Adventure Treks consistently has the highest repeat rate of any similar program for both students (60%) and instructors (70%).
“In just a few days’ time, strangers turn to friends, friends to family, and on the last day you WON’T want to leave.”
– Sierra Cocoziello
Cedar Grove, NJ
With 24 students and 6 instructors on each trip, we are able to divide into small groups for many activities. This way, you are challenged at an appropriate level, and you don’t have to worry about being too fast or too slow for the rest of the group! Start getting in shape now – you’ll want to be in good condition for your trip so you’ll be more comfortable.
Whitewater Rafting:
Get soaked shooting towering rapids this summer! Expect to enjoy an exciting ride and to challenge the other rafts to splash wars between rapids. You will need to work with your tripmates to maneuver down the river. Some Adventures offer an inflatable kayak option called “duckies” to get a chance to paddle on your own.
Look forward to several days of whitewater rafting on every trip. Rafting ranges from single-day trips to four-day rafting expeditions. We hire outstanding professional guides for all of our rafting (your instructor to student ratio is 1:3 instead of 1:4). Rapids will be age-appropriate, from Class II-IV.
Whitewater Rafting is featured on all of our trips! See the complete 2010 schedule here.
Best scenery during a rafting trip: The 4-day trip on the Lower Salmon River on Big Sky Challenge
Rock Climbing:
Whether you’re an expert climber or you’ve never been rock climbing before, you’ll experience a thrilling climb (and a great view from the top) on almost all of our trips.
Our trips feature one or two days of climbing in some of the most famous sites in North America, like Smith Rock and Skaha bluffs. We’ll set up easy, medium and difficult routes so you’ll get enough challenge for any skill level, and you’ll be able to climb as many routes as you like.
You can go rock climbing on almost every trip. See the complete 2010 schedule here.
Best view from the top of your climb: Smith Rock on the Oregon Cascades Adventure and Ultimate Northwest
Backpacking:
Most people think that backpacking means carrying a heavy pack uphill, but you’ll soon see how Adventure Treks makes backpacking a ton of fun! The scenery will be amazing. A backpacking trip is the best way to get to know your trip mates on a personal level and to connect with your instructors. During backpacks, you bring only what you need for a few days and leave the rest of your things in your duffel in the van.
The question we hear most often is “how’s the food?” Our students are universally impressed with the delicious meals we can create in the backcountry. There are lots of fresh foods and dessert, and you’ll get snacks of your own to munch on throughout the day. You’ll learn to prepare great meals like "Thanksgiving Dinner" and "Ramen Extreme."
Adventure Treks provides your backpack a no extra charge. Packs generally weigh 25-45 pounds, depending on your size, and the hip belt makes it much more comfortable than your school backpack (though a little less fashionable).
Backpacking is featured on all of our trips. See the complete 2010 schedule here.
Best backpacking site we've ever seen in North America: Eagle Cap Wilderness on Big Sky Challenge
Sea Kayaking:
Learn to paddle a tandem sea kayak while you look for marine life beneath and birds above your boat. Each sea kayaking trip ranges from 2-5 days, with time to go crabbing on remote islands, watch the sunset, or go on a night paddle to see the glow-in-the-dark algae in the water around you. Whether you’re in a sea kayak on the South Carolina coast or in Port Townsend Bay, Washington, this is an awesome, relaxing way to explore the outdoors.
Experience sea kayaking on these trips:
Pacific Northwest Adventure and Pacific Northwest Experience
Blue Ridge Adventure and Blue Ridge Experience
Alaksa Expedition
Mountaineering:
How many teenagers will get to summit a snow-capped peak this summer? At Adventure Treks, a typical mountaineering day begins as early as 2 AM! You’ll begin your hike in the dark, and you might get to see the sunrise over the mountains as you ascend. You and your summit team will reach the top before lunch. The views and the feeling of accomplishment are memories you’ll cherish forever. The adventure isn’t over yet! Glissade down (slide on the snow) for high-speed, thrilling fun.
On trips with multi-day summit attempts, we will teach you to use an ice axe and crampons for snow travel. On some of the mountains, we’ll also show you how to travel as a rope team.
You'll summit a major mountain on all of our trips. See the complete 2010 schedule here.
Best view from the top of an Adventure Treks summit: Peer into the crater of Mt St Helens, still smoking from the 1980 eruption on the Pacific Northwest Adventure , Pacific Northwest Experience, and Big Sky Challenge
Mountain Biking:
Choose your level of challenge during our mountain biking days at Adventure Treks. Experienced students can ride thrilling downhills, while others can enjoy a picnic lunch and beautiful views from wider roads. Regardless of your ability, we’ll spend time reviewing basic skills and teaching you new tricks. Either way, mountain biking is a lot of fun! On the Utah Canyons Adventure, you’ll travel 70 miles over 4 days through some of the best mountain biking areas in the entire country. The views are unbelievable.
You can mountain bike on these trips:
Blue Ridge Adventure and Blue Ridge Experience
Oregon Cascades Adventure
Ultimate Northwest
Utah Canyons Adventure
California Adventure and California Challenge
Best Mountain Biking at Adventure Treks: The 4-day trip near Moab on the Utah Canyons Adventure
Sailing:
Learn to captain your own sailboat on scenic Klamath Lake, the largest natural lake West of the Rockies. Our California Adventure and Oregon Cascades Adventure each spend three days sailing. With 3-5 students and 1 instructor in each crew, you’ll get plenty of hands-on experience as you learn to rig, sail, and even captain your boat!
You’ll cook meals and sleep on board the boat. The northern part of the lake is a wildlife refuge, so you’ll get to see lots of rare marine birds, plants and animals as you explore. Sailing at Adventure Treks is always a huge trip highlight!
Learn to captain your boat on these trips:
California Adventure
Oregon Cascades Adventure
White Water Kayaking:
Yes, you can! You'll learn to paddle a whitewater kayak, and even get pretty good at it, over just 3 days. You'll learn basic paddling strokes, feel the splash of water as you learn to do an eddy turn, and maybe even master the Eskimo roll. Start out on a flat lake or in a pool to gain confidence, and then tackle sections on the Klickitat River. We divide into small groups on the river so everyone can progress at their own pace.
Whitewater kayak on these trips:
Ultimate Northwest
Big Sky Challenge
Canoeing:
We’ll teach you everything you need to know to enjoy paddling your canoe with a partner. Choose to explore the remote wilderness of Clearwater Lake in British Columbia for three days, where guides will teach you all about the plants on the shores and the fish beneath you (the name Clearwater lets you know that it’s unbelievably clear beneath your boat).
You can also spend 4 days in Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River in Utah. Paddle calm water as you explore the redrock canyon. Sleep on island beaches at night, listening to the sounds echoing off the canyon walls.
Go canoeing on: The British Columbia and Utah Canyons Adventures
Canyoneering:
If you're on the Utah Canyons Adventure, you'll get the chance to explore one of the famous slot canyons near Moab, Utah. Wiggle and squirm through tight canyon walls, swim through pools in the river, and put on your harness for a 100’ rappel as you descend into the canyon. Get out of the desert heat and into the narrow canyon for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
If you want to go canyoneering, check out the Utah Canyons Adventures
Caving:
Only on our Blue Ridge trips will you be able to experience the underground world of caving. You'll put on your helmet and headlamp and crawl, climb, slide, and slog through a muddy, amazing environment. It can be a spooky; turn out your lights to experience total darkness and complete silence! And it can be intense, too. The climbs and drops throughout the cave make it tons of fun. Help your group navigate their way back out as you try to travel the maze of tunnels and hallways.
Experience caving on the Blue Ridge Adventure and Blue Ridge Experience
