Cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, winter camping and more!
Offered for groups and individuals!
Okpik Cold Weather Camping, Northern Tier’s winter offering, is the BSA’s premier winter camping program. At Okpik, Scouts experience a true Northwoods winter: learning how to thrive in subzero temperatures, travel across frozen wilderness lakes and construct their own sleeping structures out of snow.
All trips are fully outfitted and provisioned, including almost all of the personal gear necessary to stay warm in the winter. A highly trained staff member, called an Interpreter, accompanies all crews on their trek.
Our location
Aside from summer adventures, The Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base hosts the Okpik Cold Weather Camping Program, the premier winter camping program in Scouting America. The Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base is the site of Scouting America’s National Cold Weather Camping Development Center.
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Crew Treks
Three types of Okpik winter expeditions are currently offered: Cabin Stay, Okpik Trek, and Dogsled Trips.
Okpik Cabin Stay Weekends
ELY
Fee: $9,215 – $17,110/ Crew
The Cabin Stay program is designed to introduce younger scouts to the idea of winter camping. Cabin Stay crews stay in a heated cabin each night, but fully explore the winter wilderness during the day. Cabin Stay participants may learn how to cross-country ski, snowshoe and ice fish. Note: Cabin Stay programs are not Triple Crown Eligible
Crew
14 years +
Okpik Build Your Own Adventure
ELY
Fee: $4,000/ Crew
Okpik Camping Weekends are designed to teach scouts how to have fun in the cold. In this program, crews will pack their gear onto sleds )or “pulks”) and head out into the wilderness for 1-3 nights where they will learn to set up a winter campsite, how to build snow shelters, how to cook meals at low temperatures, as well as traveling by ski, snowshoe, or by foot across frozen lakes.
Crew
14 years +
Okpik Musher Camp
ELY
Fee: $9,999 – $10,000/ Crew
Provides participants with an introduction to dog sledding. Crews spend their entire weekend with the dogs: going on runs of up to 10 miles every morning and afternoon, providing other Okpik participants with information about dogsledding, feeding the dogs breakfast and dinner, sleeping in a rustic cabin adjacent to the dog yard and cooking meals in the winter.
Crew
14 years +
Okpik Remote Musher Camp
ELY
Fee: $9,999 – $10,000/ Crew
Provides participants with an introduction to dog sledding. You will be shuttled to a Dogsled Kennel and setup a basecamp using snow shelters or tents. You will learn and take part in daily chores around the dog yard. You will work with experienced mushers who are excited to teach you all about these amazing animals. Along with daily chores and taking the dogs for runs, you will also have a chance to ski/snowshoe in your downtime, and have a great balance of winter camping and the dog program.
Crew
14 years +
Okpik Dogsled Trek
ELY
Fee: $9,999 – $10,000/ Crew
A step up from the Musher Camp, the Dogsled Trek is intended for those who have some dog sledding or winter camping experience. It involves taking 18 Alaskan Huskies out on the ice for two nights! After setting up a base camp, crews will explore the pristine and remote Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness on morning and afternoon runs of up to 10 miles. Participants should be prepared to run, hike or snowshoe several miles in addition to dogsledding.
Crew
14 years +
Okpik Remote Dogsled Trek
ELY
Fee: $9,999 – $10,000/ Crew
A step up from our Basic Dog Sledding programs, the Remote Dog Sled Trek is intended for those that have previous dog sledding or winter camping experience. This program will travel more significant distances from the Northern Tier Base, sometimes even departing from or returning to another location all together. Crews will get a more robust winter experience, in more extreme conditions. This program is better suited towards those with previous winter camping experience.
Crew
14 years +
Individual Treks
Northern Tier offers Programs for Individuals who are unable to find a unit to attend with. The programs are designed to bring individuals from throughout the BSA together for a great Northern Tier experience. Northern Tier will provide the appropriate adult leadership for all crews within this program. Scouts are responsible to find their own transportation to and from Northern Tier. A shuttle from the Minneapolis Airport is available at an extra fee.
Okpik Trek Experience
ELY
Fee: $550
Learn the basics of winter camping. Crews will pack their gear onto sleds (or “pulks”) and head out into the wilderness, spending their nights camping on the snow and ice. Scouts will learn how to set up a winter campsite, how to build snow shelters and how to cook meals at low temperatures. In addition, they will get to try out a full array of winter activities.
INDIVIDUAL
14 years +
Okpik Winter Fest Experience
ELY
Fee: $555
This unique sessions will include both the cold weather camping experience, as well as a visit to Ely’s Winter Festival. You will get a chance to visit the snow sculptures in Whiteside Park, speak with the artists, and even work as a group to carve your own sculpture. In addition, they will get to try out a full array of winter activities.
INDIVIDUAL
14 years +
Holiday Stay Individual Programs
ELY
Fee: $1,030
Holiday stay is our most popular Okpik program because of the accessible dates and this year we our offering it as an individual program!
INDIVIDUAL
18 years +
Cold Weather Leader Training
ELY
Fee: $600
Northern Tier is the site of Scouting America’s National Cold Weather Camping Development Center. Our Cold Weather Leadership Training program combines an on-base seminar curriculum with a hands-on, on-ice training (including two nights on the trail). This five-day course is a condensed version of the same curriculum we give to our staff. It is fun, informative and an excellent preparation for designing and leading your own troop and council level winter camping adventures.
INDIVIDUAL
18 years +
Secure your spot on one of our unforgettable wilderness adventures. Whether you’re seeking a summer canoeing expedition or a winter camping experience, Northern Tier offers a unique and challenging opportunity for Scouts of all ages.
2026
2025
Okpik Advisor’s Guide
Reading the Advisors guide is a perfect first start for planning your expedition. Learn about requirements, recommended planning calendar, gear, and more.
Participant Guide
Get detailed information on preparing and attending a summer Summer Canoe Trek.
Frequently Asked Questions
For OKPIK weekends, Treks and Dogsledding Programs, participants must be age 14 OR age 13 and currently be enrolled in eighth grade by the time of arrival.
Cabin Stay participants must be age 11 or above by the time of arrival.
Extra weight puts strain on the back, joints and feet. The portage trails can be very muddy, slippery and rocky presenting a great potential for tripping and falling. Extremely small participants will have a very difficult time carrying canoes and heavy packs. A canoe’s load is another important reason to limit participant weight. Northern Tier assigns three people to a canoe. The total participant load per canoe must not exceed 600 pounds, averaging 200 pounds per participant.
Receive info on trek dates, openings, and offers.
Come to Northern Tier for a whole new level of adventure, up north! From incredible canoe journeys to wild winter wilderness camping, Northern Tier promises the Scouting adventure of a lifetime in the Great North Woods of northern Minnesota and Canada.
The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.