Seminars

“Lessons Learned from a Lifetime of Wilderness Learning, Living & Instructing”
 Mors will share with us the most important things he has learned from a life time of wilderness living and teaching experience. They will include the 12 most important items and skills to have and be proficient in there use in the Boreal Forest. With these items and skills a person can keep safe. Have there outdoor experience at worse a challenge at best a wonderful experience no matter what the conditions or weather. 

Powered by passion, fueled by fire Brian Maruska leads you through his latest recycled wood burning creations.  From rocket ranges to sauna stoves, from central heating boilers to grills, from smokers to hot tubs, this seminar will surely spark an interest in your own do-it-yourself abilities!

The backcountry of Cook County is a great place to explore in winter with the right equipment. At Grand Marais-based Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply, that equipment includes skis, snowshoes, snow skates, snow kites, and more. Join SHWS guide Scott Sorensen, as he discusses the latest gear they are using to play out in the North Shore’s backyard.

Tips for predicting winter weather

We will cover the basics of wood stove design, function and safe use in a wilderness setting.
How to choose a well-made design.
Which features to look for.
Stove sizing for the tent.
The basics of good fire skills.
The harvesting and selection of fuel.
Starting and maintaining a good fire.
The trail stove as a cook stove.
Basic baking
Different methods of safe stove pipe placement in the tent.
Ready-made stoves Vs. home crafted.
By the end of the workshop the individual should have a good understanding on what they will need to do to be able to safely select and use a stove in a wilderness setting for all their cooking and heating needs.

Wilderness Survival Planning for the boreal forest. Spend 1 hour discussing the critical first 30 minutes of a survival situation. The most important piece of your survival kit is carried between your ears.  

Bring your best winter recipe to the symposium and go head to head with other winter chefs and show that your winter camp culinary skills are the best!  Compete for the coveted "Golden Spatula Award".  The rules are simple:  Cook a meal using your best winter recipe and be judged by an esteemed panel of hungry judges.  It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want.  Recipes will be judged on taste and suitability for the winter trail.  The best winter chef will be announced Saturday evening.

Enjoy an early Friday morning walk around the 340 acre woods at camp miller. 

Chris and his wife Ingrid’s perspective is that their kids joined their lives, not the other way around.  So, they decided that having children would not stop them from doing what they do, venturing into the wilderness in summer and winter. He will share some ideas in how he ensures fun and safety at minus 26. He will share what he and his wife consider in bringing their kids out in winter, their system of organizing for trips and having the kids involved, their method of staying organized on the trail, and the food, gear, and activities they incorporate to make for a rewarding trip. Chris will hand out his Winter Camping Outfit Checklist he and his kids use to stay organized and make sure they have what they need and want and the kids take ownership and responsibility for. He will also demonstrate his method of loading his toboggan, campsite location and organizing the tent. 

Experience the BWCA and Quetico during the coldest parts of the year with outdoor photographer, Chris Gibbs. Utilizing traditional methods of travel, Chris spent a good part of three winters exploring these areas with his camera. Hear the stories and see the stunning images of places often visited by canoe but seldom seen under a blanket of snow and ice. 

Several years ago Duane rediscovered the love of his youth, downhill skiing.  In the last 5 years Duane has developed a system of winter camping that is incorporated with his winter skiing.   In this class Duane will share ideas, equipment he has developed for his personal use and how to enjoy winter camping when it is not the primary focus of your winter adventure.  Some may call it unorthodox, some may even call it heresy, Duane calls it just plain fun! 

Presentation of the skills and equipment needed for safe and enjoyable winter solo camping. Will actually be setting up camp  so you can see and ask questions. This presentation is geared to  all skill levels and will cover how to get started.

Many people think of the North Shore’s incredible rock faces as great places to climb in the summer – but there are a wide variety of places to swing a pick and sink a screw all winter long. Join Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply guide Scott Sorensen for a talk about the gear you need for these amazing adventures, and where to go as you travel up the Lake Superior shore.

1. Hammock Camping: "Nothing but the soles of your shoes touches the ground."
2. Components of Hammock Camping hammock, suspension, tarp, bottom insulation, top insulation, bugnet
3. Hammock Suspension
    LNT = protect the trees
    Webbing vs Whoopies
4. Ridgeline - with or without
5. How to Hang Your Hammock
6. How to Lay in a Hammock
7. How to Sit in Your Hammock
8. UnderQuilt vs foam pad
9. Hammock Sock
10. Bugnet
11. Breakfast from the Hammock
12. Quick & Dirty DIY Hammock

The basics of cold camping- if you are new to camping outside in the winter, this class is for you!

Mors will share the knowledge that he has gained from a lifetime working for weeks at a time in temperatures down to -40 below.
How to dress to survive four days without at fire!
He will also cover the following:
The function of clothing
Best choice of material
Rules of Dressing
Body State
Clothing thickness and the five insulation layers
The importance of proper footwear
Clothing for “wet cold” and “dry cold”
He will also explain how a person can collect the clothing for their system without taking out a second mortgage & incorporate what they already have to achieve comfort no matter what the conditions. 

The BWCA isn’t just a warm-weather fishing paradise, it’s still amazing all winter long. In this session, Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply guide Scott Sorensen will discuss the technique and equipment you need to catch more fish on the ice. You’ll be able to apply these tips and tricks the next time you’re on a winter camping trip in the BWCA.

On many winter trekking landscapes the bush is very thick, terrain very rugged, and so the traditional way of travel is via frozen lakes and rivers.  In the thick forested landscapes, we are also drawn to the lakes for the vistas, wildlife viewing, fishing, and liquid water supply.  Ice formation and structure on lakes and rivers is very complex, continuously changing throughout the season, and learning to read the signs for safe travel is a life-long learning curve.  Safety concerns are job 1 when travelling on ice, and there are risks that must be assessed and managed.  Glen will cover the topics of ice formation and structure, hazards, the mysteries of overflow and slush, and provide some tips and tricks he has picked up in his career so far for staying safe while managing the risk.

In search of the perfect solo set-up, Brian Maruska has been consumed for the last few years designing and building an entire ultra light weight and extremely comfortable modern traditional winter camping set up.   Cold campers and winter hot trekkers both will be inspired to carry a little less or a little more on their next expedition!

This class is for those who have been hammock camping in the summer, and even a little in the shoulder seasons and would like to take it to the next level by challenging their skills in subzero weather. We will cover the basics and will into go serious depth on the insulation systems required to keep one warm and safe in -30 below weather.
Equipment selection
Site selection
Use of tarp & hammock sock
Frost management
The use of the “Mors Super-shelter” and open fire with the hammock
The mitten hand theory for set up
The use of the winter hammock system for fast and easy winter travel.
By the end of this class, you will be able to decide whether or not winter hammock camping is for you or if a warm tent and hot cocoa sounds better.
 

In Winter Camping 101, Fred will address topics of winter clothing, equipment, first aid and shelters. (Plan for the weather with proper clothing for some of the program may be outdoors.)