THANK YOU! Wow, what a summer.

Thoughts from Amanda: 

Summer at Adventure Treks seems to happen at two speeds simultaneously:

  1. Time ticks by slowly as we savor each moment, and we don’t ever know exactly what day it actually is
  2. All of a sudden, it’s August 14 and our last student has flown home

We start planning for each summer up to 18 to 24 months in advance; throughout the year, we enroll students, hire instructors, map out hiking routes, finalize itineraries, reserve vehicles, book campsites, schedule outfitted activities, repair and buy outdoor gear, answer families’ questions, and work through a million little details in preparation for the moment our students arrive.

Over the past three months, hundreds of Adventure Treks students have hiked, climbed, paddled, biked, rafted, camped, laughed, done hard things, worn silly flair, picked up new skills, and grown together across some pretty spectacular landscapes.

Our students summited volcanoes and carried heavy backpacks. They learned how to pack up camp efficiently and cooked dinner for each other on wilderness beaches and mountain ridgelines. They navigated rain, mosquitoes, tired legs, changing plans, and the occasional conflict. They learned when to step up and lead, and when to make space for others. They spent weeks away from their phones and learned how to thrive without their usual routines, comfy beds, and daily showers.

My memories of summer 2026 might be a little different from a student’s. I remember a 7th grade boy quietly doubting himself on Mount St. Helens, close to tears at times but who didn’t give up, who instead persevered and with the loud cheering from his friends, made it to the summit.

I remember a third-year student on airport day, really nervous because he was joining a new group of students he didn’t know from previous trips, and the look of relief on his face when he started chatting up another boy and they immediately became fast friends.

I remember my heart feeling full as I watched students give each other hats; one in particular was really special because this hat was given on one boy’s birthday by other students who had been with him on three to four trips already.

I remember one student not understanding the value or point of pitching in to do dishes in the first few days, but by the end becoming the three-bin king, always volunteering to help.

I remember two girls coming up to me on Mount Adams, nervous about using the bathroom on a mountain where you have to pack out your waste, but giggling at the prospect of pooping with a wag bag that had a bulls-eye on it, and then talking about how awesome it is that we get to poop with such incredible views that most people in the world will never experience.

These quieter, less “adventurous” moments that don’t always make the Instagram reels are often what shapes a student’s experience at AT. It’s the conversations around dinner in the backcountry, the absurd “bits” and inside jokes, the encouragement from one student to another when someone is having a hard day. It’s the sense of accomplishment when they did something hard, when they earned something to be really confident in and proud of. It’s the fact that they chose to do something big, out of their comfort zone, away from home, in a group of strangers—and come out the other side feeling a little transformed.

For our teens to grow up, we must take a step back so they can take a step forward

Young people are so capable. But in order for them to discover that for themselves, sometimes we adults have to resist the urge to fix or do everything for them. If we solve every disagreement, remove every discomfort, or prevent every disappointment, we also take away the opportunity for a teenager to realize, Oh, I can handle that. 

Adventure Treks directors and instructors are always there, but being supportive isn’t the same thing as doing everything for a teen. We don’t exist to remove every obstacle from a young person’s path. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We don’t shy away from rainy days or uphill hikes or mac and cheese so burnt the pot turns black. Sometimes you get don’t get your way and have to compromise with the group. Sometimes you’re tired, but you still need to help clean up camp. And sometimes the plan changes completely, and you have to adapt to whatever is in front of you.

And that’s OK! That’s life. Adventure Treks is a place where students can experience these “real life” scenarios—but always with the support of their friends and instructors. They don’t have to face it alone, but going through the harder moments ultimately makes them stronger and more capable and confident of facing every challenge that comes their way in life.

Teenagers need opportunities to discover I can handle it. I can contribute. I am valued. Other people can count on me. I can be uncomfortable and still have fun. I can solve problems without immediately turning to an adult and expecting them to take care of it. I can become friends with people I never expected to. 

Thank you, parents, for trusting us

In addition to those quieter moments that we know shape a student’s experience, we also never take for granted our parents’ experiences. We know that you entrust us with the most important people in your life, and we fully understand the weight of that privilege and responsibility.

So thank you for trusting our instructors to teach, mentor, encourage, and care for your child. Thank you for trusting our philosophy and program, even when it means having to watch them walk nervously on a plane without you, give up daily communication, and know they’ll have to work through something difficult at some point. Thank you for reading our trip blogs, following the photo albums, taking our phone calls, and silently cheering on our groups from hundreds or thousands of miles away.

And thank you to our incredible instructor team

I’ve said it time and time again, and it never means less: Our instructors are the heart of Adventure Treks. They pour themselves endlessly into a demanding job and at the end of every day, are still happy to do it. Leading an AT trip carries an enormous amount of responsibility. They wake up early, stay up late, figure out logistics and changing plans, manage students’ health and well-being, teach outdoor skills, navigate group dynamics, celebrate everyone’s successes (and get everyone through hard times)—all while wearing ridiculous flair and bringing the creativity and WOW that makes AT trips so special.

Our instructors are the people who turn an itinerary on paper into a vibrant, unique Adventure Treks community, and we’re deeply grateful for the care, energy, and heart they brought to our students this summer.

Until next summer…

Backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, and all of our gear has been carefully cleaned, repaired, and packed away. Some of our students have already started school. Instructors departed this morning and are looking ahead to their next adventures. (Lucky for us, we’ll see many of them in a month for the start of our fall season of custom and educational programming!)

But even as everyone gets back into their daily lives, we hope the friendships, memories, confidence, and belief in themselves stick around for a long time. We hope that teens might choose to put their phones down at some point and go outside instead. We hope they know that when they have a hard day, they have a lot of people in their corner to cheer them up and on.

There’s always a strange, almost conflicting feeling when our last student flies out. On the one hand, I’m admittedly a little tired and ready for a break after almost three straight months of programming. On the other, I feel sad that it’ll be almost a year before I give another student a pep talk on the last stretch to the summit of Mount St. Helens. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I feel incredibly grateful and lucky that this is what I get to do with my life.

To every student who joined us this summer:

THANK YOU for showing up with a good sense of humor, genuine personality, quirks, energy, and willingness to try something new and maybe sometimes a little wacky and hard. Thank you for bringing your whole self. Adventure Treks wouldn’t exist without students willing to show up and take a chance on an adventure.

We’re really proud of you, and we can’t wait to see what you do next.

Here’s to summer 2026, and all the adventures still ahead!