INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Ken Gilbertson
107 SpHC
726-6258
Email: kgilbert@d.umn.edu
Web URL: www.d.umn.edu/~kgilbert
Office Hours Posted outside 107 SpHC

TEXTS:
Burns, Bob & Mike. Wilderness Navigation. The Mountaineers (1991).
Furtman, Michael. Canoe Country Camping. Pfeifer-Hamilton (1992).
Meyer, Kathleen. How to Shit in the Woods. Ten Speed Press (1994).

OBJECTIVES:

• This course is designed to introduce you to non-competitive skills which will enable you to better understand the outdoor environment.
  
• You will learn basic skills pertaining to autumn in addition to becoming acquainted with outdoor recreational facilities in northeastern Minnesota.
  
• You will be introduced to equipment which will be centered around a canoeing theme. Sound outdoor ethics/etiquette which will benefit the outdoors and those who use it will be discussed and practiced.
  
• Finally you will have the chance to go on a weekend outing to a nearby outdoor recreation area to practice the skills you will learn.

GRADES:
Attendance is very important. You are responsible for all information given both indoors and outside. After two unexcused absences there will be one full drop in your grade.

Possible Points:	The Points Given:	Grading Based on % of:
Paper	40 pts	92% - A
Midterm	40 pts	90% - A-
Final	60 pts	82% - B
Activities	10 pts ea (20 total)	80% - B-
Pre-trip planning	20 pts	72% - C
Camp Trip	20 pts	70% - C-
Class Participation	75 pts (4 pts x 15 classes)	62% - D

COSTS: These figures are estimates of the extra costs involved:
• Food for the trip - $15.00
• Rental of personal gear from the Kirby Games Room (variable, depending upon need)

Date:	Topic:	Readings:
September 7	Syllabus overview and class expectations Introduction to personal camping equipment	Read in Furtman: Preface XI, Good Gear = Good Trip, & Canoe Country Clothing. View Videos in the library: "Cold, Wet, & Alive" AND "Leave No Trace: A Wilderness Ethic"
14	QUIZ - 10 POINTS Equipment/ Food/Nutrition/ (meet at Bagley Nature Area @ 2:10pm) Topic Due for the Paper assignment	Read in Furtman: Canoe Country Kitchen Read in Meyer: Chap. 1, Chap. 5
15-20	Camp Group Meeting - this is a required meeting to ensure proper trip planning. See "Trip Planning" Worksheet. In exchange for your timje to plan the critical elements of the trip, class will be cancelled on Sept 28	Read in Furtman: Packing for the portage, On our Way Finally, & The Movable Home Read in Meyer: Chapter 2 & 3
21	Trip Planning (meet in the classroom SpHC 9) **Turn in 1st Activity Points Form**	Read in Furtman: Planning Your Adventure, & Reservations and Regulations
24-26	BWCA Weekend Trip
28	No class
October 5	Reflection on weekend trip / Outdoor Safety Leave No Trace Ethics/Etiquette (meet at Bagley Nature Area @ 2:10pm)	Read in Meyer: Chap. 6 Read in Furtman: On Wilderness
12	Camping Knots (meet in classroom SpHC 9) Mid-term Review	Read in Burns: The Map & The Compass (Chap. 1 & 2)
19	Mid-term Exam (in the classroom SpHC 9) Introduction to map and compass (GPS) ** Turn in 2nd Activity Points form **	Read in Burns: Orientation with Map and Compass (Chap. 3) & The GPS (Chap. 7)
26	Map & Compass/ Orienteering (meet at SpHC 9)	Read in Burns: Chap 4 & 5
November  2	Orienteering (meet at SpHC 9)
9	Equipment Repair (meet in SpHC 9)
16	Equipment Repair (meet at SpHC 9) *Turn in final copy of Paper Assignment *
23	Hunting/Safety (meet in the classroom SpHC 9)
30	Trap Shooting (meet in front of SpHC to car-pool to gravel pit)
December  7	Expedition Trip Planning (meet in the classroom SpHC 9)
14	Course Review and preparation for the final exam	Final Exam: Dec 21 - 4-6 pm

ASSIGNMENTS EXPLAINED

BWCAW Canoe trip Weekend: September 24-26
It is very valuable to experience, first hand the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This trip is designed to introduce you to trip preparation, planning, equipment, and actual participation. These dates are rigid! Please make your plans for the semester accordingly. Note: Use of alcohol or illegal drugs on camp out will result in an immediate failure and expulsion from course.

Activity Participation (10 points each = 20 points total)
To expand your exposure to a variety of outdoor activities other than those that are offerred through this course, you are required to attend at least 2 different outdoor events from the Outdoor Program Calendar or pre-approved off campus events. Note that there are many free outdoor calendar events, if you sign up early for them! These must be an activity (not a lecture) that is nature or outdoor education based.

Paper Assignment (40 points)
Duluth, Northern Minnesota, southwest Ontario, northwest Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, offer a wealth of outdoor recreation possibilities. From paved bike trails, to trails and logging roads for mt. biking, to trails for canoeing, to rock for rock climbing, to vistas for birdwatching...the list goes on and on!

Your assignment is to plan an autumn outdoor excursion! You are required to pick an autumn activity that you would like to participate in and research a location where you can pursue your chosen activity. Possible locations include nat'l forest service lands, state parks, national parks, provincial parks, county parks, city parks, wilderness areas, etc.. It is mandatory that you choose an area within a 1 day drive of campus and you MUST VISIT the area in preparing this paper. Ultimately, each paper should be able to serve as a guide for anyone interested in pursuing the given activity.

The paper should include the following:
1) Recreation area: area and location (include the specific route) described
2) Environment: natural environment described - interesting things to look for.
3) Activity: activity described, routes, maps, permits, equipment required
4) Safety concerns
5) Other interesting or relevant information
6) References (these must be complete and professionally based. Further, you need to have at least 3 references with no more than two being from the internet.)

Last, you must visit the site and give your impressions of the area. Make final recommendations based on what you have observed first hand.
Papers need to be 4- 6 pages in length, typed double spaced. Topics are due by 9/14. Final copy is due November 16.