Learning things through the beauty and strength of nature has been a dream come true. I will always recall the late nights with the “mini-society” I called my own for 21 days. The connections formed on this trip through our combined efforts are strong ones I hope will stand the test of time.
Students work together to explore the high mountain landscape of the North Cascades where they will learn the essentials of backcountry travel necessary to carry them into remote meadows and high mountain vistas. Activities include: leadership and communication skill seminars, navigation with map and compass, Recreate Responsibly ethics, first aid and backcountry cooking.
Since its inception, Outward Bound has both taught an ethic of service on courses and sent students into our local communities for service projects. A structured, half day of service is scheduled into most courses. In Mazama, at our Washington base, we work with a number of different local organizations. These include:
- Methow at Home: fire mitigation and yard work for elderly community members
- Classroom in Bloom: weeding, planting, harvesting at an educational garden located at the local high school
- Methow Trails: trail work on the Methow Valley trail network
- Methow Valley Interpretive Center: working in the native plant garden and learning about local indigenous communities
- Methow Arts: projects to bring art to the valley and community
- Little Star: Montessori school serving Pre-K and Kindergarten that offers scholarships to local children
In addition to scheduled, formal service, students may do impromptu trail service or campsite service in the Okanogan National Forest or Pasayten Wilderness. This might include breaking apart illegal fire rings or covering up social trails. Lastly and perhaps the most important of all, the students learn that by offering compassion to each other and supporting the crew through their daily chores of putting up tarps and cooking and cleaning, service can be given freely and daily in small acts of kindness. Students see the impact of their actions firsthand, and develop an appreciation of service and desire to serve their communities back home.
Solo is an opportunity for students to reflect on their experience, rest from the rigors of course, and think how their new insight and awareness can be transferred back home. Every Solo experience is unique and can range from a few hours to 72 hours, with age being a consideration for determining the appropriate length. Solo is not a survival test. Students have the necessary equipment, food, and water. Solo campsites are chosen to offer as much solitude as possible but are within emergency whistle-signaling distance from other group members. Safety is always a top priority, and instructors check on each participant at regular intervals.
Course Stories
Learning things through the beauty and strength of nature has been a dream come true. I will always recall the late nights with the “mini-society” I called my own for 21 days. The connections formed on this trip through our combined efforts are strong ones I hope will stand the test of time.
OTHER COURSES YOU MAY LIKE
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Oregon Smith Rock Climbing
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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.