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Adults

Boundary Waters – Pathfinder – Canoe & Backpack

This immersive 30‑day experience creates space to reflect, recalibrate, and choose what’s next with intention. Through time in nature and shared challenge, you’ll build self‑awareness, sharpen decision‑making, strengthen perseverance, and reconnect with a sense of purpose, so you can move forward grounded and energized.

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Boundary Waters, MN

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CB20 Course Overview

About This Course

Activity

  • The image shows a blue outline of a hiking backpack against a black background. The backpack is fully packed, with a sleeping bag or similar item strapped to the top. It has multiple compartments and straps, suggesting it's designed for carrying a substantial amount of gear. The style is simple and graphic, resembling an icon or a line drawing. Backpacking
  • The image shows a simple, stylized drawing of a canoe in blue against a black background. The canoe is depicted with curved lines outlining its shape, and there are horizontal lines inside the canoe to suggest its structure or design. The style is reminiscent of a basic illustration or icon, with a focus on clear, recognizable shapes rather than detailed realism. Canoeing
  • The image shows a stylized, blue drawing of a foot and ankle, possibly representing a ballet dancer's foot in a pointe shoe. The foot is positioned vertically, with the toes pointing downwards. The drawing has a simple, almost cartoonish style, with thick lines outlining the shape of the foot and shoe. The background is black, which makes the blue drawing stand out. The image could be used to represent dance, movement, or elegance. Rock Climbing
  • The image shows a blue rope against a black background. The rope is coiled and appears to be somewhat thick. The blue color of the rope stands out against the dark backdrop, making it the focal point of the image. The rope's texture and the way it's coiled add visual interest to the otherwise simple composition. Ropes Course
  • The image shows a stylized, blue-outlined graphic against a black background. Two hands are cupped together, as if holding or presenting something delicate. Above the hands, there are three leaf-like shapes, suggesting a plant or nature. The overall impression is one of care, growth, or environmental stewardship. The simplicity of the design and the use of a single color give it a clean and modern look. Service Projects

Setting & Location

  • The image shows a simple, hand-drawn style illustration of three evergreen trees, possibly pine or fir trees. They are depicted in a solid blue color against a white background. The trees are stylized with jagged edges to represent the needles and branches, giving them a whimsical and slightly abstract appearance. The trunks are simple vertical lines. Forest
  • The image shows a blue silhouette of a landscape against a black background. The landscape includes trees, mountains, and water, possibly a lake or river. The style is simple and graphic, resembling a logo or emblem. The scene evokes a sense of nature and tranquility, with the dark background emphasizing the blue elements of the natural landscape. Lake
  • airplane Course Start Location: Duluth, MN
  • airplane Course End Location: Duluth, MN

Students Can Earn

  • College Credit

Session Details

1 session are available for this course

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What You'll Learn

Pathfinder expeditions for adults 25+ meet you with intention and respect for your lived experience. Through wilderness travel and facilitated reflection, you’ll deepen self-knowledge, strengthen decision making, and define goals that align with your values, so you can move forward with purpose, confidence, and momentum.

What You'll Do

Navigate a new adventure with curiosity and courage. Captain a canoe and trek the vast northwoods. Survive and thrive through campcraft– sleep and eat outside, take care of your gear, and your crew. This adventure builds skills and lasting friendships.

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Where You'll Be

Water, water everywhere! Clear lakes, sweet pines, ancient granite, and starry skies– this is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. With more water than land, it’s THE place to reflect on who you are and find your new path.

Why It Matters

Sometimes meaningful progress starts by stepping out of your routine. Pathfinder creates space to reconnect with your strengths while navigating new landscapes and authentic relationships. Through shared challenge, communication, and teamwork, you’ll gain insights that extend well beyond your Outward Bound course, along with the clarity and confidence to make thoughtful decisions about what comes next.

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Pathfinder Expeditions (25+)

What if this is where your path comes back into focus?

Educational Approach

A balanced experience.

This course balances adventure with meaningful reflection, skill building with intentional goal setting. You bring real-world experience with you; we create the space to step back, reconnect with what matters most, and move forward with clarity.

A moment to reset.

Life after your mid twenties can be full, complex, and fast-moving. Careers evolve, priorities shift, and big questions resurface. Pathfinder for 25+ offers a rare opportunity to step away from the noise and into the backcountry, map and compass in hand, to navigate beautiful landscapes, authentic connections, and a renewed sense of direction grounded in who you are now.

An experience designed for where you are.

Pathfinder expeditions for adults 25+ meet you with intention and respect for your lived experience. Through wilderness travel and facilitated reflection, you’ll deepen self-knowledge, strengthen decision making, and define goals that align with your values—so you can move forward with purpose, confidence, and momentum.

CB31 Media Gallery

Life on Course

Launch your voyage as you paddle through the Boundary Waters, canoeing, portaging, camping, and navigating your way through adventure and personal growth!

On this incredible journey, you will explore vast areas of beautiful boreal forest and countless bodies of water. During the course, students learn the art of paddling a canoe in a variety of conditions, as well as map and compass reading, & route finding. Groups navigate a variety of waterways such as lakes, rivers, and swamps. Students work as a team to carry packs and canoes over portage trails when transitioning from one lake to another. As you adventure with your crew, you will develop connections & build relationships as you work through priorities and challenges together. Cultivating belonging through building community is what we do!

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Sample Itinerary

Here’s an example of what your course itinerary might look like. The actual plan will depend on permits, weather, group skills, and instructor evaluation.

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30-Day Course

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Day 1 Course start, meet group, organize gear, and camp under the stars
Day 2-5 Begin training for canoe expedition (introductory lessons to paddling, portaging, camp craft, and navigation)
Day 6 Rock climbing and rappelling
Day 7-9 Continued paddle training and transition to the main canoeing expedition
Day 10-11 Solo
Day 11-17 Main phase of the canoe expedition
Day 18 Gear switch, preparation for backpacking
Day 19-25 Backpacking expedition
Day 26 Rock climbing and rappelling
Day 27 Ropes course and gear clean
Day 28 Family phone conference and community service project
Day 29 Personal Challenge Event and course end ceremonies
Day 30 Depart for the airport and travel home
CB27 Pull Quotes

Throughout the expedition, I could not tell you how many times I fell down, but thanks to those around me, I was able to find incredible healing power in getting back up, so I cannot wait to fall some more.

Erica

Pathfinder Alum

On my pathfinder journey, I learned many things about myself. I learned that I can do anything! If I set my mind to it & I can push myself further than I ever believed possible. I am the master of my own destiny, and how I act and portray myself greatly affects the outcome. I appreciate the chance I got to spend 30 days and 30 nights with eight other people searching for answers to questions we didn’t even know we had.

Josh

Voyageur Outward Bound School Pathfinder Alum

I realized during the solo portion of this course that I am comfortable with my thoughts and am able to be happy alone. During this course I discovered I have a strength of being able to stay calm and rationally think through things even under dire circumstances.

Gavin

Pathfinder Alum

CB17 FAQs

FAQs

Is prior experience necessary?

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No prior experience is necessary to participate on an Outward Bound expedition! Our talented instructing staff will start the course by going over the basic skills needed for backcountry travel. All we ask is that students come prepared for and open to new experiences. We’ll handle the rest!

How can I be physically prepared to attend course?

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Students do not need to be in peak physical condition to complete the course successfully. However, it’s always a good idea to physically prepare for the course ahead of time to increase comfort, especially at the start of your journey. Check out how to physically prepare for course through our Preparing for Course page.

How will I know what to bring?

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Outward Bound will provide the activity-specific and camping equipment for the course, including tents, tarps, backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and cookware, etc. You will receive a packing list of items to bring, consisting mainly of clothing*, footwear, personal items, and toiletries, after applying. If you’d like to see a packing list for a specific expedition ahead of time, reach out to our Customer Success Team at 866-467-7651 or [email protected]. A Customer Success Specialist will be happy to provide this information!

*Pro tip: Not everything on your pack list needs to be brand new! See what items you can thrift or find at a second-hand gear store

Where is the meeting location for my course?

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The meeting location is typically the nearest airport to the course area. Whether driving or flying, students will meet there on Day 1 by a designated time and get transported as a crew to their course start location. Students will be dropped off at the same location at the end of the course. If you’d like to see travel requirements for a specific expedition, please reach out to our Customer Success Team at 866-467-7651 or [email protected]. A Customer Success Specialist will be happy to provide this information!

THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE.
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