles/day, maximum 15 miles total Kayaking: 10 miles/day, maximum 10 miles total Leaders: Tony, Darian, and Lainey Do you like Space? Canoes? ? Space-whales? Then you already have four things in common with your awesome leaders: Tony (Yee Haw), Darian (Dare Bear), and Lainey (L-Dogg). Join this epic trio of fraternal triplets on an adventure of galactic proportions in the mysterious and totally “unexplored” Sylvania Wilderness. We will be paddling our packs and backpacking our canoes through a few thousand miles (few thousand = fifteen-ish) of all that Sylvania has to offer. We will then take first transport up to the Apostle Islands Lakeshore, a run of less than twelve parsecs (Star Wars anyone?), to kayak the beautiful and majestic sea-caves. This is going to be one of the more difficult trips (difficult= yes, actually difficult). If you are still reading this, then don your jet packs and space-snorkels, and join us on an adventure of self-discovery and s’mores!

Ponder the Waves of Provoking Pages Canoeing/Namekagon River Cost: $300 Level: Easy ● Distance: 5-10 miles/day, maximum 35 miles total Leaders: Desi and Jack Can you canoe a stroke or two for fantastic fun with thee? Would you like to go on a whim, push off again, make a friend, and find a sight to see? It’s been some time, since I’ve read a rhyme, with a paddle and good company. We will read of writers at sea, we won’t be busy as a bee, so come join the fun, and don’t make us plea! We will eat some jam, canoeing on the Nam, having read a page after we swam. Join Desi and Jack, who will teach you how to fill up your pack. In the canoe we will float, singing songs in our boat, while reading what naturalists wrote. On the Namekagon we will mosey, canoeing ever so boldly, with a fire to keep us toasty.

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Livin’ la Vida Loca Canoeing /Sylvania Wilderness Cost: $300 Level: Easy ● Distance: 0 to 5 miles/day, maximum 30 miles total Leaders: Jordan, Alex, and Paul (To the tune of the Ricky Martin song “Livin’ la Vida Loca”) We’re into canoes, paddles, good food, and hanging out. I have a premonition this trip’s gonna make you shout! We’re into new sensations, new tricks in the firelight. We’ve got a new adventure, for every day and every night! We’ll make you put your suit on and go jumping in the lake, we’ll make you live that trail life, we’ll find some treats to bake. Come on and live la vida loca with Jordan, Alex, and Paul in the beautiful Sylvania Wilderness. Enjoy five relaxing days paddling, eating awesome food, and enjoying great company!

Camping for Camping’s Sake Backpacking/Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Cost: $300 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 5 to 7 miles/day, maximum 35 miles total Leaders: Nate and Brandon Are you interested in camping with a small group of companions? If so, read on! Join Nate, Brandon, and a group of three other students on a five-day backpacking trip through the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness. Within the Porkies, you will be trekking along various trails while making plenty of stops for whatever catches your eye and piques your interest. Additionally, this trip includes a one-night stay in a rustic cabin. With no rush in mind, this backpacking trip focuses on the discovery of yourself, newfound skills, and how you relate to others by understanding your place in the natural world. The idea of “camping for camping’s sake” is furthered by regional author John Bates of Mercer, Wisconsin, who suggests in A Northwoods Companion to “Get your knees and hands dirty, and learn to explore where you are rather than try to catch a glimpse of the world as you stride purposefully by.” So come and camp, for camping’s sake!

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Camping and Cragging Backpacking & Rock Climbing/Jay Cooke State Park Cost: $325 Level: Intermediate ■ Distance: 0 to 6 miles/day, maximum 10 miles total Leaders: Theresa and Willie Join us on an epic adventure backpacking through Jay Cooke State Park, located southwest of Duluth, Minnesota, where we will spend our day’s rock climbing in the autumn sun. Mornings and evenings will be spent relaxing, stretching, doing yoga, and gorging on delicious camp food. There is no need for prior rock climbing experience. This trip will teach you all the skills you need to top-rope climb! Over the course of this trip, Theresa and Willie, your faithful climbing friends, will introduce you to the many rock climbing opportunities you never knew existed in the northwoods.

2015 | OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE 14 TRANSFER 5-DAY TRIPS | AUG 31-SEPT 6 TRANSFER ORIENTATION Surviving Sylvania: Canoeing/Sylvania Wilderness Transfer Orientation is a great way Cost: $300 to learn more about the Northland Level: Intermediate ■ College community and meet fellow Distance: 1.25 to 5 miles/day, maximum 16.5 miles total transfer students. While we know Leaders: KayDee and Lewis you have been to college before and know the ropes, we want to ensure Hey, all you transfer students, want to learn the fun and interesting you are prepared as much as possible history of Northland College while you paddle through the beautiful for your time here at Northland. woods of the Sylvania Wilderness? You can plan to enjoy a five-day Transfer students may choose either and four-night stay in luxurious backcountry accommodation—a.k.a. one of the two 5-day trips described your tent in the woods. You will spend your days paddling an easy here, or attend a one-day on-campus four miles in the morning, which will be followed by afternoons orientation. full of naps, fishing, swimming, and sunning yourself by the lake. Finally, your days will end with evenings of historical story time and backcountry cuisine around the campfire. If this trip sounds like the one for you, join us, trip leaders KayDee and Lewis, while we survive Sylvania.

Shootin’ the S.H.T. Backpacking/Superior Hiking Trail Cost: $275 Level: Difficult ▲ Distance: 4 to 11 miles/day, maximum 31 miles total Leaders: Elliot and Laurel New to Northland, but not to the idea of college? Then this transfer student trip to the rugged and scenic Superior Hiking Trail (S.H.T.) in northern Minnesota will be a chance to meet other transfer students and explore the beauty of the North Shore of Lake Superior! Join Elliot and Laurel, senior outdoor education majors, on a high- intensity trek through Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock State Parks, as well as other highlights of the middle section of the S.H.T. We aim to cover five to ten miles per day and incorporate a variety of backcountry skills and activities, such as primitive survival techniques, yoga, journaling, natural history, and more—all with breathtaking vistas of the great lake. Get your backpack and hiking boots ready, cause we’re shootin’ the S.H.T.

15 OUTDOOR ORIENTATION TRIP GUIDE | 2015 FAQ

What is an Outdoor Orientation Trip? How are trip leaders prepared to deal with These trips occur prior to the fall semester and are an accident or injury? designed to introduce new Northlander’s to their In the unlikely case of a serious injury, leaders are fellow classmates and the local community. trained in first aid and wilderness emergencies. All trips Do I need prior outdoor experience? carry a first aid kit and emergency cell phone to aid in Nope, not at all! Orientation trips are designed to medical advice or evacuation. All trips will have at least challenge both the novice and the experienced person one leader who is Wilderness First Responder (WFR) in the out-of-doors. Your trip leaders will teach you all certified. We try to avoid injuries, but participants need the necessary skills for a successful trip; all you need to realize that this is a wilderness experience which going in is a positive attitude, willingness to learn, has dangers that are not common in life and that and some SPF 45. professional medical help is farther away. How many people go on a trip? What if I have special dietary needs? The trips range from eight to ten students and two to Tell us! Here at Northland we all LOVE food, so we three trip leaders. have a lot of experience in creating delicious well- balanced meals in the back country for virtually every What will we be traveling in? eater. The contact information for the Orientation You and your fellow trippers will be traveling by Office is on the first page of this guide, so please let us foot, kayak, canoe, or even by bike. But to get to your know how we can best suit your needs. destination, you may be a proud rider in a Northland van or local bus. How do I register? Complete the Orientation Registration Form on the What kind of weather can I expect? New Student tab on my.northland.edu. You can experience almost any kind of weather in northern Wisconsin during August. Generally, the lakes are warm enough for swimming. Days can be sunny with temperatures in the mid-80s, however, thunderstorms and evening temperatures of the low ATTENTION FEMALES! 40s are also possible. Be prepared for any type of weather! Don’t let menstruation stop you! Please do not hesitate to sign up for the trip of your What equipment do I need to have? choice because you may be menstruating Group gear like tents, canoes, kayaks, stoves, etc., will during this time. Our trip leaders have been be provided for all trips. But if you need gear such specifically trained to teach you how to as sleeping bags, sleeping pads, or backpacks they handle menstruation on trail. This usually will be available on a limited basis, free of charge. Be involves simply packing out (taking with you) sure to reserve any personal equipment, if needed, used menstruation products using dark blue by August 1. Further information on equipment and zip-lock bags. Most of our leaders even know clothing needs will be sent out with your registration special tricks for relieving cramps while on confirmation. If you have questions about renting/ trail. So please sign up for the trip you want needing to rent equipment, please contact the regardless of the state of your cycle at the Orientation Office at 715-682-1846. time. See you on trail.

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