Webster Word

Troop 965

Two Crews to Northern Tier

Have you ever been far away from civilization, carrying all your supplies, clothes and food on your back? Have you spent most of your day moving a canoe, both by paddling over rivers and lakes and carrying it over your head across swamps and rocky trails? Have you been able to view some of the most breathtaking scenery in North America, and share all of this with your friends? If you can say yes to all these, you know what high adventure is all about, and it’s likely you’ve been to Northern Tier!

Northern Tier is a high adventure scout base where canoeing is king. In August, Troop 965 of Webster, Maryland, sent two crews, which included 13 scouts and 8 adult leaders, to the Northern Tier Bissett base in Manitoba, Canada. From there both crews flew by float plane to begin their adventure in the backcountry of Manitoba and Ontario. The scouts canoed on rivers and lakes that criss-cross the granite landscape left by retreating glaciers. Open lakes, twisting rivers, grassy marshes, rushing rapids and multitudes of beaver dams create a constantly changing countryside.

All this beauty comes at a price – a lot of hard work! Paddling the canoes is just the start. Scouts must also portage (carry the canoes and gear) around rapids and over rough terrain, even through swamps. In fact, these portages made for the most memorable moments for each crew. “The Hike,” a long portage over some rough granite landscape, left one crew completely exhausted, but proud they had made the journey. “Heartbreak,” the signature portage of Bissett, gave the second crew all the mud and swamp they could handle. Can you imagine pushing a canoe through mud that comes up to your neck? Yes, this was a trip of a lifetime, and that’s what high adventure scouting is all about!