The sled dog Adventure in Ely, Minnesota.
White Wilderness
 



North Woods Passage
Are you hungering for a real adventure? Leave the armchair behind as we embark on a 6-day wilderness dog sledding journey designed for exploration, challenge, and inspiration. You will learn to drive your own team of 4-6 dogs (premier style) through the spectacular scenery of northern Minnesota.
  • 5 days dog sledding ( 2nights in a lodge and 4 nights camping)
  • Premiere style (you drive your own team for the entire trip)
  • Explore over 100 miles of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area by dog team
  • Learn winter camping and wilderness travel skills
  • Physically active and adventurous trip
  • Our longest trip
  • Previous camping or dog sledding experience helpful
  • Advanced level trip - physically demanding, unknown challenges, remote wilderness travel

  • This advanced trip is geared for physically active travelers looking for a unique and challenging adventure. Our ultimate goal is to traverse the heart of the Boundary Waters by dog team. Embarking on an ambitious 5-day wilderness expedition, traveling by dog team and camping at night.

    March typically offers some of the finest travel conditions of the season. With longer daylight, moderate temperatures, and crusted snow you can cover a lot of terrain in a day.

    Our destination is the world famous Boundary Waters more than 1 million acres of frozen wilderness and waterways, nestled against the remote Canadian border. It is the largest wilderness preserve east of the Rocky Mountains. Boreal forest, majestic white pines, rugged granite shorelines, and frozen marshlands combine to offer an unparalleled environment to explore by dog team. In the winter, it is truly pristine wilderness. The tracks you see will likely be your own, your dogs, or those of the native inhabitants - timber wolves, moose, otter, fox and snowshoe hare.

    THE ROUTE:

    Our route will start on the western side of the reknowned Boundary Water’s Wilderness and travel an ambitious 150+ mile route along the historic border route with Canada, through lake and forest country back to the kennel, nestled on the edge of the wilderness.  Expect windswept vistas, punctuated by the pictograph cliffs and granite outcroppings, and the dramatic Curtain Falls on Crooked Lake that few witness in the wintertime.  Contrast bold landscapes with intimate meandering marshes and narrow boreal trails connecting frozen waterways.  Pass the cascading Basswood Falls, travel small bog rivers, experience the expansive and historic Basswood Lake, and savor the legends of Dorothy Molter’s island on Knife Lake.  We’ll leave the border route at Knife Lake and travel into the heart of the BW as we turn south towards Thomas Lake and the island studded, granite clad Insula Lake.  Tamarack bogs and vast beaver ponds signal the transition to Isabella Lake and the logging boomtown of Forest Center, that history has once again reverted to forest. Closing in on home, we’ll explore our favorite single track trails as our trip culminates back at the kennel.  (Pending snow and ice conditions, our final route may be modified to optimize wilderness travel. Our guarantee is 6 days of mushing and a phenomenal wilderness journey by dog team.)

    Rounding a corning on a lake in the BWCA Wilderness.

    The itinerary includes Six nights and Five days, premier style, with each person driving their own team for the entirety. First and last night of the trip are in a comfortable northwoods lodge.  Backcountry accommodations are winter expedition tents, proven -40F winter sleeping bag systems and outdoor fires.  Meals are hearty and savory.  The dogs are primed for new trails and well seasoned with hundreds of miles under their belts. 

    Expect to be actively involved in all aspects of winter travel and camp chores as well as gaining more mushing skills with each day. We'll navigate lakes, marshes and trails by dog team, learn to read ice conditions and work together traveling. After setting up camp each day, enjoy a delicious supper over a crackling fire and sleep cozy in our winter expedition tents. Expect to learn how to stay warm, dry and remarkably comfortable in the winter and gain new outdoor skills along the way.

    This trip will require your active hands-on participation, as you will be involved in the whole enchilada assisting with setting camp, gathering firewood, cooking meals, and dog care.  Expect some challenge from route finding around the open water of rocky creek beds, to maneuvering dog sleds across rugged portage trails.  Teamwork and a positive attitude will be essential as we travel deep into the wilderness.

    You must be in good physical condition and some previous wilderness camping experience (summer or winter) will be helpful. A previous trip with White Wilderness is recommended, but not required. A sense of adventure is required; a sense of humor is always a bonus. We are seeking some intrepid adventurer’s to join this trip.  Please contact us for more info.

     


    North Woods Passage Booking Information
    Six Nights and Five Days:
    2012 Dates:
    $1,695/person double occupancy
    $1,795/person single occupancy

    Feb 27-Mar 4 | Mar 5-11



    Trip Itinerary
    Day 1:
    Group welcome dinner and trip orientation.

    Day 2:

    Morning rendezvous at the trailhead after breakfast. Load personal gear in sleds, review the day's route and depart on the expedition. Expect to camp early as we teach skills for comfortable winter camping , chop wood for dinner and care for dogs.

    Day 3-5:

    Travel day and camping.   Four nights camping, five days of travel as we cross the Boundary Waters.  Final push to the kennel on Day 6, followed by a celebratory dinner back at the lodge.

    Dog teams passing on a trail.
    Day 7:
    Breakfast and depart.

    Maximum group size: 6 guests with 2-3 guides.

    Minimum age 16.


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