A Few Highlights From the 2015 Wilderness Canoe Symposium

Here are a few highlights from this year's Wilderness Canoe Symposium. I didn't want to be too distracting by taking photos with my phone, but wanted to pass along a few blurbs from the great guest speakers. Rick Stronks (pictured above in front of a packed coliseum) from Algonquin Park spoke to the smartness of black bears, how motivated they are by food, and how best to deal with them.

Devon Ide and Anna McClean are in their late teens, attended Camp Keewaydin, and spoke about how tripping changed their outlook on life.

Emma Brandy explained to us what "autoetnography" means and how wilderness kickstarted her sense of reflection.

Conor and Virginia Marshall who canoed the Great Whale River in Northern Quebec, mentioned a neat thing about how campfire trumps stove cooking for them...

Chris Lepard had never canoed before... until her husband took her to the Nahanni. Now they have made numerous trips and have a photo collection that wowed the audience.

Barbara Burton joined in on a trip via Voyageur canoe, and appreciated just how much you can bring, and the comradery that a trip like this brings.

Kate Weekes sang some wonderful songs that were a mix of protest and outdoorsey and wrapped up the evening with an engaging sing-along.

There was a touching moment at the end of the symposium when George Luste was given a standing ovation for his work with the symposium. He applauded the younger crowd that was attending, telling them to continue the tradition well past his days.