Two crews returned from Northern Tier on July 2, 2022. Stay tuned for more details…
As this picture shows, the natural colors up there are simply incredible! (from July 2022)
It looked exactly like this when we were there…
northern tier trek 2019
We returned from Northern Tier on July 28, 2019, and it was an incredible experience for all 12 Scouts and 4 adults. See some photos below of our trip.
Rainbow on Day 4, Friday, July 26th as seen by Crew M from Ensign Lake looking to the southeast
The pot of gold (under the prime rainbow — notice the 2nd one??) was actually on Ashigan Lake (one lake down from Ensign Lake) just off the campsite of Crew N!
Backing up a bit…
Max’s first time on an airplane!!!!
OK, before we got there, we took in a Twins game (which they won on a walk-off after we left…)
Everybody is looking at the Bowleses, including themselves!!!
Pine Tree will eventually get our group on the Jumbotron…
![Upon arrival at Northern Tier on 07/22/19, our 2 “sister” crews “M” [the sisters] and “N” [the brothers] with our two Staff Interpreters Kim (Crew N) and Jamie (Crew M)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bafde5b34c4e20db5639092/1564535543181-75KSXOT8HEX5JSV2Y8VO/Crews+M+and+N+with+Interpreters.JPEG)
Upon arrival at Northern Tier on 07/22/19, our 2 “sister” crews “M” [the sisters] and “N” [the brothers] with our two Staff Interpreters Kim (Crew N) and Jamie (Crew M)
Arrival night Yurt for Crew M
at Prairie Portage on Day 1 — Crew N kept saying we had paddled to “Canadia”…
Campsite on Birch Lake with dining fly (and paddles for poles!) and monitoring flamingos
5:09 am on Birch Lake with loon in distance
Fishy
Grady and Proud Papa
Mr. Chronister caught a pike…
Sunset on Day 1 on Knife Lake
Loon sunrise on Day 3 on Hanson Lake
This is how you store the canoes…
We ate well, whatever that was…but Cholula and “Allen Spice” made everything taste better.
Yes, this is a Grumper…it’s real. It’s scary. It’s necessary.
One of many seen in the Boundary Waters…
No more paddling these suckers…
Our official Constantin Summer Camp flamingos are named Pavel and Penelope. We have a new NYLT flamingo named Pine Tree who made the trip with us. Here, Pine Tree is trying, maybe, to attack the flamingo on right (soon to be named “Portage” as the Northern Tier flamingo)
When we returned to Base Camp and found a Sharpie, we made sure to make “Portage” official.
Portage made the entire trip, and every, every portage, with Crew N — so here is Crew N with Staff Interpreter Kim Jalosjos.
Crew N’s return cabin “Attikamek”
James Boone is now Pierre at the closing campire…
““Leave this world a little better than you found it.” ”
High Adventure Bases
The Boy Scouts of America offers a series of High Adventure camps for interested Scouts and Scouters at least 14 years of age. These are optional summer events at remarkable locations, as described below. Each year, interested Troop 890 Scouts attend at least one of these camps and every four years attend the National Scout Jamboree at the Summit (Jamboree age is 12). The High Adventure base visited by 890 rotates each year so that boys will have an opportunity to visit each one during their time in Scouting. Due to the closure of Philmont in the summer of 2018, our schedule is being altered a bit, and we will indicate the next two opportunities for each base below. For questions or information about high adventure, please email Greg Johnson at highadventure@troop890.org.
Troop 890’s next trips = July 21-28, 2019 and July 2023
NORTHERN TIER, ELY, MINNESOTA
Since 1923, Scouts have been voyaging into the great north wilderness to seek adventure. Eagles soaring overhead, walleye swimming in the depths of pristine lakes, meeting a moose on the portage trail. The Northern Tier High Adventure Program is the ONLY outfitter in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Canada charged by the Boy Scouts of America to deliver the Scouting program to Scouts and leaders adventuring into North America’s canoe country.
Some of the best weather, snow conditions, facilities, and terrain for cold-weather camping in North America are offered through the OKPIK adventure program. OKPIK provides a highly trained staff to help you learn cold-weather camping skills such as dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, clothing and sleeping systems, snow shelter building, animal tracking, cold-weather cooking, and ice fishing.
Troop 890’s next trip = July 11-24, 2020 and July 2022
PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH, CIMARRON, NEW MEXICO
Born in 1938 as Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp, today’s Philmont Scout Ranch is a bustling center for high adventure and training. Its 34 staffed camps and 55 trail camps provide an unforgettable adventure in the high country along hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky trails.
The area surrounding the ranch is rich with history, from the Native Americans who made this arid land their home to the land barons of the 19th century. The town of Cimarron boasts a number of historical buildings, including the St. James Hotel—site of at least 26 killings during Cimarron’s wilder days.
Troop 890’s next trips = May 30 - June 5, 2020 and June 2024
FLORIDA SEA BASE, ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base operates 12 different adventures out of three locations: two in the Florida Keys and one in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. The adventures Coral Reef Sailing, Sea Exploring, Eco Adventure, Florida Fishing, Scuba Adventure, Scuba Certification, and Live Aboard Scuba Adventure operate in the Florida Keys at Mile Marker 73.8 at Sea Base on Lower Matecumbe Key, located 75 miles south of Miami.
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base is owned and operated by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to offer educational aquatic programs. Located in Islamorada, the near-shore reefs and clear waters offer unparalleled opportunities for long-term and short-term programs year-round.
THE SUMMIT BECHTEL RESERVE, NEW RIVER GORGE, WEST VIRGINIA
The Summit Bechtel Reserve (SBR or Summit) is the newest high adventure base in Scouting, the permanent home of the National Scout Jamboree, and the site of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. Through outdoor action sports and experiential learning programs at world-class facilities, the Summit fosters achievement, adventure, and innovation in Scouting.
The Summit property is on 10,600 acres adjacent to the New River Gorge National River area in West Virginia. That means access to incredible outdoor terrain in the Appalachian Mountains that provides a home for some of the world’s best whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE
This is a banner for the 2017 National Jamboree. The next Jamboree will be in July 2021 and Troop 890 is planning on sending a contingent. Youth must be 12 years old (as of July 2021) and First Class rank to attend. Expect details to start coming out in late 2019. The next Jamboree will be in the summer of 2025.
This unique Scouting event is a 10-day gathering of around 45,000 Scouts and leaders every four years to celebrate and showcase the BSA and its members. We expect the dates to be roughly in the last two weeks in July 2021. This is usually a 14-15 day round trip where we also visit NYC and DC before heading to the Jamboree. Based on past Jamborees, we estimate the total cost will be around $3,000 per person.
““Happiness doesn’t come from being rich, nor merely from being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step toward happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy so that you can be useful and so you can enjoy life when you are a man.” ”