AO members represented here include Adventure Treks, Nantahala Outdoor Center, Northwest Rafting, Canyons Rafting, Western Rivers Expeditions, Cascade Raft & Kayak, Triangle X Ranch, Upper Canyon Outfitters, Idaho Outfitters and Guide Association, Ober Mountain, Grand Canyon Rafting Outfitters Association, Hatch River Expeditions, French Broad Adventures, Wilderness Voyageurs
By Dave “Dmac” McGlashan
On Monday, February 24, I went to Washington, DC, for an annual lobbying event hosted by the America Outdoors Association, which is the largest national guide and outfitter association in the United States. I am honored to serve as the president of the board and have been going to “Camp Washington” to lobby on behalf of the outdoors for the last eight years. With everything happening at the National Parks Service and National Forest Service, we at AO knew this would be one of our most important visits in recent years.
Our group, consisting of AO board members and outdoor recreation company owners, gathered for a dinner and strategy session on the night of the 24th. There, we were greeted with some good news: The NPS had received the green light to go ahead and hire their seasonal staff! By Tuesday morning, several hundred jobs were live, with almost 2,000 more preparing to launch. This helped alleviate some fears around operating in national parks this summer.
Dmac with Washington representative Dan Newhouse
The biggest event of Tuesday morning was a meeting with the recently installed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Though we were originally told that he would only be able to give us 10 minutes of his time, what unfolded was an hour-long meeting with approximately 25 business owners from our association. We pressed upon Secretary Burgum the importance of fully staffing the NPS, from their seasonal workers to those who had recently been laid off. Before the meeting was over, the secretary ensured us that he would meet with the current administration officials because, as he said, “The parks are the envy of most countries and one of our most prized posessions.” I couldn’t agree more.
Now, you can’t always believe a politician will follow through on their promises. However, I left this meeting with some faith that the secretary would try his best to support not only the National Park Service, but also those of us who operate in the outdoors, as many of our livelihoods rely on being able to run trips in the parks. Fortunately, Secretary Burgum is an avid outdoorsman and expressed his desire to keep the NPS running at the highest level possible.
The rest of Tuesday and all day Wednesday, America Outdoors held meetings with members of Congress from more than 30 states—on both sides of the aisle. We spoke with the offices of Patty Murray, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis, Mark Kelly, Ruben Gallego, Mike Crapo, James Risch, Dan Newhouse, Virginia Foxx, Chuck Edwards, Thom Tillis, Lindsey Graham, Ted Budd, Michael Bennett, Brittany Petterson, Shelley Moore Capito, and many more from West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Maine, Utah, Indiana, Montana, and Oregon.
Overall, the mood (as it related to the outdoor recreation industry) in DC was better than expected. By the end of the week, we received word that the NPS was able to hire back employees they’d had to terminate. The great thing about the outdoors is that it tends to bring people together, regardless of their political beliefs or backgrounds. I flew out of DCA feeling more positive than I anticipated.
Your question might be, how does this impact Adventure Treks?
I believe in our ability to operate as expected this summer. Just like any other year, there will be issues we’ll have to face. We operated through a government shutdown in 2013. In 2016, high snowpack in California led us to lower elevation hikes. In 2017, we had to switch our itineraries around in British Columbia due to wildfires, and then in 2022, we got creative with our backpacking routes with provincial park flooding. In 2020, we had COVID. In 2021, fires in California led us to raft instead on the Rogue River in southern Oregon, where we still operate today because it’s so fun! In 2022, severe flooding closed northern Yellowstone temporarily.
All this is to say that Adventure Treks can and will creatively problem-solve when the need arises, and we will always keep our students’ safety as our top priority, while still having lots of fun.
If you’d like to chat more about our involvement with legislative affairs in the outdoors, give us a ring at 828-698-0399!
Adventure Treks is SO EXCITED to announce new programming for 2025: A hiking and rafting adventure to Peru for adults, and a family camp in Olympic National Park in Washington!
Why adult and family trips?
After hearing “Do you run trips for adults?” for more than 30 years, Dmac and I have decided to turn that dream into a reality. We’ve created an incredible seven-day itinerary in Peru’s Sacred Valley, including a hike to Machu Picchu—a destination and achievement on so many bucket lists—with the professional guides at Apumayo Expeditions, who specialize in adult luxury travel (and who are celebrating their 30th year!). Dmac and I have scoured the planet on outdoor trips, climbing, biking, paddling, and hiking in stunning locations… and our adventure in Peru with Apumayo guides remains one of the most exceptional experiences we’ve ever had. It was so remarkable that it was an easy decision to launch this as our first adult trip.
We also want to bring the magic of Adventure Treks to the whole family and offer parents the opportunity to bond with their kids on a uniquely special experience that you can’t find in your everyday life—and all without the distractions of busy schedules, phones, homework, and work. Just like our adult and teen trips, no experience is necessary as professional Adventure Treks instructors will make fun outdoor activities accessible to all of our guests. These six days in the Olymipcs will give your family the chance to:
- Build stronger connections by sharing new challenges and adventures
- Discover new interests and passions together
- Take full advantage of nature’s opportunity to relax and have a ton of fun
- And create lasting memories together
Peru’s Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu itinerary
During your seven days in Peru, you will:
- Stay in three- and four-star luxury hotels and lodges
- Eat delightful Peruvian cuisine, prepared by the trip’s chef
- Whitewater raft the Urubamba River
- Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Spend a day touring Machu Picchu’s fortress itself
- Tour ancient ruins and archelogical sites all over the Sacred Valley
- Descend into the world-famous Maras salt mines and attend a textiles workshop in Chinchero
- And explore Cusco City’s markets, temples, and more at the end of the trip
Bonus: Parents of students enrolled on the Peru Expedition can fly into Cusco with them, drop off their kids, and head off on their own unforgettable adventure!
[button url=”https://www.adventuretreks.com/teen-adventure-camp/peru-adults/” target=”_self”] View details of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour [/button]
Family Camp: Discover the Olympics itinerary
During your six days in the Olympics, you’ll:
- Stay in cozy campgrounds and lodges with hot springs and lake views
- Enjoy delicious meals and snacks organized by Adventure Treks instructors
- Day hike to waterfalls and to Hurricane Ridge, where you can find some of the most scenic views in the entire Pacific Northwest
- Hike and spend a night camping on the Olympic Peninsula (a long-time AT haunt and one of our students’ favorite spots)
- And experience the fun and memorable Adventure Treks traditions you’ve heard so much about from your kids
***Optional add-ons include sea kayaking in Port Angeles and canoeing and kayaking on Lake Quinault
[button url=”https://www.adventuretreks.com/teen-adventure-camp/family-olympics/” target=”_self”] View details about family camp [/button]
We are beyond thrilled to extend the incredible benefits of adventure travel to the entire family and beyond, and we can’t wait to embark on these new adventures with you!
Adventure Treks is thrilled to announce that we are now an accredited program with the American Camp Association!
What does being accredited mean for Adventure Treks?
The American Camp Association (ACA) is recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the standards of the camp industry. Within the ACA, an independent committee of experts in summer camp, risk management, youth development, and other relevant fields regularly update a robust set of standards for professional integrity in summer camps. Program providers who earn ACA’s seal of accreditation have undergone a thorough review of their organizational philosophy, professional ethics, community engagement practices, risk management policies, and student experiences, and have been found to uphold the highest professional standards in the field.
Read more about ACA accreditation standards here.
We are honored to join the list of ACA’s accredited summer camps. Adventure Treks has been committed to growing and developing our summer programs since we launched in 1993. We’re confident that with the support of the ACA, our summer trips will continue to provide the most substantive, personal, and carefully cultivated outdoor adventure and leadership programs available.
“And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” – Albus Dumbledore
I knew that some filming in Harry Potter movies had taken place in Scotland, but I didn’t realize how much of an influence this country had on the series’ setting!
Soon after our scouting trip to Norway, Amanda and I set off for Scotland to walk through our summer 2025 itinerary. Before we left, I was unsure what to expect. I had grown up with stories about the Highlands and lochs and munros from my mom, as she had lived there for a year after college. Prior to our arrival, all I could picture was black lakes with a lurking monster, a few sea cliffs, haggis, and bagpipe players everywhere. (Not very imaginative, I know.)
The reality could not be further from the truth! Scotland has a STUNNINGLY diverse and beautiful landscape, with lofty, windswept peaks; quiet, mysterious lochs; rugged coastlines… and even “Caribbean” beaches! We were constantly greeted with a warm “Hiya!” by friendly locals, continuously impressed by delicious food, and regularly in awe at the rolling hills stretching as far as the eye could see. (Sadly, we did not hear the bagpipes until our last day in Scotland.)
Just a few minutes outside Edinburgh and Glasgow, the countryside beckons: Sheep being herded by Border collies, shaggy Heilan’ Coos (Highland cows) peacefully grazing, castles and ruins peeking out from the birch forests, and hillwalking* trailheads in every town (hillwalking is one of Scotland’s most popular pastimes).
The day we arrived, we climbed to a small summit in Loch* Lomond and The Trossachs National Park that overlooked the loch itself and Ben Lomond, and which also sat on top of the Highland Boundary Fault. Superb views of the loch, lots of islands, and rolling green fields awaited at the top (as did a herd of friendly cows munching on grass).
The next day, we hiked the last stage of the West Highland Way, Scotland’s first long-distance hiking route at 96 miles long. Compared to the Appalachian or Pacific Crest trails, it’s not that long. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in history and beauty. That day, we walked for 15.5 miles from Kinlochleven to Fort William, winding through the Mamores range of the Grampian Mountains. Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis), the United Kingdom’s highest peak, calls the Grampians home, and the 4,413-foot mountain is on full display as you descend into Fort William. Civilization quickly falls away as pink orchids and violet bluebells dot the fields on either side. We even saw pine martens darting across the trail! We happily topped off our day with some gelato in town.
We also hiked to Steall Falls, one of the country’s tallest cascades at about 390 feet and right next to Ben Nevis. The discerning eye might recognize this famous waterfall from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (when Harry is being chased by the Hungarian Horntail during the Triwizard Tournament).
The next few days took us along the Great Glen Way canoe trail, Scotland’s famous water route from Fort William to Inverness via the Caledonian Canal. (We paddle southwest to northeast so that the prevailing winds are at our backs.) Not only is this a unique and beautiful way to see Scotland, but it’s also really neat to see the route’s 29 lock* gates, including Neptune’s Staircase. (We were lucky enough to pull up just in time to see this lock in operation.) Students will paddle the waters of Loch Lochy and Loch Ness for five days, camping on the “river” banks each night. Bonus: There are lots of opportunities to grab ice cream and other fun treats when we portage our boats! We’ll also get to paddle right up to a castle and explore it. (Unfortunately, there was no sign of Nessie as we explored Loch Ness.)
Our last big adventure included a hike up Scotland’s second-highest peak, Ben* Macdui in the rugged Cairngorms. This particular range in the Highlands lends itself to endless rock climbing, skiing, and even ice climbing adventures, as there are many large rock formations and snow patches lingering in this arctic-tundra environment. It’s also home to Britain’s only herd of reindeer. This 10-mile round-trip boasts 2,000 feet of elevation gain (so a little easier than our Mt. St. Helens summit hike). However, it’s no easy walk in the park, especially for our October visit, when weather is famously finicky—we were blown over a few times by the wind, while getting pelted with sideways rain. Luckily for our students, June, July, and August typically see many more blue skies! We celebrated with a cappucino and caramel shortbread in the lodge at the trailhead.
For our final day, we headed back to Edinburgh, but not before stopping by the River Tay to see our rafting and canyoning location. We also fed some Heilan’ Coos, watched a sheep dog and shearing demonstration at a working farm (and fed some baby lambs!), and walked around downtown Edinburgh, including the picturesque street that inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. We met with our in-country partner, Tom, to go through our itinerary and finalize a few of the smaller details, including trailheads, lodging, and the moments of WOW that make an AT trip so special.
We loved how deeply Scotland reveres outdoor recreation, and how its people have worked so hard to maintain incredible trails all over its mountains. We’ll be able to top off so many of our adventures with fun treats in old villages or tours of historic ruins, turning a classic adventure into something unique and unforgettable. Scotland is the PERFECT international location for an AT trip!
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Needless to say, Scotland was extraordinary. From how friendly everyone was, the incredible food, imposing landscapes, and history blending into the modern world, Scotland should absolutely be on your bucket list!
*For simplicity’s sake:
- Hillwalking = hiking
- Loch = lake
- Lock = device for lowering and raising watercraft in canals between waterways
- Ben = mountain or high hill
Earlier this fall, Dmac and I took a scouting trip to Norway. WOW—what a SPECTACULAR place! When planning or debuting a new trip, it’s important that we visit these new locations to meet with our in-country guides and check out all aspects of the itinerary ourselves.
Check out our scouting trip gallery below! It was quite rainy in the national park while we were there, but weather is typically much warmer, drier, and blue sky-er in summer months!
What do we do on a scouting trip?
Meet with our in-country partners and guides
When working with any new partners, meeting them in person is crucial to making sure it’s a mutually good fit and that we’re on the same page for working to create the best experience possible for our students. These in-person visits follow many hours of vetting over multiple Zoom, phone, and email conversations. We choose in-country partners who have experience working with teenagers in the outdoors and have excellent reputations for safety and fun.
This also gives us the chance to meet some of their guides—we can often hand-pick specific people we’d like to work with our students (these folks not only guide us through the trip itself, but become just as central to our community as our instructors). In Norway, for example, we spent our via ferrata day with Iain, an experienced guide from Ireland who’s also a whitewater kayaking coach and rock climber with a long history of working with teens outdoors.
Lastly, spending face time with our partners gives us the opportunity to talk about Adventure Treks’ program goals, gush about our students, and get our guides as excited to meet them as we always are.
Walk through the itinerary
We don’t visit a new location just to say we’ve been there! We walk (quite literally) through as much of the itinerary as we can. That way, we’re well-versed in the actual trails and rivers, possible challenges, where to find the most scenic spots, local knowledge and history, and much, much more. We visit campsites, drive the route, hike the trails, check out drive times, create a menu that features local cuisine, and make any tweaks necessary.
It’s crucial to make sure that physical challenges are age-appropriate for our students, which is why we hop on trail and hike the actual routes we’ve planned. We cannot wait for our students to experience Jotunheimen National Park and the fjords—the landscape is simply magical!
Make any necessary changes
After running through the itinerary, we’ll discuss possible changes to the planned itinerary and create backup plans just in case. There’s so much to experience in only 16 days that we want to to make sure our students get the absolute most of of their trips!
What our students will love about Norway
We cannot overstate how beautiful the Nordic landscape is. Once you drive out of the cities and head north, you become surrounded by towering mountain ranges. Tumbling waterfalls cascade hundreds, maybe thousands, of feet down the cliffsides EVERYWHERE you look. Mountain spring water is so clean that locals drink it right out of the stream.
The sea kayak route in Nordfjord is gorgeous; students will love gliding through the dark blue waters, surrounded by grazing sheep on surrounding bluffs. One of our campsites is nestled in a remote valley right next to a pristine river—beautiful!
I’m excited for our students to hop on the Hornelen via ferrata. Fun fact: Our in-country partner was the driving force between getting the Norwegian government to build this into the cliff. There are multiple routes of varying difficulty, so similar to rock climbing, students will be able to choose their challenge as they traverse, downclimb, and ascend Hornelen. No matter which route they complete, they’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment—and the views are nonstop!
Jotunheimen was perhaps our favorite part of the trip. Our backpacking route will take students next to many alpine lakes, whose deep, alluring teal waters eclipse even the emerald waters of the North Cascades in Washington (one of our favorite places to paddle in the US). Well-marked paths have been carefully carved through the hillsides, and Norway’s “right to roam” laws (aka allemannsretten) means we’ll have our choice of magnificent campsites. Trails are challenging but accessible—perfect for AT students.
This is going to be an utterly unforgettable experience for our students. We cannot wait for them to experience the wonder that is Norway!
If you’re anything like me, the next-best thing to going on an epic adventure is reading about someone else’s! At the same time, I can only handle so many memoirs about climbing Everest before I start to wonder what else counts as adventure, exploration, or going beyond a “normal” life. Below are some of my favorite recommendations—books inspired by adventure, the natural world, personal development, or all of the above. These are stories of expeditions, experiments, and triumphs of many kinds.
Disclaimer: unless otherwise noted, these books are written for an adult audience, and therefore may include adult themes and language.
Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land, by Noe Alvarez (memoir)
Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land, by Noe Alvarez (memoir)This epically cool book is both a memoir and a collection of stories, as Alvarez chronicles an intense journey through North America in his own voice and the voices of others he meets along the way. The following is from the literature of the group he runs with, called Peace and Dignity Journeys, and is quoted in the book as well:
“Peace and Dignity Journeys occur every four years and start with Indigenous runners on opposite ends of the continent (Chickaloon, Alaska, and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). They run for six months through hundreds of Indigenous communities where they participate in their respective spiritual practices and traditions; spark dialogue on the issue of peace and dignity for Indigenous peoples; model their responsibility to Mother Earth, Father Sky, communities, and themselves; and receive the community’s prayers. These prayers and conversations are then carried to proceeding communities until the runners reach the center of the hemisphere.”
The two groups meet at the Panama Canal in a ceremony of unity. Pick this one up to learn quite a lot about a variety of Indigenous peoples’ traditions and beliefs, as well as the social aspects of organizing a multicultural event.
The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert (fiction)
I’ll be the first to say it—this is a slow read. However, anyone who has ever been on a hike with me (or a walk, or simply been outside in my presence) can tell you that the thrilling amount of information about mosses (bryophytes!) in this book is enough to make a person obsessed for the rest of their days. This is an adventure through the eyes of a botanist, and very worth reading if only to be immersed in Gilbert’s beautiful storytelling and description of natural spaces.
Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren (memoir)
Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren (memoir)Hope Jahren is a geobiologist and an award-winning author. Her relatable memoir has much to say about the experience of a woman in science, mental health, and friendship, all intertwined with nearly unending knowledge of trees and other plants.
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen (fiction, young readers)
Carl Hiaasen’s colorful novels are a treat for all audiences, but his series of novels for young readers is surprisingly silly and heartfelt for any age of reader. Hoot chronicles the creation of an animal-rights activist as a young man stands up for a family of owls, and Flush tackles water pollution with a quirky cast of characters. Like Hiaasen’s novels for adults, his books for young readers are set in Florida and overflow with exploration of one of the country’s wildest habitats.
The Forest Unseen: A Year’s Watch in Nature, by David George Haskell (nonfiction)
If you enjoyed My Octopus Teacher on Netflix, this is the book for you! The author visits a small patch of the local forest each day for a year to observe the myriad of things happening within it. This is, surprisingly, really not a memoir! Haskell writes poetically about his observations, then focuses deeply on the science behind what he sees, and sometimes connects spirituality with the natural world.
Wildwood, by Colin Meloy (fiction, young readers)
Wildwood, by Colin Meloy (fiction, young readers)This adventurous tale about an impassable wilderness and a brave girl’s expedition into it is written for young readers, but is a lighthearted and compassionate adventure read for any age. You know how Harry Potter is immensely enjoyable even when you’ve well outgrown the age of person it was written for? Meloy crafts a similar atmosphere—there are magical elements, talking animals, and mystery, all beautifully told. Enjoy it as a light read on vacation or before bed!
A few more Adventure Treks book recommendations:
- Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit, by Lyanda Lynn Haupt (nonfiction)
- To Shake the Sleeping Self, by Jedediah Jenkins (memoir)
- Dogs on the Trail: A Year in the Life, by Blair Braverman (photo story. Check out her other work on living in the Arctic and working with sled dogs—it’s fascinating.)
- Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (nonfiction), and The Overstory, by Richard Powers (fiction), both reviewed by AT staff here.
Adventure Treks is thrilled to announce that we are now an accredited gap semester program with the Gap Year Association! Roisin Low spearheaded this time-intensive and demanding process, and we are grateful for all of her efforts to achieve accreditation.
What does being accredited mean for Adventure Treks?
The Gap Year Association (GYA) is the official Standards Development Organization for gap year education as recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission. Within GYA, an independent committee of experts in gap year education, risk management, and other relevant fields regularly update a robust set of standards for professional integrity in gap year education. Program providers who earn GYA‘s Seal of Accreditation have undergone a thorough review of their organizational philosophy, professional ethics, community engagement practices, risk management policies, and student experiences, and have been found to uphold the highest professional standards in the field.
Read more about GYA accreditation standards here.
We are honored to join the list of GYA’s accredited gap semester programs. Adventure Treks has been committed to growing and developing our gap semester program since we launched our inaugural semester in fall 2020. We’re confident that with the support of the GYA, Adventure Treks’ Leadership Adventure Semester program will continue to provide one of the most substantive, personal, and carefully cultivated outdoor adventure and leadership programs available.
Having just finished our fall 2022 gap semester, we’d like to share a few recent testimonials:
Freshly back from the leadership gap semester, we have already seen maturity and development in our son on every one of Adventure Treks’ Great 8 Outcomes: communication, collaboration & social achievement, creativity, critical thinking, leadership, self-management, resilience, and optimism. Personally knowing instructors at NOLS and Outward Bound, we considered those programs but found AT to be a better fit with a more individualized approach and holistic development of adulting skills and executive function—they deliver on who they say they are and what they say they do using the outdoor environment to help, as our son now says, “realize my full potential.” We have been fully impressed and delighted from the first click of interest on their website, to the photos and blogs bringing us along their journey, to the call from the emergency room (relatively minor injury), to the spring in our son’s step and spark in his eye upon returning. As our son says “I could not have imagined a better option after high school. – Jon Heller, parent from Mystic, CT
Our son’s gap semester with AT was a transformative experience that exceeded our expectations and his. He gained lifelong friends, new skills, and values to take with him into his young adulthood. I’m thankful the program included a cross cultural component. He had an amazing adventure with wonderful hosts in Costa Rica, which broadened his view of the world and taught him what is really important— family, community, hard work, nature, and gratitude, among other things. It WAS hard work and challenged him in many ways, but he had such a blast! For us, this program was an essential step to prepare him for college next semester. – Katie Driver, parent from Augusta, GA
Adventure Treks is now offering two fall 2023 gap semesters: One in western North Carolina, and one in the Pacific Northwest. Both will focus on leadership, personal growth and development, outdoor recreation, community, and friendship, and will offer the opportunity to earn academic credit and a wilderness first responder certification.
If you’re interested in learning more about Adventure Treks’ gap semester, we’d love to chat with you! Call us anytime at 888-954-5555 or shoot us an email!