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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Bear Paulsen feels at home exploring wilderness areas throughout North America. He loves canoeing and winter camping because they allow him to take long trips into remote areas. He happily backpacks too. He's spent four years of his adult life hiding from the real world in tents and under tarps. He has paddled extensively in Ontario, Manitoba, and the BWCA, as well as trips in Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska. Winter camping has taken him to four Canadian provinces and eight states. Bear is the General Manager of Northstar Canoes.
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Bear Paulsen
The COVID-shrouded summer of 2020 demanded a trip near home. My wife, Claire, and I decided to canoe from International Falls back to our home in Chisago City. The trip spanned 38 days, 600 miles, and all three of Minnesota's watersheds. We followed the international border to the Grand Portage. That 8.5 mile portage consumed three days for two reasons: first, we did the trip without resupply, so we walked a total of 68 miles; second, our 22 month old toddler, Dashwa, accompanied us. We got to share with him the thundering of Manitou Falls, the majesty of Palisade Head and the Duluth-Superior Skyline, all from the water. From Gitchi Gummi we slogged up the Bois Brule River, and cruised down the St Croix back to our home turf. We paddled home. After almost six weeks of travelling, it sure felt surreal to arrive on our own beach.