Wilderness Track Options: Backpacking, Canoeing, and Rock Climbing
Your wilderness trip will take you on one of three amazing adventures to enjoy God’s creation. Your trip will provide close community, facilitate spiritual growth, and prepare you for the transition into college. Wilderness Passage is a completely technology free experience, allowing you to fully connect with your peers in creation. Previous wilderness and camping experience are not necessary.
During the registration process students can choose their preference for one of the three wilderness trip options: Backpacking, Canoeing, and Rock Climbing. Keep reading to learn more about your options!
Location, Accommodations, and Food for the Wilderness Track
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Location
The sites of the wilderness locations will vary day by day as students journey through The Superior National Forest’s varied wilderness environments.
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Accommodations
Students will live in backpacking tents and sleep under the stars. Leave No Trace principles will be employed to properly use the bathrooms in these pristine wilderness locations. Wilderness Passage ends in a wilderness camp environment.
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Food
Food will be prepared by students while on their trip. We can accommodate medically necessary dietary needs when given advance notice in your registration form!
"Passage was such a formative and amazing experience to have before starting my time here at Wheaton. The time spent in the wilderness allowed me to disconnect and reflect before having to adapt to the changes of college life."— Ethan Roth '25
Sample Schedule of Wilderness Trips
Watch the emerald lily pads step aside as you navigate your canoe along the serene shore of a quiet lake. An example day on your Boundary Waters canoeing trip will look like the sample schedule below. Depending on the group, weather conditions, and campsite availability, the timing of each day’s itinerary will vary. Trips include a rest day for intentional spiritual reflection where little to no paddling is included.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:00 - 7:30 | Wake Up, Personal Prayer and Devotional Time |
| 8:00 | Prepare and Eat Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Pack Up |
| Morning | Paddle 4 miles along a scenic lakeshore Take a snack break at a campsite Portage your canoe over land to reach another gorgeous lake |
| 12:00 | Eat Lunch |
| 1:00 | Paddle 3 miles to overnight campsite - often on an island or point |
| 5:00 | Prepare and Eat Dinner |
| 6:30 | Free Time |
| 8:00 | Evening Campfire, Debrief of the Day, and Discussion |
| 9:00 | Head to Bed & Sleep |
*Approximate schedule provided; subject to change.
Rappel down a seaside cliff to get the most unique views of Lake Superior before scaling back up with the support of your wilderness leaders. See below for an example of what a day might look like on the rock-climbing track. Depending on the group and weather conditions, the timing of the day will vary. Some days on the Rock-Climbing trip are focused on climbing, while other days require packing up and relocating camp to a different crag. This trip also includes a rest day for focused spiritual reflection. See below an example of a rock climbing day.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:00 - 7:30 | Wake Up, Personal Prayer and Devotional Time |
| 8:00 | Prepare and Eat Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Pack Up |
| Morning |
Spend the morning getting oriented to the climbing site. Start climbing the routes of your choice. |
| 12:00 | Eat Lunch |
| 1:00 |
Continue climbing and spending time with your new friends. |
| 3:30 |
Set Up Campsite |
| 5:00 | Prepare and Eat Dinner |
| 6:30 | Free Time |
| 8:00 | Evening Campfire, Debrief of the Day, and Discussion |
| 9:00 | Head to Bed & Sleep |
On a climbing day, you would spend the morning getting oriented to the site and start climbing the routes of your choice, which will vary in difficulty to meet the varied ability levels of the group. The afternoon is spent continuing to climb and spending time with your new friends at the rock face.
*Approximate schedule provided; subject to change.
Tighten your laces and double check your map – the backpacking trip will wind along a section of the 310-mile-long Superior Hiking Trail. The schedule below gives you a peak into what a day on a Wheaton Passage backpacking trip might look like. Depending on your group and weather conditions, the exact schedule of your day will vary. Trips include a rest day where little to no backpacking is included so that students can focus on spiritual reflection.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:00 - 7:30 | Wake Up, Personal Prayer and Devotional Time |
| 8:00 | Prepare and Eat Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Pack Up |
| Morning | Hike 4 miles along the Superior Hiking Trail Take a snack break at a scenic spot Hike 3 miles enjoying vistas of Lake Superior |
| 12:00 | Eat Lunch |
| 1:00 | Hike final 2 miles to your overnight campsite |
| 2:30 | Set up overnight campsite |
| 4:00 | Prepare, Eat, and Clean Up Dinner |
| 6:30 | Free Time |
| 8:00 | Evening Campfire, Debrief, and Discussion |
| 9:00 | Head to Bed & Sleep |
*Approximate schedule provided; subject to change.
