Throughout history humans have lived from our knowing of our connection to the earth, using the mirror of nature as a way to gauge the seasons of our lives, know ourselves, mark life transitions, say thank you, and ask for what is needed. In the fast pace of our modern lives many of ushave unknowingly lost sight of this connection, contributing to the lack of care we exhibit towards the earth, and a parallel loss of an essential piece of who we are. When we see the place where the small story of our lives meets the larger story of the world in which we live, a valuable new perspective is gained. This journey is an invitation to find that place, to sit in it for a long quiet look at who we’ve been, who we are now, and who we are to become.
This summer, shoulder your pack and walk out with us into some of the wildest parts of California. As no two journeys are ever the same, participants will be asked to work alongside guides to co-create the experience. We will spend time exploring, learning, relaxing, and expanding our awareness of the world with wilderness skills both ancient and modern. At the heart of the journey will be a solo experience focused on renewal, deep inquiry, and claiming of our full participation in the world. Understanding this connection is as old a practice as there is. Using nature as teacher, we go out, alone and together, to do just that.
Cost: sliding scale $850 -- $1,100 includes dinners, permit fees, group gear, guide fees
Ages 16-20 recommended. For more information email lead guide Will Scott at: willscott6@gmail.com
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
Throughout many cultures for thousands of years humans have gone out alone to remote places of power to sit and contemplate the reflections in nature. Come bring in the new year with a rite of passage designed to mark the great transitions in life. This trip centers around a 2 night solo where participants are invited to grieve, celebrate, play, set intentions, and mark the coming of the new year. No previous wilderness or backpacking experience is neccesary.
Trip cost is $675 and includes dinners and transportation. The trip begins and ends in Santa Cruz, California. 18 and up.
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
This wilderness experience emphasizes the solo as a rite of passage. Many of us seek a method of incorporating important events into our lives. How do we grieve losses, celebrate achievements, or honor major changes? What methods do we have for claiming our elderhood, parenthood, or grandparenthood?
The solo experience is an opportunity to personally honor what is at hand, and to refresh one's own life path. It is a chance to slow down and meet the ground beneath your feet, and from that place, to take an invigorating breath of life. Participants will join together to undergo a 3 day/2 night solo fast in a secluded wilderness setting. There are many ways to spend this time, and yours will be all your own. The trip includes a short, beginner-level backpack to our base camp location.
No prior experience is required. $675 per person, includes transportation and all dinners. Ages 18 and up welcome.
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
This backpack into the black sands and driftwood huts of the Lost Coast is designed for those who are just out of high school (though we will consider applications from anyone between the ages of 16-22). The trip is an opportunity for young men and women to participate in a rite of passage and play in nature as they move beyond high school towards a more independent, adult world. Perhaps college is the next step? Perhaps travel or work? Perhaps there is nothing but a blank slate ahead?
There is no greater challenge before young people today than that of discovering and expressing their authentic self. Youth are in need of constructive ways to push their boundaries, mark transitions, and find their own voices. This trip is just that. Graduating Into the Wild is about having fun while marking transitions in our life and setting intentions and exploring the wisdom and reflections in Nature.
The trip focuses around a 1-2 day solo fast experience. There is a rugged and real beauty to the Lost Coast -- one that cannot be explained, only experienced. We tend to find the same sort of quality in the eyes of our participants when they return. Come see for yourself.
$660 per person includes all dinners and transportation expenses. (Parents, if you would like to learn more about the trip or ways to get involved please contact us).
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
Wilderness Within has teamed-up with Elemental Awareness to present a unique wilderness education opportunity. This program will offer in-depth coverage of the four basic tenants of nature skills and wilderness survival: shelter, fire, water, and food. What better place to learn and practice these tools than in a remote wilderness setting? The course will offer hands-on training of primitive techniques, discussion of the philosophy behind the skills, and opportunities to put the learning into practice. Whether you are a beginner looking to enter the world of nature skills, or are already experienced and want to deepen your practice, this week-long immersion will be a great opportunity. WW will be joined by Elemental Awareness co-founder Mike Kershnar, who has trained at the Tracker School with Tom Brown and teaches primitive skills courses all over California. (www.elementalawareness.org)
$350 per person, includes transportation expenses and all dinners. All ages welcome.
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
Wilderness Skills and Awareness is a backpacking trip with an emphasis on learning, fun, and exploration. The trip is recommended for young people with a desire to get outside and have an adventure. This is our most open-ended trip, meaning that the group will have a great deal of input into the activities we plan and the type of experience we create. Depending on the preferences of the individuals and the group as a whole, we will design the trip as we go along to offer a maximum of fun and opportunity. There is a wide variety of activities and things to learn on a trip of this kind, some examples are: primitive survival skills, solo time, learning the plants and animals of the area, art, writing exercises, council practice, games, and much more. Basic wilderness skills and nature awareness activities will be an integral part of this trip, offering an experiential window into the environment. Wilderness Skills and Awareness is a great trip for beginner level backpackers as well as more experienced hikers. No prior experience required. $660 per person, includes transportation and all dinners. Ages 12 - 15 welcome.
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
In one of Big Sur's most precious places. This 4-day excursion will include a little of everything: backpacking, day hiking, relaxation, and exploration. There will be opportunities to learn about ecology, natural history, and wilderness skills, as well as plenty of quiet, unstructured time. Think reading, writing, watercolors, sunsets, plunging bluffs, and wading up the creek. The beauty of Big Sur during the spring time is unlike anywhere else on earth. As always, this journey will offer participants an opportunity to ask the questions that matter, and provide meaningful ways to explore the answers.
No prior backpacking experience required. $410 per person includes all dinners and transportation expenses. All ages welcome.
This trip is not open for registration at this time.
"I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civilized to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society."
Throughout history humans have lived from our knowing of our connection to the earth, using the mirror of nature as a way to gauge the seasons of our lives, know ourselves, mark life transitions, say thank you, and ask for what is needed. In the fast pace of our modern lives many of us have unknowingly lost sight of this connection, contributing to the lack of care we exhibit towards the earth, and a parallel loss of an essential piece of who we are. When we see the place where the small story of our lives meets the larger story of the world in which we live, a valuable new perspective is gained. This journey is an invitation to find that place, to sit in it for a long quiet look at who we’ve been, who we are now, and who we are to become.
Throughout many cultures for thousands of years humans have gone out alone to remote places of power to sit and contemplate the reflections in nature. Come bring in the new year with a rite of passage designed to mark the great transitions in life. This trip centers around a 2 night solo where participants are invited to grieve, celebrate, play, set intentions, and mark the coming of the new year. No previous wilderness or backpacking experience is neccesary.
This wilderness experience emphasizes the solo as a rite of passage. Many of us seek a method of incorporating important events into our lives. How do we grieve losses, celebrate achievements, or honor major changes? What methods do we have for claiming our elderhood, parenthood, or grandparenthood?
This backpack into the black sands and driftwood huts of the Lost Coast is designed for those who are just out of high school (though we will consider applications from anyone between the ages of 16-22). The trip is an opportunity for young men and women to participate in a rite of passage and play in nature as they move beyond high school towards a more independent, adult world. Perhaps college is the next step? Perhaps travel or work? Perhaps there is nothing but a blank slate ahead?
High school students take English class to the wild beaches of The Lost Coast to explore creative writing together.
Wilderness Within has teamed-up with Elemental Awareness to present a unique wilderness education opportunity. This program will offer in-depth coverage of the four basic tenants of nature skills and wilderness survival: shelter, fire, water, and food. What better place to learn and practice these tools than in a remote wilderness setting? The course will offer hands-on training of primitive techniques, discussion of the philosophy behind the skills, and opportunities to put the learning into practice. Whether you are a beginner looking to enter the world of nature skills, or are already experienced and want to deepen your practice, this week-long immersion will be a great opportunity. WW will be joined by Elemental Awareness co-founder Mike Kershnar, who has trained at the Tracker School with Tom Brown and teaches primitive skills courses all over California. (
Wilderness Skills and Awareness is a backpacking trip with an emphasis on learning, fun, and exploration. The trip is recommended for young people with a desire to get outside and have an adventure. This is our most open-ended trip, meaning that the group will have a great deal of input into the activities we plan and the type of experience we create. Depending on the preferences of the individuals and the group as a whole, we will design the trip as we go along to offer a maximum of fun and opportunity. There is a wide variety of activities and things to learn on a trip of this kind, some examples are: primitive survival skills, solo time, learning the plants and animals of the area, art, writing exercises, council practice, games, and much more. Basic wilderness skills and nature awareness activities will be an integral part of this trip, offering an experiential window into the environment. 
In one of Big Sur's most precious places. This 4-day excursion will include a little of everything: backpacking, day hiking, relaxation, and exploration. There will be opportunities to learn about ecology, natural history, and wilderness skills, as well as plenty of quiet, unstructured time. Think reading, writing, watercolors, sunsets, plunging bluffs, and wading up the creek. The beauty of Big Sur during the spring time is unlike anywhere else on earth. As always, this journey will offer participants an opportunity to ask the questions that matter, and provide meaningful ways to explore the answers.
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