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Photograph (above) taken by Hailey Arnold

Program Overview

Location
Southwest
Start Location
Grand Junction, CO
End Location
Grand Junction, CO
Certifications
Wilderness First Aid
Program
Pathfinder
Length
Days
Expeditions
Backpacking
Canyoneering
Rafting
Activities
Desert Backpacking, Canyon Backpacking, River Navigation, Service, Whitewater Rafting, Canyoneering, Rafting

Skills

Technical
  • Basic First Aid
  • Basic Paddle Strokes
  • Campcraft
  • Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Knots
  • Map and Compass
  • Navigation
  • Rappelling
  • River Reading
  • Safety and Risk Management
  • Self Care
  • Travel Techniques
Interpersonal
  • Character
  • Communication
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Independence
  • Leadership
  • Problem Solving
  • Resilience
  • Responsibility
  • Self Awareness
  • Self Confidence
  • Service

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Pathfinder Southwest Rafting & Canyoneering

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Thoroughly immerse yourself in the landscape of the desert southwest by experiencing the canyons on foot and by raft, and find clarity for yourself along the way.

Discover your strengths and learn skills that will shape your future on this 30-day rafting and canyon backpacking expedition. Backpack in the canyons and out across the mesas. See countless stars dotting an inky black nighttime sky in one of the darkest places in the U.S. Stop along the way to explore amazing archeological sites or stand on top a summit, gazing over 100 miles in every direction. Experience the discipline of rock climbing or the rush of rappelling. Encounter exciting rapids that compare in scale to those of the Grand Canyon. In the nearby canyons, explore fantastic rock shapes carved by the whimsical forces of nature. At every step of the journey, focus on leadership skills such as communication, collaboration, decision-making and conflict resolution – skills you can fall back on in many situations throughout life.

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
Southwest
Start Location
Grand Junction, CO
End Location
Grand Junction, CO
Certifications
Wilderness First Aid
Program
Pathfinder
Length
Days
See More Details
Expeditions
Backpacking
Canyoneering
Rafting
Activities
Desert Backpacking, Canyon Backpacking, River Navigation, Service, Whitewater Rafting, Canyoneering, Rafting

Skills

Technical
  • Basic First Aid
  • Basic Paddle Strokes
  • Campcraft
  • Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Knots
  • Map and Compass
  • Navigation
  • Rappelling
  • River Reading
  • Safety and Risk Management
  • Self Care
  • Travel Techniques
Interpersonal
  • Character
  • Communication
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Independence
  • Leadership
  • Problem Solving
  • Resilience
  • Responsibility
  • Self Awareness
  • Self Confidence
  • Service

UPCOMING COURSES

This course is closed for the season.

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, gear check, team building activities
DAY2-10
Canyon backpacking expedition: hike into the desert carrying everything you need. Learn about the natural and cultural history of the Southwest. Develop wilderness skills such as camp cooking, Leave No Trace, and navigation.
DAY11-15
Service in Moab area and La Sal wilderness: rebuilding trails, removing invasive tamarisk or visiting Youth Garden Project. During this time you will also complete a Wilderness First Aid course.
DAY16-24
Rafting expedition, either Cataract Canyon or San Juan River. Grab a paddle and learn to read the river. Enjoy the exhilaration of the rapids and the teamwork of paddling together.
DAY25-29
Canyon backpacking final expedition: return to the canyons and test your skills as your Instructors take the backseat. Depending on the group’s mastery and cohesion, you may even travel independently of your Instructors.
DAY30
Course end challenge event and departure to home

That night I told everyone when we were sitting around the fire, reflecting on our day, that I was surprised that they were comfortable with me captaining them. Some people jokingly said that they were not, I fully expected that. But once the laughs died down, I had 14 people looking back at me smiling, complimenting me on my bravery and capability. I have never been more taken aback and appreciative than during that group reflection period."

— Parker Outward Bound alumnus
Pathfinder Courses

Sometimes the noise of daily life makes it difficult to know what we really want, to set clear goals for ourselves, and to forge a path forward. Here’s your reset button. Our Pathfinder expeditions are designed to support students in increasing self-knowledge and awareness, improving goal-setting and decision-making processes, and developing perseverance and self-efficacy. As in the field, so in life: challenge yourself to dream big, then identify your steps to get there and start moving. We’ll put the map in your hands. You chart your path. 

  • Build skills, form connections: Learn and practice wilderness, teamwork, adaptability and leadership skills. Participants will have the opportunity to chart a path and pursue it with their own motivation as extra fuel.
  • Value strengths and strengthen values: Resiliency to recover from set-backs is a treasured and useful skill that will play a part in any Pathfinder expedition. Participants will explore answers to their most pressing questions about what they value, where their strengths lie and what direction their lives will take next.
  • Demonstrate mastery: As students gain confidence in new skills, they will take on more leadership and decision-making responsibilities and gain a deeper understanding of who they are as individuals. The entire crew will work together and individually to achieve goals, solve problems and succeed.
  • What you’ll learn: After spending 30 days in the wilderness, you’ll have mastered multiple outdoor skills and you’ll know what it takes to traverse mountain passes, climb the steepest cliffs and successfully navigate the challenges of the natural world around you. You’ll discover more about your true self and what you want to achieve, how you overcome setbacks and, most importantly, how to move forward to reach important milestones.

Return home after broadening your horizons, learning how to adapt to new environments and trying untested possibilities, with an action plan for the future. With newfound leadership potential, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills, you’ll be ready for your next big step.

Rafting
A raft is navigated on calm water beside a very steep and tall canyon wall.
Photo courtesy of Katie Gregory
Students paddle a raft on a calm river in a desert landscape.
Photo courtesy of Katie Gregory
Three people wearing safety gear stand on the shore looking out at the river framed by canyon walls.
Photo courtesy of Scout Sorcic
A beached raft rests on the shore of a river. There are red canyon walls in the background.
A group of students wearing life jackets wrap their arms around each other and smile for a photo on the shore of a river. There are tall canyon walls in the background.
A group of students paddle a raft through whitewater. There is another raft in the background, and the river is framed by high canyon walls.
Photo courtesy of Scout Sorcic
A person is mid-jump into a body of water.
Photo courtesy of Steve Creech
A group of people stand in a circle on red rocks high above a winding river.
Photo courtesy of Dave Erbe
A group of students wearing safety gear paddle a raft on a choppy river. The river is framed by high canyon walls.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Schneider

Each day on the river is spent learning to recognize and navigate various obstacles and hazards in the river, and how to anticipate the forces of the current from upstream. Students will work to become a team, coordinating spacing and paddle strokes. They will have an opportunity to be the captain of their raft and practice new skills as they maneuver through rapids and flat-water sections.

In places, the canyon rims rise hundreds of feet above, enclosing participants in a remote world of rushing water, delicate ecosystems and unbelievable beauty. Most courses get the opportunity to take day hikes away from the river and up to the canyon rim. These hikes provide amazing views, a change of pace and often the chance to see Native American archeological sites, petroglyphs, pictographs and strange but beautiful geological formations.

Canyoneering
A person smiles as they pose for a photo on top of a canyon
Photo courtesy of Steve Creech
A group of students wearing backpacks high through a green meadow away from the camera
Photo courtesy of Amy Lones
A group of students wearing backpacks hike away from the camera toward a line of evergreen trees. There are snowy mountains in the background.
Photo courtesy of Amy Lones
a group of students examine a map that is spread out on the ground
Photo courtesy of Kelly Crandall
A group of students smile for a group photo. Each person is holding a small blue peter flag.
Photo courtesy of Cara Befort
Five students wearing backpacks hike along a trail is a vast desert landscape.
Photo courtesy of Steve Creech
A tent rests in a desert landscape. The sky appears in shades of purple and pink, and there is a snow-capped mountain in the distance.
Photo courtesy of Steve Creech
Three students sit facing away from the camera watching the sun rise or set in a desert landscape.
Five students hike along a trail set high above a desert landscape
A group of students cross a canyon filled with ankle-deep water
A group of students wearing backpacks huddle together on a mesa overlooking a red desert landscape
A group of students wearing backpacks hike along a trail in a red desert landscape
Photo courtesy of Meagan Macomber

With their crew, students will journey through the intriguing and difficult-to-explore canyon country, taking in the infinite shapes of the arches, towers, buttes, amphitheaters, overhangs, and domes. While doing this, students will carry a 45 to 60 pound backpack which will have all that's needed to thrive in the wilderness. Sometimes students will shed their backpacks for smaller daypacks to navigate into narrow slots or explore thousand-year-old cliff dwellings and rock art. Crews camp on expansive rock slabs, stopping along the way to explore microclimates and canyon ecosystems. All the while, students continue learning how to use maps and compasses, to cook meal, negotiate slickrock obstacles, find water, and live comfortably in the immense canyons. The days can be long and hard, but the canyons reward students with their jaw-dropping beauty. Students will spend time in an incredible area where life becomes more in tune with the essentials of traveling through a landscape of rock, sand, sky.

Service
Students use shovels and wheelbarrows during a service project with outward bound.
Photo courtesy of Kelly Crandall
Two student smile as they pose for a photo with a llama
Photo courtesy of Griff Jones
One student uses a saw on a piece of wood while two others brace it.
Photo courtesy of Griff Jones
A group of students use shovels and wheelbarrows as they participate in a service project with outward bound

Participants follow Leave No Trace ethics as service to the environment and do acts of service while leading and supporting fellow participants. Students develop a value of service, seeing the impact of their actions firsthand and transfer this desire to serve their communities back home. Past projects have included working on a goat farm, building trails, cleaning trash and debris from natural spaces, working with a local community garden, and removing invasive species.

Solo

In order for profound learning to take place, there must be time to reflect on the experience. Solo is that opportunity, and can range anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours or more, depending on course length and type, as well as the competency and preparedness of the student group. Weather and time permitting, the Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition and gives students the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience. Many students use this reflection time to make decisions about their future, journal and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings unencumbered by the constant external stimulation of modern life. With all the food, skills and supplies they need, students are given a secluded spot to reflect alone and are monitored by staff throughout the. Students find that Solo provokes profound and powerful learning in a short period of time and often becomes one of the most memorable parts of an Outward Bound experience.

Wilderness First Aid

Students will spend three days in the Moab, UT area, learning about wilderness medicine. They will have the opportunity to gain a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification during this course, which is considered a standard for many entry level jobs in the outdoor Industry.

Outcomes

Whether an 8-day course or an 80 day course, all Outward Bound expeditions are focused on building character and leadership skills. Short courses are a great option for students looking for an introduction to the outdoors or for those who need a quick recharge. On shorter courses, students learn camping and expedition basics, as well as the skills specific to the course activity, such as climbing or rafting. Students get to know fellow crew mates surprisingly well as they share this immersive and intense experience.

On longer courses, Instructors progressively hand over more of the decision making and leadership of the expedition to the crew, allowing each person to test the new technical and interpersonal skills they have learned. Through the dynamics of an evolving group setting, students have more freedom to investigate who they are and how they want to develop personally. All along the way, students will experience a wide variety of some of the most beautiful wilderness in the US and the world.

Course Area
A person appears small as they stand beside a very steep and tall canyon wall.
Photo courtesy of Steve Creech
Red canyons are illuminated under the night sky
A canyon appears between red walls

Canyonlands, Utah

The most spectacular aspects of the Utah landscape are the hidden treasures found within its vast canyon networks, formed by millennia of wind and water. The Canyonlands of Southern Utah are stunning, mysterious and wild. Archeological sites and rock art from the Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont Native Americans who roamed these lands over 800 years ago still abound in the canyons. The canyons are composed of a spell-binding labyrinth of alcoves, fins, pinnacles, buttes, towering walls, ledges and arches just waiting to be explored. Canyoneering courses also venture into narrower, deeper chasms two feet wide with walls several hundred feet on each side. These sandstone slot canyons are a geological playground for scrambling, teamwork and rappelling. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Southern Paiute, and Pueblo nations.

Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River, Utah

One of the most rugged and beautiful canyons in the West, Cataract Canyon, cuts through the heart of Canyonlands National Park. Natural wonders and ancient archeological sites are found in the canyon on the way to the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. The Colorado River roars through 31 exciting rapids that rate with those of the Grand Canyon in power and difficulty, including the famous Mile Long Rapids and “the Big Drops.” These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) and Pueblo nations. 

San Juan River, Utah

The San Juan River in southern Utah is a major tributary of the Colorado River, flowing 83 miles through the deeply incised sandstone slick rock country of the Colorado Plateau in numerous tight bends. The San Juan is world-renowned for archaeological sites of the Fremont and Anasazi, featuring both petroglyphs and spacious cliff dwellings, accessible on side hikes from the river. The San Juan River is also well known for its exquisite natural scenery deep within the towering canyon walls. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Diné, Pueblos, and Hopi nations.

Course Stories

I have never been more taken aback and appreciative

That night I told everyone when we were sitting around the fire, reflecting on our day, that I was surprised that they were comfortable with me captaining them. Some people jokingly said that they were not, I fully expected that. But once the laughs died down, I had 14 people looking back at me smiling, complimenting me on my bravery and capability. I have never been more taken aback and appreciative than during that group reflection period."

— Parker Outward Bound alumnus

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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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