Survive summer outdoors
North Carolina Outward Bound?s summer wilderness courses challenge teens to test their own limits with backpacking, rock climbing or sea kayaking adventures while also learning practical skills for a successful wilderness expedition.
On an Outward Bound course, teens won?t be spending their days wondering if they will be voted out of the tribe like participants of the popular television show ?Survivor.? With a focus on teamwork and cooperation, Outward Bound students work together to navigate off-trail through the forests of the Appalachian Mountains, belay each other up a rock face or chart a course along North Carolina?s Outer Banks.
Unlike ?survivor? participants who are left to fend for themselves, North Carolina Outward Bound instructors introduce students to the outdoor skills needed for a safe and fun wilderness adventure. As students gain competency in those skills, instructors turn over more of the course responsibility, leading up to a student-led final expedition.
With the exception of the Outer Banks Sea Kayaking Expedition, each of North Carolina Outward Bound?s summer offerings include a backpacking component in the Appalachian Mountains where students learn how to fit all of their gear into a 6,000-cubic-inch backpack.
They?ll journey into wilderness areas, using a map and compass, and discover some of the finest terrain for outdoor adventure in the country.
On the river during a Triple-element Classic Course or Double-element Classic XT Whitewater, participants develop communication and teamwork skills to maneuver tandem canoes through Class I through IV rapids. The river challenges students to paddle hard, have fun and learn skills for river safety, eddy-turns, peel-outs, rapid swims, river reading, rope throws, hole surfing, rapid classification and more.
Students build trust and confidence in their crewmates as they belay each other up a rock face. The Triple-element Classic, Double-element XT Rocks, Mountain Backpacking and Rock Climbing Expedition, and Rock Skills XT all offer rock climbing. Students build skills during progressive challenging routes. Then, weather permitting, they challenge their skills during a multi-pitch climb at Table Rock, White Rock or Cedar Rock Mountain ? an ultimate climbing experience. Each day of climbing, students learn and practice new techniques, progressing with encouragement from the crew and instructors.
On an Outer Banks Sea Kayaking Expedition, changing winds and tides provide significant challenges for paddlers as they navigate through creeks, marshes, sounds, channels and inlets. Estuaries offer close-up and exciting views of wildlife including skates, blue crabs and sea turtles. Students learn and develop a variety of sea kayaking skills including paddling strokes, wet exit, self and group rescue, navigation and weather forecasting.
In addition to outdoor activity skills, North Carolina Outward Bound courses provide instruction for navigation, basic first aid, wilderness safety, camping techniques and environmental stewardship.
For more information on these courses and other summer offerings by North Carolina Outward Bound, call 1-800-77-NCOBS, e-mail [email protected], or log-on http://www.ncoutwardbound,com/summer.html.