Northern Tier, the BSA’s oldest high-adventure program, will soon open its phone lines for crew slots for the summer of 2016. The lottery runs from January 6 to January 9, and you will be notified by January 16 if you get a slot.
During the same period, you can also enter the lottery for the 2015-2016 Okpik season. (Okpik is an Inuit word that means either “snowy owl” or “Wow, it really gets cold here in northern Minnesota. I can no longer feel my extremities.”)
To enter the lottery, call 218-365-4811 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST anytime between January 6 and January 9.
Before you call, be sure you know the following:
- Unit type and number
- Council name
- Number of crews you’re requesting (crews range from 6 to 11 participants depending on the program selected)
- Which base you want to attend (Ely, Atikokan, or Bissett)
- Trip length desired
- Arrival and departure dates desired
- Estimated number of youth and adult participants (both male and female)
- Crew advisor contact information, including BSA membership ID number
Assuming you get a slot, you’ll owe an $800 deposit on February 6. You can find more details at ntier.org/2016.