The Origin of the Center

Construction on the Steger Center started in 1988 when Will his teammates were training for the Trans-Antarctica Expedition. They needed a place where they could train, plan, and live in the elements. They were two lakes from the nearest road, but that didn’t matter. They had the dogs, the sleds, and the determination.

Members of the 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition

That year, they hauled in over a million pounds of gravel and 5,000 bags of cement — by dogsled. Each load was three miles in, over three hills. The sand from the local pit was frozen solid, so we chopped it out by hand, five-gallon buckets at a time. Come spring, they poured the foundation by hand.

In July, they left for Antarctica — to make the first and longest dogsled traverse of the continent.

It was during long stretches in a tent, waiting out a blizzard, that Will had the time to look ahead.

He began sketching out the idea for a leadership building — a place where leaders could gather, innovate, and plan bold solutions for the challenges ahead.

From Concept
to Construction

After the expedition, they put in a road to get cement trucks into the site and started to build out the campus.

The five-story Leadership Center rose out of the North Woods from that foundation was poured with their own hands.

Over time, Will began to understand the true scope of what he wanted to leave behind — not just a building or a place, but a living legacy. A wilderness “Camp David” for emerging leaders.

A place to inspire, to innovate, and to act.

Everything that went into the Steger Center came through hard work. Will funded the project through lectures, book writing, photography, and designing gear for the outdoor industry. Nearly every dollar he earned went straight into materials and labor. Along the way, thousands of volunteers gave their time, their skills, and their hearts.

Will’s Legacy

In 2021, Will made the decision to donate his life’s work and all associated assets to the non-profit Steger Center for Innovation and Leadership.

Today, his legacy lives on through this 501(c)(3) organization and the growing community of people who share in the Center’s mission.

Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE