A LEGACY OF EXPLORATION
The Hood. The Back. The Coppermine. Since the first Kooch-i-ching Arctic trip in 1961, campers and staff members at both Camp Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe have dreamed of traveling these remote northern rivers—of following in the paddle strokes of our hardiest alumni to reach the Arctic Ocean by canoe.
Kazan 360 Arctic Expedition
summer 2023 | 1,100 Miles | 45 Days
For many years, this group wanted to take a long, remote canoe trip to the Arctic region of Canada. Having all attended Camp Kooch-i-ching in the 1970s and 1980s, they had all heard stories of the Kooch-i-ching men who had taken canoe trips to the Arctic on iconic rivers in the far-off reaches of northern Canada. Forty years later, and their dream of going on an expedition with lifelong friends remained strong and alluring. The name 360 was chosen for two reasons: it is the sum of their ages and it recognizes the circle of inspiration and advice provided by both older and younger generations of the Ogichi Daa Kwe and Camp Kooch-i-ching community.
SOURCE RUNS NORTH EXPEDITION
SUMMER 2019 | 2,800 MILES | 109 DAYS
In the summer of 2019, six Kooch-i-ching men mounted the most ambitious Arctic expedition in Foundation history, a 2,800-mile odyssey from Rainy Lake, Minnesota to the mouth of the Coppermine River. The media-savvy team meticulously documented their endurance endeavor, sharing stories and images with the world as they dispatched 30-mile days and propelled Kooch-i-ching canoeing into the future.
6 NORTH OF 60 EXPEDITION
SUMMER 2017 | 750 MILES | 62 DAYS
Paddling with purpose and passion, six women put Ogichi Daa Kwe’s wilderness program firmly on the map by blazing a new trail from the MacKenzie Mountains of western Canada to the Arctic Ocean’s Coronation Gulf. Completed in the summer of 2017, it was a journey of 750 miles and immeasurable significance to a camp whose first-ever canoe trip took place just 13 years earlier. It was a joyful demonstration of strong-spirited female leadership.
Horton River solo expedition
Summer 2015 | 600 miles | 28 days
Robert Shuman began in Horton Lake, Northwest Territories. Over the next 28 days, Robert paddled down the Horton River into the Arctic Ocean’s Beaufort Sea, and then, paddled and portaged across the Parry Peninsula to reach the town of Paulatuk. Robert’s journey, and especially his ability to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations, continue to inspire all who’ve known him. Dexter Davison, one of Kooch-i-ching’s most accomplished Arctic explorers and a member of the Foundation’s arctic committee at the time, said it best: “All trips to the Arctic are risky. Solo trips are virtually unheard of but who are we to deny Robert his dream? He is more than prepared.” Shuman, as most called him, proved Dexter right.
TRI-PROVINCE EXPEDITION
SUMMER 2013 | 1,000 MILES | 58 DAYS
With the Foundation’s first major expedition grant and support from National Geographic, six Kooch-i-ching men set out in the summer of 2013 to connect the remote Dubawnt, Morse and Armark rivers by canoe. Their route was ambitious and untested—a thousand miles due north through Canada’s hostile Barren Lands, a wind-scoured landscape largely devoid of human life. Along the way, the team took photos for National Geographic, collected water samples for the University of Alaska, and inspired a new generation of young explorers.
ALL Past Expeditions
2023 | Kazan 360 Arctic Expedition
2019 | Source Runs North Expedition
2017 | 6 North of 60 Expedition
2015 | Horton River Solo Expedition
2013 | Tri-Province Expedition
2007 | Trans-Arctic Expedition
1974 | Coppermine River Expedition
1966 | Hood River Expedition
1965 | Coppermine River Expedition
1961 | Coppermine River Expedition
ADVANCED TRIPPING ENDOWMENT
Named for one of Kooch-i-ching’s finest expeditions leaders, the Dexter Davison Advanced Wilderness Tripping Endowment supports young men and women aiming to further the Foundation’s educational mission through extended exploration with a clear and deserving purpose. Grant applications are vetted by the Arctic Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees.