Alex Lake's ultimate March Break adventure

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE. MARIE ARMY CADETS

************************* Sault Ste. Marie army cadet selected for regional winter expedition

CFB BORDEN, ON - March 18 - While many Canadians head South at this time of year, Sault Ste. Marie army cadet Alex Lake headed north to spend March Break in the wilderness.

A member of 2310 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Alex is one of only 18 teens from across Ontario selected for the 2010 Army Cadet Regional Winter Expedition.

This year's expedition takes the cadets to the James Bay Frontier Region for a nine-day adventure which began last Sunday (March 13).

In preparation, cadets received training in hiking, backpacking, navigation, environmental specific first aid, winter camp routines, and winter survival techniques.

Cadets were then divided into teams for final preparations including additional winter survival, GPS navigation, snowshoeing and the duties of an expedition team leader.

Each day of the expedition is led by a different cadet.

Day 1 involves a 10-kilometre terrain hike and snowshoe along the Timber Trail and Voyageur Trails winding through Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park to Purdy Lake.

There, Level-II caving within the Mica Mines accompanies improvised shelter construction and additional survival workshops.

Following an overnight stay in the shelters, a 12-kilometre snowshoe trek on and around Purdy Lake takes the cadets to Day 2's overnight site. Day 3 dawns with the prospects of yet another hike and several advanced problem solving and teamwork challenges to test the cadets' practical application of their training.

The fourth day offers a dogsled driving seminar in preparation for 30-kilometre run along logging roads and trails towards additional training in low-impact camping at their new bivouac site. Day 5 involves more dogsled driving to move the party 22 km along the Voyageur Trail network.

Incorporating additional skill development in improvised shelter construction and winter survival techniques.

This final day of the expedition will again focus on problem solving and teamwork as the cadets navigate their return to the Canadian Ecology Centre facility.

A guided wolf-howl trek and night vision workshop that evening rounds out the cadets' wilderness experience.

A final training day follows, with instruction and completion of post-exercise care and maintenance of expedition equipment and debriefing sessions, as the cadets prepare to return home.

The expedition program is the ultimate test of an army cadet's training.

Cadets gain the opportunity to increase their positive self-perception, enhance leadership abilities, and augment interpersonal skills.

The trips develop knowledge, interest and respect for different cultures while promoting goodwill and rewarding outstanding cadets for their performance and excellence.

Participants meet exciting new challenges, enjoy mind-expanding experiences and cement friendships that last a lifetime.

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