Summer Camp Adventure for Boys in North Carolina
| Adventure Trek I | |
|---|---|
| Sunday, July 13 to Saturday July 26 |
$2300 |
| Adventure Trek II | |
|---|---|
| Sunday, July 27 to Saturday August 9 |
$2300 |
Guys Gear List Want to know what you’ll need to bring? Download this handy list!
Sample Schedule Want to know more? Check out this sample schedule (PDF).
Outdoor Adventure
Adventure Trek is for boys ages 13 to 15 years old possessing a strong desire to build upon outdoor skills in a true wilderness environment. Almost every night of the Trek is spent back-country camping in beautiful wilderness areas in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
The Trek is led by experienced, professional instructors and is divided into three main segments:
- backpacking
- rock climbing
- whitewater boating
The challenges of the Trek are physically demanding. The backpacking trip stretches over 50 miles long in rugged mountains with changing weather conditions. The program is designed for boys in good physical condition with a good attitude as well as a strong desire to enroll in the program. A few weeks of regular aerobic exercise (running, swimming, etc.) along with a healthy diet provides a great jump-start to the program.
Questions? Feel free to contact Drew Dekle, Program Coordinator and Head Guide at (706) 354-8060.
Professional Guides
Drew Dekle has worked as a professional wilderness guide for over 10 years. Drew has spent many years exploring wilderness areas throughout the U.S. including solo hike over the entire Appalachian Trail. Today, Drew is best known as an active southeastern rock climber and professional instructor with many notable and high profile ascents. He also holds and maintains a Wilderness First Responder (WMA) certification.
Drew teaches climbing to a broad range of ages and skill levels with two regional guide services: High Mountain Adventures and Granite Arches Climbing Services. Drew is also an avid whitewater kayaker and a gifted, patient instructor. Drew and his wife, Rabun, live in Athens, Georgia where he professionally remodels historic homes.
Skills
In addition to an experience packed with fun and excitement with memories to last a lifetime, those who complete Adventure Trek will be wholly competent in the following areas:
Backpacking
- Wilderness Ethics and "Leave no Trace" philosophy
- Identification of many trees, and other flora including some edible plants
- Forest History
- Respect for the wilderness environment and other participants
- Wilderness Navigation and extensive use of topographic maps, compass, and other alternative navigation and travel skills
- Preparation for a wilderness trip, clothing, shelter, and food
- Extensive practice in pitching shelter (backpacking tarps) and how to stay dry
- Water Purification Techniques
- Backcountry Cooking and use and maintenance of MSR Stoves
Rock Climbing
- Safety checks for personal and partner climbing harness and tie-in knot
- Knots: figure 8 retrace, figure 8 on bight, clove hitch, bowline, bowline on a bight, taught line hitch, trucker´s hitch, Prusick hitch
- Safely belaying right or left handed
- Climbing techniques including: smears, jambs, crimps, rest steps, laybacks, etc.
- Rappelling and use of tyrolean traverse
- Multi-pitch climbing technique (All lead climbing by professional guides)
Whitewater Kayaking
- River Safety
- Basic Strokes and Maneuvers
- Bow Rescue (Boat assisted)
- Self rescue (Eskimo Roll)
- River Reading
- River tactics: Eddy turns, peel-outs, ferries, running drops
- Playboating Basics: Surfing, Stern Squirts, Enders, throwing ends, etc.
- Swiftwater Rescue Basics and use of throw ropes