NOW Outdoors: Madison

Join us for an exhilarating, all-inclusive, week-long paddle adventure through the wild heart of Northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). Escape into a world where the sound of water lapping against your canoe is the only noise, and the untamed wilderness unfolds around you. Encounter moose, otters, beavers, wolves, eagles, and other majestic wildlife as you navigate through a pristine landscape far from the reach of civilization.

Our adventure begins Saturday evening, September 20th, in Grand Marais, MN, where we'll gather at a designated lodge to check gear and set our intentions for the journey ahead. Sunday morning, we embark on the ultimate wilderness expedition—50+ miles of stunning, remote lakes, winding through lush forests and rugged terrain. Along the way, we’ll spend a few days laying over in camp, sharpening our outdoor skills, fishing, and reconnecting with nature. Each day starts with a hearty breakfast and a sense of excitement as we break camp, ready to paddle and portage our lightweight tandem canoes across several beautiful lakes and challenging portage trails. Teamwork is key as we work together to transport gear, gather firewood, and manage camp tasks.

We believe in adventure without compromise, especially when it comes to food. While others may settle for cliff bars and ramen, we craft mouthwatering ultra-lite meals such as BBQ pork spaghetti, fruit and yogurt parfaits, steak fajitas, and more. Of course, fresh-caught fish is always an option. Special dietary needs? No problem. Just let us know—we’ve got you covered.

This adventure is rated Challenging and is best suited for those with previous paddling and camping experience. You should be comfortable in the water and in a canoe. You will need appropriate gear as recommended per a provided gear list. Everyone will be expected to contribute to camp life—portaging gear, paddling across the waterways, and working together to make each day an unforgettable experience. Expect to carry 50-60 pounds of gear for short distances over rugged portage trails. The pace will be relaxed at times, but we’ll also push ourselves to meet the challenges of the wild. With two full rest days built into the trip, you'll have time to fish, swim, and embrace the serene beauty of this wilderness paradise.

Are you ready to paddle into the wild?

Price: $2,300 This premium adventure is limited to just 6 spots. Register now.
You may pay a $500.00 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. Deposit deadline is July 1st. After July 1st, payments must be made in full. Final balance due Sep 1st.

Upon registration, you will have access to the event group forum where the gear list, directions, and other important information can be found.

Join us in Waupaca for our Annual Winter Workshop Dec. 12th-14th for a variety of presentations and hands-on skill-building opportunities. Check-in time is 8-10 am Friday, Dec. 12th followed by camp set-up. Presentations start at 11 am and will take place entirely outside.

This event is located on 40 private acres at our NOW Outdoors basecamp in Waupaca, WI just west of Hartman Creek State Park. Upon arrival, you will check in at the parking lot and then hike down to the campsite roughly 5-minutes from your car on a clear, wide path. If there is deep snow, you may need a sled and snowshoes to haul your gear to camp. If you do not have a sled, we have several sleds available to use for free. Some people have found a wagon to be helpful as well. We can help you find a place to set up your tent or hammock. We have an incredible crew of expert presenters from the region joining us for a wide variety of topics.

This year's topics include:

• Winter clothing and equipment for an expedition at 40 below
• Building a winter fire: The ability to build fire under extreme cold or wet conditions is an important and potentially life-saving skill.
• Winter camping on a budget: Tips and tricks to save money and find deals for all of your winter gear needs.
• Axe and saw use: Learn proper technique and safe ways to process firewood in this hands-on skills workshop.
• Cold weather first aid: Learn to identify and manage cold weather emergencies such as frostbite and hypothermia in this hands-on presentation.
• Shelters and sleep systems including winter hammocks
• Knife safety and use: Bring a fixed blade (Mora) style knife and hone your skills. (we will have some knives available if needed)
• Women's-specific camping topics
• Build a signal fire
• Useful knots for the backcountry

This year, you can bring your own food or purchase a ticket for our own fantastic NOW Outdoors campfire meals.
Coffee and hot water will be available at no charge throughout the day.

AS ALWAYS >>> A gear list and directions will be available via the group forum on our website for this event. You will have access to this "Group" page upon registration. We have zoom calls and recordings posted here along with other resources and important updates.

Event Registration Price: 3 Days $300

• Registration closes Monday, Dec. 2nd.
• Meal tickets must be purchased by Monday, Dec. 2nd.

> Ask about our discount for scouts and other youth groups.
> Spaces are limited and are filled in the order payments are received. An RSVP on Meetup without payment will not hold your spot. The event may fill before the payment deadline.
> Refunds are available within 7 days of ticket purchase but not after the registration deadline. Refunds beyond 7 days of ticket purchase will be in the form of a full credit valid for 1 year that can be used for NOW Outdoors trips and events.

The best winter hammock camping event in the country! Your family might think you're nuts but we know better. Come hang out and kick off the new year right. This event is always FREE and always fun.

The Wisconsin Frozen Butt Hang is a short "pulk or toboggan towing" trip in deep snow country. We like to get out there and really put ourselves and our gear to the test! We've been lucky enough to have some of the coldest temperatures the Midwest has to offer and routinely have the coldest of all winter hang events.

Where? This year we will be back in Pearson, WI near Jack Lake and hiking in on the Ice Age Trail. NOWOutdoors will arrange to have a parking area plowed for us by Jack Lake.

The Route: We will hike in 1.5 miles on the Ice Age Trail (IAT) in Langlade County near Jack Lake. The parking lot on County J Road, Pearson, WI will be plowed for us and from there we can head south on the IAT past the western side of Jack Lake towards Game Lake. The park is closed to the public so we have the entire area to ourselves. There are picnic tables (might be buried under the snow) and a grill grate we can use. There is also an outhouse at camp. Be sure to bring snowshoes or skis.

This event has always been a celebration of the coldest weather we can hope for. That said, there are lots of opportunities for beginners to dial in their gear before the hang such as our Winter Workshop event in December. You can contact us at info@nowoutdoors.org for more info on this, or other beginner friendly trips here in WI.

This event is not recommended for beginners with little to no experience camping in the cold. Please also leave your fur babies at home for this event.

In the spirit of snow walkers, trappers, and Arctic explorers from the past, join us for this exclusive snowshoeing and hot tenting adventure.

For 7 days, we’ll travel across frozen lakes and deep snow through the wild Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. Following in the footsteps of the Anishinaabe and early trappers of the region, we'll travel by snowshoe and toboggan during the day—no roads, no crowds, no backup. Each night we'll find a new place to set up the group hot-tent and fire up the wood stove for warmth, cooking, and drying gear. The hot tent creates an incredible sense of hard-earned luxury in the middle of nowhere. Temperatures can drop to -40°F, but inside the tent we can be comfortable just wearing light layers. We'll take a couple rest days to fish for monster trout, polar plunge, practice winter survival skills, or anything else that piques our interest.

There is a lot to explore along our route, and you'll likely see moose tracks, wolf trails, otter slides, and the occasional footprints from a lynx sprinting through deep powder. If we’re lucky, we’ll hear the howl of wolves in the distance before dawn.

Trip Details:

• Start: Sat, Jan 31 – Meet at 5:00 PM, lodge overnight & gear check
• Depart: Sun, Feb 1 – Hit the trail
• Return: Sat, Feb 7 – Hike out, lodge overnight
• Leave: Sun, Feb 8 – Head home

Difficulty: Challenging

Who This Is For: Experienced winter campers only. You should be comfortable camping and working in sub-zero conditions. We will be towing toboggans roughly 5 hours per day. You should be able to provide sufficient personal clothing and sleep gear as per the provided gear list. This is an expedition style trip which means we all work together as a team to help with camp tasks such as tent set up and take down, collecting water, processing firewood, etc.

AS ALWAYS >>> A gear list and details will be available upon registration via access to the event group page.

Included:

• All permits
• Lodging on the night before put-in and after take-out
• All meals on the trail (If you have special dietary restrictions, we will do the best we can to accommodate)
• Premium hot-tents, expedition toboggans, and packable stoves
• All required misc. group gear (axe and saws, med kit, kitchen kit, satellite communications, etc.)
• Zoom call trip planning check-ins

Not Included: (Rental gear including sleep systems and footwear is available if needed)

• Personal gear (clothing, sleeping bag, etc.)
• Transportation to/from the BWCA (carpooling options may be available)
• Rescue/trip insurance (recommended)
• Gratuities

Price: $2,600 - Registration deadline January 12th 2026
A $600.00 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot. This deposit will be put towards your final balance.
Balance refunds are available within 7 days of ticket purchase but not after the registration deadline. Refunds beyond 7 days of ticket purchase will be in the form of a full credit valid for 1 year that can be used for NOW Outdoors trips and events.