For teens wanting a summer adventure with training in leadership, teamwork, and wilderness skills, Wildsight is now accepting applications for the Go Wild! program.

Go Wild! Is a six-day backpacking program for youth aged 14-18. With tents and sleeping bags, hiking boots and backpacks, 14 teens will experience the wild Rockies wilderness as they may never have before.

“Go Wild! isn’t just a backpacking trip: it’s an education in backcountry camping and hiking that will open the door to a lifetime of adventure,” says Dave Quinn, Go Wild! Coordinator and lead guide.

Quinn, a Kimberley-based wildlife biologist, ACMG-certified wilderness guide, outdoor educator and teacher, will lead this summer’s excursion alongside Revelstoke’s Leah Evans, a professional skier who focuses on helping women reach their full potential on skis through Girls Do Ski camps.

Participants learn no-trace camping, route planning, map reading, navigation, wildlife safety, wilderness survival, mountain botany, basic wildlife ecology, and how to thrive in the wilderness in all conditions. They learn about the extraordinary diversity and abundance of Kootenay wildlife, and how critical wilderness areas for wildlife to thrive.

This summer’s specific destination in the southern Rockies will be determined closer to the trip dates. Past Go Wild! programs have explored the Purcell Wilderness, Height of the Rockies, the Hornaday Wilderness and Top of the World Provincial Parks.

Students start the trip with heavy packs and leave with light hearts.

“I learned so much, from facts about the alpine to flowers, to how a diverse group functions. I learned the capability I had and the capability others had. And I definitely expanded my skills that I previously had and learned more about myself,” says 2023 participant Joy Harris.

Go Wild! is open to youth aged 14–18. This year’s program runs August 5–10. The 14 spaces fill up fast, so apply early. Learn more: wildsight.ca/gowild