Yosemite Alpine Backpacking
On this expedition, you’ll backpack through towering trees in Yosemite, swim in alpine lakes, and sleep under countless stars.
At Outward Bound, we are crew, not passengers. We support each other and share in our challenges and our victories. Your crew becomes a critical piece of your experience while on course, and beyond! During this time of development, when young people need a safe and supportive space, this course builds self-esteem and community, and creates opportunities to make lifelong friends.
Students can expect a progression of activities to initiate personal growth and conversation about our unique and shared experiences. We will spend time having guided discussions on a variety of topics, as well as opportunities for individual reflection, while embracing the affirming and healing powers of nature.
Outward Bound is a place for all people to learn, grow, make friends, and have fun!
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # XMTA-2531
Age 16 - 18
Days 10
Cost $4,140
Dates 6/8/2025 - 6/17/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # XMMA-2531
Age 13 - 14
Days 10
Cost $4,140
Dates 6/8/2025 - 6/17/2025
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.
I used to be an extremely picky eater and one of the goals I set for myself was to be less of a picky eater. When I got to be cook, I was really hungry and I wanted to provide for the group. I made a stir fry – that was a meal I would never have eaten at home. I was really engrossed in every part of the process – preparing the vegetables, lighting the fire, and then watching the other students enjoy eating it. It was so delicious. That was rewarding.
This course provides an introductory experience in the art and craft of backpacking while exploring a rich national treasure. As no prior experience is necessary, instructors will teach the crew Leave No Trace camping and travel skills, outdoor cooking techniques, map and compass use, route finding, and how to set up shelters in the backcountry. Instructors facilitate activities and lessons focused on teamwork, communication and self-discovery.
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. Each young person is capable of more than they know, and this course helps students realize their own potential and return to their day-to-day lives with increased confidence, work ethic and self-awareness.
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.
Service to others and the environment is a core value of Outward Bound and is integrated into each course. Students 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. Students develop a value of service, see the impact of their actions, firsthand, and transfer this desire to serve their communities at home.
In order for profound learning to take place, Outward Bound believes there must be time to reflect on the experience. During course, the Solo is that opportunity. It is a chance to experience solitude in the wilderness without distraction while also taking a break from the physical rigors of course. Students are separated from their group for a period of time which depends on course length and instructor assessment of group capability. Solo sites are chosen to provide solitude. Solo on this course is typically 12-48 hours, with age and course length both being considerations used by Instructors for determining the appropriate length.
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.
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
Yosemite National Park, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, is famous for breathtaking views of waterfalls, massive granite domes and peaceful alpine meadows. Yosemite is home to some of the world’s most treasured landmarks. While this course steers clear of the crowded tourists’ attractions of the valley, dramatic alpine scenery can be seen in the horizon like peaks rising from the valley to elevations above 12,000 feet. On occasion, relocating a course to another location in the High Sierra (not in Yosemite) is the best way we can maintain our high safety standards. A relocation is possible in the case of inclement weather, environmental disaster such as wildfires or smoke, or other uncontrollable interruptions.
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 temperatures tend to be in 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), and Me-Wuk (Southern Sierra Miwuk) 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.
Course Stories
I used to be an extremely picky eater and one of the goals I set for myself was to be less of a picky eater. When I got to be cook, I was really hungry and I wanted to provide for the group. I made a stir fry – that was a meal I would never have eaten at home. I was really engrossed in every part of the process – preparing the vegetables, lighting the fire, and then watching the other students enjoy eating it. It was so delicious. That was rewarding.
This camp was super fun for me to do. I was able to make lifelong friends. Also, everyone is extremely kind and loving.
My mom told me about Outward Bound because she did a Pacific Northwest Rafting expedition as a teenager. I got to choose my destination, and it was a fantastic birthday present. I chose to go to California. One day we had pasta Alfredo. We ate that on resupply which is the hardest day because your packs are the heaviest. Despite spilling it on the ground and getting some wood chips in it, it was the yummiest pasta I've ever had. My highlights were summiting 12,000-foot mountains and my crew. We bonded instantly over the challenges, but also we just had a lot in common, like music interests. I’ll forever remember a lunch break we took at Seville Lake, where there’s a small island in the middle of the lake, and it tempted a bunch of my crew members to swim to it - like 25-50 yards away. That’s a good lunch break. My advice to future students is: “It’s going to be really hard. But it is so ridiculously rewarding and you are so much more capable than you thought you were."
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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.