By Sheehan Bradshaw

It was nearly 3:00 a.m. when I was awoken from my deep slumber by the shaking of my tent. As I untangled myself from my sleeping bag and unzipped my tent, there was no light except the stars that appeared in the sky. Along with my tentmate Ariana, a high school senior from the D.C. area, I slowly walked over to the campground’s table, and we turned our flashlights on to see what was for breakfast. After breakfast, my group of seven campers and two counselors embarked on our six-hour kayaking journey to Yellowstone Lake.

This camping experience was one like no other. After a recommendation from a friend, I chose to go on a trip through the program Wilderness Adventures (WA) in 2019. The program is designed for people who like to explore the great outdoors. They offer a variety of trips for many different ages, ranging from 5th-12th graders. In the summer of 2021, they hope to launch 37 different trips to 15 countries, and they also offer various gap semesters for college-aged students. 

For two weeks, our group traveled around Jackson Hole, Wyoming and through Yellowstone National Park. After everyone flew into the Jackson Hole airport, we headed to the Gros Ventre campground, where we resided the majority of our trip. The next morning, the group woke up at around 6 a.m. to eat a quick breakfast and prepare for the day of travelling we had ahead of us. There is a great deal that goes into packing up two weeks’ worth of supplies. It was crucial that we had the correct equipment and backup materials, because for our specific backcountry trip, the closest store was about a five-hour kayak trip away. 

We finally packed up the van and U-Haul trailer and headed north to explore the geysers, tourist attractions, and Yellowstone Lake for the next four days. The average day started by waking up at seven or eight in the morning, unless you were on food duty; that group had to wake up 30 minutes earlier. Between the seven of us, we rotated who was on food duty every three days. Food duty included making meals and planning what to pack for lunch. During lunch, we were always out in the wilderness, so we would eat sandwiches or wraps. In total, we ended up restocking on food three times within the two-week trip. 

Our typical day in Jackson Hole was based upon which activity was scheduled for the day. Our three main activities were hiking, climbing, and white water kayaking. While we were staying at Gros Ventre camping ground, we would arrive at our activity site by 9 a.m. and head back around three in the afternoon. We climbed for two days at two different locations. The first day was at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and the second was spent around Jenny Lake.

The last four days of the trip were dedicated to white water kayaking. This was the hardest part of the trip because of the prep work that was included. The guides had to explain the features of the kayak, what items of clothing you should wear, and what to do in emergencies. The first day was basic training in a small pond. The next three days, we split into smaller groups and gradually advanced to more challenging bodies of water. The last day we went down the Snake River. The Snake River route had beautiful scenery that featured the Teton Pass.

The best part about WA trips is getting to immerse yourself in something new. WA also offers trips that travel outside of the U.S. that allow students to expand their cultural understanding. Alumna of WA Molly Woods (‘22) has gone on two trips, to Hawaii and to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Unlike my adventure trip, Woods’ Ecuador and Galapagos trip included 40-plus hours of community service. The itinerary includes different service projects the group does in the three-week period of their trip. Woods says this about her experience with WA, “My favorite trip was going to Ecuador and the Galapagos. This trip let me experience a different culture in an authentic way. I also made some of my closest friends, who I still keep in touch with! The trips I have taken have given me experiences I couldn’t get traveling with my family, they are my favorite summers!”

Anastasia Redmond (‘21) has also travelled with WA, including three service trips. She’s traveled to Costa Rica, Peru and Thailand. She said, “WA has been a huge part of my life, and I’ll be going on my fourth trip this summer, and I have met the best people on those trips. I find the kind of person who wants to put themselves in the position where they’re completely out of their comfort zone and excited about new things are the best kind! I also love how they emphasize leadership and communication. It’s also an amazing opportunity to be completely away from all technology and focus 100% on the people and things around you.” 

All photos by Sheehan Bradshaw.