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

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Reflection/Inspiration

Gillian Fitzgerald

What it Means to Paddle Like a Girl

Sylvania - main floor Sat 9:30am-10:15am

When it comes to recreating in the outdoors as a woman, some things are different. Some things are easier, some things are harder. Some things are well-known and talked about, others are not. Paddling in the Boundary Waters as a woman, whether it be as a guide, a participant, or a personal recreator, has the power to be an incredibly empowering, life-altering experience. Join this presentation and hear from Gillian and the women she’s worked alongside over the years as they share stories, tips ... Read More

Vic Foerster

Hidden in the Trees, An Isle Royale Sojourn

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

Remote, insulated from man’s influence by the frigid waters of Lake Superior, and protected by the National Park Service, Isle Royale doubles as a wilderness escape for outdoor enthusiasts and as one of the foremost outdoor laboratories in the world for wildlife studies. As such, in 1984, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated Isle Royale a world biosphere reserve.

Award-winning Author / Arborist Vic Foerster will share with us his many years ... Read More

Paula Furlich, Sue Sullivan, Mona Gauthier

Never Underestimate a Woman with a Paddle

BWCA - main floor Fri 6:30pm-7:15pm

The border route in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildness hugs the Minnesota-Canada Border. It covers over 194 miles of paddling and 24 miles of portages. Follow the three adventurous women who traveled this route from the westernmost entry point at Crane Lake to the easternmost point at South Fowl and then paddled up the Pigeon River up to Fort Charlotte to hike the Grand Portage Trail. Learn about the route they took, the challenges they faced, the gear they brought, the food they ate, how ... Read More

Nolan Jacobs

Coming of Age on the Churchill and Coppermine Rivers

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

This presentation talks about Nolan Jacobs’ experience of paddling on the Churchill River and Coppermine River. Nolan paddled the Churchill River in 2022 and will be speaking about the complications that come with paddling new rivers. On the Churchill River expedition, his crew of 6 was supposed to paddle from Thompson, MB to Churchill, MB. But on the expedition, his crew ran into complications and everyone had to be evacuated. One year later, he decided to paddle from Great Slave Lake to the ... Read More

Tony Jones

The Sacred Geometry of a Canoe

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

Those of us who canoe and kayak know that it can be a spiritual experience. Whether we’re gliding over a glassy lake or plowing through whitecaps, a canoe trip is, in the words of John McPhee, “A rite of oneness with certain terrain, a diversion off the field, an act performed not because it is necessary but because there is value in the act itself.” Author and theologian Tony Jones will reflect on the deeper, transcendent meaning of paddling, drawing on writers from Immanuel Kant to Sigurd ... Read More

Dean Juntunen

A Paraplegic’s Superior Circumnavigation

Sylvania - main floor Fri 4:30pm-5:15pm

Dean Juntunen, a T7/8 complete paraplegic, will share his 20-year circumnavigation of Lake Superior, which merged two of his favorite hobbies: Kayaking and Photography. You’ll see the best of the UP, Ontario, Minnesota, and Wisconsin shorelines, and learn how Dean problem-solved for multi-day trips.

Andrea Knepper

Dre's West Coast Adventure: Paddling the Pacific Coast from Canada to Mexico

Sylvania - main floor Fri 6:30pm-7:15pm

Over the summer of 2019, Andrea Knepper paddled the West Coast of this country from Canada to Mexico. Hear stories from the trip, how she made decisions, how she trained, what surprised her, how the trip changed her. Join a conversation about the dreams we have and how to turn the ones we’ve decided to pursue into reality. Leave with a practical resource guide for planning your own adventure. A mix of pragmatism, reflection, and photos, this isn’t a presentation to miss.

Dave Mangin

Waters Connecting our Homes to Wilderness

Bear - upstairs Sun 11:30am-12:15pm

Most of us have at least read, if not experienced, the wonder of escaping to wilderness areas to dip our paddles. We’ve all been on local waterways popular among day paddlers as a momentary escape to nature. In his presentation, Dave Mangin makes the case for seeking out paddling routes that connect the places we live to the wilderness we dream of. And the industrial waters in between should not be avoided, but sought out. By sharing the discoveries of a sectional paddle from the headwaters of ... Read More

Jeffrey Rohr

Oh, What a Trip!

Caribou - upstairs Sun 1:30pm-2:15pm

Oh, What a Trip is a memoir of the first years leading up to how Jeff Rohr became a wilderness canoe guide for over 40 years. It is a humorous book that talks about the excellent adventures that most people would not embark on. The presentation will include some of these adventures and certainly would hope to inspire people to do their own excellent adventures and, most importantly, how to be successful and safe in the wilderness. The planning, including research, equipment, packing, and more ... Read More

Lenore Sobota

Overcoming Fear One Stroke at a Time

Bear - upstairs Sun 10:30am-11:15am

Fear can prevent us from doing stupid things but unreasonable fears can hold us back. Learn how to evaluate your fears and overcome those that stand in the way of your progress. It’s also important for paddling partners to know how to help others address their fears, too. Share what’s worked for you and what hasn’t.