Water Gap Backpacking & Rock Climbing
Take the ultimate challenge all while Backpacking and rock climbing in and around the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on this expedition.
This backpacking and climbing course is your chance to travel through the Appalachian Mountains and climb some of the oldest mountains in the world. Through picturesque mountains and forests, learn what it means to be part of a crew - trusting, communicating, motivating and supporting one another as you test personal limits, practice leadership and teamwork, build confidence and compassion, and meet personal and group goals. Take in the breathtaking views from atop the mountain by day and gaze at star-dotted skies by night, as only those who climb get to see.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # PPME-2521
Age 12 - 14
Days 8
Cost $2,900
Dates 8/12/2025 - 8/19/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
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.
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He came back full of confidence in what he had accomplished, totally lit up about being in nature and everything he saw. He was proud of himself.
During the backpacking portion of the course, students will learn the necessary skills for wilderness travel including navigation, appropriate packing techniques, wilderness hygiene, backcountry cooking, Leave No Trace principles, group hiking and tarp sleeping systems, and safety protocols and procedures – just to name a few. Students will be physically and emotionally challenged as they work as a team to accomplish goals and put learned skills to practice. Students will acquire the technical needed to be successful on this expedition, as well as the interpersonal skills needed to thrive in their daily lives back at home and in school.
The eight-day expedition will have a day-long rock climbing experience. Students will learn skills to tie knots and be exposed to climbing equipment. They’ll learn safety, climbing and belay techniques and have opportunities to use climbing equipment. Students do not need prior climbing or backpacking experience for this course, just an open-mind and willingness to learn new skills! Our Instructors are backcountry travel and climbing specialists and will teach students the skills necessary to be successful on this incredible adventure.
The 14-day expedition offers a more intensive rock climbing experience that teaches students to tie knots, belay and read rock faces for climbs. They’ll learn how to set anchors and apply appropriate anchoring techniques, utilize climbing equipment and gain valuable climbing, belaying, and rappelling experiences. These skills will be put to the test over several days of progressive climbs at different rock climbing sites where students will be rewarded with spectacular views of the Appalachian Mountains and trails.
Students will engage in Solo, a period of solitude, as a way to take a break from the physical nature of the expedition and experience time for quiet self-reflection and introspection. Instructors set the tone for the Solo experience and help students prepare for this unique opportunity to spend time away from their crew and process their experiences on a more personal level. While on Solo, students will have food, drinking water, appropriate clothes, a tarp for shelter, sleeping bag, journal, as well as a whistle with which they may alert their instructors in the unlikely event of an emergency. Instructors also conduct periodic check-ins with each student. For many students, Solo is the highlight of their expedition. It allows students to take a deeper dive into their thoughts and consider how they may apply the lessons from course to their daily lives.
Course Stories
He came back full of confidence in what he had accomplished, totally lit up about being in nature and everything he saw. He was proud of himself.
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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 Customer Success Specialists (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.