Rocky Mountains 7-Day Backpacking for Young Veterans

Funded

Applications Open in January!

Need Financial Assistance?

Age 19-35

Duration 7 days

Location Rocky Mountains

Program Options Financial Assistance

Activities

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Courses / Rocky Mountains 7-Day Backpacking for Young Veterans

Rocky Mountains 7-Day Backpacking for Young Veterans

This course is designed to foster a sense of community and camaraderie with other veterans while engaging in enjoyable and rewarding outdoor experiences as a group. Take this opportunity to engage with others who are exploring what it means to return to civilian life and how to support each other and yourself during this transition.

Area & Activities
This course will take place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, a region of alpine lakes, ice-capped peaks, diverse wildlife and world-renowned protected wilderness areas. We will be backpacking into remote locations using some established trails and off-trail navigation and route finding. Our camps will be minimal impact as we practice Leave No Trace principals and learn how to live in harmony with our surroundings. Each day will have opportunities for both group and individual reflection, discussions and tasks facilitated by experienced Outward Bound instructors.

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Who Should Apply?
If you are looking for a positive and supportive environment to explore how your transition from the armed forces back to civilian life can unfold, this is it. Through facilitated reflection time, stimulating and supportive conversations, physical activity and the power of nature, you will have every opportunity to vision forward on how you want to design your life transition.

Learning Outcomes
Our expert instructors will lead participants through novel, real-life experiences that require groups to collaboratively problem solve through challenge, failure, and success. This course is designed to have a lasting and measurable impact in three key areas:

1. Improved sense of resiliency
• OBC is building a generation of physically and mentally healthy citizens
• Participants choose to improve their physical and mental health
2. Greater leadership skills and social connectedness
• OBC is teaching the skills needed to succeed at school, work and in life
• Participants become more confident, collaborative and respectful team members
3. Stronger connection with nature
• OBC is promoting greater levels of environmentalism
• Participants develop stronger life-long connections to the natural world

There will also be a solo experience during the course that provides participants with the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience and make decisions about their future. Students are given a secluded spot to reflect alone and are monitored by staff to maintain safety.