35th Wilderness & Canoe Symposium www.wcsymposium.com 21-22 February, 2020 York University Toronto This annual symposium is a mid-winter gathering of kindred spirits in search of knowledge and a sense of place. Its purpose is to educate and remind us of how sacred, fragile, and endangered the remaining natural wilderness areas are, and to celebrate wilderness experiences in our northern Canadian habitat. Each speaker offers a unique perspective on far-ranging topics that include subjects such as ecology, First Nations, guiding, history, unique trips, conservation, etc.
STEIN, MICHAEL – Michael Stein graduated from University of Toronto in Electrical Engineering in 1969. After brief employment at Canadian Standards Association he put away his slide rule and joined a high school friend and headed to Whistler Mtn. to broaden his horizons and satisfy a more adventurous spirit. Mike acquired his ski instructor’s certification and spent the next three years paying off his student loan by teaching skiing and guiding helicopter skiing. Summers were spent hiking and climbing local peaks and fulfilling a childhood fascination with the Coureurs de Bois canoeing some of the great rivers of the west including the North Saskatchewan, Thompson, Bow, Kootenay, the first descent of the Lillooet from Lillooet Lake to Harrison Lake and The Liard.