The Trail Blazer’s Club (previously “Explorer’s Club”) is an award, designed to recognize those expedition participants who have ‘broken new trail and left a path for others to follow’.  Though not for everyone (and certainly not for the faint of heart), some of our participants thrive on the excitement of planning and executing a brand new winter expedition into ‘parts unknown’*.  Beginning with our wonderful Killarney Krossing Expedition of 2012, we plan to continue offering a special Trail Blazer’s Club Expedition every year!

The Award: In recognition of their trailblazing efforts, Club members will be listed on our Honouring our Trail Blazers page, and will also receive an embroidered patch personalized the details of their trip.  See ‘about the logo’ for more on the significance of the snowshoe award.

About the trips: Trail Blazer’s Expeditions (TBEs) are anything but a ‘sure thing’.  Though we do our due diligence in fact-finding and researching potential routes, we have not previously scouted any TBEs.  Routes are frequently in remote locations and there may not be much easily available info about winter conditions.  It takes a flexible and adventurous attitude to enjoy an TBE, as we may complete the route as planned, or we may also end up going sideways, backwards or nowhere at all, and sometimes these impromptu route decisions are the best ones!

Significance of the EC Logo: The snowshoe logo and tracks in the snow symbolizes the journey, and the tracks left for others to follow.  TBC members pave the way for new and exciting trip developments for future guests.  We hope that many of the TBC trips of today will become the classic Lure offerings of tomorrow, and sincerely thank those interested in helping us develop these trips!

*Providing some historical context:

With the Trail Blazer’s Club we are exploring areas that are new to us, and trying to determine whether these new routes or new areas work well for the style of toboggan travel that we like to offer. But of course we recognize that all of Canada has been occupied by First Nations people for millennia, this is not new or unexplored land, and has nourished a rich culture that has travelled these waterways for hundreds of generations. We are trail blazing for our personal company’s journey, exploring around corners and river bends that are new to us, but we are also benefiting from the knowledge, tools, materials and techniques that have been developed by those that came before us on this land. This is fun and exciting for us, and hopefully for our guests as well!