Do any of the programs (of any season) at NT have the option to bring an all-adult crew? I know Philmont lets you do that for Autumn Adventure but I can't tell from the NT website whether they have one, too

What are the Northern Tier Life jackets like or can you bring your own?

I'm going to Norther Tier for the first time with OA this year, so I'll be going for two weeks, unfortunately no one in my lodge has gone to Norther Tier for through OA, so I'm a bit clueless. Any recommendations for gear to bring, or overall advice? As of now I don't know what trek that I'll be going on but I do know that I'll be going in Late June and Early July. I'm also a bit worried about missing the shuttle to get to the outpost.

Was going to check out a fishing pole at that base and am wondering if the poles are good and that they will be available when I'm their as its first come first serve

I’m currently in New Jersey and for me personally, the weather sucks. (80-90 degrees Fahrenheit and very humid). So I would like to know what it’s going to be like so I can mentally prepare if it’s similar.

Also, how much does it rain? When I went to Philmont, we were told it rained every day in some part of the ranch, but we never got rained on.

What is the NT format for crew numbers? For the 12 day Philmont treks the format was 616-N-2 equal to June 16th - Nth troop of the day (14th) - Crew 2 (from the same troop)

I am a crew leader for one of the 3 my troop is taking to NT in a couple weeks.

My questions:

What gear could you not live without on your trek?

What gear do you wish you had with you?

Any tips/tricks/recommendations to try encourage the scouts decisions in the route planning?

Is there anything you wish you did/did not do while at NT?

I never had the chance to do a high adventure while I was scouting, we did our own version of SeaBase scuba trip, but that was as close as we got.

Thanks All

I know that the Northern Tier main brand is that "X" with serifs, and I'm hoping to be able to get my mug or hat (or both) branded while I'm at NT

We are checking in to Ely this coming Friday, and getting out on the water on Saturday. I've noticed that it's been quite wet up there and even this week I've seen some flash flood warnings, and just large amounts of rain.

How do weather warnings affect ability to leave Basecamp? If there are flash flood warnings out will we still be able to leave Basecamp?

I'm assuming it would be good to bring a weather radio so we can listen to the weather and adjust accordingly?

Thanks!

I’m to going to Northern Tier in August and admittedly my crew has probably done the bare minimum when it comes to planning (at least when compared to Philmont).

We had a Q and A with someone who attended Northern Tier already and they told me that you will have to carry around 70 pounds in on your back and carry the canoe.

I know you portage far shorter distances than you paddle, but I’m unsure if I could effectively hike with that weight (I’m underweight and only weigh 116 lbs). So if would like to know, is that weight accurate and how is it hiked with?

I am interested in working at Northern Tier. What position do you suggest working and at what base? I’ve only been once to NT at the Atikoken base as a youth member.

What is the expected maximum weight for portaging at Ely for a 7-day trip. I have done up to 50 pounds at Philmont, but going through some videos on Youtube, there are suggestions that the wight at Norther Tier for the personal and food gear can go up to 75lb or higher. Was curious what were people's experiences so we prepare appropriately.

I just got my offer letter as a wilderness canoe guide(interpreter I believe) what can I expect and does anyone have any gear recommendations? Any experiences you want to share that may help are welcome as well!

We have a trip starting from Ely in August and we are landing in Minneapolis. Are there any recommendations for hostels in Minneapolis or en route to Ely?

I've worked a summer season as an interpreter and I'm returning for a bit this winter. I really don't know what to expect working the winter program as I don't have any substantial cold weather experience. Any advice, stories, or items that you found essential/would have loved to have are all welcome!

One of my Woodbadge Ticket items is to build a repository/library of recommendations and feedback for people returning from Philmont, Northern Tier, Summit, and Sea Base that can be accessed by those going next to learn from those in the past. That repository/library will consist of links to YouTube recordings. I have recorded my thoughts after returning from my trek this past summer to serve as a template/example. (See link below)

The best time to capture these recommendations would be immediately after returning from the trek when the thoughts are fresh. I made a list / notes of things to cover, and used that list during recording my recommendations.

This request is only open to adults. No youth please.

I am looking to identify people going next summer who would be willing to work with me to record these thoughts following their trips. If you are willing to participate in creation of a lessons learned video, please DM me.

https://youtu.be/OY2UcVMFseo

We are going to NT Ely Base in 2024. I am trying to understand the level of canoeing skills needed? Will we need to navigate rivers, rapids and eddy currents etc.?

Our crew is gearing up for an adventure to NT in August 2024. As we set out on this thrilling prep journey, we're eager to connect with fellow explorers who've already charted these waters.

If you're an adult or scout with a fantastic NT escapade under your belt, we'd love to hear from you! We're hoping to arrange a casual video call where we can pick your brain and soak up your insights. Don't worry, there's no need for extensive prep – we're all about the friendly exchange of questions and answers.

We are on the US West Coast. If you're willing to share your experiences and help us get ready for this incredible journey, please shoot me a message. Let's chat and coordinate offline, making sure our crew is fully prepped for the expedition of a lifetime!

Hi, What are the footwear recommendations for NT? I did Philmont last year and had heavy-duty hiking shoes which are moisture-wicking as well. I am wondering whether I can reuse them or will it be a pain to wear such bulky shoes while canoeing?

Do people wear different shoes while canoeing vs portaging? Any recommendations on footwear, in general, would be appreciated

I'm going to northern tier in a little less than a month, and my biggest problem atm is fitting my sleeping bag into my dry tote, 35 L bag. It's just not fitting, even with a compression bag. It's a Magellan, 4 lb flannel lined sleeping bag. Without my sleeping bag, I don't want to pack anything else cuz it won't fit. What should I do, and should I get a new sleeping bag? I don't want to spend too much for just northern tier, so that's also a consideration.

I haven't been to any High Adventure base and I signed up for CO up at Northern Tier. I am doing Philmont 2 months before CO but what should I expect up there? Like the weather and is the service on the trails difficult? Just asking so I know what im getting into

I’ll be joining the staff at Ely this summer for the first time, and I was wondering if anyone on here has worked up there before? I’d love to connect to ask some questions and hear about your experience!

As the title says, I'm looking into sleeping bag options for NT. The guide says to bring a lightweight synthetic bag rated for 35* but the one I have for my son is down. Is this going to be a problem and should I invest in a synthetic bag for him? I can't find a reasonably priced lightweight synthetic bag and am reluctant to buy yet another sleeping bag.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I've been asked to be the adult crew lead for our NT trek. We have two crews going and the trek coordinator will be the adult leader for the other crew. Neither of us has done NT before and we're not sure what will be expected of us, anyone here have some insight/advice?

We already have travel arrangements and we're looking into lodging for the drive up, so any input on a good place to stay/avoid and the types of accommodations we can expect would be really helpful. I've heard there's a BSA camp we can rent cabins for cheap somewhere along the drive up to Ely, is this a good option?

Our troop’s trip to Philmont was hindered by lack of practice with the same type of gear used at Philmont. For example out Scouts don’t typically set up a communal rain fly because we live in a drier part of the state. Learning to set one up in the rain was hard for them!

Also our cooking stoves, pots pans etc, were individual during COVID and the Scouts had not really practiced carrying communal cooking with larger pots as a crew. Hence an argument over who’s turn it was to carry the pot meant 4 Scouts got to return 2 miles back to to the station where it was left when nobody took it.

Can anyone point me to videos of the equipment so I can encourage our crew to practice with the same types of equipment? What stoves, cooking tools , rain flys, cleaning tools, food strainers and num num bags (all Philmont-related surprises) should they consider? Same for food - what does everyone typically eat at NT?