Adam Maxwell
Born and raised in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
He will be continuing his studies at University of Minnesota Duluth in the fall.
Adam's love for the outdoors began in 2006 when he went to the BWCA
with his uncle, Ron. "I just wanted to fish. I hated paddling and
complained most of the time," he recalls. Adam has since grown accustomed to canoeing and
spent the summer of 2011 canoeing from Grand Portage on Lake Superior to York Factory on
Hudson Bay with three others. "I guess the whole wilderness experience- the sense of
timelessness, sense of simplicity and wonder, and just the idea of constantly going from place
to place" inspired his plans for another trip. Adam is most looking forward to seeing beluga
whales and the long stretches of remote boreal forests through Saskatchewan. "I won't miss
anything," he notes, "Maybe music and food a little. And Skeeter."
The Team
Ryan Ritter
Ryan grew up in Owatonna, MN. He is living in Duluth where he studies environmental studies and geography at UMD. He also works as a server and cook at an Italian restaurant, Va Bene. While he has gone on a few backpacking and camping trips, he has little experience paddling and looks forward to spending time on the water. Ryan decided to go on this trip because, "Adam was telling me about his trip last summer and that he wanted to do another and I immediately said I was down to go." Ryan is most looking forward to seeing the Rocky Mountains, whales, and being away from schoolwork and city living. He is also very pleased that all the preparation has gone well. "After months of planning, here we are. We're finally
going out into the woods."
Jake Bendel
Born in Lakeville, MN, Jake now lives in St. Paul, where he is a junior at the University
of Minnesota studying material sciences. His camping and canoeing experiences
began in the Boundary Waters at age 13. "The longest trip I ever did was a week,
which was way too short." Jake has also spent time on the Superior Hiking Trail, Michigan's Manistee
National Forest, kayaking in the Apostle Islands, and working at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. At Voyageur,
"my days off were usually devoted to travel. I came to like watching the sun rise and set in new places
more than fishing. I decided I could fish the rest of my life, but weekly access to the BWCA wouldn't
last forever. I got hooked on seeing new lakes and places and trying to cover as much water as I could
on my days off. I was impressed with how far I could go on a day off. How far could I go in a whole
summer?" Excited to find Adam and Ryan planning an extensive trip, Jake jumped on board a few days
after he and Adam met. "The main reasons I decided to go on the trip: I love being in the woods, I
enjoy working hard to see how far I can get in a day, and the adventure and challenge of a long
wilderness trip."