During stage 1 we will kayak 1,400 miles from Seattle, Washington to Skagway, Alaska. The Pacific Northwest is home to a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial animals. We will be studying whales and other marine mammals, kelp forests, salmon, and many other species.
The Pacific Northwest is home to a variety of large land mammals including Grizzly Bears, and Black Bears. Above and below the surface we are sure to find plenty of things to learn about. Many of these large mammals need large undeveloped spaces to thrive and the roadless sections of British Columbia and Alaska provide the perfect habitat.
From Skagway, Alaska we will hike over the Chilkoot Pass in the footsteps of thousands of gold seekers who struggled across the pass to reach the Klondike. Many of artifacts remain from those early days, and we will follow their path all the way to Dawson City along the mighty Yukon River.
From Bennet Lake on the eastern side of the Chilkoot Pass we will canoe through a chain of lakes that form the headwaters of the Yukon River past White Horse and down the swift flowing Yukon River to Dawson City. 
From Dawson we will hike 100 miles through the mountains to the headwaters of the Blackstone River. The Blackstone flows into the Peel River, which flows in the McKenzie River, which will lead us to the Arctic Ocean. The rivers flowing through these rugged mountains as some of the most pristine wild rivers in North America, with hundreds of miles of flowing waterways between towns or roads.
After over 2,600 miles of paddling and hiking we hope to reach the Arctic Ocean before freeze up. We will spend the month of October,2010 training our dogs, and learning about native life in the Arctic. In November we will head south along the McKenzie River by dog team, crossing 1,800 miles of frozen wilderness. There are many remote native communities along our way and we are sure to learn a lot from the people we encounter.
When the ice melts in the Spring of 2011 we will transition from dogsled to canoe and paddle 2,300 miles along the historic travel and trade route pioneered by Alexander McKenzie, Samuel Hearne, and other Canadian Explorers in the 1700's. We will finish this stage of our journey in the fall of 2011 by completing the 8 1/2 mile Grand Portage which will lead us to the rock shore of Lake Superior.
After spending the winter giving presentations and making final preparations we will begin 4,800 mile kayak journey from Grand Portage, Minnesota to Key West, Florida. The first 2,200 miles will take us through the Great Lakes and out the Saint Lawrence Seaway. 
During the final stage of our journey we will kayak the length of the Atlantic Coast from the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Key West, Florida. We will be following the seasonal whale migration from the Bay of Fundy in Maine to the warm clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way we will visit cities large and small, and study a variety of ecosystems and environmental topics. We also plan to take side trips into the cyprus swamps and Everglades National Park looking for Alligators, birds, and other critters.
Expedition Updates Planning and Logistics A Great Evening at Shedd Aquarium
A Great Evening at Shedd Aquarium
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:36 Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:38
On November 5th, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago hosted an event for the Wilderness Classroom. Dave and I were thrilled to have the chance to have an event in the Oceanarium. After all, the Oceanarium is modeled after the Pacific Northwest, which happens to be where the North American Odyssey will begin. The turnout was more than we could have hoped for! About 50 folks attended and it was quite a diverse group, including teachers, donors, fellow explorers, friends and family.
There was something magical about being in the Oceanarium after-hours. Folks had the chance to wander around the exhibits without the usual crowds. People stood in awe, observing the two pregnant belugas swimming around their tank. With the lights off in the Amazon Rising exhibit, some critters became much more active than they normally are during the day.
Inside the Welcome Center of the Oceanarium, peole enjoyed food, drinks, and eachother's company. Dave and I relished having the chance to catch up with everyone. In addition to sharing literature about the Wilderness Classroom, two teachers provided us with displays. We owe special thanks to Tammy for her displays of photos of students engaged in Wilderness Classroom projects and Jonathan for bringing several Amazon River houses that his students made.
Dave and I gave a brief presentation-- providing the history of the Wilderness Classroom and shared images and stories from previous Wilderness Classroom expeditions. We also unveiled our plans for the North American Odyssey. Jonathan, a Chicago public school teacher, spoke about his students' engagement with previous Wilderness Classroom projects. We are so grateful to him for his enthusiasm!
After the presentation, Dave and I were overwhelmed by all of the questions, encouragement, and general excitement about our work with the Wilderness Classroom and plans for the North American Odyssey.
Our educational adventures would not be possible without the support of all the wonderful people in that room-- and all you wonderful people reading this article. Ever since that great evening at the Shedd, online donations have been rolling in. I sincerely hope that you will consider the Wilderness Classroom when it comes time to do your end of the year giving. Any contribution you make is tax-deductible. Donations can be made online here or, by mail to:
The Wilderness Classroom Organization
4605 Grand Ave
Western Springs, IL 60558
Thank you to all who attended the November 5th event! Thank you to all who support the Wilderness Classrom! Thank you to all who participate in our online educational adventures!
blog comments powered by Disqus