Entries by Amanda Fox
Trekking Poles: Higher, Faster, Further
Outdoor professionals love to debate the usefulness and necessity of gear. High-ankle hiking boots or trail running shoes? Inflatable sleeping pad or lightweight foam? Two trekking poles or none? A recent Outside Magazine article delves into the pros and cons of that final question, citing recent research and objectively debating whether the ergonomic benefits of […]
Life as a Professional Outdoor Educator
I love my job at Adventure Treks. In the summer, I get to join a group of passionate instructors who focus on creating unforgettable experiences, and I get to spend several weeks with some pretty incredible teenagers in the outdoors. During the rest of the year, I get to recruit, interview, hire, and get to […]
Gear Series: Tips for Buying Hiking Boots
Interpreting the language of outdoor retail When it comes to buying outdoor gear for Adventure Treks (or even for a personal trip), there’s nothing more daunting than trying to decipher every obscure label, material, fabric, and technology that comes with buying even the simplest outdoor item these days. But Adventure Treks is here to help! […]
Why I Decided to Take a Gap Year
The Leadership Adventure Semester (Adventure Treks’ first-ever gap semester program) is off to an incredible start. On Friday, two groups departed for their seven-day backpack while group three began their three-day lifeguarding course. After the course ended Sunday, group three headed to Pisgah National Forest yesterday for their backpack trip , and the other two […]
What Did Parents Think of Adventure Treks Summer 2020?
We could not have pulled off this unprecedented summer (operating on a small scale during a pandemic is something we never expected to do) without the steadfast support of our amazing Adventure Treks families and students. For many reasons, this will be a summer we’ll never, ever forget—and not just because of COVID restrictions. What […]
Reflections on an Incredible Adventure Treks Summer
It has been an absolute privilege to operate Adventure Treks this summer. To be able to see the joy on teenagers’ faces as they reveled in face-to-face connections with friends and had a ton of fun in the outdoors—in the middle of a pandemic—made everyone’s hard work completely worth it. By facilitating the communities and […]
2021 Enrollment Will Begin August 24
Wow, what a summer! To witness the joy on teenagers’ faces as they reunited with and hugged friends, formed close bonds with new peers, reveled in face-to-face connections, spent two to three weeks in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, and had the most fun they’ve had all year—all in the middle of a pandemic… This […]
How a Tech-Free Program Helps Students Succeed in a Tech-Filled World
Each year, we feel that the benefits of the Adventure Treks experience become more important. The reason is simple: technology. (It’s more heartbreakingly true this year, when students have been glued to their screens for online hangouts and schooling.) This might not make sense initially. How does attending a camp devoid of technology help a […]