Okpik Adventure
Northern Tier National High Adventure Base
Photograph by Vince Heptig
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Scouts don’t run from cold weather—they ski, snowshoe, and sled toward it. That explains the appeal of Okpik, the winter adventure experience in Ely, Minn. Here’s what the Okpik program is all about:
- The program is the winter component of the year-round Northern Tier National High Adventure Base.
- Crews of six to eight earn skiing and snowshoeing expedition patches by loading their gear onto sleds, building shelters, and moving to a new campsite each day. Treks are three days or longer.
- Boy Scouts and Venturers 14 or older can travel with an experienced musher and dog sled team through the picturesque Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
- Scouts who are too young for the dog sled treks can stay at Musher Camp, where they’ll learn about training and caring for sled dogs while staying in heated tent-like yurts or molded snow domes, called quinzees.
- The Okpik season begins Dec. 27 and ends March 7, 2010. Program fees begin at $60 per person, per day for skiing or snowshoeing treks. Dog sled adventures are $125 per person, per day.
- Make your reservations soon. For more information, visit ntier.org or call 218-365-4811.