Northwoods Maine Canoeing & Backpacking - Youth Ventures

This is a two or three week course paddling and backpacking through the woods and lakes of western Maine. It is a heavily forested area and a classic wilderness experience. It is ideal for younger teens seeking challenge and tools for success in high school, sports teams and beyond.

Your wilderness classroom will be the lakes and mountains of western Maine. The course begins near Newry, Maine, and travels mostly in the Androscoggin watershed, the Mahoosuc Mountains and the White Mountain National Forest. The Androscoggin is fed by Aziscohos Lake, the Magalloway River, and the Rangeley Lakes—Cupsuptic, Mooselookmeguntic, and Upper and Lower Richardsons. Native Abenaki tribes used the Androscoggin as transportation between winter habitats inland and summer living on the coast and as a source of food. Later the flow of the Androscoggin River was used to move logs to mills downstate during the logging boom of the nineteenth century. These days recreationists, fishermen and scientists primarily use this beautiful region

Youth Ventures
Youth Ventures courses are designed for younger teens and offer opportunities for real adventure. The freedom, beauty and challenge of Outward Bound is a perfect way for teens to prepare for the greater and greater challenges facing them at home. Canoe the endless web of glacier lakes and pristine streams at the headwaters of the wild rivers of Western Maine and New Hampshire. Master the skills you need to paddle, pole, line and portage ancient water routes traveled by the Abenaki Indians. Explore the craggy ridges and towering forests of the famous Carter-Mahoosuc and Bigelow Mountain Ranges with everything you need in a pack on your back. Trek through tree-shrouded valleys and over 4,000-foot summits.

The Outward Bound Difference
How does learning to paddle or read a map help you in life? It is the process of learning, the accomplishment of going further, the simplicity of living in the wilderness for a week or a month that offers that building blocks of success as so many of our alumni can attest. Gaining competence by learning two distinct wilderness skill sets means you will head home empowered and inspired. Let the lakes and the mountains teach you about your strengths and gain perspective on life living and the outdoors. Successful completion of your course demands mastery of skills, trust, fitness, confidence, tenacity, leadership, initiative and compassion. The promotion of these qualities, and the discovery of what’s in you, is the purpose of Outward Bound.

This course may be the hardest thing you have ever done. Outward Bound philosophy maintains that by facing the challenges the course will offer you, you will emerge physically and mentally stronger, with an increased mastery of expedition skills as well as a better understanding of your own capabilities. We think that the payoff is well worth the work, but you should be aware of what you’re getting into and excited about tackling the challenges.

The instructors’ goal is to teach you the skills you need to become self-sufficient on the water and in the mountains. The instructors will spend the early days of the course coaching you in wilderness expedition skills. As you grow more competent and confident with your skills, the instructors will ask that you take more responsibility for the leadership of the expedition. Neither guides nor counselors, the instructors are teachers and mentors whose goal it is to train you to travel independently in the backcountry.

Course Description
Travel expedition-style with a pack on your back or in tandem (two-person) canoes. “Expedition-style” means that you will leave base camp on the first or second day of your course and not return to it until the end of the course. You will travel with all the food and equipment you need to conduct your expedition: stoves, tents, food, etc. Your group might occasionally sleep at the same campsite twice, but generally you will be moving to a new campsite every night as you hike and paddle along your expedition route.

If time and conditions allow, you may learn to paddle whitewater at Errol, Pontook or the Magalloway River. Paddling whitewater in a tandem canoe involves learning to communicate effectively with your paddling partner, as well as perfecting several steering strokes. After practicing swimming in whitewater, you will learn how to scout and run rapids, as well as how to rescue yourself and your canoe should you tip over.

NOTE: Virtually all airlines, except United and Southwest, REQUIRE that travelers, age 14 or younger, flying without a companion over the age of 18 pay for their Unaccompanied Minor service. This fee ranges anywhere from $40 to $75 each way. In most cases, the Unaccompanied Minor service is OPTIONAL for travelers between the ages of 15-17.

To enroll in this course click the enroll button next to the course dates that work for you. To shop comparatively on line visit our Advanced Course Finder or better yet call one of our expert Admission Advisers at 866-467-7651. Course tuitions listed below do not include our Application Fee or Transportation Fee.

Region: Maine

Activities: Backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, service solo and final expedition

Additional Information:
Application Fee
Transportation Fee

Sorry, there are no current offerings for this course.