Outfitting Package Details

MINIMAL CANOE PACKAGE (ALGONQUIN) – $28 pp/day

This budget-minded package is designed around travel units of three (3) people and is optimized for the group that may not need some of the group gear (cook kit, med kit) or the logistics (like base camp).  You get canoes, paddles, PFDs, tents, canoe packs, sleeping bags and sleeping pads.  You can purchase extra items or upgrades to fill in what you need. 

STANDARD CANOE PACKAGE (ALGONQUIN) – $37 pp/day

This package is designed around travel units of three (3) people and is optimized primarily for youth/college group trips. If your group size is not a multiple of three, you will receive enough gear for the next increment. Tent adjustments are made based on the gender breakdown of your group. On the portage trail, this arrangement is designed so each of the three canoe mates will carry either the canoe or a pack. On the water, three paddles allow for optimum speed along with the increased challenge of keeping in cadence to avoid paddle whacking. Adult groups considering the Standard Package should strongly consider at least the 2/canoe upgrade to avoid breaching the maximum canoe capacity and high centers of gravity on the water.  Add the wilderness food package or bring your own food.

DELUXE CANOE PACKAGE (ALGONQUIN) – $48 pp/day

It is deluxe! This package begins with all of the gear in the Standard Canoe package plus lighweight canoes, the 2/canoe, 2/tent and Individual Pack upgrades. It also comes with a Pilgrimage T-shirt for everyone. If you are considering at least two of the above upgrades or add-ons, the math will tell you it makes sense to dive in and go deluxe. We generally recommend adult trips consider the Deluxe Canoe package. We also recommend that youth groups avoid the Deluxe Package OR consider leaving some of the gear behind. Extra gear is nice, but you have to carry it too! Pilgrimage W.I.L.D. trips all use the Deluxe Canoe Package.

PACKAGE UPGRADES

Some upgrades are group-wide (i.e. 2/canoe) while others are individual (i.e. Therm-A-Rest pad/chairs), but all of them serve to make your trip a little nicer. Whether you choose them for comfort or to enhance an element of your learning strategy, they provide options not included in the packages themselves.

WILDERNESS FOOD PACKAGE – $9 pp/day

The food package may be added to the Minimal or Standard Package, but it’s included with the Deluxe Package.  In its most basic wilderness function, food is fuel. That doesn’t mean it has to taste like it. We’ve worked hard to put together a menu of food that is both packable and palatable that delivers at least 2500 calories of energy per day. The staples of oatmeal and GORP are balanced with dinners with real chicken and tuna, in some cases. This package is available as part of the other packages or as a standalone for groups that bring their own gear.  Want to do your own food?  Ask us about purchasing our current menu and shopping list.  With some time and effort, you can save money!

About Algonquin

Algonquin Provincial Park is one of the largest and oldest wilderness parks in Ontario. It is well-managed and maintained by the Provincial Park Service. Algonquin is held by many to be the greatest canoe-tripping location in the world, as evidenced by a continual flow of international visitors.  At half the size of New Hampshire, it boasts hundreds of miles of canoe routes, each with its own personality, length and degree of physical difficulty.  Over the years, we have found the park to be an optimal wilderness environment for the type of learning and intentional relational development we pursue.  The options are innumerable, making it easy to create a unique experience to fit the specific needs of your group.

One overnight stay at base camp is included in some of our outfitting packages. Groups that choose to stay overnight at the base camp will receive their gear at the base camp.  The group’s  canoes will be transported (at no charge) to the Canoe Lake (#5) or Shall Lake (#17) access in the park.  Groups that choose not to use the base camp will still receive and return their gear at the base camp. Spotting of canoes and gear to other sites in the park is available for an extra cost.

The city of Huntsville is about 20 minutes to the west of base camp on Hwy 60 and boasts a bunch of restaurants (from fast food to gourmet), plenty of gas stations and even a Walmart.

Links to Algonquin sites:

• Ontario Parks site
• Algonquin Provincial Park – official site

Interactive Algonquin Park Map

Travel to Canada

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) from the Department of Homeland Security established permanent changes to the process of crossing the U.S. border with Canada. We’ve done the homework for you. Below is everything you need to know, including links to government sites that publish the pertinent info and to resources you may need to secure documentation. If the following does not answer your questions contact us and we will help you figure it out. Use the quick links below to jump to the info you need.

Who Needs What Documents?

1. All persons 16 years of age or older traveling by land over the U.S./ Canada border need to have either a Passport Book, a Passport Card, or an Enhanced Drivers License. SEE EXCEPTION BELOW!
2. All minors of under the age of 16 need only their birth certificate, the original or a copy of the original.

Source: U.S. State Department Web Page

Exception for Religious Groups: READ THIS!!!

Beginning June 1, 2009, U.S. and Canadian citizen children under age 19 arriving by land or sea from contiguous territory and traveling with a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization, or sports team, may also present an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Naturalization Certificate, or a Canadian Citizenship Card.

The group should be prepared to present a letter on organizational letterhead with the following information:

• The name of the group and supervising adult;
• A list of the children on the trip, and the primary address, phone number, date of birth, place of birth, and name of at least one parent or legal guardian for each child; and
• A written and signed statement of the supervising adult certifying that he or she has obtained parental or legal guardian consent for each participating child.

Source: U.S. State Department Web Page

How/Where to Get Documents

Passport Card or Passport Book

The passport card will cost a little over $60 ($30 for the Passport Card, $25 for the processing fee and the photos will cost anywhere from $6 – $20). This will cost a little over $140 ($110 for the Passport, $25 for the processing fee and the photos will cost anywhere from $6 – $20). Follow these steps to get a Passport Card:

1. Get a Passport Photo. A great place to get your Passport photos is at CVS. Click here to grab a coupon to get your photos for $7.99. Click here to locate a store near you.
2. Apply for the Passport Card or Passport Book: To apply for a Passport Card click here.  To apply for a Passport Book click here.  Once you finish the application, print it out, locate the nearest place to turn in your application, and a list of all the items and documentation you need to have with you when you turn your application. Make sure that you send a check or money order with the application to cover the cost. All checks and money orders should be made out to the “Department of State.”
3. Time Line: You may choose Routine Service (4-6 week turnaround) or Expedited Service (2-3 week turnaround) for an additional $60 fee.

Source: U.S. State Department Web Page

Enhanced Drivers License

Available in the following states:

• Michigan ($45): You can purchase an Enhanced Drivers License at any of the State accredited DMV locations. To find one click here. You must be at least 18 years old. Required documentation varies based on whether you are upgrading an existing drivers license or getting a drivers license for the first time. Source: Michigan Department of State Web Page
• New York ($30 in addition to regular fees): You can purchase an Enhanced Drivers License at any of the State accredited DMV locations. To find one click here. Make sure to bring the required documentation. Source: New York DMV Web Page
• Vermont ($25 in addition to regular fees): You can purchase an Enhanced Drivers License at any of the State accredited DMV locations. To find one click here. Make sure to bring the required documentation. Source: Vermont DMV Web Page

Testimonials

Important: Posting testimonials in support of this ministry walks along an interesting line for us… there is that thing down in the depths of each of us that wants to present our own way of doing things as the reason for what God has done and continues to do in the  lives that have intersected with Pilgrimage.

However, only God is able to change hearts and lives. We believe that He has uniquely equipped and enabled the Body of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit to fulfill that mission in this age. Inasmuch as He has chosen (and continues to choose) to use Pilgrimage for His purposes in the lives of His people, we are blessed… and we will continue to strive for excellence in the front-row seat He has given us to His work. To God be the glory in its fullest measure.

The following are testimonies of what God has done…

Trip reservations are secured only by the proper deposit as defined below. You may request a date for your group prior to sending in the deposit, but that date is not secured until the deposit is received at the Pilgrimage home office.

Required Deposits:

• Groups reserving OUTFITTING PACKAGES: $75/person
• Groups renting gear A LA CARTE: $300 flat deposit

Deposits submitted to Pilgrimage are refundable in full through the close of business (5PM EST) March 30, 2013.  At that point, all deposits received for the 2013 outfitting season become non-refundable in their entirety and non-transferable to trip balances.

Once we receive your Trip Tik (due 30 days prior to your trip) with your logistics details and requested gear upgrades, we will mail an invoice for the balance of the trip cost.  <strong>This balance is due in full before the trip.</strong>

After the trip, Pilgrimage will send an Exit Invoice for any costs incurred during the trip, including damaged gear, extra items purchased, last-minute upgrades, etc…

As always, if you have any questions along the way, please feel free to contact us.