Summer: Wilderness Canoeing
Status: Operational
Thank you for your interest in your youth being part of an upcoming OMM Adventure! Below is the basic information for our upcoming Canoeing, Gator Hunt, and Big Game Hunts.
Location: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Ely, Minnesota)
Length: 9 days (noon Saturday thru the following Sunday morning)
Dates:
- Trip 1 – JUN 7-15, 2025
- Trip 2 – JUN 21-29, 2025
- Trip 3 – JUL 12-20, 2025
Application Window: JAN 1,2025-MAR 15,2025
Youth Age Requirement: Youth should be aged 12-17 during the trip. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
Overview
Participants arrive in Ely, MN, by noon on Saturday to begin the Base Camp Phase (Saturday/Sunday), where they’re housed in a modern bunkhouse with OMM staff. Base Camp Phase focuses on Skills Training, where they’ll learn critical skills (canoeing, fishing, navigation, first aid, fire starting, etc.). Lakes Phase runs Monday-Saturday in the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. We’ll paddle pristine lakes, fish for bass/pike/walleye, swim and explore. We camp as a group on primitive sites – this is true wilderness! We return to the bunkhouse on Saturday night, and participants depart on Sunday morning. Throughout the experience, we’ll conduct our life-shaping Campfire Talks, biblically-based discussions about Christian Manhood. The final Talk concludes with each young man receiving a knife to symbolize they’re a warrior for Christ.
Cost: FREE! Once participants arrive on site, OMM covers all costs (housing, permits, meals, equipment, etc.)
Safety Measures:
- All OMM personnel are highly experienced in wilderness canoeing
- All OMM personnel are CPR-certified
- Due to limited cell service, we carry GPSs using satellites to communicate with the outside world via text messaging. The units have an SOS feature, allowing instant communication with medical/rescue personnel.
- Each canoe team carries a 2-way radio for communication with OMM personnel
- Life jackets are worn by everyone when in a canoe
- Comprehensive 1st aid kits/1st aid training
- All participants must be able to swim
- Close weather monitoring/adjustments made
- Youth/mentors always canoe in teams (i.e., they never canoe alone)
Mentors: Unlike most of our other trips where each youth typically brings an adult male mentor (i.e., father, relative, family friend), not every youth can bring a mentor. Boundary Waters regulations limit group size to a max of 9 people. OMM teams include a Head Guide, an Assistant Guide, five youths, and two mentors. These two mentor positions typically are the father/relative/family friend of one of the youths on the trip. We encourage applicants to include a mentor in their application. While we can’t guarantee that a mentor listed on the application will be on the trip, we do our best to maintain youth/mentor integrity.
Notes:
- All meals are provided
- Participants are responsible for their transportation to/from Ely, MN (OMM staff can pick up/drop off those using Duluth airport)
- OMM provides nearly 100% of the required equipment: canoes, life jackets, tents, sleeping bags/pads, cookware, fishing equipment (rods/reels/tackle/nets/cleaning equipment)
- Youth/Mentors are responsible for personal clothing, snacks, and misc. personal items (a detailed packing list will be provided for those selected).
Want to help with those costs? Make a donation, sponsor a teen or purchase equipment and you can make a difference!