Lake Superior Coastal Trail
THE ROUTE
In July 2024, the CIM Adventure Team will embark on a breathtaking 65 km journey along the Superior Coast Trail. This adventure through Lake Superior Provincial Park offers a chance to traverse rugged landscapes and witness ancient pictographs, all while surrounded by the natural beauty of one of the most captivating trails in the region.
July 20-29, 2024
(Date to be confirmed upon permit booking)
What is the Adventure Team?
The CIM Adventure Team, founded in 2016, is a team of exceptional individuals from the Type 1 diabetes community who come together to redefine life with Type 1 diabetes, achieve personal goals, and raise money for CIM to help more people realize life without limits.
Funds Raised
Each member of the Adventure Team raises $4500 to help increase access to Connected in Motion programming throughout North America. Since 2016 , the CIM Adventure Team has raised over $200,000. These funds support the creation of new Slipstream retreats, the CIM subsidy program, and helps CIM keep programs accessible to the diabetes community.
The Team
We are looking for individuals with varying backgrounds both in terms of diabetes and adventure experience. Although the trek is physically demanding, you do not need to be a seasoned backpacker to join us – you just need to be willing to put in the work and gain the fitness level and skills you need to make your trip a success.
Day by Day: What to Expect
Requirements
Frequently asked questions
If I'm lucky enough to be selected, what sort of gear will I need to have for the trip?
You need to provide all of your personal gear. That includes hiking boots, a pack, a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, water bottle, and the clothes you’ll wear. And, of course, your personal diabetes supplies. CIM will bring all the communal gear – tents, cooking gear, food, water purification equipment, satellite communication devices, etc. If you don’t have a lot of camping gear, that’s okay! There is SO MUCH GREAT second hand gear out there. Other than your boots, often most other items can be found used.
Will I need to train for this trip?
You do need to train. You’ll need to have a good number of hikes in your hiking boots to wear them in and a base-level of fitness. You might hear from previous Adventure Team members that backpacking fitness is a whole different level of fitness. We’ll prep you with all that you need to be successful though!
These trips have proved to be life-changing for a lot of our past team members and we suspect it’s down to the fact that it’s not entirely easy 🙂
How are team members chosen? What is the "it" factor?
A selection committee reviews each and every application and makes recommendations to help build a diverse team, announced in mid-February each year. The selection committee is made up of 20 individuals from across the Outdoor Adventure and Diabetes industries, guides, as well as a select group of individuals from previous Adventure Teams. Each Selection Committee member receives a list of 20 individuals to review. Each applicant exists on several lists. This helps us to make sure a thorough review is done. The AT application pool is incredibly inspiring!
How experienced do you have to be to apply?
The Adventure Team trip is longer (up to 10 days including travel) and more physically challenging than a typical CIM canoe or hiking trip. Although most Adventure Team members have been out adventuring in the past, for some, this is their very first time in the backcountry. The beauty of the Adventure Team is in it’s diversity of experiences – both with diabetes, with adventure and with life!
The toughness is also something we tackle together. With the support and inspiration from the collective, each member sets up their own training sessions relevant to them – ie. going for a 5km hike with some weight on your back and hiking boots on your feet.
What is the application process like?
The application consists of 7-10 questions, as well as the opportunity to upload a short video clip. As part of their application, Adventure Team members answer questions to help us understand what makes them unique, what living with diabetes means to them and what are the biggest challenges they’ve overcome. The application also helps us to collect demographic data to ensure our team represents a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and adventurers.
What is the fundraising requirement?
Each team member is required to make a CAD$4500 fundraising commitment. CIM will provide each team member with our updated Fundraising Toolkit complete with template emails, social posts, and success stories from past team members.
CIM is a registered Canadian charity and is only able to generate tax receipts in Canadian dollars. Although the majority of our team members have not found this a significant hurdle, it is something to consider as you apply.
