While Arctic expeditions may be in a class of their own, all Kooch-i-ching trips require bravery, hard work and a sense of adventure.

During an early morning ceremony in the Council Ring, each was presented with a dog-staff and a plaque bearing his new name—a name to replace all childhood nicknames.

The similarities between Kooch-i-ching and cattle camp run deep, according to Mading. In both settings, the protective hand of parental oversight has been removed, allowing boys to face and overcome adversity on their own.

Everything was humming: kids finding what they wanted to do and doing it, kids knowing where they wanted to go and going there. The independence was palpable.

Wyatt Amdahl forwent footwear last month to raise money for Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity that collects lightly used shoes and ships them to countries around the world, where they are given to those who cannot afford them.

You can tell a lot about a person just by watching them take a few paddle strokes. Can they hold a straight course? Do they use excessive force and then need to overcorrect their steering? Do they tire quickly? Is their stroke efficient?

All winter, I have been carving and daydreaming about the summer to come. I am excited to return to camp and use my paddle.

For two days on Deer Island and five days in the Canadian wilderness, a father and his son will spend uninterrupted time together.

His convictions are closely held, his passion indefatigable, his theatrics legendary. But Patrick Risberg wasn’t always the confident young leader he is today.