Growth happens when we choose to move outside our comfort zones. This is the concept of challenge by choice and a critical component of choosing to be challenged is deciding what challenge will be right for you. Camp Augusta Wilderness trips offer a variety of challenges for different campers. How difficult will this trip be, both physically and mentally? What are the challenges I can expect to encounter, the growth I might find? Endurance Levels rate the physical difficulty of the trip, and Experience Levels rate how mentally challenging you might find the trip. Below we discuss in brief the challenges we offer in our wilderness trips so that you may make an informed decision when you choose an Augusta Wilderness trip. We identify two separate types of challenges in our wilderness trips: the experience and lessons inherent in the experience and how physically challenging that experience will be. Below are examples of our different experience levels.
What Challenges Does Your Trip Offer?
Endurance Levels
Endurance 1
These trips are for participants who are excited about an adventure and don’t have much familiarity with the activity. On a backpacking trip the daily mileage is low and there is more time in camp, a climbing trip will be on easier climbs where we teach you the basics, a biking trip will have lower mileage and the terrain will be moderate.
Endurance 2
If you have a moderate level of fitness and enjoy being active, Endurance 2 trips can be a good choice. A “2” backpacking trip will hike between 5 and seven miles a day, rock climbing will have more challenging routes available, and biking would see single track trail riding over steeper terrain.
Endurance 3
These are the most physically challenging trips we offer, and may include mountaineering trips, advanced and exciting bike trips, and challenging rock climbing. These trips are a good fit for folks who enjoy being athletic in the given activity, perhaps you go biking most weekends at home, spend time climbing in a gym, go running, or take long hikes up steep hills.
*Age Ranges
Teens are ready for different challenges at different times and the age ranges of our trips are a guideline, not a rule. Many young people find great companionship within their peer group and our age ranges also exist to foster this companionship.
Experience Levels
Classic
Perhaps you have slept under the stars in your back yard, or have only seen pictures or movies of people doing this, and you are interested. On a Classic venture, campers have the opportunity to gain fundamental outdoor skills in camp-craft and Leave No Trace. They will assist in navigating during the days, cooking meals and choosing our best routes whether that be up a crag or down a green valley! Throughout the trip campers have the opportunity learn about a variety of backcountry skills and develop their ability at mountain biking, horsemanship, climbing, or whatever their wilderness trip is encompassing. Classic ventures are geared towards an age range of 12 to 14, and may also suit older age groups as well.
Explore
You have done this before, you like it and you want more! On an Explore venture campers have the opportunity to delve deeper into the pursuit. They can expect mental challenges like more vertical exposure in rock climbing, trickier terrain on a bike, or more advanced horse riding. Experienced wilderness staff will guide them in their challenges, helping them make the most of their experiences. And still there is time for “Wilderness Clinics” where campers can learn how to read a map, do woodcarving, make a “bow drill” fire kit, make nature art, or practice their ninja skills! Explore ventures are often suitable for age ranges 13 to 16.
Adventure
The best adventures have elements of uncertainty. If you have significant experience and are looking to be further challenged; to put your skills to the test. Adventures may hold an air of risk because you will be participating in more intense activities. Camp Augusta goes to great lengths to ensure the safety of all our campers, and wilderness trips are no exceptions. If you are familiar with Augusta’s ropes course, an Adventure might be Pod C or D. Adventures are usually well suited for age ranges 15 to 17.
Odyssey
If you are passionate about a pursuit, you may wish for more than a handful of days enjoying it. You may even envision making a life out of what you love. Odysseys are multi-week trips where experienced teens can live an epic journey through amazing country, putting their skills to the test and have the opportunity to learn about wilderness leadership and communication tools in the spirit of Camp Augusta. Odysseys are usually well suited for age ranges 15 to 17.
Leadership
Camp Augusta Leadership (CAL) trips are amazing wilderness trips where leadership skills are the focus of the trip. CAL trips are similar to Camp Augusta’s CIRCLE program, providing campers the opportunity to gain leadership skills and communication tools like “clean” communication.