Canoecopia - 2024 Presentations by Category

Canoecopia is presented by

Presenting Sponsor

Location
Alliant Energy Center
1919 Alliant Energy Way
Madison, Wisconsin

Show Hours
Friday: 3 PM to 8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: 10 AM to 4 PM

Tickets
1-Day: $15.00
3-Day: $30.00
Ages 17 and under are FREE
Cash or check only for tickets purchased at the event

Parking Fees
1-Day: $8.00
Cash or credit, fees collected by Alliant Energy Center

Feedback

Camp/Wilderness Skills

Kevin Callan, Ethan & Andrew Elkins

A Panel Discussion On Bears

Quetico - main floor Sat 12:30pm-1:15pm

Seasoned paddlers in a panel discussion on bear stories, biology, and keeping bears out of camp. Author Kevin Callan, Andrew and Ethan Elkins, and retired DNR Biologist/Zoologist and Bureau Director of Endangered Species Charles Pils will talk about bears and best practices of keeping them out of camp, along with stories and taking questions.

Kevin Callan

Happy Camper Canoe Tripping Tips and Tricks

Quetico - main floor Sun 12:30pm-1:15pm

Kevin Callan (a.k.a. The Happy Camper) will present on a number of tips and tricks he’s learned over the years of canoe tripping in the wilderness. Kevin will touch on: staying warm and dry, making a one-match fire, having a lighter pack, portage etiquette, choosing a good campsite, making a good camp meal, proper canoe strokes, navigation, dealing with bugs and bears, first-aid, how to make a good bush martini... and many, many more. If you’re a novice or an experienced tripper, you’ll ... Read More

Cliff Jacobson

Bug-Proofing Your Camp

Quetico - main floor Fri 5:30pm-6:15pm

If you want to get eaten alive by bugs, go to the Canadian Arctic in June. The black flies and mosquitoes which live there weigh more than ten times as much as all the plants and animals put together! An acre of swarming bugs could drain all your blood in about three days! Last year, the bugs in the BWCA were the worst in decades! We’ll check out “your enemies”- and learn how to resist them with repellents, insecticides, head and body nets, specialized clothing and “attitude.” Recommendations ... Read More

Cliff Jacobson

Canoeing Secrets

Quetico - main floor Sat 3:30pm-4:15pm

“Tune” your canoe for casual and wilderness travel. Install “blind” lining holes at cutwater; choose and safely store tracking lines; select and install knee-pads and foot-braces; shock-cord decks and thwarts; correct the seat height; re-position thwarts to increase space for gear; select straight and bent-shaft paddles; correctly fit a life jacket and portage yoke; make a canoe tumpline and spray cover; pack the canoe efficiently for a wilderness trip; safety procedures and concerns; essential ... Read More

Cliff Jacobson, Kevin Callan, Pete Marshall, Rob Kesselring

Q&A With the Experts

Quetico - main floor Sun 10:30am-11:15am

Got questions about canoeing and camping? Join Cliff Jacobson, Rob Kesselring, Kevin Callan, and Peter Marshall in this lively, fun-filled panel discussion. Together, these experts have more than 200 years of collective outdoors experience, so they really know their stuff. Last year’s panel was filled to overflowing, so come early if you want a seat. Submit questions beforehand to chloem@rutabaga.com with subject line: EXPERT Q&A. These experts will do the rest.

Rob Kesselring

The Thrill of Discovery, You Can Do It!

Quetico - main floor Sat 10:30am-11:15am

Are you tired of planning a canoe trip to “pristine” routes only to find lines at portages, strewn litter, and the drone of civilization? It is fun reading about exploration, but even more fun exploring. Even without leaving North America, you can still find rivers and lakes with almost no record or evidence of previous travel. There is no thrill more incredible than being the first. Last summer, Rob Kesselring paddled a route in Canada’s Northwest Territories where the only evidence of ... Read More

Rob Kesselring

Ultralight Canoe Camping in the Boundary Waters

Quetico - main floor Sun 11:30am-12:15pm

Paddling light does not mean deprivation. In fact, it can be just the opposite! Learn proven strategies to make your canoe trips easier, more fulfilling, and fun. Less is more! Learn how to travel farther and faster, without being encumbered by heavy loads and time-consuming set-ups. Nature is not a dangerous place; embrace it, don’t barricade from it. An entertaining, information-packed session from one of North America’s most experienced canoe guides.

Colleen and Jonny Kuehl, Colleen Kuehl, Jonny Kuehl

Backcountry Couples - It's All About Adventuring Together!

BWCA - main floor Fri 3:30pm-4:15pm

This backcountry couple started out with passion, 60lb packs, few paddling techniques and basic camping skills only to realize they could go further and deeper into the wilderness if they did it together! Come join, as they showcase gear, share tips, stories on how fun and cool it is adventuring as a team in all seasons.

Bear Paulsen

Solo Wilderness Travel

Algonquin - main floor Sun 1:30pm-2:15pm

Are you sick of listening to your tentmate snore? Are you tired waiting for the group to get ready? Do you talk to yourself? If you answered yes to these questions, you’re a perfect candidate for traveling solo. Bear Paulsen, General Manager of Northstar Canoes and a frequent solitary conversationalist, has done many extended solo wilderness trips in all seasons. He’ll discuss the differences between traveling with others and alone. He’ll cover how to travel solo safely and discuss logistical ... Read More

Stacie & Vince Sadowski, Vince Sadowski

Hammock Camping 101

Caribou - upstairs Sat 9:30am-10:15am

Curious about how to get started hammock camping? This presentation will review the basics: the advantages and disadvantages to hammocks, equipment that you can buy or make, safety tips, and Leave No Trace principles. Either for use as a primary shelter, or just an occasional add-on, hammock camping will expand your fun and comfort outdoors. Avoid common mistakes and misconceptions about hammocks. Learn about different hammock styles, sleeping positions, and yes - even sleeping with two people ... Read More

Dave Shapiro

Knot clinic

Atrium - upstairs Sat 1:00pm-4:00pm

The popular Knot Clinic is back! Stop by to learn some new knots, ask a question, or show off what you learned somewhere else. Stick around to help teach other people and take a piece of rope home to practice.

Lloyd Vogel

Ultralight Backpacking? What Newbies Need to Know!

Sylvania - main floor Sat 2:30pm-3:15pm

As someone who got their start in the outdoors through canoeing and sea kayaking, over the past 10 years I’ve developed a love for backpacking, specifically ultralight backpacking! Are you a paddler at heart who is entertaining the notion of walking on land? I’ll talk you through the gear and ethos of ultralight backpacking, and discuss the biggest things you’ll need to consider.

Karla With a K

Hammock Camping 201

Caribou - upstairs Sat 10:30am-11:15am

Dive deeper into the hammock-camping world and learn how to get the best sleep after a long paddle. We will talk about suspension, protection (tarp & bug net), hammock (style, length, & fabric) and insulation (pads, TQ / UQ, socks, and tents). We briefly mention safety, group hangs, winter camping, pets, hammock ethics and additional resources. If you have any hammock questions, this is the session to get them answered.