This course is a four-week canoe expedition for troubled teens. It is designed for teens exhibiting challenging behaviors whose parents are willing and interested in participating in the 3-day required parent guardian seminar at course end. It is not a therapeutic program and cannot accommodate students with certain psychiatric conditions, significant struggles with chemical dependency or those with a history of violent behavior.
Intercept
Intercept is a special program of Outward Bound, one of the oldest wilderness adventure programs in the world. It is designed to serve teens and their families and help them address issues like risky behaviors, low motivation defiance or poor school performance. Courses are presented as metaphors for the transition from childhood to adulthood and designed to help teens connect their desire for more freedom with the reality that they must take on additional responsibility.
Courses are highly structured with explicit wilderness, communication and leadership skills progressions as well as time on course devoted to preparing for a parent/guardian conference at course end. The conference is a conversation, facilitated by the instructor, where parents and teens design a new plan for their household.
Course Area
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a labyrinth of lakes and rock that has been specifically protected as a true American wilderness; no roads, power lines, or motorized craft (with the exception a handful lakes) may enter its borders, so the Boundary Waters has changed little since the glaciers receded 10,000 years ago. Over one million acres in size, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness extends nearly 150 miles along the Canadian border adjacent to Quetico Provincial Park.
Waterfalls, sheer rock cliffs and deep, crystal-clear lakes abound. Moose, deer, beaver and otter are just a few of the wildlife you may see or see evidence of while you are there. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness contains several thousand portage-linked lakes and streams, interspersed with islands, forests and crags. It has no piped water, prepared shelters or signs to point the way. Adventure awaits
Course Description
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a one million acre roadless area and the perfect place to get away and experience an extended wilderness expedition. The waters of one of the nation's largest Wilderness Areas help carry your load on a journey of almost 200 miles across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. You and your team will become an efficient unit as your instructors teach you the skills you'll need to work together moving your food, gear and canoes across to the next lake.
Set up camp on a different lakeshore each night at one of thousands of rocky point campsites and cook over an open fire. Two or more days of rock climbing, a high ropes course and two-day service phase, solo, final and a wilderness triathlon offer variety and new ways to learn from challenge and gain perspective on life and living, success and failure, freedom and responsibility.
To apply for this course click the apply button next to the course dates that work for you. The non-refundable application fee of $125 is due at the time of application. For full fee schedule and process, click here. Course tuitions listed do not include our application fee or transportation fee.