Northern Tier ’25
Expedition Number [ x ] | Reservation Number [ x ]
Dates (Including Travel): Sun, June 22 – Wed., 2 Jul 2025
Please review these important policies and other updates regarding the Northern Tier ’25 canoe trip.
This page was last edited Thursday, 25th January 2024.
Intro
Troop 934 has secured a Northern Tier canoeing trek for June 23 – July 1, 2025. We will be based in Atikokan, Ontario. Check-in is on Monday, June 23 which means a travel day of Sunday, June 22. The last day in camp is Tuesday, July 1 which means a travel day on July 2.
We have 11 spots which normally break down as 8 Scouts and 3 adult leaders. Per Troop 934’s Outdoor policy, priority for these spots will be determined by age, maturity, how active a Scout is in the Troop including popcorn sales and rank advancement. Priority will also given to older Scouts who have already attended a Philmont trek and will be going for their Triple Crown.
Total Cost
The preliminary expected cost of this trip is $2,800/participant. This includes Norther Tier tuition ($1,555), Quetico Provincial Park fees ($135), estimated international airfare ($750), ground transportation/baggage fees ($250) and swag/incidentals ($110). This amount will be due in full from every participant by 15th May 2025.
Please note – This $2,800 assumes a fully subscribed trip with 11 participants. As Northern Tier prices by the crew and not by the participant this amount will go up if there are less than 11 participants. The per person Northern Tier tuition is $1,555; each 1 participant less than 11 means tuition for the remaining participants goes up. This incremental amount (which is a moving target) will be handled as an additional payment to be billed in May ’24 and paid prior to departure. Troop 934 has always been able to send full crews to High Adventure and at this time we do not expect this trip to be any different.
Payment Plan
An earnest money deposit of $250 must be included with your application for a slot. You can pay the deposit online at the Troop’s Square store, here: OHC dba Troop 934. Per policy, if your Scout is not selected, the deposit will be returned or held for another High Adventure trip.
If you are selected, you will have ~$2,550.00 to go. Troop 934 is going to collect that amount in nine monthly installments of $285.00/person/month with the first installment due beginning of September 2024 and the final installment being due at the beginning of May 2025 such that the full $2,800/participant is paid no later than 15th May. Mechanically, we will issue everyone a Square invoice (grossed up 3.5%) and you can EITHER pay the Square invoice OR bring a paper check to the first regular Monday meeting of each month. The payment is late if not paid by the 15th of the month. When the participant is fully paid we will stop issuing monthly invoices to the individual.
If a participant does not want to be bothered with the payment plan s/he is more than welcome to accelerate and pay the entire balance now. As tuition must be paid to Seabase in installments there is no deferral of monthly payments due.
Fundraising
We are instituting a fundraising effort for all High Adventure treks on a trip specific basis. Please do not let finances keep you from applying for a spot on this roster. If a Scout wants to go and is willing to put in the effort to fundraise, Troop leadership will do everything we can to make it happen.
Refunds
Refunds of amounts paid for a Seabase/Northern Tier trip are very tricky as (1) Seabase/Northern Tier charge tuition by the group, not by the person; (2) Troop 934 buys the cheapest possible airline tickets, meaning non-refundable; and (3) Troop 934 runs High Adventure on a net-zero basis, meaning the participants are responsible for exactly 100% of the cost (and will be refunded the excess, if material).
- If a participant decides before 1st September to withdraw from the trip – no harm, no foul, we will refund your deposit.
- If a participant decides to withdraw after September 1st but before airline tickets are purchased – all money paid to date will be “locked” and cannot be refunded until (1) the trip is fully subscribed – meaning 24 participants and (2) the replacement participant “catches up” on payments to date. No new invoices will be issued from that point forward.
- If a participant decides to withdraw after airline tickets are purchased – all money paid to date will be “locked” and the Seabase tuition cannot be refunded until (1) the trip is fully subscribed – meaning 24 participants and (2) the replacement participant “catches up” on payments to date. As airfare is nonrefundable the actual amount refunded will likely be only the Seabase tuition. No new invoices will be issued from that point forward.
If you are going to withdraw, please send the Scoutmaster (Lee), the Troop Treasurer (Chad) and the overall Trip Leader (TBD) a confirmatory email ASAP so we have a paper trail. A verbal is not enough.
Other Matters
Shakedowns ALL “Northern Tier Shakedown Trips” (Canoeing trips in the year and a half leading up to Northern Tier) are MANDATORY unless cleared in advance with the Scoutmaster, Outdoor Committee Chair and the Trek Adult Leader.
Eligibility., including Swim Test There are three basic requirements for eligibility, all three of which must be met with no exceptions. This is a Northern Tier policy, not a Troop 934 policy.
- Be an active, registered member of the BSA.
- Be at least 14 years of age by the date of arrival at Northern Tier.
- Be able to pass both the BSA Swim Test (the one for summer camp, administered by T934 before departure) and the Northern Tier Swim Test (a more strenuous test, administered by Northern Tier on the day of arrival).
If you cannot pass the Northern Tier Swim Test when it is administered by the Northern Tier staff you will be sent home at your own expense with no refund of any monies paid. This is a Northern Tier policy, not a Troop 934 policy.
All participants must be physically fit enough for the strenuous nature of Northern Tier. We would like all attendees to be 15 unless the Scout is very athletic. Adults must be 21, meet height and weight requirements and must pass a High Adventure physical. An adult without medical professional training also must be Wilderness First Aid qualified.
Weight requirements: No participant can weigh less than 100 pounds. No participant can weigh more than 295 pounds.
Passports. This trip will take place in Atikokan, Ontario therefore all participants must have a valid passport that expires no less than 6 months before the trip.
BSA Membership. All High Adventure participants on the trip must be active members of the BSA. At present, not everyone on the trip is an active member. Participants who are over 18 and under 21 at the time of the trip must be registered as College Scouter Reserve and be current on Youth Protection Training (YPT).
SWAG. Troop 934 will design and produce a custom hooded sunshirt and a t-shirt for this trip. If anyone is good with Adobe and wants to take the lead please speak up.
Participant Guide. Northern Tier publishes an excellent participant guide, which can be accessed here. A careful read of this document will answer many of the questions you may have at this time.