Pathfinder Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking, Whitewater Canoeing & Rock Climbing
Find your path and discover your passion on this Pathfinder expedition through the dramatic scenes of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Discover what it’s like to live, work and play in the great outdoors of Western North Carolina on this multi-activity wilderness adventure. The journey will take you deep into some of the oldest mountains in the world, over rocky mountain faces and through racing rivers. In the Pisgah National Forests, you and your crew will work together to make your way through lush forests, cook your own meals, set-up camp in the backcountry, navigate rushing mountain rivers by canoe, build trust belaying one another while rock climbing and learn Leave No Trace techniques to minimize their impact on the land. After long days of challenge and adventure, students will be rewarded with skills, views, memories and connections that will last a lifetime.
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.
UPCOMING COURSES
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For detailed information on course availability statuses and what they mean, click here.
Course # NTP7-371
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $7,695
Dates 9.21.23 - 10.20.23
Course # NTP7-2471
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $7,695
Dates 3.28.24 - 4.26.24
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.
This expedition has given me more than I could have ever expected or wished for! I have never been as motivated as I am today. Thank you to all of the staff and my crew members for being so supportive and nurturing during our course. Words will never be enough for all that I have learned during the physical and mental challenges on course. I am certain that there are no limits to what we are capable of and will never forget the pillars nor the valuable skills we were taught.
Before course starts, students identify a member of their support system (parent, friend, coach, teacher, etc.) to help them stay committed to their goals once they return home from course. Then, before the completion of course, students participate in a conference call with that support person and an Outward Bound Instructor. The purpose of the call is to discuss lessons learned during course, identify goals for the future, and how to incorporate this newfound knowledge into their lives at home.
Students backpack in Pisgah National Forest where they learn to travel safely through the backcountry, navigate varied terrain with a map and compass, as well as how to live in the wilderness responsibly using Leave No Trace principles. Equally important is time spent learning conflict resolution skills, communication styles, leadership techniques, as well as teamwork. After the crew has practiced these skills the Instructors step back, providing the opportunity for the group to work together, navigating through the wilderness where they will be rewarded with stunning misty mountain vistas.
After a few days of discovering wilderness fundamentals and building crew camaraderie, students will learn to maneuver Class I-Class III whitewater rapids. Paddling through sculpted rock channels in tandem (two-person) canoes offers the perfect opportunity to foster further collaboration and communication skills between crewmates. Students will execute synchronized strokes, dynamic eddy turns, peel-outs, and ferries on either the French Broad, Tuckaseegee, Chattooga, New, or Nantahala Rivers. Some of the topics crews cover during this portion of the course include: identification and use of equipment, basic water safety and rescue techniques, how to work with paddling partners to successfully negotiate Class l-Class III rapids and flatwater and whitewater paddling strokes
With a focus on safety, climbing instruction starts by teaching the basics, such as working with ropes and learning to tie knots. As students progress, they learn how to climb up, or rappel down, a rock face. They may also have the opportunity to work through a high ropes obstacle course together. These uniquely structured activities provide opportunities not only for self-reliance, but also for communication and collaboration as participants confront and work through fears and challenges.
Participants prepare for the unexpected by earning a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification. This fast-paced, hands-on training is designed to teach skills to care for those who become ill or injured and are far from definitive medical care. Offered through a partnership with Landmark Learning, an accredited organization, this certification includes classroom lectures and demonstrations combined with realistic scenarios where mock patients challenge participants to use what they've learned.
During Solo, Instructors assign students to their own space within a designated area. These sites are both secluded and within hearing distance of other group members and Instructors for safety. Students will have all the necessary gear, food, water, and skills to enjoy this time alone. They also know the location of their Instructors’ campsite should they need to contact them for any reason. Instructors will be monitoring students closely during this experience. Solo is a great opportunity for students to relax, recharge and reflect on their course after having long days of strenuous group activities. Participants return from Solo with a new perspective on the parts of themselves they are ready to leave behind and those they want to embrace as they move forward. On this course, students will participate in a Solo progression that includes daily reflection time and a multi-day Solo experience.
Service has always been an integral part of Outward Bound, providing the opportunity for students to experience a deeper relationship with the environment and the local communities that surround the course area. Students can expect to engage in several service projects that may include trail maintenance, building and grounds maintenance in local recreation areas, invasive species management, working with rescue animals, or building houses. Students explore the role of service on course and in their life at home and reflect on the impact of service on the community and themselves.”
Course Stories
This expedition has given me more than I could have ever expected or wished for! I have never been as motivated as I am today. Thank you to all of the staff and my crew members for being so supportive and nurturing during our course. Words will never be enough for all that I have learned during the physical and mental challenges on course. I am certain that there are no limits to what we are capable of and will never forget the pillars nor the valuable skills we were taught.
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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.