Students will travel into the heart of the Sierra Nevada where they’ll learn Leave No Trace camping and travel skills, outdoor cooking techniques, map and compass use, creek crossings that are often void of bridges, route finding and how to set up shelters in the backcountry. Although rare, patches of snow may be found at higher elevations. 

In addition to technical skills, Instructors will teach and facilitate the interpersonal skills needed for students to function effectively as a team, accomplish goals and tackle new challenges. Challenges on course are designed to compel students to draw upon inner resources and develop trust in one another. One example of on-course challenges is a peak attempt. With lighter packs, participants will often start before sunrise to summit a mountain and are rewarded with 360 degree views and an incredible sense of accomplishment.

As skills and experience increase, Instructors will turn over more responsibility to the crew. Students will eventually make navigation decisions, plan routes and set up camp.

Please note: Students carry both personal and group gear, which means packs can be heavy. Students should be physically able to hike with a 40-pound backpack to be successful on this course. If the applicant is under 5 feet tall and/or 85 pounds, please call Outward Bound prior to enrollment.

The course will have several days of rock climbing where students will learn the basics of climbing technique, belaying and knots, while building trust with team members and confidence in themselves. During this section, students challenge themselves physically on solid rock cliffs, and push their mental strength with a free hanging rappel with stunning views of the surrounding granite domes.

Service to others and the environment is a core value of Outward Bound and is integrated into each course. Participants follow Leave No Trace ethics and do acts of service while leading and supporting fellow participants. When possible, designated service projects are coordinated with land managers like the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service to collaborate on land restoration projects. As they see the impact of their actions first hand, students develop a value of service, and transfer this desire to serve their communities once they return.

Outward Bound believes in order for profound learning to take place, there must be time to reflect on the experience. During course, the Solo experience offers the most impactful chance for this to occur. It is a chance for self reflection and to experience solitude in the wilderness without distraction, while also taking a rest from the physical rigors of course. Students are separated from their group for a period of time depending on course length and Instructor assessment of group capability. Solo sites are chosen to provide solitude. Participants will have all necessary equipment, food and water. The maximum time for Solo on this course is 48 hours.

Outward Bound expeditions encourage students to grow into the best version of themselves. Compassion for self and others is foundational to our educational approach. Students work collaboratively with their peers and as individuals to navigate challenging circumstances and the everyday harshness of the natural environment. The physical and mental challenges students experience on course allow them to discover their strengths and build authentic connections. Through intentionally tiered technical skill instruction, students also gain self-efficacy in outdoor competencies related to their course. Consistent and cultivated space for introspection or interactive reflective processes supports students making connections between their experiences and their life back home Whether the expedition is a few days or a few months, students realize that they are stronger than they know, and develop confidence and perseverance that will last a lifetime. Additionally, this course aims to provide space for LGBTQ+ youth to explore how their identities intersect with their desire for personal growth and development.

Some of the social and emotional learning outcomes students can expect include:

• Belonging – a sense of connection in the group founded upon respect, inclusion, empathy and compassion
• Courage– catalyzing strengths in order to persevere and take on challenge and risks
• Physical Engagement – develop body awareness and confidence through sensate and bodily experiences
• Self-Regulation – the ability to counter distraction and strong emotions by calming, refocusing, and turn-taking
• Reflection– examination and questioning of actions, roles, relationships and assumptions 

The Sierra Nevada range is California’s backyard and wonderland of wilderness, waterfalls, lakes and peaks. It’s an enormous range – spanning more than 400 miles from north to south, and 70 miles east to west. Courses take place in the southern and western parts of the Sierra: Emigrant Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Yosemite National Park and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park. 

Summer in the Sierra is mostly sunny, with occasional rain and cold evenings. Snowfall is unlikely, though June courses may traverse atop lingering winter and spring snow. Summer temperature tends towards the 70s to 80s during the day, dipping into the 30s to 50s in the evening and night.

These regions are the ancestral lands of the Northern Paiute, Western Mono/Monache, Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok), Eastern Mono/Monache, and Tübatulabal nations. We acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land, and also pay respect to their elders, both past and present. We recognize and continually support and advocate for the sovereignty of the Native nations of this territory and beyond. By offering this land acknowledgment we affirm tribal sovereignty, commit to working to support these tribes, and commit to holding Outward Bound California accountable to this work.