This 65-day semester is an outdoor tour de force that takes place in three of California’s world-class regions: The Sierra Nevada mountains (including time in Yosemite National Park), Joshua Tree National Park and the San Francisco Bay area.
You’ll ascend peaks up to 12,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, including time spent in Yosemite National Park, rock climb the desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, and have an urban expedition in the San Francisco.
Expect to deep dive into leadership, technical wilderness travel and interpersonal skills. Semester courses are demanding physically and socially, perfect for motivated participants looking to embrace the challenges of outdoor education.
Alpine Backpacking, Desert Backpacking, Service, Urban, Rock Climbing
Skills
Technical
Belaying a Climber
Campcraft
Knots
Map and Compass
Navigation
Rappelling
Safety and Risk Management
Site Management
Wilderness Medicine
Interpersonal
Character
Conflict Resolution
Independence
Leadership
Problem Solving
Self Confidence
Service
UPCOMING COURSES
This course is closed for the season.
APPLY NOW This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
Sample Itinerary
DAY1
Arrive at Fresno Airport; Course Start
DAY2-12
Alpine Backpack Yosemite to the Ansel Adams Wilderness (Introductory lessons to backpacking, camp craft, and navigation).
DAY13
Resupply and transition to mountaineering section
DAY14-22
Mountaineering Section in John Muir Wilderness, Technical Peak Attempts
DAY23
Resupply, transition to High Sierra base camp
DAY24-32
Wilderness first responder class (WFR)
DAY33
Service & Town Day
DAY34
Transition to Joshua Tree
DAY35-42
Rock climbing section
DAY43
Service
DAY44
Preparation for final expedition
DAY45-51
Final Expedition & Solo: Desert Backpacking, Joshua Tree
DAY52-53
Transition to San Francisco Bay Area. Service enroute.
DAY54-59
Urban Immersion and Service
DAY60-61
Practicum prep
DAY62-63
Practicum
DAY64
Personal challenge event, clean and de-issue gear, graduation
DAY65
Transport to airport, fly home
Most College Savings Plans, including the 529 College Savings Plan, may be used to attend an Outward Bound expedition, thanks to a partnership with Western Colorado University. Anyone can register – you do not have to be a current Western Colorado University student. Registration is easy! Click here to learn more.
Are you motivated by the never-ending discovery in the adventure of the outdoors? Are you passionate about sharing knowledge and helping future generations become comfortable and confident appreciators of the natural world and skilled wilderness wanderers? Working as an outdoor educator requires deep technical expertise in outdoor skills alongside hands-on training in the science behind experiential learning and how to create lasting impact for students. Outward Bound leads the outdoor education industry in both areas, providing a coveted foundation to jump-start an outdoor-involved career.
Build skills, form connections: Refine backcountry, technical, and interpersonal skills - and practice teaching them. Help students evaluate options, manage risks, and learn to engage people of different ages and backgrounds in an environment where they are “crew, not passengers.” Master the outdoor knowledge, strengths and skills that can’t be found in a traditional classroom.
Value strengths and strengthen values: Absorb the technical prowess you’ll need to master multiple outdoor activities and potentially help others do the same. Discover the power of reflection and how to create lasting impact behind every adventure, challenge and opportunity.
Demonstrate mastery: Learn from legendary outdoor educators and add your own strengths as you design and lead your own courses, as you take on physical and mental challenges in numerous wilderness environments and as you become responsible for the creation and fulfillment of life-changing lessons.
Train in basic first aid and wilderness medicine: Learn the principles and techniques of patient assessment, care and treatment in remote and extreme environments. Earn Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification on select courses.
What you’ll learn: Return home with the knowledge and skills necessary for teaching and leading field-based wilderness education programs. Depending on the course, you’ll have expanded knowledge and skills relating to a variety of land and/or water-based activities. You’ll be a conscientious safety and risk management leader and you’ll have a solid grounding in the Outward Bound philosophy and methodology for teaching and facilitation.
The Outdoor Educator course is the most comprehensive Outward Bound course available, allowing you to work in and through the widest variety of wilderness environments and develop high level skills in each. Beyond preparing you for career opportunities in the outdoor industry, you may also earn academic credit in the field of Recreation and Outdoor Education.
Outward Bound is accredited with the American Gap Association and is the longest running program in this elite group dedicated to providing safe, meaningful and high-caliber educational experiences to students.
The first phase of this course is spent both on and off trail in Yosemite National Park and Ansel Adams Wilderness learning the skills necessary to travel in wilderness terrain. Here we will lay the foundation for group travel, gear selection and use, map and compass navigation, cooking and camp stove use, weather/hazard assessment, camp craft, communication skills, and effective teamwork.
In addition to technical skills, Instructors will teach and facilitate the interpersonal skills needed for participants to function effectively as a team, accomplish goals, and tackle new challenges every day. Challenges on course are designed to impel participants to take risks, draw upon inner resources and develop trust in one another. One such challenge might include a peak attempt. With lighter packs, participants will start before the sun rises to summit a mountain and be rewarded with 360 degree views and an incredible sense of accomplishment.
During the mountaineering section, participants will build on the backpacking skills learned previously in course. In addition to teaching more technical skills, the Instructors will focus on honing the group's judgment and decision-making skills. The crew will have the chance to attempt a technical peak during this section. Mountaineering is distinct from backpacking in that at least one peak attempt will take a steep, exposed route that requires the technical protection of ropes. Additional skills to be covered during this phase are the use of fixed-lines and snow travel, depending on season and temperatures.
With the first phase of the expedition behind them, participants will learn the skills necessary to provide first aid in a backcountry setting. These skills give individuals and the group the confidence to address health and wellbeing issues more independently for the remainder of the course.
A Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification is recognized as the standard level of expertise for backcountry first aid and is a required course (costing up to $850 if taken privately) for leading outdoor trips. Each student must earn this certification independently. At the end of the course, the WFR instructor, not Outward Bound, will make the decision as to whether each student’s skills are sufficient for certification.
The following topics will be covered during the course: patient assessment, basic knowledge of body systems, basic life support, equipment improvisation, environmental medicine, toxins, trauma management, evacuation and wilderness rescue.
After the WFR course, the group will move to the desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. The section of the course in Joshua Tree will focus specifically on skills associated with technical rock climbing, including knots, anchors, movement over rock, top rope, belaying, use and care of harnesses and other equipment. An emphasis on climbing site assessment and management will ensure participants go back with sound judgement to implement safe and challenging experiences for youth they instruct. Participants will have ample opportunity to actively improve their personal skills with various types of climbs including bouldering, face climbs, cracks, and possibly a multi-pitch climb.
Following the climbing section, the group will test all acquired skills on their Final Expedition—a multi-day backpacking section in Joshua Tree. During this expedition, the crew works together to plan their route, gear, food, and logistics, essential skills for any aspiring outdoor educator to effectively navigate through the unique and beautiful rock and yucca filled landscape of Joshua Tree. This section requires competence in communication, teamwork, navigation, and decision making skills.
Far removed from starry nights and alpine lakes, San Francisco is a bustling city of streetlights and people. This city exposes participants to the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty—back alleys and striking bay views, sprinkled with tourist destinations that attract travelers from across the globe. Continuing ‘expedition style’, participants will carry their gear and travel like locals, taking the bus, walking and ferrying to their nightly abode. With the city as their classroom, participants will focus on developing their cultural competency and ability to work with diverse populations through discussions and service learning opportunities. As an educator this can be just as challenging as climbing high in the mountains, and equally necessary as participants prepare for the practicum and future work in the field of outdoor education.
Instructor courses are geared towards participants who are looking to pursue a career in education and/or the outdoors. Throughout the entire expedition, Instructors will not only be teaching the ‘what’, but also the ‘why’ and ‘how’ necessary to pass on these skills to future participants. There will be many opportunities for participants to practice their own facilitation skills and receive feedback.
The culminating experience at the end of course will be a practicum, where participants will facilitate a 2-day experience for local youth in an outdoor setting. The practicum will have a strong emphasis on designing and implementing curriculum, teaching basic outdoor skills, and facilitating initiatives and discussions with a group of participants from diverse backgrounds and experience levels. Participants will gain first hand teaching experience as they begin to build cultural competency as experiential educators.
The culminating experience at the end of course will be a practicum, where participants will facilitate a 2-day experience for local youth in an outdoor setting. The practicum will have a strong emphasis on designing and implementing curriculum, teaching basic outdoor skills and facilitating initiatives and discussions with a group of participants from diverse backgrounds and experience levels. Participants will gain first-hand teaching experience as they begin to build cultural competency as experiential educators.
Service to others and the environment is a core value of Outward Bound and is integrated into each course. Participants follow Leave No Trace ethics and do acts of service while leading and supporting fellow participants. Designated service projects are coordinated with land managers like the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service to collaborate on land restoration projects. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to work alongside select social service agencies like nursing homes, hospitals and organic farms. With a broader context for needs-based career opportunities, participants develop a value of service, seeing the impact of their actions first hand, and cultivate this desire to serve their communities once they return.
On every Outward Bound course reflection is an integral part of the learning process. During the solo phase of course, participants will find reprieve from the rigors of daily travel and spend a structured period of rest and reflection near the group’s base camp. The primary focus of this time is to reflect on personal and group goals. Depending on the student age and the length of the expedition, this experience can range in length from a few hours to three days. Participants are provided with food, shelter and occasional check-ins from Instructors during the experience.
Participants can expect a longer solo, up to 72 hours. The solo and reflective time in outdoor educator courses will be focused on contemplation around experiential education methodology and their individual strengths as educators.
Our courses vary in length from 4 to 85 days. On shorter courses, participants will receive an intro to leadership skills, strength of character and a desire to serve. With longer courses, the same outcomes and benefits are achieved with the ability to reach a more profound level of mastery as there are more opportunities develop technical skills, receive and implement feedback and further personal development.
Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range are famous for breathtaking views of waterfalls, massive granite domes, and peaceful alpine meadows. Yosemite is home to some of the world’s most treasured landmarks. Places like El Capitan, Half Dome and Glacier Point can be seen on the horizon along with dramatic alpine scenery—peaks rising from the valley to elevations above 12,000 feet. With fairly stable and beautiful weather, as summer advances, temperatures tend to become more moderate, in the 70s to 80s during the day and 30s to 50s in the evening.
Joshua Tree National Park is famous for its high desert moonscape, where rugged mountains and desert plateaus were sculpted by wind and rain. Three distinct ecosystems come together to form this land of extremes: the dark, cold, star-filled nights against warm sand and boulder-filled days. Weather in the park is generally dry and rainfall is sparse, though unpredictable, irregular, and sometimes persistent thunderstorms do occur. Temperatures can vary, averaging 50-80 degrees during the day to a cool 30 at night and potentially hitting 100 early or late in the season.
The urban portion of the course will take participants on a tour of San Francisco landmarks like Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, the Mission District, Baker Beach, and Market Street. Participants will camp in local parks and with unique partner agencies across the city. San Francisco offers rich histories, diverse cultural traditions and foods, and an abundance of initiative opportunities. Though a dramatic change from the mountains and desert, participants will find inspiration and new perspectives in this bustling, beautiful city.
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.