North Country Wilderness Destination Experience
Girl Scout Ella from Port Washington went on a Girl Scout Destination trip!
Ella attended the North Country Rock-N-Wildnerness Destination to the Northwoods of Minnesota and Canada in summer 2024. She wanted to go on a Destination to meet new people and try something new outside of her comfort zone.
"I thought it would be fun to do something I wouldn't normally get to do, and maybe make some friends," said Ella.
Crystal-clear lakes, waterfalls, a stunning night sky, soaring eagles, and howling wolves are just some of what make the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildnerness (Minnesota) and Quetico Provincial Park (Ontario, Canada) two of the most sought-after wilderness areas in the world. This trip featured well-trained and experienced Girl Scout guides leading Ella and her other Girl Scout sisters on a multiday canoeing expedition that challenged and enriched them.
The adventure started by heading to the stunning North Shore of Lake Superior, where Ella got to know the other Girl Scouts on the trip by tackling a whitewater adventure on the St. Louis River. She challenged herself on an aerial adventure with 12 high course elements on two levels.
Then they headed to the Girl Scouts Northern Lakes Canoe Base off Moose Lake, on the edge of the wilderness. After a day of training, packing, and planning, they paddled north to Canada and spent 7-10 days paddling and portaging through the wilderness.
Trained Girl Scout canoe guides offered the tools and coaching to make the expedition crew succeed at their adventure and bring out the best in every Girl Scout. They enjoyed singing and laughing as they paddled along rocky shorelines, portaged around rapids, trudged through boot-squelching mud, swam in the clear lakes, and enjoyed the serenity of a quiet evening campfire under a starry sky.
Ella chose this trip in particular because she already had experience camping and canoeing and enjoyed it. She wanted to try a new experience that was still somewhat familiar to her, and experience a new place that wasn't halfway around the world.
"I knew this trip would be much bigger and longer, but it was OK because it wasn't something totally new for me," said Ella. "I was interested in going beyond what I've done before, by meeting new people and experiencing a new environment. Traveling from Wisconsin to Minnesota wasn't too far away so it was easy to feel comfortable."
When asked about her favorite parts or favorite memories, she mentioned she has a lot of favorites. She enjoyed the food ("Maybe in the wilderness everything tastes better!" she said), she liked seeing the pictographs on the rocks that Native groups had made, and she enjoyed sleeping during a thunderstorm. But she also really enjoyed the friends she made.
Girl Scout Destination trips offer not only amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but they also offer a lot of personal growth and confidence-building. This was true for Ella. She learned that she needed to be courageous and be open around new people so she didn't seem closed-off.
"I learned that I needed to be open and create my own positive experiences to more easily connect with others," said Ella.
She also learned that you're much more thankful for things when they are not with you and that she's pretty good at "bowing" - paddling from the front of the canoe.
Ella is so glad she chose to go on a Girl Scout Destination trip. She would like to tell others that it can be an amazing experience for many reasons, especially if you're open to trying new things and meeting new people.
"I was a little afraid at first, not knowing who I'd meet or what it would exactly be like, but I quickly learned that many others thought the same way and we could make the trip meaningful and exciting together," said Ella.
Girl Scout Destinations are the ultimate adventure for individual Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Push past your comfort zone by applying for a trip on your own, and make friends from all over the country as you travel with new Girl Scout friends. There's a unique, life-changing experience for everyone. Explore Destinations! Keep in mind that Girl Scouts of Manitou Council helps pay the cost of Destinations and aids girls in planning for money earning, so do not let cost be a deterrent to girls applying.
