Patagonia Mountaineering, Cultural Immersion and Service

During Phase I of this semester expedition, students get the opportunity to visit one of the least populated and pristine regions in the world. In Nahuel Huapi National Park, participants learn the techniques of alpine trekking and perfect their technical skills as they prepare to summit an Andean peak (weather permitting). Patagonia's unique flora and fauna, snow-covered volcanic peaks, ice slopes and unique terrain have attracted many scientific expeditions, including those of Charles Darwin. After extended backcountry living in this unique environment, students will realize and appreciate the connection between teamwork and individual success.

While in Patagonia, students are encouraged to live in the moment and immerse themselves in the culture. Outside of trying new foods and meeting locals, students will practice giving back by completing a service project. This project could include fence building, painting homes, harvesting fruit and building structures with local farmers. Participants can receive service project hours for going on this course and simply need to alert their instructors prior to the course start.

Everglades and Ten Thousand Islands Canoeing

After spending the first part of the journey traveling with heavy packs, students welcome the chance to carry their gear for Phase II in their canoe. Students can expect to spend a good deal of time each day in canoes as they go from campsite to campsite, moving through the unique ecosystem of the Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands off the Gulf Coast. These canoes are tandem, which means the crew works together in teams of two. Depending on the weather, the level of difficulty varies day to day, but crews learn marine expedition risk assessment and management, marine route planning and navigation, paddle strokes, canoe-based rescues, equipment use and how to work with a paddling partner.

Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking, Rock Climbing and Whitewater Canoeing

During Phase III participants travel the plunging valleys and ancient 6,000 foot summits of the Appalachian Range in Western North Carolina. Working together backpacking through temperate rainforests, climbing in and around the Linville Gorge and paddling some of the best whitewater in the southeast, students step outside their comfort zones and learn to communicate with and trust their new crewmates. Rock climbing activities focus on safety, as students begin with the basics; tying knots, safety systems, belaying and climbing techniques. Depending on group dynamics and weather, the goal is to achieve top-rope climbs and progress to a multi-pitch route led by an NCOBS climbing specialist. There is also the chance to experience a rappel and the high ropes course.

Participants will also spend up to four days paddling Class I-Class III whitewater through sculpted rock channels in tandem (two person) canoes. Crews learn how to identify and use paddling equipment, basic water safety and rescue techniques, paddling strokes and how to work with their partner to successfully paddle flatwater and negotiate numerus rapids and drops.

Wilderness First Aid Certification

Participants will have the opportunity to prepare for the unexpected by earning a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification during the mountains phase of the course. This fast-paced, hands-on training is designed to teach skills to care for those who become ill or injured far from definitive medical care. Offered through a partnership with Landmark Learning, an accredited organization, this certification will include classroom lectures and demonstrations, combined with realistic scenarios where mock patients will challenge participants to use what they've learned. After successfully completing the WFA and CPR components, students are eligible to apply for academic credit for this certification.

Course Area

Patagonia, South America

One of the least populated regions in the world, Patagonia is a semi-arid plateau that covers over 250,000 square miles in South America located mainly in Argentina but extending partially into southern Chile. Patagonia’s unusual wildlife has attracted many scientific expeditions over hundreds of years, including those of Charles Darwin. The terrain is incredibly diverse with snow-covered volcanic peaks flanked by glaciers, ice slopes and permanent snowfields. The Patagonian steppe is one of the windiest and driest climates in South America, a sharp contrast to the western slopes of the Andes that receive some of the highest rainfall of anywhere in the world.

This course begins in San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche. The city of Bariloche (population 108,205) is situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is surrounded by the Nahuel Huapi National Park. The park was established in 1934, and is the oldest in Argentina, and the largest in the region with an area of nearly 2 million acres. Its landscapes represent the north Patagonian Andean Zone which is dominated by the high mountain chain of the Andes, many lakes and rivers, waterfalls, snow-clad peaks, glaciers and extensive forests.

The Everglades and Ten Thousand Islands

The Everglades are the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the United States and third-largest national park in the lower 48 states. The aquatic preserve is home to an array of wild creatures and exotic plant life. More than 350 species of birds, 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish, 40 species of mammals and 50 reptile species live within it. Because of this it is one of only three locations in the world to show-up on the following lists, an International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance and World Heritage Site. 

This course area is in a subtropical region, with a 12-month growing season. The Florida peninsula is believed to be the last part of the continental United States to rise from the ocean, making it the youngest region geologically and only Alaska can claim a longer shoreline. The Everglades are mild and pleasant from December through April, with low humidity and clear skies. Temperatures reach average highs of 88 degrees and lows of 54 degrees. Strong cold fronts may occasionally create near freezing conditions, but such events are rare in this subtropical climate. 

Blue Ridge Mountains, NC

The Southern Appalachians, including the Blue Ridge Mountains, are some of the oldest mountains in the world. While the mountains themselves formed over 250 million years ago, some of the rocks that underlie the region are over a billion years old.

The long geologic and evolutionary history of the Southern Appalachians has created one of the most biologically diverse regions in the temperate world. It is home to beautiful rushing rivers, hundreds of waterfalls and some of the highest peaks in the Eastern United States—including Mt. Mitchell (elevation 6,684 feet), the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Outward Bound students can expect to share the wilderness with over 700 different kinds of trees, more than 50 types of mammals, 150 different types of birds and over 50 species of amphibians.

This course area is situated within a million acres of national forests, federally-protected wilderness areas, and other public lands. Its diverse landscapes have been featured in many motion pictures, including The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.

Temperatures in this area range from 50 - 85 degrees in the summer, 30 - 65 degrees in the spring and fall, and 10 - 50 degrees in the winter.