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“The Winds” are known as one of the most rugged and remote ranges in the continental United States. If you mention the “Winds” to any backcountry enthusiast, they will usually respond with a nod of approval and envy. Take a look at the photos from the expedition that just returned from the Wind River Range in Wyoming and start dreaming of your next adventure with Black Mountain Expeditions!

Photos

Cultural Immersion * backpacking through the rain forest* home stays* service project* harvest sugar cane*
rappelling* rafting* surfing

Our Black Mountain Expeditions staff will be leading us through a nine-day, fun filled adventure through
the Costa Rican rain forest. We will be surfing, backpacking, rafting, and rappelling, all while visiting and
volunteering with the village of Piedras Blancas. We will explore remote caves, rappel down a waterfall, make
our own sugar from sugar cane using a “trapiche”, raft down the Savegre River, and surf the waves of Manuel
Antonio. Over the course our campers will grow in leadership and appreciation for the Costa Rican culture.
For details, go to the BME Costa Rica Page

We love getting into the wild, and taking other folks there with us. We also recognize that it is hard to get out on big expeditions and adventures on a regular basis. There are many ways to take advantage of our own backyard and Cycling is one of them. BME is sponsoring a cycling club for this very reason, to help folks get out into their own back yard and have an adventure.. We are currently in the process of setting times for group rides and races. We are also in the process of making BME cycling Jerseys, check them out in the link below. Let me know if you are interested in getting one, they are available for a limited time. Drop me a line. ryan@blackmountainexpeditions.com.

bmex_jersey

BME is excited to announce a new program this summer! This ten day introduction to mountaineering course will help you develop a set of alpine climbing skills on rock and snow. With each set of skills, we provide you with practice climbing, anchor building, navigating and decision making so you can develop in each technique. You will learn technical systems and develop mountain judgment, becoming aware of alpine hazards and risk management strategies. Check out our program here:

http://www.blackmountainexpeditions.com/expeditions/wind-river-mountaineering/

Kayaking is no stranger to BME being one of the premier activities at BME’s brother and sister program, Camp Merri-Mac and Timberlake. The week of rivers is the perfect expedition to take your paddling to the next level. For seven days, we will paddle some of the Southeasts finest whitewater. We will focus on advanced skills such as river reading, surfing, safety, river rescue, and group management. During this course each individual will have opportunities to lead and receive constructive feedback about leadership styles and decision making. For more information here is the link: BME Week of Rivers

The other day I went backpacking near Black Mountain, NC for to find rest and solitude. There were several important things going on at home so I brought my cell phone stay connected. When I reached a high point on the trail, I decided I to check my messages in case there were any important messages (this is only 6 hours after I left home). There happened to be a message in my voice mail that was important enough that I turned around and went back home, abandoning my attempt to find rest and solitude in the wilderness. This is an all to common theme, Nature vs. technology in this day and age. If I would have just waited another 12 hours to check my voice mail, I could have enjoyed my night in the woods, experienced rest and solitude and come back to deal with the “emergency” at home.

Reflecting on this recent experience I was reminded of Richard Louv ‘s book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Here is a link to an interview with Louv regarding his thoughts on our children losing their connection to the outdoors.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4665933

This summer a group of 4 fathers and 4 sons will venture to one of the wildest mountain ranges in the continental United States, the Wind River Range in Wyoming. The Wind River Range is notorious for it’s granite spires, snow capped peaks and remote backcountry. Mountaineering is not merely about getting to the top of a mountain, it is about the journey to the top. There is a demand to be attentive to the way one travels, the type of decisions one makes and to care for the members of the team while on the journey. Without these things, a success is not likely. This expedition is designed to provide a journey for father and son to learn from each other a long the way.

Since we announced the launch of Black Mountain Expeditions, one of the most common questions I receive is “Do you offer programs for parents or families?” I am excited to announce that Black Mountain Expeditions has partnered with Greybeard Realty to offer adventure packages in conjunction with a vacation rental. Check out the options at http://www.greybeardrealty.com/guest-services/outdoor-adventure-package/

We look forward to seeing you on your next adventure!

Ryan B. Carlson
Director, Black Mountain Expeditions

This article is also posted in Sustainlane’s Creation Care Section.

Several years ago while visiting Yellowstone National park, I could not help but notice that the place was packed with families experiencing one of the crown jewels of the National Park system. In 2008 there were 3,066,579 visitors. There was even bumper to bumper traffic waiting on the herds of bison and hoping to spot a grazing elk or a grizzly bear from the distance. Though it was impressive to see so many families getting out, I wondered how many made it more than 5-10 minutes from the car and what was preventing them from getting into the wild. There are a variety of things that prevent families from getting out safely and frequently, such as safety, time, preparedness, ability and knowledge. I want to offer several tips that can help get your family into the wild.

1. Half the battle is getting out the front door. Plan ahead, get it in your day planner, and don’t make excuses! All you need is a trail a little bit of curiosity, and adventurous spirit.

2. Family First. Be willing to play hooky from school every once and a while, it’s just one day. You only have to do something four times for your children to think that “we always did this as a family.” If your child is hesitant, let them bring a friend.

3. It’s go time. Getting everything together for an afternoon adventure takes an hour alone. Plan ahead by always having an “adventure pack” in the car and ready to go. In the pack, always have a water bottle, rain gear, and fleece or wool hat for each. Also include a flash light or head lamp, a mini-med kit (see below in “safety first”) and an extra warm layer like an emergency space blanket. Whether it’s an impromptu adventure or your weekly outing, you are ready to go!

4. Dress appropriately. Even though Patagonia is an environmentally conscious company, you do not need to outfit your family with the latest outdoor apparel before you head outside. Most likely you have everything you need in the house already. If you don’t a quick trip to Goodwill or the local thrift store can get you most of what you need. A $5 emergency poncho and a fleece hat goes a long way. Stay away from cotton garments because cotton will absorb moisture and dry slowly. Think of nylon, polyester and other synthetic blends. Most athletic apparel is made of these synthetic blends. It’s OK to carry an umbrella, even if your children think it’s weird.

5. Know before you go. Check the weather, route plan and emergency phone numbers so you know what you are getting into before you get there. Keep a weather website as your home page so you always have quick access to your local weather and keep maps and brochures on hand of the local parks and hiking areas so you always have the right resources on hand. Photocopy the sections that to stick in your pocket or backpack.

6. Use a lifeline. Before you venture too far into the wild, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back. Even if it is a short venture, it does not hurt to have someone that knows your plan. It only takes a rolled ankle or wrong turn to turn a stroll in the woods to an epic in the wilderness. Just pick one person that you can zip a quick e-mail to with the pertinent details.

7. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Plan the appropriate activity around the ability of your family as a whole. The whole point in getting out is to develop a love and care for creation, adventure and being outside. This is typically not the time “push the limits” to the extreme. This often leads to a negative experience in the outdoors. Know that the most fun thing you can do in the woods is around water and the most dangerous thing you can do in the woods is around water.

8. Safety first. You do not need a hi-tech med kit and extensive training to be prepared medically. Bring a zip lock bag with a variety of band-aids, gauze, athletic tape, a couple candy bars (for emergency calories) and hand sanitizer and you are set. This is all you need for most day outings that are relatively accessible to the general public. Take your cell phone with you for emergency, but put it away in your pack.

9. You love what you can name. Bring a field guide for the local flora and fauna, binoculars, and a magnifying glass. Take time to identify plants, animals, rocks and other discoveries. Learn the local edible plants and even collect the wild plants that are edible. Make a game out of your time by seeing who can name the most species or make the most discoveries.

10. Team Extreme. If you want to go team extreme, and take your family adventure to the next level, hire a guide. Guide services are professionals and though they are expensive, they are well worth the price of admission. Look for a guide with nationally recognized accreditation and certifications, such as the PCIA, AMGA, ACA, WEA, and LNT to name a few. Ask for more than a guided adventure. Look for guides that will teach the skills necessary for your family to do this on your own. Don’t forget to tip your guide! (One of my favorites is Black Mountain Expeditions)

BME is hosting a spring break expedition in Joshua Tree National Park, CA. For more information, check out the link to the J-tree expedition page. The orange image above is a promo flier you can open and print. Click on the image labeled “j-tree flier general” and click again on the image that opens. Right click on this image and select “save image as.” This will download the flier to your computer.