We are committed to ensuring the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our participants and instructors.
Wilderness travel has inherent risks; however, we believe that these inherent risks can be managed and that those risks helps us achieve our goals of helping young people be their best selves.
Our leadership team works diligently to design expeditions that are adventurous and fun while remaining as safe as possible. We work together, instructors and participants, to travel in remote environments and establish a culture of safety. In a world where there are few tangible ways for young people to see what they are capable of, the wilderness provides concrete examples.
We believe in risk for its rewards.
Taking risks is crucial to teens thriving – it is a vital part of the developmental process. Our wilderness programs provide a great opportunity to face concrete challenges with the guiding help of a supportive team. These hands-on experiences, with real consequences, provide an opportunity for participants to see what they are capable of while learning the importance of knowing their limits. Our participants walk away feeling more confident and more capable.
Training prepares for the unexpected.
Things don’t always go according to plan. We prepare for those situations. All our instructors receive training in emergency management, including the use of satellite phones or other communication devices. Our instructors are trained as Wilderness First Responders, a 70-hour training specifically on wilderness medicine away from emergency care, and those who lead our water-based expeditions have a lifeguarding certification.