Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking & Whitewater Canoeing for Veterans
Enjoy a unique and inspiring adventure surrounded by fellow veterans and service members in the beautiful country for which you served.
Home to hundreds of waterfalls, over a million acres of national forest, park and public land, unique rock formations and the highest peaks in the Eastern United States, the Blue Ridge Mountains are a beautiful, challenging natural environment for veterans to discover or rediscover their true potential.
With the company and camaraderie of your crew, you will backpack for four days and spend a day whitewater canoeing through rushing mountain rivers. Outside of the time spent being physically active and brushing up on your backcountry living skills, you and your crew will share stories, validate experiences and develop trust and compassion.
Please note: To reduce an extremely high cancel rate for these fully funded courses, we now require applicants to submit a $50 non-refundable Commitment Fee at time of enrollment.
If this fee is a financial barrier, please call our National Admissions Office at 866-467-7651 to request a Commitment Fee Waiver. The waiver process includes submitting a Statement of Commitment confirming your intent to follow through with this program.
Reducing revolving enrollments helps us keep our course inventory more accessible. Thank you for your cooperation.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # NTVF-2521
Age 18 and up
Days 6
Cost $50
Dates 5/13/2025 - 5/18/2025
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.
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.
Students will backpack up to four days in the Pisgah National Forest of Western North Carolina where they will learn to travel safely in the backcountry, navigate varied terrain, as well as how to do these activities responsibly using Leave No Trace principles. Equally important will be time spent learning conflict resolution skills, communication styles, leadership and team-building. After the crew has practiced these skills the Instructors will step back and let the group work together to navigate through the wilderness.
After a few days expeditioning and building crew camaraderie, students will learn to maneuver Class I-III level 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-III rapids and flatwater, and whitewater paddling strokes.
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