The Foundational Adventure in 1977
In the summer of 1977, a single canoe trip sparked a movement that would grow to become Wilderness Inquiry. This foundational journey was born from a perfect storm of passion, purpose, and protest. At the time, a fierce debate raged over the future of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), with some policymakers arguing that restricting motorboat access would discriminate against “the handicapped, elderly, and women.” This claim struck a nerve with Greg Lais, whose sister Mary worked for the state’s Council on Disability. She challenged him with a simple question: why not prove them wrong?
Greg accepted the challenge, enlisting his friend and fellow adventurer Paul Schurke to help him organize a new kind of trip. They gathered a small, diverse group to paddle into the stunning Lac La Croix region of the BWCAW. The crew included two people who were deaf and two people with paraplegia, including a woman named Margot Imdieke, whose determination would become legendary — not just at Wilderness Inquiry, but throughout Minnesota’s disability advocacy community.
The trip was not without its challenges — they faced pouring rain and blasting headwinds — but the shared struggle forged an unbreakable bond. The wilderness, in its complete indifference to their individual differences, acted as the ultimate equalizer.
On that trip, something profound happened. As the group worked together to navigate portages and set up camp, any labels of “disabled” or “able-bodied” faded into the background. What mattered was not who could walk or who could hear, but who was willing to paddle, to help, and to persevere. Greg was famously blown away watching Margot crawl across a portage trail, dragging her wheelchair behind her, just to prove she could do it. That raw display of grit and cooperation revealed a powerful truth: shared adventure builds community and uncovers our common humanity.
The success of the journey was undeniable proof that the wilderness could, and should, be for everyone. As one participant later put it, “In the wilderness, we were forced to meet each other as human beings.”
It was the spark of inspiration that led directly to the formation of Wilderness Inquiry as a nonprofit organization the very next year.
The Very
First Trip:
What’s in a Name?
Coined by Bill Simpson, the name Wilderness Inquiry was chosen to perfectly capture the two core elements of our mission:
“Wilderness” represents our magnificent classroom—the beautiful, natural spaces that serve as the setting for every adventure and open our minds to possibility.
“Inquiry” reflects the spirit of curiosity, learning, and discovery that defines every journey. It’s about asking questions, not only of the natural world, but of ourselves and our own perceived limits.
Together, the name signifies our belief in using shared outdoor experiences as a powerful vehicle for personal growth, social connection, and a deeper understanding of our place in the world.
In our early years, there were actually five versions of Wilderness Inquiry, which together were referred to as the Wilderness Inquiry Association:
- Wilderness Inquiry I: Serving Stillwater area students (unincorporated)
- Wilderness Inquiry II: Serving people with and without disabilities
- Wilderness Inquiry III: Serving Big Brothers Big Sisters partnerships
- Wilderness Inquiry IV: Serving adjudicated youth
- Wilderness Inquiry V: Serving adults with developmental disabilities