Winter or spring, the biannual Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo at the popular shop in Minneapolis is, well, a call to action.
Outdoor Expo runs through weekend, featuring the BWCA, biking and ways to volunteer in the wild
The biannual Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo in Minneapolis is a call to action for friends of the outdoor life.
April 27, 2023 at 3:15PM
Here are five reasons, among dozens, to attend the spring expo happening Friday through Sunday:
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness knowledge
Presentations on a range of topics and adventure trips are a hallmark of the expo, and the BWCA represents. Peter Marshall, communications director of the nonprofit Friends of the Boundary Waters, is among several presenters offering stories and sharing know-how. Marshall said "25 Tips for a Better Boundary Waters Trip" isn't for beginners or experts but shoots for a crowd in the middle with some canoe camping experience.
"Most people find a few nuggets that they can take home," Marshall said.
One of his tips focuses on two do-it-all knots when, for example, it comes to setting up a tarp or tightening a tent fly — the bowline and tautline hitch.
His audience also will hear about his preference for a small, collapsible Emberlit stove, fueled by twigs, and the utility of — no joke — a designated urine bottle to use at night.
Marshall, who has paddled 9,000 miles over time and also will present on an adventure to remote northern Quebec, thinks the expo is a great vehicle. And he should know: Marshall helped shaped the schedule as a former part-time Midwest Mountaineering employee.
While the internet has made knowledge quickly accessible on screens, Marshall remains a fan of outdoors shows.
"Being with that community of people … you can't replicate that in the digital world," he said.
3 p.m. Saturday, University of Minnesota's Hanson Hall, Room 1-102
And more still on the BWCA
- Tiger Beaudoin, who lists a robust adventure background and has guided trips for all sorts, will present "10 Mistakes I've Made Canoe Camping in the Boundary Waters (So You Don't Have To)."
1 p.m. Saturday, Midwest Mountaineering Expedition Stage
- Bear Paulsen, an expo veteran and Northstar Canoes general manager, will talk about routes, how to avoid crowds (and bears) and other wilderness approaches.
11 a.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-105
- Also a past expo presenter, Bob O'Hara will share about 65 years of paddling the BWCA and Quetico Provincial Park, the border waters in Ontario.
2 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-102
Onto the Superior Hiking Trail
Rudi Hargesheimer, who helped build the popular path along the North Shore, has updated his book. "The Superior Hiking Trail, Expanded Content" features new stories of recent trail work like that on the Gooseberry Gap; the Fastest Known Time pursuits; photo spreads; and each state park touched by the trail, among other updates. "[The book] is bigger and better," said Hargesheimer in an e-mail to the Star Tribune.
Noon Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-102
2 p.m. Sunday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-102
Roll, roll, and roll some more
There are several cycling-related presentations with information anchored locally and also focused on the sweep of Europe. Fun.
- Europe By Bike and Only One Flat, with Gayle Knutson and Jim Maher, 2 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-103
- Twin Cities Bicycle Touring, with Gary Meyer, 4 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-103
- Crossing the Americas by Bike, with Karl Kroll, 5 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-103
- 41 Years of Bike Touring: Self Support, Van Supported, and E-Biking Cross Country, with Roland Ring-Jarvi, 3 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-105
Hit the trails but help them, too
Any experienced hiker knows the work behind the scenes to maintain or build trail. The need for volunteers is acute in some places in Minnesota. Matthew Davis coordinates volunteer and development efforts on the North Country Scenic Trail (NCT) in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. He and other trail leaders will talk about the needs — and opportunities — on the NCT and the Superior, Border Route and Kekekabic trails, among others.
"Many of our trail volunteers are retired folks who have long shouldered the responsibility, and we need the next generation to step up to carry the trails forward. There is a role for everyone no matter your age, available skills, ability or fitness level," said Davis in an e-mail to the Star Tribune.
1 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-105
2 p.m. Saturday, Hanson Hall, Room 1-105
Find the complete lineup and more about the expo here.
None of the boat’s occupants, two adults and two juveniles, were wearing life jackets, officials said.
