The following checklist is designed to help you get the most out of your week in the Northwoods.  Items that will help keep you safe and comfortable in the outdoors; for both your benefit and your group’s. Required items include good footwear, rain gear, warm clothing & water bottles. Many items are optional, but we believe you’ll be glad you have them.

Field Gear
____ A day pack capable of carrying the following in the field (day pack dry bags with shoulder straps are great, or gear   can be stored inside a garbage bag in a regular day pack):
____ Full rain gear (see Clothing below)
____ Additional clothing items to meet the conditions of the day (see Clothing below)
____ Insect combat gear (both head net & skin-friendly repellant recommended)
____ Sunscreen
____ Sunglasses
____ Flashlight (a good headlight is the best choice; a model that also includes a red light allows you to read at night without impairing your night vision)
____ Small hand magnifying lens (10-20x)
____ Binoculars
____ Favorite field guides (with coverage of northeastern Minnesota)
____ Camera in a water tight container or bag
____ Water bottle (at least a quart, preferably more)
____ Between-meal snacks (trail bars, trail mix, packable fruit, etc.)
____ Small first aid kit (an assortment of band aids, musculoskeletal support supplies, medications needed while in the field – see Personal Items below, etc.)
____ Multi-tool (such as a folding pliers/knife/etc. combination – just in case)
____ Note pad & pen (the “Rite-in-the-Rain” series of small weather-resistant pads works well with a pencil or all-weather pen)

Clothing
Footwear:
____ Sturdy footwear for the field (should provide ankle support, good traction, & closed-toe protection)
____  Other footwear as desired:  Sandals/flip-flops, slippers, etc. Bring outdoor clothing to cover a range of field conditions, which may include (depending on your tolerance):
____ Rain:  Jacket, pants & hat – field trips will go rain or shine
____ Cooler mornings & evenings:  A fleece jacket; light to medium weight gloves (with palm grips for paddling); warm hat (such as a stocking cap); some like insulated vests
____ Wind:  Breathable windbreaker (large enough to wear over other layers)
____ Hot days:  Cotton (or lightweight synthetic) tee shirts; lightweight long-sleeved shirt for blocking sun (& bugs); swim suit; sun hat; shorts
Also:
____ Pants (a couple pairs of lightweight, synthetic quick-dry pants with zip-off legs are a good choice to cover both warm & cool weather, as well as bugs & brush)
____ Socks (be sure to keep an extra pair in your field pack) & underwear
____ Other comfortable non-field clothing as desired
____ Exercise clothing & footwear (if you’re a walker or runner)

Personal Items
____ Toothbrush/toothpaste
____ Eye care (glasses & case; contacts, case & solutions; backups as needed)
____ OTC meds for individual needs (headache, allergy, dry skin, etc.)
____ Rx meds
____ An evening paperback
____ Journal

Other
____ Zip-lock bags of various sizes (freezer weight – great for individually waterproofing items like cameras, snacks, extra socks, meds, etc)
____ Fishing gear (especially if you’ll be arriving early/staying after – we have walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake trout & a variety of panfish)