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coureurs de bois

Our Coureur de Bois Schedule and curriculum
are in redevelopment for our 2025 season.

We’re excited to share our new program when it’s ready!

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Coureur de Bois Program provides Scouts with an introduction to the MSR High Adventure Base opportunities as well as being a fun and exciting alternative to the merit badge program. A Coureur des Bois (koo-rœr deh -bwah, French for “runner of the woods”) was an independent entrepreneur who journeyed to the interior of North America at the beginning of the 18th Century to take advantage of the fur trade. Eventually, these Coureurs would join the licensed company crews of Voyageurs who were pushing deeper into the untamed regions of the Northwoods looking for more furs. Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan High Adventure Base invites you to join the ranks of the Coureurs as you journey into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Scouts who sign up as Coureurs will spend each day out on high adventures either within Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation or at locations throughout the Northwoods. Each day will bring a new adventure and new challenges for the Coureur. Participants in the Coureur des Bois Program will begin each morning after breakfast and rejoin their units at dinner. They will be able to take advantage of evening programs throughout camp! Coureur des Bois is open to Scouts age 13 and older.

information

Registration and Additional Fee: Interested Scouts are registered by their MSR Camp Contact (or as a Provisional Scout) for the week-long program. There is an additional program fee that must be paid online before camp. Click here to learn more about unit registration.

Program Details: Instead of taking merit badges or participating in programs offered at each sub-camp, Scouts will go on a local High Adventure trip daily. See the example schedule below. Overnight programs are available depending on the wishes of that week’s group.

Sample Program: We offer the same Coureur des Bois Program activities each week, but the schedule may change due to the weather or the interest of that week’s participating scouts.

Sunday: Shakedown and Opening Trek Campfire.

  • Monday: Overnight Backpacking (Boundary Trail or Ice Age Trail)

  • Tuesday: (AM) Return from a backpacking trip. (PM) Climbing Wall, Zipline, Crate stacking, Shooting Sports Training

  • Wednesday: (AM) Coureurs De Bois Olympics: War canoe race, Ultimate frisbee, and GaGa Ball (PM) Shooting Sports - Open shooting for rifle, shotgun, action archery

  • Thursday: Morning Mountain Biking through camp. Afternoon Mountain Biking field trip to Jack Lake mountain biking trails. or Flambeau River overnight canoe trip.

  • Friday: Menominee Reservation white water raft trip. Trail ride and Coureur De Bois cookout together with all returning High Adventure Treks. (Root beer and BBQ)