Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking & Rock Climbing for Families
Strengthen family bonds and create lifelong memories in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, and we’ve designed this course to foster connection between a young person and a trusted adult in their life. Whether the pairing is parent-child, grandparent-grandchild, aunts, uncles, or otherwise, taking this four-day course together provides a unique opportunity for youth and an adult who cares for them to deepen their appreciation and support for one another. As you tackle challenging backcountry activities like backpacking, orienteering, and rock climbing, the experiences and memories you share will forge a deeper connection that will extend well beyond the course.
Please note this course is built for youth-adult pairs to enroll together. Each participant must complete an application. We cannot accommodate individual enrollments or families of three or more. The cost is listed per participant.
UPCOMING COURSES
- All Ages
- Cost
- Duration
- Date
Course # NTFE-2511
Age 12 and up
Days 4
Cost $1,650
Dates 3/19/2025 - 3/22/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # NTFE-2512
Age 12 and up
Days 4
Cost $1,650
Dates 6/13/2025 - 6/16/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # NTFE-2513
Age 12 and up
Days 4
Cost $1,650
Dates 7/31/2025 - 8/3/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # NTFE-2611
Age 12 and up
Days 4
Cost $1,650
Dates 3/18/2026 - 3/21/2026
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.
The aspect of Outward Bound, called duo, is one of the most important personal events on the trip. For 24 uninterrupted hours, my teenage son and I talked about life, relationships, sports, anything that came to our minds. The duo brought each parent closer to their child than ever before. Years later, both Ryan and I still think back on that time.
During this course, parent-child pairs embark on a four-day backpacking adventure through the breathtaking Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina. They will learn to travel in the backcountry, navigate diverse terrain with a map and compass, and practice Leave No Trace principles to minimize their impact on the land. Beyond technical skills, this course emphasizes essential life skills such as conflict resolution, effective communication, teamwork, and leadership. After the crew has practiced these skills, Instructors will step back, allowing the group to work together to navigate through the wilderness, explore stunning misty mountain vistas, and create lasting memories.
Students will spend a day climbing up a mountain, rappelling down it, or tackling a high ropes obstacle course. These activities are designed to push parent-child duos outside of their comfort zones while building communication and trust. With an emphasis of safety, this course activity begins by building foundational skills such as working with ropes and tying knots. These uniquely structured activities foster self-reliance, communication, and collaboration as participants confront and overcome their fears together.
Near the end of every course, students will participate in an adapted version of the Outward Bound Solo experience. Parent and child duos will separate from their crew to be alone together for a period of time, generally overnight. During this time, instructors assign each duo with their own individual campsite within a designated area. These areas are both secluded and within hearing distance of other group members and instructors for safety. Students will be given all necessary gear, food, water, and skills to complete this part of the course. They will 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 time and the Duo will last no longer than 24 hours. This experience is a great opportunity for families to relax, recharge, connect, and reflect on their course after long days of strenuous group activities.
Blue Ridge Mountains, NC
The Blue Ridge Mountains, or Southern Appalachians, is one of the oldest mountain ranges 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 modern world; some even say it is “rainforest-like.” This region 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. The area’s diverse landscapes have been featured in many motion pictures including The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.
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. The huge numbers of tree and plant life is actually what gives these mountains their namesake. Trees put the ‘blue’ in the Blue Ridge Mountains from the organic chemicals they release into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the distinctive color of these mountains.
Temperatures in this area range between 50 and 85 degrees in the summer, 30 to 65 degrees in the spring and fall and 10 to 50 degrees in the winter. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Cherokee.
Course Stories
The aspect of Outward Bound, called duo, is one of the most important personal events on the trip. For 24 uninterrupted hours, my teenage son and I talked about life, relationships, sports, anything that came to our minds. The duo brought each parent closer to their child than ever before. Years later, both Ryan and I still think back on that time.
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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.