Why You Should Become an Outdoor Educator

teenagers whitewater rafting in british columbia canadaIt’s a tough time for everyone worldwide. As we face continued self-quarantine and social distancing, many are feeling the effects of having to disconnect from their friends, family, and greater community, finding themselves wrapped up in news cycles, social media, and Netflix instead.

With the new downtime we’ve found, it’s a great time to self-reflect, pick up a new hobby, work out with YouTube videos, finish that book on your nightstand, FaceTime longtime friends… These activities can provide a renewed perspective, a “fresh breath” feeling, and a little relief as we remember to take care of ourselves.

teenagers hiking and climbing mt shasta in california

Though we can’t catch up in person, we’ve kept in close contact with our instructors and trip leaders; recently, I asked how they’re staying positive in our current situation. I found a common theme woven through their answers: They’ve been looking back through photos of their Adventure Treks summers to provoke fond (and hilarious) memories and a reminder of the importance of community. As they filter through old photos, we asked them why they’ve continued working as outdoor educators:

“After almost a decade (since beginning as a student) with Adventure Treks, it is without a doubt one of the most influential and profound experiences in my life. As a teenager, the shared laughs, incredible communities, and gorgeous trails, rivers, and mountains held an important place in my heart, which led me to become an AT instructor so that I could provide those same formative experiences I received to the next generation of students.” Teddy Zerivitz, former student (five summers) and instructor (three seasons)

“The best part about being an outdoor leader? There’s not just one thing! Early morning sunrises, laughs around a campfire, the character-building of a long hike, getting to know each other playing the Skittles game… Maybe the best part is creating lifelong memories and friendships that only form in the wilderness. Yep, that’s the best part of being an outdoor leader.” Thor Knutson, instructor (two seasons)

“I love being part of a community with passionate outdoor educators who want to push themselves but also have fun. This job has provided me with memorable moments that I will cherish for the rest of my life.” Ryan Jackson, instructor (two seasons)

teenagers hiking in yellowstone national park

“My favorite part of working with Adventure Treks is playing pirate waiter (how did it not win the Instagram contest?!). I love the space the AT culture creates for meaningful challenge and dialogue for both instructors and students. The challenge for instructors, beyond teaching backcountry skills, is to model an evolving set of values that is constantly debated and questioned by a group of developing minds. The instructors deeply respect students and work together to foster an ongoing exchange of ideas about everything, from fear to pop culture. Also, it’s ridiculously fun! Backpacking trips with people you trust and care to learn more about are the best!” Jess Myer, instructor (three seasons)

“The most rewarding part of each summer is seeing the students grow as competent outdoors women and men, and build their leadership skills and emotional intelligence. I’ve had amazing groups, and I feel lucky to be someone students could confide in and trust as a role model.” Caroline Tucker, instructor (two seasons)

“I love being a part of so much growth—in the students, in my fellow peers, and in myself. That… and all the candy I get to eat guilt-free while at Adventure Treks.” Sarah Malyn, instructor (seven seasons)

“Being an instructor for Adventure Treks means you get to work in wilderness areas most people would struggle to visit recreationally while teaching stoked students alongside incredible co-staff. That’s pretty hard to beat.” Hannah Davich, former student (four summers) and instructor (two seasons)

“What I like best about working with AT is my role in building the special communities and experiences. Students come from all over, often not knowing anyone else on the trip. But by the end, they have formed a bond that rivals that of their closest friends from home. They will also have a new set of profound experiences that many will say changed their life.” Anthony Molinaro, instructor (five seasons)

Interested in becoming an Adventure Treks instructor and changing teenagers’ lives? Find out more about working with us here.

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Advice for the Current Coronavirus Quarantine

It’s a strange world out there. Schools across the country have moved to virtual learning, restaurants can only offer take-out, and ski areas, movie theaters, concerts, and sporting events have been cancelled. There will be no March Madness. The streets of big cities are eerily deserted. Our hands have never been cleaner.

We are in new and uncharted territory. As everyone practices social distancing and self-quarantines, it’s easy to binge on Netflix, mindlessly scroll through Instagram and Twitter, and glue your eyes to a video game. All these things are fine in small doses, but in excess have proven to be detrimental to health.

May we at Adventure Treks make some suggestions for the next few weeks?

teenagers canoeing on yellowstone lake wyoming

Avoid emotional contagion

A lot of fear is floating around, which is natural when you are told to “shelter in place” for an indefinite time. Science shows that stress is contagious. By remaining positive and focusing on what you can control (social distancing and and your actions, for example), your mental health will be your own and cannot be brought down by others.

Get outside

(Following social distance protocols, of course.) Hike, walk the dog, run on trails or at the park, skateboard, mountain bike—whatever you can, as much as you can. A 2009 study showed that during the 1918-19 Spanish flu outbreak, “A combination of fresh air, sunlight, scrupulous standards of hygiene, and reusable face masks appears to have substantially reduced deaths among some patients and infections among medical staff.”

Spending time in nature may be more important than ever. Fresh air may kill the flu virus and other harmful germs, and we all know conversations are better when you are doing something active with friends in the outdoors (and it’s easy to stay six feet away from each other in the woods).

teenage boys jumping into colorado river
Read a book…

… An actual, this-came-from-trees book. Reading books may be a long-lost art, but it can open all kinds of new worlds. Reading is quite fun, and books make for a great temporary escape.

Eat well, get enough sleep, and stay hydrated

This advice should apply every day, but when illnesses are spreading rapidly, it’s more important than ever to eat a balanced diet (don’t forget fresh fruits and veggies), get enough sleep every night (the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 9–12 hours for kids 6–12 years of age, and 8–10 hours for teenagers), and drink plenty of water (9–14 cups a day for kids ages 9–18).

Start a project or learn a new hobby

When you aren’t engaged in distance learning or working remotely, research something you don’t know, build something with your hands, fix something around the house, pull out the dusty board games and puzzle boxes, set up an easel… keep yourself busy and your brain active.

teenagers hiking on beach on olympic peninsula washington
Check out online resources

Hundreds of virtual resources for those quarantined at home have popped up so that kids and adults alike don’t go stir-crazy. You can take online tours of:

Find free projects and lessons for kids of all grades through Scholastic. Take a free kickboxing, dance cardio, or Zumba workout on YouTube.

Help out the elderly in your neighborhood…

… But remember to avoid direct contact. Offer to do their food shopping, and leave groceries or other helpful supplies on their porch. Mow their lawns, bring in their mail, shovel snow, or do anything else that would otherwise put them at greater risk or exposure. Social distancing and self-quarantine may be hard on healthy families, but it’s much harder on older and immunocompromised folks, especially those who live alone and don’t have support networks.

teenage boy inflatable kayaking on middle klamath river
Be your best self

National or global disasters can bring out the best in people, but apparently pandemics bring out the worst. This is the time to be extra kind and do more than our share when we can (this includes not buying all the toilet paper in Costco). Let’s hope that kindness ends up being more contagious than COVID-19.

And, of course, get ready for your adventures this summer

We’re hopeful that warm weather and humidity will minimize the potency and transmission of coronavirus during summer months. As long as we aren’t forced to shut down, we think outdoor adventure camps will be one of the safest places that kids and teens can be. With efficient and thorough hygiene and sanitation practices, we can create and maintain a healthy community—and a community where all contagious emotions are positive!

Adventure Treks students spend their entire trips in nature. Our community is filled almost exclusively with students and instructors in the age group that’s minimally affected by the coronavirus. Because we have very limited contact with the general population, Adventure Treks might be the most fun “quarantine” ever, as we won’t have to worry much about interacting with or possibly infecting people in at-risk demographics.

We think after this anxiety-filled start to 2020, summer camps and travel programs will truly be an antidote—a place to remember what is right in the world, and a place where we can practice being our best selves. We think we’re unique in that we provide a fun, freeing, active, tech-free, friend-filled, and outdoors experience filled with new challenges and successes, and that’s something we can all look forward to.

Stay optimistic: This is the year people will need Adventure Treks more than ever, and we are working hard to be ready for our students to arrive to their second home once the “all clear” is finally sounded!

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Parent Communication during an Adventure Treks Trip

teenagers backpacking in goat rocks wilderness washington

One of the first questions parents ask when looking into Adventure Treks is, “Are your trips tech-free?” We all agree it’s more important than ever for teens to experience a digital detox, and that’s why Adventure Treks students don’t have access to their phones throughout their trips.

However, we understand that not having contact with your child for one to four weeks can be a little unnerving, and that’s why we have several methods of communicating with parents while their students are out in the woods, having an absolute blast.

Communication between field instructors, directors, and office staff

Although students are not carrying their phones, each instructor has a fully-charged cell phone with them at all times. They use their phones only for Adventure Treks–related business, like taking photos and videos, coordinating with outfitters, communicating with our regional directors and office staff, using GPS, and sending in blog updates.

Often, our groups will be outside cell service, sometimes for a few days at a time. This is no reason for parents to worry, however. Any time a group is out of cell service, an instructor carries a satellite phone in case of an emergency. We carry dust-, shock-, and water-resistant Iridium satellite phones that offer GPS-enabled location-based services; two-way global coverage; voicemail boxes; SMS texting; and more.
teenagers climbing mt shasta in california

Phone calls home

Our students will have brief access to their cell phones a few times throughout each trip for quick phone calls home. (We try to limit each call to about five minutes so they don’t significantly disrupt the flow of the trip.) We unfortunately can’t always provide advance notice of when those calls will happen, so if you miss your child’s call, we’ll do our best to give them an opportunity to call back later. If your child doesn’t bring a cell phone, they will be able to use an instructor’s phone.

Blog updates in CampInTouch

One benefit of our digitally connected world is that parents get to follow along with their child’s trip via our trip blogs. Photos and updates written by both students and instructors will be sent to our office and uploaded to each parent’s CampInTouch account (see photo at right) every few days, whenever our groups pass through cell phone service. Please understand that due to the wilderness nature of our programs, we aren’t able to upload photos every day, but you can typically expect updates after each activity is completed. (Satellite phones have come a long way, but we still unfortunately aren’t able to text photos from them!)

We use CampInTouch to upload photos throughout each trip because it is convenient for parents; however, CampInTouch (not Adventure Treks) charges for every image download. We recommend not downloading and paying for them through CampInTouch, as we will provide every photo taken by instructors on your child’s trip at the end of the summer (usually by or before mid-September)—completely free of charge.

24-hour emergency line

In the event of an emergency at home (such as a family emergency or cancelled flight), parents will always be able to reach one of our office staff (in North Carolina)—24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please use this number only for true emergencies.

Social media

We highly encourage all parents to follow Adventure Treks on Facebook and Instagram (@adventuretreks), as we post daily throughout the summer. It’s a great way to follow along not only with your child’s trip, but every one of our adventures!

As always, if you have any questions about communication during your child’s trip, don’t hesitate to call us at 888-954-5555.

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Fostering Females’ Confidence through Outdoor Adventure

teenage girls hiking in colorado with backpacksDuring my childhood, I often watched my dad, uncles, grandfathers, and male cousins head off for weekend camping trips and annual deer camps. They spent their days outside or in a rustic cabin, building fires, cooking meals over a fire, using outhouses, and “roughin’ it.” My brother taught me the knots and outdoor skills he learned as a Boy Scout. I watched movies like Jeremiah Johnson, Old Yeller, My Side of the Mountain, Far From Home, Cast Away, and Alone in the Wilderness—movies featuring men and young boys who freely explored the land around them, possessing the skills to survive in remote wilderness areas.

As a teenager and throughout college, I badly wanted to experience that freedom to explore, to have the confidence to have adventures, and to thrive in the exciting, unknown outdoors. Movies like Touching the Void, Grizzly Man, Into the Wild, The Way, 180 Degrees South, 127 hours, and The Grey—another handful of films featuring men exploring the outdoors—gave me pangs of desire, made me feel that I must do or be something more than I was at the time, and take grandeur adventures and truly “live.”

I’d never seen a female lead one of these movies’ plots, and none of my friends were having these experiences. At the time, I felt incapable of any type of outdoor adventure.

teenage girls hiking in colorado with snowballs

Imagine if that’s where my story stopped. Really—take a moment to think about that. A female-identifying child who grew up watching movies showing only men in the outdoors, telling us only men were capable of this type of survival and independence. She had only men as her role models. She was telling herself she was not capable of achieving a goal, of obtaining adventure in the outdoors.

Unfortunately, that is the reality for many young girls and teens. Thankfully, my family recognized the positive power of the outdoors, and throughout my teen years, I attended a summer camp and went on backpacking, kayaking, and canoeing trips led by female counselors. I was a sponge, soaking up their skills, resilience, strength, and independence. My confidence grew by leaps and bounds, and I realized how capable I actually was by facing challenges in the outdoors—bad weather, taking wrong turns, minor injuries—and I learned how to adapt and overcome.

Those early female role models inspired me to become a trip leader for that summer camp. When I graduated college, I set out to complete another goal: a solo thru-hike of the 2,186-mile Appalachian Trail (read about what I learned during that hike here). After my thru-hike, I settled into an office job I thought I was supposed to have, the kind your parents want to tell their friends about, and I got comfortable. Then professionally removed from the outdoors, I used all my paid time off on backpacking trips, seeking that feeling of confidence and fulfillment that I lacked at work.

teenage girls rock climbing in colorado wearing helmets

Eventually, when the realization hit that I was happiest working with youth in the outdoors, I came to Adventure Treks. This is what has made me happy and provided fulfillment: helping create an environment where confidence grew in a way that is difficult to find amid all the pressures of teenage life.

I came across this great article by J.S. Kovach at Utah Valley University recently, :

“The potential benefits of participating in physical activity in the outdoors are known to be highly therapeutic and empowering. The last two decades have seen an increase in outdoor recreation research focusing on the social, mental, and physical implications for women in particular (Bosteder & Appleby, 2015). Inequities regarding participation in outdoor recreational activities exist between men and women, and women face constraints unique to their gender. These constraints include but are not limited to: societal and behavioral expectations, perceived low body image, self-consciousness, misrepresentation in the media, and a lack of appropriate gear designed for women…”

“… When women are able to overcome these barriers or even simply dare to step into a canoe in the outdoors (as an example), research has found that positive outdoor recreational experiences dramatically increase a woman’s self-valuation, self-confidence, and belief in her ability to lead.”

teenage girl cooking on camp stove in the outdoors

Other studies have shown that the majority of individuals who engage in outdoor recreation, regardless of their initial level of perceived body image, experience an improvement of self-value and positive body image. In Kovach’s study, “persistence in making and pursuing personal goals can influence potential implications for a female participant, including a recognition that her body is strong, that she is capable and competent, and that positive body perception is important.” In other words, outdoor activity makes a huge difference in empowering women and girls and how they see themselves and their abilities.

At Adventure Treks, we see this firsthand in our students; in fact, it’s one of the best parts of being an instructor. We get to see a total transformation in spirit and mindset as students start to believe in themselves as they rock climb, backpack, or mountain bike for the first time. Of course, we see this in all of our students, but it’s especially impactful in our female-identifying students in a male-dominated industry.

Beyond witnessing their growth, seeing students recognize that transformation in their end-of-trip evaluations is simply incredible. Year after year, student say they:

  • realized they were more capable than they thought,
  • were surprised at how much they enjoyed being out of their comfort zone,
  • felt more confident in their ability to go back to school and try to stay true to themselves,
  • were excited to try new things because of their newfound confidence,
  • and felt much stronger, both physically and mentally.

Without a doubt, participation in outdoor recreation (and an Adventure Treks trip!) increases a girl’s self-confidence. As a result, these girls develop a belief in their ability to attain and excel in new challenges and leadership roles. Most important, they dare to believe in their ability to succeed in other aspects of life for years to come.

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Former AT Instructors’ Year-Long Trip Report


For former Adventure Treks instructors Todd and Meghan Beer, life with their 4-year-old daughter Lila has been anything but boring. In June 2019, the family deposited their belongings into a storage unit in Chicago, and then set off on a year-long trip around the world. As of early 2020, they’ve visited 16 countries on three continents—with plenty more to come. We recently caught up with them for a quick Q&A to hear more about their adventures and how their AT experiences are helping them along the way.

AT: What do you both do professionally, and how did the idea for the trip come about?

Todd: Meghan runs her own non-profit consultant business, and I’m a professor of sociology at Lake Forest College. After I was awarded tenure as a faculty member at Lake Forest College, we knew we would have an opportunity for me to take a year-long research sabbatical. My research site is currently in Kenya, so we figured we would travel and explore on our way to Kenya and do the same on our way home. After collecting new data in Kenya, all I needed was my laptop for analysis and writing. We thought, why sit in Chicago and do that? Meghan was able to temporarily wind down and take some work on the road, and Lila was not yet in kindergarten, so it was a perfect time and opportunity to take the year and explore the world.

AT: What is the end goal for this trip?

Meghan: Several things. We wanted to take full advantage of this time. It is a rare, maybe even once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We wanted to expose Lila and ourselves to the learning that occurs when you explore new places and cultures. Travel allows one to learn SO much about other people and ourselves. We explored all kinds of options: Should we pick four places and live in each one for three months? Should we visit as many countries as we can? In the end, we’ve found balance between staying longer and diving deeper into some places, and seeing a lot of different areas in a “quick hit” fashion.

In each place, we try to learn as much as we can about the culture, but we also have often left places with more questions than when we arrived. The world is full of absolutely amazing places and natural beauty. We are inspired by and excited to see so much of it. We spend as much time outside as possible, whether that is going on a hike in the woods, going to the beach, paddle boarding, eating a picnic lunch, exploring the streets of a town, etc.

Also, in the end, this trip was about us having a year to spend as a family. We love spending time together. Life can be overwhelmingly busy; disrupting that with travel has allowed us to gain perspective on what we really spend our time doing. There is still some stress when traveling, but it’s different than that caused by the schedules and deadlines we get used to at home. In part, travel is a way to disrupt routines and give you time to reflect.

Oh… and our goal is to eat as much amazing and different food as possible!

AT: What countries have you been to so far, and where do you plan to go this spring?

Todd: So far, we’ve visited England, Scotland, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. We’re currently in Vietnam. Next, we’re planning on Malaysia and likely Indonesia, and then New Zealand and Australia before heading home in June 2020.

AT: What have the highlights been?

Todd: This is a tough question because it has been such an amazing trip. The ones that pop into mind are hiking near the dramatic spires of the Dolomites in northern Italy, paraponting high above the French Alps, attending a climate change protest in Barcelona, getting lost exploring the maze of streets in Fez and Marrakesh, seeing the Taj Mahal, seeing three leopards in one day in Sri Lanka, rock climbing at Railay Beach in Thailand, a mountain village homestay with a family in northern Thailand, four cooking classes, five food tours, seeing African and Asian elephants in the wild…

AT: What does Lila think of the trip? What have been her favorite parts?

Meghan: Lila is so adaptable. Whether it’s spending a night in a hut in rural Kenya, sleeping in a tent in a Maasai village, or making friends with kids who speak no English, she has been extremely engaged. She learned how to say thank you in Thai, has tried so many new foods, helped cook chipati over the fire in Kenya, tried standing on a surfboard in Sri Lanka, tried rock climbing in Thailand, and more. Everywhere we go and hear local musicians, she LOVES to dance. She doesn’t care if nobody else is dancing—she dives right in. As a 4-year-old, she has amazed us at how present she has been in whatever we are doing, even though that changes ALL the time.

AT: You’ve been Instagramming the trip. Tell us about the public engagement through both of your accounts.

Todd: We started the @go_the_long_way_around Instagram account to stay connected to our family and friends, but it has certainly helped connect us to other travelers out there. There are many more families doing something like this than we initially imagined. We have even met some of them in person when we realized we were in the same place. Instagram has been a great place to figure out where to go next and what to do there. We have also used the @inspiringsustainability account to document ways that people and organizations around the world are trying to lessen humans’ harmful impact on the ecosystem.

AT: How has your Adventure Treks experience influenced this trip?

Todd: First and foremost, Meghan and I met leading trips at Adventure Treks, so that has had a BIG impact on our life (we both worked for AT in the early 2000s). Outdoor experiences certainly prepare people to be better travelers, especially if they are going to developing countries or rural areas. Like in the backcountry with AT, when traveling you often have to know how to treat your water, sleep in less-than-comfortable conditions, find your way when lost, push on when tired, pack light, use the bathroom in different places, and eat new foods. And of course, still have tons of fun even if you are out of your comfort zone!

There is no doubt that our years of experience with AT made us better travelers and the kind of people who can pull off a year-long trip. The planning that goes into AT trips is similar to what it takes to travel around the world. We see other people traveling who struggle because they lack the AT experience.

AT: What advice do you have for others interested in a long trip?

Todd: If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to do this in some form, do it. Some of your friends or family will think you are crazy and try to dissuade you, but once you begin traveling, you will meet people who share that love of exploring new cultures, places, and experiences. People think we are on vacation for a year, but it’s not that easy. The amount of planning we have to do (nearly every night) to figure out the logistics of where we are headed next is much more than we imagined.

We planned the first few months in some detail before we left, but since then we have been planning as we go along to allow for some flexibility. It is good to find a balance between planning and leaving room for adventure and discovery. We also think it is important to be aware of our negative impact as travelers. We have carried a SteriPen with us to treat water and avoid using plastic water bottles; we carry washable cutlery to avoid throwaway forks and knives; and we offset our carbon emissions from the flights we’ve taken through Gold Standard to decrease our contribution to climate change. And we have certainly taken fewer showers and done fewer loads of laundry compared to when we are at home.

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Nice Kids Finish First

teenagers hiking in british columbia with wildflowersWe often hear students say after arriving home from Adventure Treks, “Everyone is so nice at AT… why can’t it be like that in the real world?!” Of course, we’re thrilled to hear the feedback, because it means we’re doing our jobs in providing the close, inclusive communities we promise to everyone. The culture of kindness is a key part of our program design, and the cornerstone of the community we’ve been building for 27 years.

Everything we do at Adventure Treks emanates from a place of kindness and respect. But being kind is more than just a good way to live; research shows that kids who are nice actually finish first, in that they become more successful adults.

teenagers throwing snowballs in summer in yellowstone national parkA 2015 study by Damon Jones, a senior research associate at the Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, tracked kindergarteners’ success over 20 years in four major U.S. cities based on the prosocial skills they exhibited in kindergarten. It found that children who demonstrate more “pro-social” skills—those who share more, demonstrate more empathy, and who are better listeners—are more likely to have good jobs and stay out of trouble as young adults. Furthermore, generous people have higher incomes and get better performance reviews than those who are less generous.

Concern for others also promotes supportive relationships and reduces the chance of depression. Students who care about others tend to see their education as preparation for contributing to society rather than making money, an outlook which encourages them to persevere even when studies seem dull.

These pro-social characteristics (empathy, cooperation, perseverance, and self-control) are malleable skills that can be taught. While we naturally attract nice kids at Adventure Treks, it’s nice to know that our environment and culture can actually help already nice kids improve these social skills, continuing to help set them up for success.

Our emphasis on kindness is important because data shows kindness is in decline in the U.S. (though not in Canada). This matches a long-term decline in empathy, community affiliation, group membership, and use of words like “love,” “gentleness,” “kindness,” and “goodness” in modern discourse. Use of these words have declined 50 percent in the modern age as have conversations about purpose and morality (Journal of Positive Psychology, 2012).

teenagers climbing and summiting mt. olympus in washington

Some of this decline in kindness may be an unintentional change in our parenting styles as a result of trying to prepare our children for participation in a competitive global economy. From a December 2019 Atlantic article about the Making Caring Common Project: “If you survey American parents about what they want for their kids, more than 90 percent say one of their top priorities is that their children be caring. This makes sense: Kindness and concern for others are held as moral virtues in nearly every society and religion. But when you ask children what their parents want for them, 81 percent say their parents value achievement and happiness over caring…

“Kids, with their sensitive antennae, pick up on all this. They see their peers being celebrated primarily for the grades they get and the goals they score, not for the generosity they show. They see adults marking their achievements without paying as much attention to their character.”

Annual surveys of American college students also show a substantial drop from 1979 to the present in empathy and in imagining the perspectives of others. Over this period, students grew less likely to feel concern for people less fortunate than themselves—and less bothered by seeing others treated unfairly.

As parents, we know that if we want kindness to be a key value, we must give it support. The Road to Character author Dave Brooks talks about two sets of virtues: résumé virtues and eulogy virtues. In life, the skills we need for the job market, the attributes “essential” for our external and financial success, are often at odds with the virtues that we hope others would attribute to us at our funeral.

teenagers crossing a river in alaskaThese are the elements of our character, our virtues—the relationships we maintain, our kindness, humility, gratitude, sacrifice, concern for others, morality, integrity, responsibility, and resilience.

When kids are praised for helping others, they are more likely to continue this behavior. Teaching children to care for others helps them live a more fulfilling life. This is what we do at Adventure Treks! Every day during evening meeting, we make space to praise people who helped others out. We create numerous opportunities to volunteer and make sure good deeds are noticed, appreciated, and praised. Kindness is contagious. Our culture builds on itself, and in an outdoor community, the competition changes from who can achieve the most to who can be the nicest kid!

Besides the fulfillment AT kids get from being a contributing part of a close, caring, and kind community, it’s great to know that they are building skills that will help them finish first!

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Podcasts We’re Listening To and Books We’re Reading

All of us at Adventure Treks are continually striving to learn more about the world around us, whether it’s reading up on the the latest in youth development or attending professional development conferences to further hone our skills. Below, we’d love to share the latest books we’ve read and podcasts we’ve listened to and our takeaways from them!

tribe of mentors

Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss (Dmac’s pick)

Tim is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek and host of the Tim Ferriss Show podcast. In Tribe of Mentors, the author found himself asking existential questions after experiencing several personal losses in a short time. Rather than mull himself into a hole, he reached out to more than 100 people he considers his idols and asked each of them the same 11 questions; in short, he crowdsourced the answers and compiled them in his new 600-page tome. A few of his questions include:

  • What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
  • What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
  • In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?
  • What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore?

Advice comes from Kelly Slater, Jimmy Fallon, Maria Sharapova, champion weightlifters, grandmaster chess players, and quantum scientists (to name a few). Not all 11 answers are published for each person; sometimes it’s only one, other times it’s all 11. Tribe of Mentors is a quick read and filled with unique ideas about what these people do with their time and money and how they stay focused (or what they do if they lose focus).

What I really appreciate about Tribe of Mentors is that it shows several ways “successful” people do things. Not everything resonates, and some answers are in direct contradiction to other people’s answers. But that is part of the point; there isn’t any one way to be successful. Approaching life and careers your way and being authentic to yourself and your style are key to discovering the endurance to succeed.

win friends influence peopleHow to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie (Dmac’s pick)

In Warren Buffett’s office hangs a certificate of completion for taking the “Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking, Leadership Training, and the Art of Winning Friends and Influencing People.” He said this class changed his life and improved his interactions with business associates, friends, and his spouse. If Warren Buffett says this was one of the best things he ever did, I figured I should try to glean some of that knowledge myself.

Upon first glance, this (updated) book offers fairly standard advice:

  • Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain
  • Give honest, sincere appreciation
  • Be genuinely interested in others
  • Smile
  • Remember a person’s name (as it is the sweetest sound in any language to that person)

The book is a very easy read with easy concepts, ones I have been trying to put into practice daily. I’ll admit, it is a challenge, even for things that seem so simple.The steps and concepts are as old as time, and all seems straightforward. How hard can it be to not complain? This one concept is harder than it sounds. Recently, Will Bowen, created the 21-day “no complaint” challenge. You wear a purple bracelet and for 21 days try to not complain or tell others they are complaining. If you do either, you switch the bracelet to the other wrist and start over at day 1. Come to find out, there is a six-month wait list to get a bracelet!

When I first started at Adventure Treks, Dock’s desk was right by the entrance. Every day, when someone left, Dock would thank them for something they did that day. This always made me feel good and made me want to work hard the next day. Giving an honest compliment to a coworker can seem awkward, but the pay-off from doing that has been huge. I can honestly say I don’t practice everything in this book or even half of it, half of the time. But doing even some of it, some of the time has been paying off. Can I directly attribute other people’s actions or work ethic to my compliments? No. But did doing these things help? Perhaps, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to implement them.

How to Win Friends is a great read for anyone—middle or high school student, college graduate, or even retiree. There is something easy and digestible for everyone inside. Just think, if we all practiced these simple concepts, what would our society look like?

power of habitThe Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg (Stacey’s pick)

I’ve recently become fascinated by the topic of “habits,” but many self-help books these days are too dry or focus only on what seems obvious and logical but not the most helpful (“just wake up an hour earlier and you can change your life!”). I wanted to learn some science behind habit formation so I could better understand my own behaviors. Most often, when we talk about habits, we’re talking about negative ones. But Duhigg’s book helps us understand that habits are a part of our brains’ necessary operation. Without habits, our brains wouldn’t be able to digest and store new information.

Duhigg, an award-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times, brings a conversational and journalistic approach to the subject. He dives into the research done by scientists that led to the discovery of the habit loop, helping explain the neurological processes that occur in our brains every day in a way that even a non-scientific brain can understand. Duhigg’s laid-back style makes it easy to relate the concepts to your own life, giving you the tools you need to analyze your own habit behaviors, whether you want to reconstruct a current habit or create a new one. He guides you through the habit loop: the process of what triggers the habit (the cue), the routine performed (the actual habit), and the real reward (the end result you’re trying to achieve).

By understanding this, you can then better adjust the cue and/or the routine in order to get the same reward, whether it’s ditching an unhealthy personal habit, creating a more efficient workflow at the office, or marketing a new product (did you know toothpaste wasn’t a thing until the founder shifted our dental hygiene habits? I didn’t, either.).

He also looks at specific examples of how understanding the habit loop has helped small and large companies shift behaviors with longer-lasting results than previously experienced. If you’re looking for a laundry list of tips to change your habits, this isn’t the book for you. But if you want to understand why you do what you do, then this New York Times bestseller shouldn’t disappoint.

she explores podcastThree new podcasts (Stacey’s picks)

Speaking of habits! About a year ago, I decided to spend my commute to and from the AT office listening to a variety of podcasts. I set a goal of listening only to podcasts for one month. That turned into three months, then six, and while I’ve allowed myself to occasionally listen to my favorite Pandora stations, I’ve spent the majority of my commutes in the podcast world ever since.

Some of my favorites include She Explores, How I Built This, Hidden Brain, By The Book, and Armchair Expert. Hosted by Gale Straub, She Explores focuses on telling the stories of women who are inspired by time spent outside. NPR’s How I Built This is one of my favorites. Guy Raz sits down with the people behind some of the world’s best known companies, exploring how they got where they are and lessons they’ve learned along the way. Hidden Brain, hosted by NPR’s Shankar Vedantam, looks at the unconscious behaviors that shape our lives and the science behind them. Fair warning, there’s some “barnyard” language in By The Book, hosted by Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer, but it’s worth it. These humorous hosts take popular self-help books, live by them for two weeks, and give their take on the experience. There’s also some “barnyard” language in Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert episodes. He sits down with many of his celebrity friends and explores all the things that make us human (If you love Sam Elliott’s voice as much as I do, check out that episode). In each of these podcasts, you’ll hear stories of grit, resiliency, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, optimism, and collaboration—many of the outcomes we strive to teach on Adventure Treks trips.

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Nature is the Antidote to Video Game Addiction

The sun rises above the snow-capped mountains in brilliant hues of pink, orange, and purple. You get off your horse to take in the breathtaking scenery, hear the roar of a river below, and see the outline of a herd of elk in the distance. The birds begin to chirp louder as the sun rises higher. A golden eagle flies overhead. You take a deep breath, feeling accomplished for making it so far in this rugged terrain.

BEEP BEEP BEEP! The sound jolts you out of your peaceful daze. “REMOTE CONTROL BATTERIES LOW” flashes on the screen. The tranquil scene vanishes from the screen as the video game warns of impending dead battery doom.

I recently came across an article from Outside that reiterated an article Dock wrote a few years ago about video games and what makes them so captivating. As technology, faster internet, and budgets continue to grow, “today’s games are cinematic artworks,” writes Outside’s David Kushner. “They enable players from around the world to share digital adventures that are so immersive, so full of surprise and delight and realistic living things, that they can fulfill the core human need to explore.” Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, League of Legends, and Red Dead Redemption 2 are more than multi-billion-dollar businesses—they are an entire way of life. (To put the games’ success in perspective, when Red Dead Redemption 2 was released, it brought in $725 million during its first weekend, beating the strongest film opening of 2018, Avengers: Infinity War, by almost $100 million.)

Dock’s prediction around virtual reality becoming our biggest competition seems to be coming true as studies have shown that the same parts of your brain that get stimulated during a hike can get fired up by screen time in a digital wilderness. The Outside article echoes this verdict: “New science indicates that digital adventure may be just as thrilling as the real thing. An emerging body of research suggests that these virtual worlds can stimulate the same brain activity and physiological response as offline exploration.”

While video games may not actually bring about the end of the world, it’s important for us to understand the power, appeal, and effects of time spent playing them. We must work to find a balance of enjoying video games along with physical activity in the (real) outdoors, as taking these offline journeys without ever stepping foot outside can come at a price.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the World Health Organization has included “gaming disorder” in its International Classification of Diseases. And predictably, too much gaming can lead to health problems. The Endocrine Society found that heavy screen time and snacking can increase risk of heart disease and diabetes in teenagers. The New York Institute of Technology found that gamers who played between three and 10 hours per day reported a range of ailments, like eye fatigue and neck, back, wrist, and hand pain, and that 40 percent of these video game players “did not participate in any form of physical activity.”

Remember when Pokemon Go exploded onto the scene? Its goal was to combine gaming with actual outdoor activity… and while valuable, it’s not enough and doesn’t provide the same value as spending screen-free time in nature. So how do we compete with the allure of the digital outdoors? Imagine if “being in nature” was prescribed by our doctors. Would this not only spread the message of the benefits of nature, but also improve the well-being of teens and society?

Doctors have been encouraging their patients to go outside for millennia. Hippocrates called walking “man’s best medicine.” Han dynasty physicians encouraged outdoor “frolicking exercises” to ward off aging. And until the mid-1940s, tuberculosis patients were sent to mountain retreats to take in the “magic airs.” There’s a grassroots movement permeating doctors’ offices across America today: Along with prescribing necessary medications to cure ailments, doctors are also prescribing spending time outside as part of their patients’ care plans. Most credit the concept to Parks Victoria in Australia, which began to link the outdoors and human health through initiatives with medical providers in the early 2000s. Soon after, the first mainstream, provider-based outdoor programs in the States started to tackle common diseases.

“Exposure to nonthreatening natural stimuli, scientists have discovered, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress-hormone levels, promotes physical healing, bolsters immune-system function, raises self-esteem, improves mood, curtails the need for painkillers, and reduces inflammation,” writes Outside’s Aaron Reuben. The theory goes that natural stimuli (like the sounds of birds and swaying branches, or the smell of pine trees, or a glimpse of a scampering chipmunk) active the “rest and digest” function, aka the parasympathetic nervous system. When children and teenagers are increasingly exposed to “threatening stimuli,” e.g. difficult homework assignments, bullying, or high-level athletic competitions, their health suffers. In this complicated and busy world, nature can actually shift our patterns of thinking, leading to a more restorative state and thus increased well-being.

Since the mid-aughts, when the first nature-based program in the U.S. began, “the movement has exploded,” said Betty Sun, the health-program manager at the Institute at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, whose mission includes coordinating knowledge-sharing within nature-prescribing programs. According to Sun’s most recent survey from July 2018, the U.S. now has 71 provider-based nature-prescription programs in 32 states, with the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of patients.

As the evidence grows, research institutes for nature and health will continue to open at major medical centers, and electronic health-record systems have begun to incorporate nature prescriptions just as they do pharmacological ones. If this continues, we may start to see more health insurance companies offering incentives for nature prescriptions. Those prescriptions take many forms, from general encouragement to get outside at least twice a week to specific instructions for activity, location, duration, and frequency. In a world where we increasingly live our lives indoors, says Robert Zarr, founder of the public-health nonprofit Park Rx America, “We are starting to think about nature not just as a place to recreate, but also as a social determinant of health.”

Hopefully we can continue to put a greater priority on getting outside more, whether it’s skating around the neighborhood, learning how to mountain bike, or joining a local hiking club. In fact, may we prescribe an Adventure Treks trip?

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Outdoor Recreation Resources in Your Community

If you’re ready to head outside on an adventure but have no idea what resources abound in your community, don’t fret—we’ve got you covered! From printed guidebooks to interactive websites, there’s a wealth of information out there to help you find outdoor activities right in your own backyard, whether you’re looking for a summer swimming hole or a day on the slopes.

Outdoor activity guidebooks

There’s nothing better than a well-thought-out, detailed guidebook, especially if you want a tangible resource that doesn’t require the internet. There are several publishing houses that specialize in guidebooks specific to the outdoor industry, offering tomes on activities from kayaking to rock climbing, from waterfall hikes to mountain biking for beginners.

Menasha Ridge Press is well known for its 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles, Five-Star Trails, and Best Tent Camping series. These books come complete with descriptions, directions, and all the details readers need to embark on an adventure. The 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles series includes versions for locations in New York City, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Boston—perfect for all of our big city families.

Falcon Guides are known for their full-color photos, detailed descriptions, and locations spanning the entire country. This publishing house offers options on everything from the best rail trails in the Pacific Northwest to flatwater kayaking in South Carolina and everything in between.

Quick tip: Before purchasing a guidebook, always check the publication date and make sure the book has been recently updated with the most accurate information possible. You can find guidebooks at stores such as REI or Barnes & Noble, directly from the publishers’ websites, from online retailers such as Amazon, or from most gift shops at state and national parks.

Outdoor activity online resources

There are a wide variety of options to peruse when it comes to online resources. Some websites are managed by professional organizations, while others, such as many regional websites, are run by a network of volunteers who update the information when they can.

hikingproject.com REI

www.hikingproject.com

REI’s hikingproject.com offers an abundance of information for trails all around the world. For instance, a quick search for Atlanta revealed more than 250 trails across the metro region. When you click on a specific trail within the area you’re searching, you’ll find an interactive map, photos, route description, local contacts, and other important information. There are also versions of this site for mountain biking, climbing, trail running, and skiing.

Another good site is alltrails.com, which offers users the ability to create an account for free and join a community of more than 10 million fellow explorers. With an account, you can save your favorites, keep lists of the trails you’ve completed, write reviews, and track lifetime statistics like mileage and elevation change.

For winter fun, onthesnow.com offers a variety of information for skiers. Browse articles outlining the “10 Best Ski Resorts for Kids & Families,” check snow reports and view webcams, and explore resorts by region from the Rockies to Europe. You can even compare resorts (including lift ticket prices, reviews, and trail statistics) and save your favorites.

rootsrated.com

www.rootsrated.com

A fun way to find hidden gems in your area and beyond is rootsrated.com. You’ll find articles highlighting everything from “The Top 12 Swimming Holes in New England” to “3 Epic Cycling Routes in the South” and from “Three Days of Adventure in the Beach Cities of Los Angeles” to “7 Excellent Spots for the Best Spring Skiing in North America.”

Regional websites are also good research options, such as the Mid-Atlantic’s hikingupward.com (which this author used almost exclusively when she lived in the Shenandoah Valley for nearly a decade). State trail associations, such as the Washington Trail Association, often offer a “hike finder” section. An easy Google search or a call to your local gear shop can help you find a similar resource in your neck of the woods.

Smartphone apps
chimani national parks app

www.chimani.com

The National Park Service is getting savvy with smartphones! National parks across the country have launched apps (available for both iPhone and Android) with a wealth of information about their specific regions. Currently, the NPS offers guides to Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, and a few more. There are also third-party apps with exhaustive guides to many more areas; our favorites include:

  • National Parks by Chimani has information to all 419 U.S. national parks, including GPS-enabled maps (no WiFi or data needed to use) and detailed guides for more than 60 parks. And it’s free!
  • REI Co-Op Guide to National Parks (a part of hikingproject.com) includes descriptions, tips for family trips, live location tracking, and much more.

One of the best for finding people to adventure with is meetup.com. Once you create an account, you can use the app to find organized groups that host in-person events near you, including hiking outings, camping trips, nature writing workshops—you name it! And, if you don’t see a group that pertains to your interests, you can easily create one. Facebook groups are also a popular way to meet new outdoor buddies, both in your hometown and beyond. The organizations Women Who Hike and Hikerbabes Community offer chapters across the globe for like-minded women who are passionate about getting outside and offer outings for all skill levels on a regular basis.

Additional resources

Not a fan of downloading multiple apps? Mosey on down to your local visitor center. Most large cities will operate independent visitor bureaus, while more rural locations may offer joint city/county or regional centers. These all-encompassing organizations stock their brick-and-mortar locations with a smorgasbord of brochures, pamphlets, and maps of local outdoor gems—and they’re usually free. Many have in-depth information on their websites, such as romanticasheville.com, one of western North Carolina’s premier sources of tourism information.

Independently-owned gear shops, along with national chains like REI, are typically staffed by those knowledgeable in local outdoor resources, so don’t be afraid to pick their brains! With the amount of information available today, there’s certain to be a resource relevant to your hometown just a few clicks away. And think outside the box: Maybe your local college or university has an outdoor program that offers outings for the public.

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Reflections of an Adventure Treks Alum

teenagers sitting for lunch while hiking in mountains in alaska

By Scott Silverstein, AT student from 2001–2003

When I think of Adventure Treks and its impact on my life, I think of a poem that I learned from former instructor Ben Mirkin: “Two Kinds of People” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. I’ve copied the poem at the end of this, but—spoiler alert!—the two kinds of people are lifters and leaners.

Adventure Treks taught me to be a lifter. In the backcountry, there’s really no option to be a leaner. You have to find water or you’ll be thirsty. You have to purify the water or you’ll get sick from Giardia. You have to make shelter or you won’t have protection from the elements. In a literal sense, you carry only what you need on your back—and nothing more. The complexities of life are reduced to a handful of well-defined tasks, and if you’re part of a group it quickly becomes obvious who is pulling their weight. Adventure Treks impresses this point gently through discussions of community-building and the self-reflection of plus delta (and, more celebratory, through hat presentations), so everybody learns to do their part, and the community almost always thrives.

teenagers looking at a map while hiking in british columbia

In the real world, you can get away with being a leaner. You can work just hard enough not to get fired, you can leave chores to your housemates, you can fail to engage in political and social issues (I am so guilty of that last one)… all without noticing the consequences. But a big community suffers from leaners just like a small, 30-person AT community does—with every inaction it becomes dirtier, one-sided, and harder to live in.

What’s awe-inspiring is when you’ve spent time in the wilderness and seen the instant benefit of a community filled with lifters. There’s a big difference between doing just enough work to get to your campsite on time, and everyone pitching in so that you can get to your campsite early, set up tents and drop off gear, hike up a nearby peak, and have evening meeting with a Skittles game in front of a sunset. After experiencing the power of an AT community, it becomes much easier and more gratifying to build your community in real life.

AT gave me a lifelong love of the outdoors and a new set of survival skills. (Boy Scouts gave me some of the same thing, but the places I went with AT and the adventures we had were so much cooler.) I made powerful friendships, some of which I maintain to this day. I learned to value work-life balance, and I have managed to move to Vermont, get a flexible job (I’m a self-employed structural engineer), ski a ton, and choose a life partner whose values match mine. My life is immeasurably better thanks to AT… and I hope Adventure Treks is still around in about 12 years so they can have the same life-changing impact for my baby boy as they did for me!

teenagers standing on mount shasta mountain summit

“Two Kinds of People” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

There are two kinds of people on earth to-day;
Just two kinds of people, no more I say.

Not the sinner and saint, for it’s well understood
The good are half bad and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man’s wealth,
You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud, for in life’s little span,
Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.

Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years
Bring each man his laughter end each man his tears.

teenagers using water squirt guns on salmon river idahoNo; the two kinds of people on earth I mean
Are the people who lift and the people who lean.

Wherever you go you will find the earth’s masses
Are always divided in just these two classes.

And oddly enough, you will find, too, I ween,
There’s only one lifter to twenty who lean.

In which class are you? Are you easing the load
Of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road?

Or are you a leaner who lets others bear
Your portion of labor and worry and care?

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