Rocky Mountains 14-Day
Backpacking

AREA & ACTIVITIES

Outward Bound Rockies operates on the Traditional Territories of Niitsitapi (the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai), the Îyârhe Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina Nations, as well as the Traditional unceded Territory of the Ktunaxa Nation and Métis Region 3. You will explore mountain peaks and passes, alpine lakes, crystal clear rivers and wildflower-filled meadows as you travel for 14 days with all your belongings on your back.

The course begins with getting to know your team members and an introduction to backcountry living. Experienced instructors will teach you everything you need to know for your adventure: skills such as how to pack an expedition backpack, stove use, shelter building, personal hygiene, minimal impact camping, and travelling over various terrain both on and off-trail. By the end of the course, you will know how to route find using topographical maps and compass navigation, and your group will make decisions with minimal input from instructors.

Outward Bound instructors will facilitate learning opportunities to explore leadership skills such as risk management, decision-making techniques, conflict resolution, and giving and receiving feedback. Students will apply these by taking turns as leader of the day and with daily responsibilities such as cooking, camp set up, and navigation.

YOUR INNER JOURNEY 

Outward Bound Canada’s courses are designed to provide an opportunity to “Get Out, Look In”.  Each experience begins with a physical journey – stepping out of the comforts of day-to-day routines and into an environment that may be very new, adventurous and exciting, but also foreign and uncertain. Taking on new physical, mental and emotional challenges will allow you to find new perspectives.

Reflection is woven into the structure of Outward Bound courses, through daily debriefs, journaling, solo time, and facilitated group discussions. Instructors will support students in preparing to transfer essential skills gained throughout the expedition such as caring for yourself, taking responsibility for your choices, expressing your needs and opinions with confidence, and working with others, into other areas of their life after the course is over.

learning outcomes

Our expert instructors will lead participants through novel, real-life experiences that require groups to collaboratively problem-solve through challenges, failure, and success. This course is designed to have a lasting and measurable impact in three key areas:

1. Improved sense of resiliency

• OBC is building a generation of physically and mentally healthy citizens
• Participants choose to improve their physical and mental health

2. Greater leadership skills and social connectedness

• OBC is teaching the skills needed to succeed at school, work and in life
• Participants become more confident, collaborative and respectful team members

3. Stronger connection with nature

• OBC is promoting greater levels of environmentalism
• Participants develop stronger life-long connections to the natural world

SOLO

Every Outward Bound Canada course incorporates a solo experience. This includes up to 48 hours in a secluded spot, where each student is responsible for setting up their shelter and taking time for self-reflection. Instructors are close enough to offer support if needed. This is not a challenge of survival in the wilderness, but rather a supported environment to take time for oneself, away from the distractions of everyday life. While this may at first seem like a daunting challenge for some, it is often an incredibly impactful aspect of the course, as it provides a unique opportunity that very few people ever get to experience – being alone in nature. This is a valuable element of the course in preparing to transfer learnings to life at home, and being present with the multitude of thoughts and emotions that arise on an Outward Bound course.

FUNDING & SUPPORT

Outward Bound Canada is a charitable, educational organization. Our goal is to increase the ability of Canadian residents experiencing socio-economic barriers to access Outward Bound Canada’s impactful programs. In order to support this goal, Outward Bound Canada offers funding designed to assist eligible participants and their families with financial assistance. If you would like to learn more, please visit our Fund Your Adventure page.

We also have partnered with HigherEdPoints so you can now pay for your course fee (or a portion of your course fee) with loyalty points from a variety of programs, using your own points or a family member/friends points. Once you make the deposit payment to hold your spot on a course, you can go to their website to create an account and convert your points into course fee payments. To learn more, please contact admissions@outwardbound.ca.