Northern Tier National High Adventure

What Northern Tier National High Adventure does

Northern Tier National High Adventure is Scouting America's oldest National High Adventure program, operating continuously since 1923 as a non-profit wilderness expedition provider. The organization runs canoe treks and winter camping programs across nearly 6 million acres of wilderness, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Quetico Provincial Park, and Canadian Crown Lands, through two flagship bases: the Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base in Ely, Minnesota (outfitting over 4,000 Scouts annually) and the Donald Rogert Canoe Base in Atikokan, Ontario (outfitting 1,500 Scouts annually). An additional Canadian site operates at Bissett, Manitoba, and a satellite Okpik winter program pilots out of Michigan.

The core product portfolio centers on 6-14 day Summer and Autumn Canoe Treks (priced around $4,550 per crew), the Okpik Cold Weather Camping program (Scouting America's premier winter program, designated as the National Cold Weather Camping Development Center), and specialty expeditions including Grand Portage historical routes and Atikokan float plane trips. Revenue is generated through trek registration fees, conference and retreat facility rentals (capacity up to 270 for dining), retail operations via the Trading Post, and training certifications (Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace, Cold Weather Leader Training). The organization does not operate proprietary technology; its competitive backbone is the USDA Forest Service Cooperator agreement, which grants permit-issuing authority into the BWCAW, and a 100-year accumulation of route knowledge, training infrastructure, and brand equity within the Scouting ecosystem.

Northern Tier distributes exclusively direct-to-consumer, with all bookings routed through Scouting America's centralized reservations.scouting.org platform and the ntier.org website. The organization operates as a program of Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), funded through participant trek fees, camperships/scholarships, donations, and planned giving, with seasonal staffing of 200+ personnel each summer, including 100+ wilderness guide staff.

Name

Northern Tier National High Adventure

Legal name

Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs

Website

https://ntier.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Northern Tier National High Adventure is Scouting America's oldest National High Adventure program, operating since 1923 to provide wilderness canoeing and winter camping expeditions across the Boundary Waters, Quetico, and Canadian Crown Lands for Scout troops, individual Scouts, and external retreat groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Services / Wilderness Expedition Programs

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG)

Keywords

• Wilderness adventure programs
• Canoe expedition treks
• Winter cold weather camping
• Outdoor leadership training
• Conference retreat facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Ely

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Trek Registration Fees: Revenue from registration fees for wilderness canoe treks, winter Okpik programs, and individual programs. Fees vary by program type, duration, location, crew size, and include options for specialty treks like Grand Portage and Float Plane expeditions.
2. Trading Post/Retail Store: On-site retail store selling gear, souvenirs, and commemorative items. Also sells patches, awards, and the Far Northland book.
3. Conference and Retreat Facilities: Rental of conference facilities including Sandy Bridges Program Center, Historic Lodge, dining hall, and housing options (dorms, cabins, yurts, tents) for external groups for retreats, weddings, corporate events, and other gatherings.
4. Training Programs: Revenue from training courses including Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor, Voyageur Skill School, Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and Cold Weather Leader Training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northern Tier operates multi-day wilderness canoe expedition treks (6–14 days, 50–150 miles) through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Quetico Provincial Park, and Canadian Crown Lands, the Okpik winter cold-weather camping program, individual Scout programs, specialty treks (Grand Portage, Float Plane), outdoor leadership training courses (Leave No Trace, Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder), and conference/retreat facility rentals. All treks include full outfitting, provisioning, and trained Interpreter guides, with access granted via the organization's USDA Forest Service Cooperator status.

Product overview

Northern Tier National High Adventure is Scouting America's premier wilderness adventure programming provider, offering a comprehensive portfolio of high-adventure experiences across three wilderness canoe bases in Ely, MN (Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base), Atikokan, ON (Donald Rogert Canoe Base), and Bissett, Manitoba. The core offerings center on Summer & Autumn Canoe Treks and Okpik Winter Adventure Treks, supplemented by specialty programs including Grand Portage Treks, Float Plane Trips, and Fishing Adventures. Additional revenue streams include Conference and Retreat Facilities rental, Training Programs (Leave No Trace, Wilderness First Aid, Cold Weather Leadership), and Workforce Programs (Seasonal Staff Employment and Internships). Individual Scout Programs enable participation without troop affiliation. The organization operates as a Cooperator with the USDA Forest Service under Superior National Forest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer & Autumn Canoe Treks Wilderness canoe expeditions ranging 6–14 days with 50–150 miles of travel through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Quetico Provincial Park, and Canadian Crown Lands. Trips include full outfitting, provisioning, and a trained staff Interpreter for Scout troops and crews.
• Okpik Winter Adventure Treks Scouting America's premier winter camping program teaching Scouts how to thrive in subzero temperatures through cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and snow shelter construction. Includes Okpik Winter Adventure, Okpik Musher Camp, Okpik Remote Musher Camp, Okpik Dogsled Trek, and Okpik Remote Dogsled Trek programs.
• Individual Scout Programs Programs enabling individual Scouts unable to attend with a troop to participate in Northern Tier experiences. Includes Lone Voyage (7-night BWCAW experience), Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage, Forest Corps (conservation and canoe trek), and Grand Portage expeditions.
• Grand Portage Treks Historical 10-day canoe expeditions along the route that determined the US-Canada international boundary, featuring visits to Grand Portage National Monument, High Falls (tallest waterfall in Minnesota), and famous portages. Covers over 115 miles with an 8-mile portage finish.
• Atikokan Float Plane Trips Remote wilderness canoe expeditions launched via De Havilland Beaver float planes from Atikokan Aero Service, providing air access to Crown Lands entry points including Anne Bay, White Otter Lake, Dibble Lake, and Nora Lake for 10-night wilderness adventures.
• Autumn Wilderness Canoe Treks Fall-season canoe expeditions featuring spectacular autumn foliage, fewer crowds, and no mosquitoes. Includes customizable fishing trips for Walleye, Northern Pike, and Smallmouth Bass, plus the Get Your Feet Wet introductory program for Scouts age 11 and up.
• Conference and Retreat Facilities Conference venues including the Sandy Bridges Program Center (capacity 270 for dining, 48 for conference), Historic Lodge with Interpretive Center, and diverse housing options (dorms, cabins, yurts, tents). Full food service with dietary accommodations available for external group bookings.
• Outdoor Leadership Training Programs Outdoor skills and leadership training including Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor course, Voyageur Skill School, Wilderness First Aid (16-hour), Wilderness First Responder certification, Cold Weather Leader Training, and Emergency Medical Responder courses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,500 Scouts experience Northern Tier programs annually (4,000 at Ely + 1,500 at Atikokan)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Tier is a Cooperator with the USDA Forest Service under the Superior National Forest. As a Cooperator with the Forest Service, Northern Tier issues permits into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. This is an equal opportunity service-provider relationship that enables Northern Tier's core operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Ely Outfitting Company: Private outfitter serving the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with canoe rentals and route planning. Regional competitor providing similar BWCAW access to non-Scout customers without the permit monopoly or guide staff depth that Northern Tier commands.

Direct peers

• Philmont Scout Ranch: The flagship National High Adventure Base of Scouting America in New Mexico, offering backpacking and horseback expeditions. Operates under the same Scouting America umbrella as Northern Tier and serves the same Scout-customer base with parallel high-adventure expedition programming.
• REI Adventures: The adventure travel arm of REI Co-op offering guided wilderness trips including canoeing and winter expeditions in North America. Comparable in guided wilderness expedition product, with a broader adult consumer customer base rather than Scout-specific focus.
• Florida Sea Base: Scouting America's fourth National High Adventure Base, offering sailing, scuba, and tropical marine adventures in the Florida Keys. Direct peer as another Scouting America high adventure base with parallel organizational structure and customer base.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Non-profit wilderness education provider offering multi-week expeditions and leadership training including Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace courses. Directly comparable to Northern Tier in wilderness expedition delivery and training/certification offerings.
• Outward Bound USA: Non-profit wilderness education organization offering multi-day expeditions (canoeing, backpacking, sailing) for youth and adults. Directly comparable in product offering (wilderness expeditions with guides) and customer base (youth outdoor programming), but with a broader non-Scout market.
• The Summit Bechtel Reserve: Scouting America's national high adventure base in West Virginia, offering adventure sports, climbing, zip lines, and aquatics. Sister National High Adventure Base to Northern Tier, sharing the same Scouting customer base and operating model but with a different activity mix.

Emerging players

• Appalachian Mountain Club: Non-profit outdoor recreation and conservation organization offering guided wilderness trips and outdoor skills training in the Northeastern U.S. Comparable in offering outdoor training and guided wilderness experiences, but regional in scope rather than competing in Northern Tier's canoe territory.

Broad incumbents

• Camp Fire: National youth development non-profit offering outdoor and camp programs as one component of a broader youth services portfolio. Comparable as a peer youth-development outdoor organization, though broader in mission and smaller in wilderness expedition scale.
• YMCA of the USA (Camps): Largest operator of resident and adventure camps in the United States, offering overnight and wilderness programs for youth. Comparable in camp-based overnight programming but operates at much larger scale across a wider portfolio of activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/northern_tier
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NorthernTier
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthernTier
• Instagraminstagram.com/northern_tier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-tier-national-high-adventure-base

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Tier National High Adventure