Is Wilderness for me?
Yes—if you love adventure, the outdoors, and trying new and exciting things. You don’t need previous wilderness experience to participate. All that’s required is a willingness to try new things, a positive outlook, and good physical health.
Why go?
1 CREDIT: PER 138 Wilderness Pursuits
All students will receive their first required college credit for successfully completing a Wilderness Orientation trip. Each trip is directed and instructed by a full-time faculty/staff member who specializes in Outdoor Recreation and Experiential Education. Along with gaining comprehensive skills in back country travel and living, students will gain specific skill sets in the focused outdoor pursuits around which the trip is built. As a part of the Calvin Core curriculum, students will also spend time discussing and journaling on 1) stewardship, 2) stress management, and 3) goal setting focused on personal wellness and developing lifetime “healthy habits”.
Carefully Selected and Highly Trained Course Instructors
Each trip is directed by a full time faculty/staff member of Calvin College. Along with full time staff, up to 3 highly trained and certified upper class or graduate students will act as trip instructors/leaders. These leaders are selected for their 1) commitment to safety, 2) ability to exercise strong judgment and decision making, 3) love for working directly with incoming students, and 4) passion for creating a highly memorable experience in a wilderness context. All staff members are highly trained in general wilderness skills and the specific activities that they are leading/instructing. Staff have taken a ten day wilderness medicine course through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS/WMI), being certified as Wilderness First Responders. All rock climbing sites are supervised by an individual who is a certified Top Rope Site Manager/Guide with the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA). Paddle instructors have completed an American Canoe Association (ACA) open water/coastal sea kayaking course.
Epic Routes and Spectacular Locations
All locations have been selected based on the unmatched natural beauty, memorable setting, historic significance, environmental appropriateness for the specific outdoor pursuit, and ability to offer a challenging, but not overwhelming wilderness based experience.