AGE GROUP: 12-13
10 DAYS
$1270

SKILLS: Backcountry Basics, Expedition Paddling, Portaging, Map and Compass, Alpine Hiking Techniques, Rock Climbing

Dates:
July 17-26, 2008
Spots Available: 10

IMPORTANT: All camps need a minimum enrolment of 6 to run. Each expedition has a maximum of 10 participants.

A WYLD EXPEDITION demands a lot from its participants. It asks you to lead your group and to follow, to be resourceful and creative and to explore and discover. It requires you to learn and master new skills, to build your level of fitness and confidence, and to work together with your team. In return, it gives you the opportunity to see and do things that you once could only dream of. It offers you the chance to push your self to the limit, and bring home more than you left with.

CANOE BREWSTER LAKE CHAIN – HIKE MT. MYRA

The 10-day Strathcona Explorer is a multi-element camping trip that is aimed at young explorers who crave adventure. The course starts with a paddling trip through the waters of northern Vancouver Island. Your group will learn to paddle tandem canoes, and camp on the shores of the gorgeous Brewster Lake Chain. Once you have your feet wet, it’s off to the mountains. Trade in your paddles and canoes for packs and hiking boots, and you’re ready to attempt a summit of the incredible Mt. Myra. This beautiful mountain is nestled in the heart of Strathcona Provincial Park, making the view from the top a spectacular vista for as far as the eye can see. This trip also includes an awesome day of rock climbing and a high ropes challenge course at Strathcona Park Lodge.

ITINERARY

DAY 1
On your arrival in Campbell River, your instructors and the rest of your teammates meet you. From here you drive to your first campsite on the Brewster Lake Chain. This first afternoon gives your group an opportunity to get to know each other and also to introduce you to the equipment, as you set up camp.

DAY 2-5
The beginning of your canoe trip is filled with lots of new challenges. Your group is introduced to the Backcountry Basics, which include outdoor cooking, campsite selection, shelter building, paddle techniques, and minimum impact camping. Your comfort and confidence will build as you and your team tackle these daily challenges with increasing ease.

On a typical day, everyone is up early packing up their tarps and sleeping bags and preparing breakfast for the group. As you pack up, care is taken to waterproof all of your stuff as you put it in your bags. There is a lot to do and everyone is busy. After breakfast and once all the gear is packed up and loaded in the boats, the group is ready for the day’s adventures. Days are spent navigating through the lake chain, using maps to find your way from one lake to another. Sometimes it is necessary to carry everything over land to get to the next lake. There is also time to simply float and take in the incredible beauty and solitude of the wilderness around you.

The end of your paddling journey brings you to Strathcona Park Lodge, where you set up camp and prepare for tomorrow's adventure: rock climbing.

DAY 6
For this awesome day you and your teammates use the onsite climbing facilities. Here, you learn the basics of climbing including knot tying, rope systems, belaying and rappelling. Most of all, you learn to trust yourself and your teammates as you help each other to succeed. Rock climbing is a unique experience that is intensely rewarding and absolutely unforgettable. Your evening is spent getting ready to move from the lakes to the mountains as you prepare to for your hiking trip.

DAY 7-10
The final expedition takes you on a hike to the summit of Mt. Myra. This journey travels through a variety of alpine terrain, giving you the opportunity to learn about what it takes to succeed in the mountains. On your first day in, you set up a base camp at one of the alpine lakes and prepare for your summit day. By now you have honed many of your camping skills, allowing you and your group to take over more of the responsibility from your instructors. You have become a self-sufficient expedition group, and this final leg is your chance to fully manage the navigation, campsite selection and set-up, and meal planning/preparation. It is your opportunity to use everything you have learned to take you to the top of the mountain, as a team. On your last day you return to Strathcona Park Lodge.