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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Program is offering a Beyond BOW Backpacking workshop in Ontonagon County. Scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 7-9, the program is for women who have previous backpacking experience and would like to expand their abilities.
The workshop starts at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, with a gear check and trip orientation at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Silver City, Michigan. From there, participants will drive to the trailhead and head out, hiking approximately 3.5 miles with full backpacks to backcountry rustic cabins.
“The beauty and serenity of the Porcupine Mountains make hiking in the backcountry there an unforgettable experience,” said Sharon Pitz, the DNR’s Becoming and Outdoors-Woman coordinator.
Participants are asked to bring their own camping gear. See registration materials for more detail. All participants must have previous backpacking and hiking experience.
“This workshop will hopefully expand on skills you may have been taught at previous BOW workshops including backcountry cooking, map and compass, wilderness first aid, and hiking,” Pitz said. “The backpacking trip will include both days at Mirror Lake with optional day hiking trips and fishing available.”
Additional details to consider:
- Cabins offer a remote setting with no electricity or running water.
- Participants will stay in two-bed and eight-bed cabins.
- To fish, participants need to purchase a fishing license ahead of the workshop. The cost is $26 for an annual license or $10 for a 24-hour license.
- Participants must be 18 or older.
- Enrollment is limited to 10; the registration deadline is July 29.
- This is a rain-or-shine event.
The cost for this event is $150 and includes two nights lodging.
Class information and registration materials are available online at the DNR website at:www.michigan.gov/bow. The registration fee can be paid online at www.michigan.gov/estore. A fishing license can be purchased online at: www.mdnr-elicense.com.
For more information, contact Sharon Pitz at 906-228-6561 or email at pitzs@michigan.gov.
