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Program Overview

Location
Mid Atlantic
Seasons
Summer
Start Location
Baltimore, MD
End Location
Baltimore, MD
Program
High School , Middle School
Length
8 Days
Price
$2,900
Expeditions
Backpacking
Rock Climbing

Skills

Technical
  • Belaying a Climber
  • Campcraft
  • Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Knots
  • Map and Compass
  • Navigation
  • Self Care
Interpersonal
  • Camaraderie
  • Character
  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Independence
  • Leadership
  • Positive Risk Taking
  • Problem Solving
  • Responsibility
  • Self Confidence
  • Service

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Appalachian Trail Backpacking & Rock Climbing

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Explore, climb and hike a stretch of the Appalachian Trail through Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania.

Welcome to the historic Appalachian Trail (the AT) – a diverse and challenging trek that stretches over 2,200 miles from Maine to Georgia. You and your crew will pack all your food and gear required to live on the trail for eight days before leaving the base in Baltimore. During the expedition, you’ll take turns sharing important roles for your crew such as cook, navigator and leader of the day. Your expedition also includes a day of rock climbing in Michaux State Forest, home to three unique climbing sites.

NOTE: Outward Bound strongly recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and up to date as defined by the CDC prior to arriving to their course start. For all open enrollment courses beginning on or after April 15, 2023, Outward Bound will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For questions regarding this policy please see this page or call us at 866-467-7651. 

Program Overview

Location
Mid Atlantic
Seasons
Summer
Start Location
Baltimore, MD
End Location
Baltimore, MD
Program
High School , Middle School
Length
8 Days
Price
$2,900
See More Details
Expeditions
Backpacking
Rock Climbing

Skills

Technical
  • Belaying a Climber
  • Campcraft
  • Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Knots
  • Map and Compass
  • Navigation
  • Self Care
Interpersonal
  • Camaraderie
  • Character
  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Independence
  • Leadership
  • Positive Risk Taking
  • Problem Solving
  • Responsibility
  • Self Confidence
  • Service

UPCOMING COURSES

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For detailed information on course availability statuses and what they mean, click here.

Course # BBME-321

Age 12 - 14

Days 8

Cost $2,900

Dates 6.17.23 - 6.24.23

APPLY NOW
?

Course # BBME-322

Age 12 - 14

Days 8

Cost $2,900

Dates 7.12.23 - 7.19.23

JOIN WAITLIST
?

Course # BBME-323

Age 12 - 14

Days 8

Cost $2,900

Dates 7.26.23 - 8.2.23

APPLY NOW
?

Course # BBYE-322

Age 14 - 16

Days 8

Cost $2,900

Dates 8.5.23 - 8.12.23

APPLY NOW
?
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Thank you for your interest in Outward Bound! 

This course starts within the next week. Please call us at 866-467-7651 to assess the possibility of applying for this course!

APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.

APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!

JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date. 

Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.

CALL TO APPLY
This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.

COURSE IS FULL
When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.

CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.

Sample Itinerary
DAY1
Course start, introductory lesson is backpacking, begin hiking
DAY2
Introduction to rock climbing and belay technique
DAY3-5
Backpacking, lessons in map/compass travel & advanced camp craft
DAY6
Rock climbing and rappelling, solo
DAY7
Backpacking final challenge, return to base, clean and de-issue gear, service project
DAY8
Personal challenge event, graduation, depart for the airport
Classic Courses

It’s time to make your own adventure. Outward Bound’s Classic expeditions for middle and high school students are built with you in mind. Make new friends, sleep under the stars, and learn skills like backcountry navigation and how to cook a delicious meal no matter where you are. You’ve got this! Whether you’re in a raft or on a mountainside, you’ll learn what you’re made of – and you’ll see first-hand how far teamwork can take you. Join us for an unforgettable challenge and discover a whole new way to get outside.  

  • Build skills, form connections: Learn and practice wilderness, teamwork and leadership skills. Find connections with your crewmates based on support and respect (and fun too!), and in the thick of challenges, discover there is more in you than you know.
  • Value strengths and strengthen values: Uncover your unique character strengths, develop your leadership abilities and learn how to let compassion in to everyday life by pushing your own limits and working alongside your peers.
  • Demonstrate mastery: As you gain confidence in new skills, take on more decision-making responsibilities. Work together to achieve team goals, solve problems and succeed both as individuals and as a group.
  • What you’ll learn: Your connections matter – working together to navigate challenges will quickly turn your crewmates into friends. Together, you’ll find opportunities to carry more weight (literally and figuratively) and make impactful decisions with accompanying consequences. It’s all about confidence, communication, and independence. 

After you come home, many of the character, leadership and service traits you uncovered on your expedition stay with you, helping you navigate your daily life with more resilience and success.

Backpacking
backpacking camp for teens in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
teens learn backpacking skills in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
outdoor leadership skills for teens
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
teens backpacking trip in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
two people point out a location on a map on an expedition with outward bound
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
a student stands beside a campfire on a backpacking and rock climbing trip with outward bound
a group of students wearing backpacks pat an Appalachian trail sign on a trip with outward bound
a group of students wearing backpacks make their way uphill in a green forest
a group of teens sit next to a body of water on an outdoor expedition with outward bound
two young people wearing backpacks cross a creek over a bridge on a backpacking trip
three teens rest under a tarp on an outward bound expedition

Students learn how to hike effectively and efficiently as well as how to set up and manage trail campsites each night.  As the team overcomes numerous expedition challenges, they develop a greater belief in themselves and trust in one another.  Successful completion of this course requires more than the mastery of technical skills. It also requires adaptability, decision making and teamwork. The Appalachian Trail is a footpath that runs from Georgia to Maine, and is the crown jewel of trails in the United States.  Students backpack for five days in the wilderness of western Maryland and southern Pennsylvania.

Rock Climbing
rock climbing camp for teens in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
teens learn to rock climbing in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
rock climbing course for teens
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
rock climbing class for teens in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
teen rock climbing class baltimore
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson
teens rock climbing in baltimore
Photo courtesy of Matt Freiere

During the expedition, students take a break from hiking and spend an afternoon rock climbing. This challenging activity pushes students out of their comfort zones and helps develop trust among crew members. Students rely on one another for support and encouragement to reach the top of cliff faces and crags.

Service
Photo courtesy of Ben Worden
Photo courtesy of Ben Worden
Photo courtesy of Ben Worden
Photo courtesy of Ben Worden
Photo courtesy of Brock Jones

Service projects are often integrated into Outward Bound expeditions through coordination with land managers, conservation groups, government agencies or social service agencies. While on expedition, students are encouraged to practice service to the environment and their team by sharing responsibilities and following Recreate Responsibly ethics.  Outward Bound expeditions are designed to cultivate a service-ethic and, thereby, to inspire students to return home as agents of change in their communities. Many students will also have a chance to work on an ongoing project inside of the park where Baltimore’s Campus is located. The project aims to make Baltimore one of the nation’s only urban bird treaty cities through a collaboration with Baltimore Wilderness Coalition, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Solo

In order for profound learning to take place, there must be time to reflect on the experience. Solo is that opportunity, and that time can range anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. It is a chance to experience solitude in the wilderness without distraction while also taking a break from the physical rigors of activities. Students experience short periods of time away from their group throughout the course for reflection.  These “mini-solos” are at solo sites chosen by Instructors to provide as much solitude as possible (within emergency whistle-signaling distance of other group members). Participants have all necessary equipment, food and water during their Solo time, and safety is always the top priority.

Outcomes

Helping students and their families see positive development in character skills is a key component of Outward Bound courses. After completing the course, students will receive a written narrative from their instructor that highlights how the student engaged in the course, what strengths were observed, and any recommendations for further development.

Course Area
Photo courtesy of Zach Shenal
Photo courtesy of Zach Shenal
Photo courtesy of Zach Shenal
backpacking trip for teens
Photo courtesy of Dalton Johnson

The Appalachian Trail in Maryland follows a 41-mile route along the backbone of South Mountain, a north-south ridge that extends from Pennsylvania to the Potomac River. The AT varies in elevation across the state from 230 feet to more than 1860 feet. The trail extends to the north into Southern Pennsylvania’s Michaux State Forest where Outward Bound students in this area will rock climb at one of three sites: Annapolis Rocks, Shaffer Rocks or Pole Steeple in the nearby Pine Grove Furnace State Park. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Massawomeck and Piscataway nations.

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Getting Started

If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.

To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee. 

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