As Wilderness Ventures enters its 37th year of operation, the organization has successfully become the oldest and most experienced adventure travel program for young people. Their life-altering experiences in some of the world's most magnificent outdoor settings are crafted for young adults who are just beginning their experiences in the outdoors or teenagers who are accustomed to outdoor life. For young adults who are looking for fun, and adventure in a non-competitive, supportive small group setting, they don't need to look further than Wilderness Ventures. The companies' Leadership Adventures, Leadership Expeditions, International Adventures, and Community Service Adventures offer unparalleled, educational opportunities.

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Wilderness Ventures has a rich history dating back to 1973, when they led their initial group of ten young adults on an eight-week adventure throughout the Northern Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. Mike and Helen Cottingham are the founders, owners, and directors of Wilderness Ventures. The enjoyment and satisfaction they gained from living in wilderness environments combined with their teaching experience prompted them to create Wilderness Ventures in 1972 with the hope that many young men and women would be given an opportunity to have a similar experience.

The directors have both had extensive experience working with young adults. Mike received his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame in 1968 and his M.Ed. from Xavier University of Ohio in 1972. Helen received her B.A. from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1969. They both taught in Cincinnati area schools prior to becoming full-time directors of Wilderness Ventures. Today they are responsible for all planning and program development. The Cottinghams raised their sons Christopher and Nicholas in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and have resided in the Tetons since 1975.

"In founding Wilderness Ventures, we combined our love for teaching young adults with our passion for the American wilderness and adventure. Over 4 decades later, we continue to plan and conduct each expedition with the same enthusiasm and personal attention that characterized the very first expedition we led in 1973. Today we are thrilled and gratified to see so many of our former participants and staff members now sending their sons and daughters to us -- a second generation of young people encountering the same life-changing experiences as their parents. As the pioneering outdoor adventure travel program for teens, Wilderness Ventures has become the model for numerous similar-looking programs which have appeared in the last few years. We are flattered that so many programs have attempted to duplicate a Wilderness Ventures experience and we are proud that we remain, by far, the most experienced as well as the most widely recognized and respected program in this field."
--Mike and Helen Cottingham

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Wilderness Ventures' adventures are not tours, but rather combinations of carefully planned activities in a wide range of wilderness and outdoor environments that are located in specific geographical regions. Participants spend the entire summer living in the outdoors. Between the activity destinations, young adults will travel short distances in new, uncrowded passenger vans. The routes and campsites find adventurers traveling through places of historic, cultural, or scenic interest, providing visitors with a clear sense of place and an appreciation of each region's unique characteristics.

The Wilderness Ventures' programs range from 14 days to 6 weeks, and the participants engage in multi-activity wilderness and outdoor adventures, including backpacking, whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, rock climbing, canoeing, inflatable kayaking, mountaineering, fly fishing, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, sailing, surfing, and mountain biking. All of the adventures provide imaginative and unforgettable journeys into the backcountry in some of the most beautiful outdoor and wilderness areas of national parks and forests in North America and abroad, or along bicycle routes around these stunning environments.

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For 37 years, Wilderness Ventures has offered summer programs focusing on developing teen leadership skills in some of the worlds' finest wilderness areas.  Wilderness Adventures invites you to explore their offerings and feel confident that you will find an adventure camp appropriate for any teenager excited by the idea of outdoor adventure travel.

Domestic Destinations:

Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, California, Hawaii, Olympic, Alaska, Jackson Hole, Colorado, Utah, High Sierra, Pacific Northwest, Puget Sound, Rocky Mountains, Oregon, Great Divide

International Destinations:

British Columbia, Costa Rica, Belize, European Alps, Australia, Southern Europe, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand, Ecaudor, Peru, Galapagos Islands, Australia

Leadership Expeditions:

Teton Crest, Cascade Wilderness, Yellowstone Wilderness, Wind River Mountaineering, Washington Mountaineering, Alaska College

Community Service Adventures:

Hawaii Service, Alaska Service, Peru Service, Yellowstone and Teton Service, Costa Rica Service, Fiji Service, Southwest Service, Ecuador and Galapagos Service

Family Adventures:

Yellowstone and Teton Family Adventure

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The safety of young adults traveling with Wilderness Ventures students has always been their greatest priority. For over thirty-six years, they have set the standards in this industry for conducting the safest programs possible for young people. With over thirty federal outfitting permits in the western United States and Alaska, Wilderness Ventures is required to meet dozens of professional standards, which far exceed those of all summer camp associations and accreditation bodies.

Wilderness Ventures is not a children's camp but a professional outdoor educational program. Each year their operating procedures, safety standards, staff qualifications, and risk management policies are carefully reviewed by over thirty federal land management offices.  There are no other adventure travel program for teens which are subject to such thorough scrutiny and the team at Wilderness Ventures is proud that they are continuously recognized for providing excellent service and safe programming on federal lands.

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Since its inception, Wilderness Ventures has met extraordinary success and has grown steadily to become the oldest, most experienced, and leading outdoor adventure travel program for young adults. Their leaders all have a proven track record when it comes to past achievements. Most have played varsity sports and captained their teams in both high school and in college and many have served as volunteers for campus organizations, have been peer counselors, and have served as student government officers. Since the minimum age of leaders is 21 and the average age is 27, nearly all of their staff have received their undergraduate degrees and many are already pursuing their post-graduate careers in medicine, law, engineering, business, the arts, and education. These leaders are high achievers, with a wealth of leadership experience who all share a passion for working with the students in the out of doors.

Wilderness Ventures leaders are far more than guides or instructors. Although their primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of every student, each Wilderness Ventures leader is a wonderful role model. Wilderness Ventures leaders are bright, dynamic, accomplished, and charismatic adults who exude enthusiasm and inspire participants to achieve their potential in everything they do. They are friends, confidants, and facilitators, and their dedication to our students each summer is a principal reason our programs are so successful.

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Leadership Adventures:

Each of the classic domestic leadership adventures, grouped by age, offers unequalled opportunities for personal growth. Since 1973, participants in these programs have broadened their horizons through their explorations in the finest wilderness and outdoor settings imaginable. It is within these remarkable and unique environments that students discover how to be adaptable, resourceful, and creative while engaging in a variety of challenging and fun activities. Since 1973 the leaders have provided a nurturing and non-competitive environment, enabling each individual to grow and establish his or her own “comfort zone” beyond their pre-conceived limits. Through the emphasis on tolerance, encouragement, acceptance, and respect for others, Wilderness Ventures leaders enable groups to develop dynamic teams and accomplish profound individual and group goals

Leadership Expeditions:

The Leadership Expeditions provide wonderful extended wilderness travel for students who wish to concentrate their outdoor activities in one or two distinct environments. Because of their duration, groups are usually re-supplied by horsepacker or by air drop. On expeditions of two to four weeks, participants learn and practice backcountry skills over and over again. During the course of these expeditions, students will learn to do everything themselves, from cooking a delicious meal to selecting a perfect campsite. The leadership curriculum not only emphasizes the development and perfection of "hard" outdoor skills but also teaches participants how to lead others in your group-skills which will translate into real life situations, in school, at work, or in sports. The emphasis on the "how's" of leading and the importance of the group experience clearly separates Wilderness Ventures from other nationally known outdoor leadership schools.

International Adventures:

The International Adventures take visitors to unique and exciting locations around the globe. Each destination is carefully selected to be sure it is both politically stable and visitor friendly. The small groups of ten to fifteen students and two to three highly qualified leaders allow for an amazing opportunity to explore other cultures firsthand, while engaging in a wide variety of fun and challenging adventure activities such as white water rafting, sea kayaking, trekking, snorkeling, sailing, and scuba diving. Depending upon the trip chosen, the itineraries and activities vary. Students could be hut-to-hut hiking in the mountains of Europe, sailing from island to island aboard a ship in the Galapagos, or traveling by sea kayak or backpack, spending nights in remote beachside villages or family rainforest farms. Regardless of the trip, students will have a life-changing experience and make friends for life.

Community Service Adventures:

These marvelous trips have been designed to enable young people to obtain 40 to 80 hours of community service while at the same time offering fun, outdoor adventures and personal growth. The small groups of 10-15 students with 2 leaders develop into close-knit intimate teams, while engaging in rewarding and challenging service projects amidst some of the most breathtaking natural environments in North America and abroad. The service groups spend their summer camping in one or two base camp settings and engage each day in rewarding service projects. Between service projects these groups are rewarded with challenging and fun outdoor adventure activities such as whitewater rafting, sea kayaking or hiking trips in these incredible areas. A major component of each service adventure is an immersion into another culture. By living and working with native populations our students also gain a knowledge and understanding of different cultures and ways of life. These trips are a learning experience of a lifetime which enables participants to contribute toward the environment and to help others who are less fortunate.

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