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According to the US Coast Guard statistics, in 2020, there was a 23% increase in paddling fatalities. Water temperature is a key contributing factor to drowning, yet many paddlers do not consider water temperature and the associated risks. This presentation will provide insight into the science of cold water and risk management as well as rescue and recovery. Most importantly, it empowers learners with the information they need to be safe paddling on cold water. |
Eleanor and David are ultracyclists who support Water For People’s work to end the global water crisis. In 2021, they entered the 930 mile Race Across the West. Extreme heat and difficult conditions forced them to stop at mile 667. In 2019, Eleanor rode on the four-person Cycling For Water Team that completed the entire Race Across America (RAAM). The team raced for 3,000 miles, climbed 175,000 feet, and finished in just over 7 days. |
An exploration of Utah’s five National Parks and beyond. In 2019 Richard & Ruth spent five weeks visiting Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. We visited seven National Parks, one National Monument, and one National Historical Park. In this program we will travel from Arches to Zion in Utah and then go south to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. After that we will focus on some of the cultural history on the area. |
Maintaining an adventurous outdoor lifestyle and taking care of babies don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In this presentation, Nick & Taryn will share their tips, hacks, experiences, and mishaps navigating first-time parenthood with a focus on outdoor recreation. They’ll cover backpacking, snowshoeing, tent-camping, bike rides, cross-country skiing, and more for those looking to gain perspective on raising adventurous kids. |
Author, Kevin Callan, has just released his 2nd edition of his book A Paddler’s Guide to Killarney And The French River. He will be sharing the additional paddling routes in the latest edition, as well as countless others in Ontario’s Killarney and the French River Provincial Parks. Killarney has been labeled the crown jewel of Ontario parks, and the French River is an absolute paddling paradise. |
Ever wondered what it would be like to sea kayak along the north western coast of Ireland? Cynthia joined a group of 5 other paddlers, expert leaders from the Power of Water team, and Irish Guide James to explore the cliffs, caves, water trails, and waterfalls from a base in Dunfanaghy. With a combination of photos and short movie clips, she takes us on the journey from fear of cliffs to love of the adventure. |
 The Five Rivers Voyage: Rediscovering the Midwest by Canoe Linda and Gary De Kock Canoe five iconic rivers with Gary & Linda. Share their highs and lows as they paddled the headwaters, portaged 26 Wisconsin River dams, negotiated 17 Mississippi and Illinois River locks, paddled upstream on the Des Plaines River to the historic Chicago Portage, and followed the Chicago River through downtown Chicago. Living and camping along the rivers introduced them to new friends as well as local law enforcement. You never know what’s around the next bend! |
Jim DuFresne, author of Lonely Planet’s Hiking & Tramping in New Zealand, has been heading downunder for more than 30 years, each trip a two to three-month adventure to update his guidebook. In this presentation, he shows why the home of the kiwi is such a mountainous paradise for backpackers. He covers the culture, the wildlife, New Zealand’s wonder hut system and the country’s most famous trails or tracks as they say downunder. |
The North Country Trail is the longest trail in the United States running from New York to North Dakota. Michigan carries the trail through both peninsulas, and the Manistee section has a variety of topography for the dedicated backpacker. Follow the footsteps of a couple backpackers out to explore this amazing part of Michigan’s landscape. |
Trapper Haskins and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Piper, spent a week taking pictures from a canoe...more than 10,000 of them, in fact. Using a 360 degree “street view” camera powered by a portable solar panel, they documented 115 miles of Tennessee’s Harpeth River in geotagged photos. The images will be digitally stitched together and uploaded to Google Maps so that everyone, regardless of their location in the world can experience the river virtually. |
Canoeing Wild Rivers: loosely based on Cliff’s flagship book, Canoeing Wild Rivers, 5th Edition, this fast-paced presentation focuses on canoeing remote rivers, including those that are suitable for those with limited paddling skills. Tips and tricks and lots of laughs are the rule at Cliff’s seminars. There’s practical advice for every outing, whether it’s close to home or off the beaten path. |
Focuses on practical things you won’t find in ordinary camping books. Learn how to clear silty water and purify it; stormproof your tent, bug-proof your body and camp; choose edged tools and make fire in the rain; cook with “cozies”; stay dry in rain; inexpensively waterproof your sleeping bag; sleep comfortably on a bad site and more. Based on Cliff’s book, Camping’s Top Secrets--21st Anniversary Edition. |
In 2021, young paddlers of color from Chicago Adventure Therapy suggested concrete ways to share our passion for paddling with communities that are under-represented in paddling, especially black, indigenous, and other people of color. If you missed it last year, join us this year! We’ll present the video of their discussion, sharing concrete steps to become a safe and welcoming paddling community. |
Join Expedition Kayaker Traci Lynn Martin as she shares images and stories of past adventures on the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River - with the purpose to inspire everyone to never give up on their own dreams. |
If you are physically capable, try this, next time you paddle on a river, try getting back to your vehicle by running. Better yet, do the more exhausting part first, then reward yourself with a pleasurable paddle after. But don’t stop with one day; come back, next time start where you left off and keep going. Choose a destination that will take many days. Make it an expedition. |
To celebrate my sixtieth birthday and stamping a “well done” on my recovery from a reckless, suicidal depression, I embarked on a solo kayak experience of Lake Superior during the summer of 2018: without GPS, smartphone, GoPro, iPad, computer, trailing vehicle, or the use of a compass. Little did I know, nor could plan, that due to climate change I would be kayaking during the worst summer weather ever recorded on this Great Lake. |
North Manitou Island in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a backpackers paradise. This federally designated wilderness area creates a unique opportunity for remote island camping. The island history, geography, and isolation have made this a popular destination. Plan your trip: how to get there, what to expect, rules, and safety. Let us introduce you to the Spirit of the Manitou that captures the heart of visitors and makes them yearn to return. |
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The Namekagon is a hidden gem of a river nestled in the North West corner of Wisconsin completely protected and managed by the National Park Service. Often referred to as the mini boundary waters, this remote and squirrelly river offers gentle rapids and primitive riverside campsites. Limited access throughout the riverway makes it one of the best kept secrets in the paddling community. Come discover this extraordinary wilderness and take part in an adventure. |
The High Country Pathway is the Longest Continuous loop in the lower peninsula. Backpacking this rugged 82-mile wilderness trail offers many challenges. Learn about the expectations the 11 Solar Outdoors members had and how the trail lived up to them. Did they see elk? How was the view from the top of Rattlesnake Hill? Was the trail well maintained, and how did they need to modify their plans based on what they discovered? |
In the fall of 2021, The Outdoor Kind’s John Van Barriger thru-paddled the historic Erie Canal. While he fell in love with New York State, the canal’s locks and lift-bridges, and the waterway’s singular history, there were numerous challenges to his 333-mile thru paddle. Inaccessible landings. Stealth camping. Criminals and stalkers. John will share *all* aspects of his adventure with you, complete with tips and gear suggestions to tackle this engineering marvel on your own! |
Jerry Vandiver teams up once again with singer and fiddler extraordinaire Caitlin Evanson to bring all original acoustic music about paddling, portaging, camping and all things outdoors - including Camp Coffee. Don’t miss this unique and fun addition to your Quiet Adventures experience. |
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Every outdoor person knows that the outdoors are transformative. At Chicago Adventure Therapy, we use outdoor programming specifically to promote emotional well being. We’ll walk you through an “annotated experience” of a program designed using Social Emotional Learning (SEL) techniques; we’ll run a genuine indoor program, pause to describe, and reflect on the SEL techniques we’re using, and take the time to discuss ways of incorporating these techniques into a paddling program. |
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