EXPEDITIONS
Outward Bound expeditions and programs are inside city and suburban classrooms and outside in breathtaking wilderness settings. All programs adhere to Outward Bound’s unique and powerful educational framework.
We offer Classic Outward Bound wilderness expeditionary courses for people of all ages, and 30+ day courses for young adults, designed to be part of a gap year. We have also developed a range of specialized expeditions, such as our award winning program for Veterans, and programs for families with teens or young adults struggling with issues at school or at home. Outward Bound also offers custom programs for professionals and other groups.
Browse our different types of expeditions below, and click to learn more.
CLASSIC EXPEDITIONS
Classic expeditions for Middle School, High School and Adults take students into pristine wilderness environments and help them discover strengths they didn’t know they had. An essential confidence-building experience, Classic expeditions are available year-round at locations across the country and for students of all ages. Courses range from four-day programs to several weeks-long expeditions. The average program lasts for 15 days, with challenging activities include backpacking, canyoneering, canoeing, dog sledding, mountaineering, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, sailing, sea kayaking, skiing and snowboarding. Whether travel is on foot, by raft, kayak or canoe or under sail, participants emerge to find out that they can do more than they thought they could.
PATHFINDER EXPEDITIONS
Pathfinder is a 30-day Outward Bound expedition that focuses on increasing self-knowledge, clarifying values, strengthening decision-making skills and processes, and setting goals – all life skills to help any student chart a path toward independence with confidence and passion. Our Pathfinder curriculum was developed by a team of experienced Outward Bound Instructors to meet the needs of today’s 18-25 year olds seeking skills to forge a successful life path. The tried and true educational model of Outward Bound combined with the innovative Pathfinder curriculum and dedicated, skilled Instructors, mean students walk away with the clarity and competence needed to reach their goals.
SEMESTER EXPEDITIONS
Outward Bound semester courses are the ideal alternative for college-age students looking for something beyond the traditional classroom environment and for those who want to learn by doing. No other Outward Bound experience is as in-depth, absorbing or comprehensive as our wilderness semester courses. Semester courses span the globe - across domestic and international locales including Colorado, Utah, California, Minnesota, Maine, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Patagonia and Guatemala. These 30-day to 85-day courses are unique opportunities to gain real wilderness skills and develop skills in decision making, problem solving, leadership and teamwork. With activities as varied as the world we inhabit, students raft, sail, rock climb, dog sled, kayak, hike and push forward with a team as they form bonds and friendships that will last a lifetime.
OUTDOOR EDUCATOR EXPEDITIONS
Outdoor Educator expeditions provide participants with the skills they will need to successfully and safely lead a group of students in a wilderness setting. Every phase of the expedition is focused on learning about wilderness education through direct experience and reflection. As participants strive to become a high-functioning group able to communicate effectively, make decisions and take on challenges, they also analyze teamwork and learn how to facilitate and foster it. Experienced Outward Bound Instructors conduct seminars and discussions about how to teach skills and manage a wilderness experience to achieve specific goals. In preparation to lead their own courses, participants earn their Wilderness First Responder certification and practice risk management, in a variety of settings and situations, throughout the expedition.
INTERCEPT EXPEDITIONS
Intercept Expeditions are specifically designed for families with teens struggling at home or in school. This highly structured and facilitated program removes students from the pressures and influences of home and school, and instead presents them with the healthy risks and real challenges of the natural world. Intercept courses focus on communication, conflict resolution and decision making tools. Students learn to examine the decisions that they have been making in their lives, and practice new ways of setting goals and connecting decisions with consequences. A carefully designed curriculum prepares students to reunite with their families, reengage in their home lives in a meaningful way, and transfer their successes at Outward Bound to the challenges they will face in the future. The expedition culminates with a facilitated conversation between the students and their families, during which students share key takeaways and collaborate with their families to make a plan for the future.
VETERANS EXPEDITIONS
Outward Bound is proud to offer fully funded 5-7 day wilderness courses to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fully funded by generous donors, Outward Bound for Veterans helps thousands of returning service members and military veterans readjust to life at home through the healing power of the wilderness. Veterans expeditions help to reinforce the gratification, confidence and self-worth that comes with working within a group, and build the skills necessary to successfully return to life after wartime service.
FAMILY EXPEDITIONS
On Classic Family expeditions, the main goal is to provide families (in parent/guardian and child pairs) with the opportunity to experience an Outward Bound expedition together as a unit. Family participants learn by doing. As the group works together to accomplish common, challenging goals, they learn about the natural and human history of the land, they acquire valuable outdoor and safety skills, and also learn much about themselves. Throughout the expedition, Instructors facilitate discussions about family dynamics, family values, traditions and priorities, and strategies to bring Outward Bound values and design principles into the home. Classic Family expeditions are also about fun. This is a unique opportunity – and a designated time and space – for families to enjoy each other and the wilderness around them.
OUTWARD BOUND PROFESSIONAL
Outward Bound Professional programs often combine indoor and outdoor activities and can be held at conference centers, urban parks, rural basecamps or wilderness settings. Itineraries can be as short as a day or continue on a regular schedule over several months. The goal is to create positive, lasting change in the workplace through innovative programs that enhance the effectiveness of individuals, groups and organizations.
CUSTOM GROUP PROGRAMS
Outward Bound provides courses to meet the specific team building and leadership goals of high school and college groups, as well as special groups like cancer survivors or families of 9/11 victims. Group Programs range from a single day ropes course to multi-week wilderness expeditions.
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