What inspired you to work for MHO Adventures?
A friend suggested a check out MHO Adventures saying that we would be a good match. Boy were they right! MHO Adventures has a wide variety of trips in many different locations, many of which I had never been on before, and wanted to explore. And Erin, the owner and director, encourages me to come up with fun and exciting new trips to offer.
The freedom to explore new places is wonderful. MHO also focuses on making connections with the people and places we visit. There is a strong connection to Moose Factory, where we end many of our trips, and spend time with locals and learn about the culture and day to day life in Northern Ontario.
Sam is excited for a day of paddling on the river.
Describe a typical day at work.
A canoe trip typically involves waking up early (around 6am) and starting a fire so we can cook. Then after we've made breakfast we take down camp, putting away all the tarps, tents, and packing up everything we brought out with us. We load up the canoes and take to the water.
We paddle until lunch navigating with a map, and if required we portage to different lakes, or scout and run rapids we encounter. We pull off the water for lunch, and to stretch our legs, then it's back on the water until we get to our campsite for the evening.
Now we set up our home, setting up tents, a kitchen area, a bathroom area, a tarp to keep us dry if it rains etc. Once again we need to start a fire so we can cook dinner (and dessert of course). After dinner and cleaning up, we hang out around the fire until the enormity of the day hits and we all head to bed for a much deserved sleep. Repeat.
Why do you do what you do?
I love sharing my passion for the outdoors with others. Spending time outside is undervalued in today's society, so when I take a group of students or even adults on a canoe trip I want to help them realize how wonderful it is to be outside! I do this by making that canoe trip the most fun and memorable experience possible.
Boats are scattered across the river with paddlers practicing different maneuvers that will help them get down the river safely.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is getting to plan a new canoe route in a new area, then implement said trip. Taking a new group of people in a new area, getting to explore with them and teach them outdoor skills such as fire building, setting up their home (tent), and empowering them to cook and even bake over a fire. It's incredible to witness students cook a full meal over the fire, and see how proud they are over their creation when they serve their peers.
What makes MHO Adventures special?
We are a small business and really care about the clients we serve, the partners we work with, the communities we visit, and the environment we travel through. We are always working to improve the outdoor industry and get more people outside in the process.
Why should someone choose MHO Adventures over competitors?
We are the only program of this kind in Ontario. This is the only place you can learn everything you need to enter the outdoor industry in such a short period of time. When you finish this program you are completely ready to guide canoe trips on your own with all the necessary certifications and a wealth of knowledge that will set you up for success.
Other programs might focus on a variety of disciplines such as canoeing, kayaking, cycling, rock climbing. However,we focus on the main outdoor activity people undertake in Ontario, which is canoeing. By focusing on one discipline we set participants up to be able to work anywhere in Ontario, and give them the tools they need to venture out into different disciplines should they choose.
What hopes do you have for the future for MHO Adventures?
With our 42-day guide development and leadership program we are hoping to help fill the void that the outdoor industry is feeling right now with a shortage of guides. Unfortunately with the shut downs the Pandemic caused, many summer camps were unable to run meaning that many young people were not able to participate in their last canoe trip before heading off to post secondary or to new jobs.
These last trips are usually quite extensive (30-50 days long) and act as a leadership training program, preparing them to come back and work as a guide for that summer camp. Without these trips, many youth have not come back to guide the next generation of trippers, or were very unprepared for the job of taking young participants out on multi-day expeditions.
Along with that, many guides left the industry to explore different career opportunities. With the lack of future guides coming in, and many guides leaving, many companies and summer camps are struggling to fill the role of guide. River Roots is a way that people can get the training they need to be guides, and start working right away. No need to attend post secondary for years before being able to guide at a high level.
At a bigger rapid, boats go down one at a time. Sam and another participant pick their line and go for it!
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Participants will take away from this program how to be better leaders. The word "leader" gets thrown around a lot these days as a skill that youth should have and people who want to be successful in life should be adept at, but there is not a lot of infrastructure in place to truly develop this skill.
Or if there is an opportunity to develop leadership skills, it is limited. This program develops leadership skills in a unique way, and will also give you tools and support to continue to develop your leadership style.
How do you help support participants?
Our course is very action packed and there is an expectation that participants are putting a lot of energy into it to be able to reach their full potential. Our instructors are able to help individuals in any area they need help be it with a specific skill they just can't get, or with the demands a program like this has. We also offer financial support with a new bursary program that was put in place to help lower the cost of entry.
Instructors also support participants in their learning by pushing them to be the best they can. This is the place to push your boundaries by trying to nail a certain move on the river. Trying over and over again in a safe and judgment free environment with the guidance you need.
Sam and some participants are making bannock on a stick over the fire, as others practice other types of backcountry baking.
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
Some people ask if they need any prior experience before doing this program, and the simple answer is: no. If you have never paddled in a rapid before, never gone camping, never even held a paddle, that's okay.
Our program is set up so that even with no prior knowledge, if you are willing to put the work into it, you will exit the program with all the certifications you need and a good baseline of knowledge that you can be hired right out of the program. Even if entering the outdoor industry is not what you are looking for, this program is a great way to learn new skills and challenge yourself in a completely different way.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel should be meaningful to everyone. Not just the participants who are traveling but for the people who are helping and interacting with those who are traveling. Giving back to communities you visit, in a positive and impactful way.
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
We follow government set protocols and strive to ensure that everyone feels safe on this program.