Intercept Boundary Waters Canoeing for Girls
Spend 28 days experiencing challenge and self-discovery in the solitude of the pristine lakes and forests of northern Minnesota on this Intercept expedition.
At Outward Bound, we are crew, not passengers. We support each other and share in our challenges and our victories. Your crew becomes a critical piece of your experience while on course, and beyond! While all our courses are inclusive for all gender identities, we understand the value of affinity spaces, too. During this time of development, when young people need a safe and supportive space, this course builds self-esteem and community, and creates opportunities to make lifelong friends. This course is specially designed for girls and gender-expansive students who are looking for this kind of community on their course. And when we say “for girls,” we mean we believe trans-girls are girls. You are welcome here – let’s adventure together!
Designed to help families rebuild strong, healthy relationships, this backcountry canoe expedition is tailored for teen girls who are engaging in potentially risky behaviors, struggling with low self-image, not living up to their potential, and/or demonstrating poor decision-making skills. The journey begins with a wilderness canoeing expedition and concludes with a family conference to support a successful transition back to home life. Within the structure of a backcountry expedition, students experience the thrills of adventure, the satisfaction of a hard day’s work and the camaraderie of a supportive team in a classroom unlike any other.
During the course, Instructors facilitate activities that build teamwork, communication and conflict resolution skills. They help students set goals and make better decisions and encourage each student to find the leader within themselves. Affinity group courses allow for more open space to talk about fears and concerns, provide greater chances for girls to take leadership roles, and lessens the potential for stereotyping behaviors to occur. The course concludes with a two-day community service project and a three-day intensive family seminar. This workshop helps the entire family transfer the experience into a model for everyday life. Families come away with new problem-solving tools, a fresh optimism and outlook, and a plan for future success.
NOTE: Outward Bound strongly recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and up to date as defined by the CDC prior to arriving to their course start. For all open enrollment courses beginning on or after April 15, 2023, Outward Bound will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For questions regarding this policy please see this page or call us at 866-467-7651.
UPCOMING COURSES
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For detailed information on course availability statuses and what they mean, click here.
Course # VMIC-363
Age 14 - 17
Days 28
Cost $10,395
Dates 6.13.23 - 7.10.23
Course # VMIC-365
Age 14 - 17
Days 28
Cost $10,395
Dates 7.18.23 - 8.14.23
Course # VMIC-367
Age 14 - 17
Days 28
Cost $10,395
Dates 7.25.23 - 8.21.23
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This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
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When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
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As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
The skills my child and I got from this program are so helpful! Having a common language is powerful, as is having her have the opportunity to practice the skills in a controlled environment. If I had tried to teach her these things at home it would have been very difficult. The metaphors like the one used for climbing and belaying were so helpful because our child actually got to have that experience.
Students embark on an unsupported wilderness canoeing expedition; meaning they carry with them everything they will need for a three-week adventure. Expert Instructors teach the art of paddling a canoe in a variety of conditions, as well as map and compass reading, route finding and Recreate Responsibly ethics. Groups navigate a variety of waterways such as lakes, rivers and marshland, enjoying the pristine air, water and forests of the untouched wilderness. Working as a team, students carry packs and canoes over portage trails that bridge the land between bodies of water or to get safely around challenging rapids. Traveling by canoe allows groups to go far past where motorboats operate. Once there, it is possible to quietly observe all the wonders around them, like bald eagles, moose and peaceful sunsets on mirror-calm lakes.
On scenic granite cliffs near the Boundary Waters wilderness, students enjoy rock climbing and rappelling on 50 to 70 foot cliffs, offering a variety of beginner and intermediate climbs that provide an ideal introduction to rock climbing. Regardless of a student’s rock climbing and rappelling background, everyone is sure to find challenge and success.
All Outward Bound rock climbing and rappelling experiences are carefully supervised and employ safety systems aligned with national standards. During climbing days, students learn about rock climbing equipment, safety and etiquette, belaying and climbing rescue techniques. Encouraged and supported by their group, students push their perceived limits and expand their comfort zones in a safe, fun and non-competitive environment.
The incredible ropes course is located 30 feet in the air and looks out over the top of the boreal forest. Students swing from Tarzan ropes, walk on tightrope wires and climb a cargo net before jumping on the zip line for an exhilarating ride back to solid ground. This opportunity creates space for students to individually challenge themselves while being supported by their team at the end of their expedition experience.
At one point during the expedition students are provided a secluded spot to reflect alone, with all the food, skills and supplies they need, and are monitored by staff throughout the experience to maintain safety. We call this part of course, Solo. The Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition and gives students the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience. Many students use this reflection time to make decisions about their future, journal and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings unencumbered by the constant external stimulation of modern life. The duration of Solo depends on the course length and type, as well as the competency and preparedness of the student group. Students find that Solo provokes profound and powerful learning in a short period of time and often becomes one of the most memorable parts of their Outward Bound course.
Service is a cornerstone of every Outward Bound experience. From the seemingly small, daily acts of service to the environment and the expedition team to the post-expedition service-learning projects, students have ample opportunities to experience the value of giving back to the larger community. On the expedition, students are encouraged to practice environmental stewardship in the form of Recreate Responsibly ethics. Students also practice regular acts of service for their team, including preparing and serving meals, helping others put on or take off packs, or setting up shelters for the entire team.
After the expedition, students participate in two days of organized service to the community. These projects are designed to offer as much interaction with local communities as possible, as a way of exchanging cultural awareness and fostering a sense of connection to the larger world. The specific type of service project depends on local needs and opportunities but could include serving at a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, senior center, nature center, or horse ranch for underprivileged youth.
By the end of the course, students have made great strides. They have learned how to balance freedom and responsibility, how to be part of a team and how to make positive choices. They feel a sense of pride in themselves and their accomplishments and have a fresh perspective and outlook on their lives. But how do teens and families translate the incredible Intercept experience into lasting positive change? Parents or guardians are a critical link in the success of the Intercept experience and have the opportunity to think through their relationship with their teen by using a comprehensive workbook. At the intensive three-day seminar, Instructors help translate the student experience to parents and guardians, giving families an opportunity to practice tools and strategies used on the expedition, creating a solid foundation of understanding and support for the path ahead.
As a part of the family seminar, families meet one-on-one with at least one of the expedition Instructors to learn how their young adult fared on the course. They hear a detailed account of what the course was like, the struggles and success of the group and how their young adult handled the challenges. Together, with an Instructor acting as a facilitator, families come up with a new agreement to guide life at home. The goal for the family is to re-establish healthy roles and connections, restore any past harm, rebuild trust and create clear expectations for the future. The goal for the student is to have a voice in the direction their life takes and to clearly understand and commit to their responsibilities in order to earn trust and more freedom at home.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
Established in 1978, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a labyrinth of lakes and rocks that has been specifically protected as a true American wilderness. No roads, power lines or motorized craft may enter its borders. Therefore, the Boundary Waters has changed little since its unveiling when the glaciers melted 10,000 years ago.
Over one million acres in size, the BWCAW extends nearly 150 miles along the Minnesota/Canadian border. With over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites and more than 1,000 lakes and streams, the BWCAW is an amazing place to experience the wilderness. It contains portage-linked lakes and streams, interspersed with islands, forests and ancient granite crags, offering outstanding opportunities for world-class paddling, solitude, remoteness, teamwork, adventure and challenge. It is also home to a healthy diversity of plant and animal life including massive white pine and cedar groves, black bear, timber wolves, bald eagles and river otter. The Boundary Waters has no piped water, prepared shelters or signs to point the way. Within these borders you can canoe, portage and camp as the native peoples and French-Canadian Voyageurs did before you. The Boundary Waters' paddling routes offer outstanding opportunities for solitude, remoteness, teamwork, adventure and challenge. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) nations.
Course Stories
The skills my child and I got from this program are so helpful! Having a common language is powerful, as is having her have the opportunity to practice the skills in a controlled environment. If I had tried to teach her these things at home it would have been very difficult. The metaphors like the one used for climbing and belaying were so helpful because our child actually got to have that experience.
We met lots of parents with similar problems and found good support at the family seminar. I will highly recommend this course. It has changed our daughter and I really think the changes will stick. So much change in fact, she wants to work here when she gets older. I cannot thank you enough for bringing a light to the end of our tunnel.
I liked that the principles of Outward Bound were extended to a particular segment of families that have distinct needs. I really like the addition of the family seminar as a means to give families tools and to provide families with support for each other. The relationships with staff were very professional, yet warm.
When I get home, I can tell people that Outward Bound reminded me about who I really am and want to be. It kickstarted that change into being a better person.
This course changed my life. I challenged myself physically and mentally everyday whether that was paddling and portaging or having conversations on how I can better myself with my group.
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To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.