A recent study by the National Trust documents the results of how school trips change the lives of children. Here is a link to the press release. And also a link to the research findings. “Changing Minds: The Lasting Impact of School Trips” by Allan Peakcock of Exeter University.

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)

The new year is the time of year that naturally leads to reflecting on the accomplishments and pitfalls of the past year and goals and hope s for the new year. There is something very exciting about the idea of a new year. The new year brings opportunity for new beginning, new growth, and new experiences. One of my favorite things to think about going into a new year is the ways that I hope to stretch myself whether it be through learning a new skill, leaving my comfort zone, serving more, or trying something new. But, if you are anything like me, two weeks into the new year, those reflections are probably already beginning to fade in the background due to the everyday routine and busyness.  When the opportunity “Froze” to try something new on Sunday, I climbed all over it. North Carolina is not typically known for its ice climbing, but the deep freeze across much of the nation has brought the typical winter wonderland of the North to our backyard! Kent McClure (Timberlake Trip Staff alumni) and I went to the Blue Ridge Parkway and tried our  hands (or should I say “Picks”) at something new… Ice Climbing! Ice climbing requires two Ice axes with picks that you swing into the ice and boots equipped with crampons (10- 12  points that that will grip the ice) a rope and a spirit of adventure. Climbing in this fashion up a 60′ Rock cliff covered in very large icicles is one of the more un-natural things that one could do and I loved every minute of it! Right now while many folks are wishing the winter away, I am hoping it will stick around just a little while longer to provide opportunities for some more winter wonderland adventures!

I wish you well in your adventures this new year!

Ryan

Last week, Adam Boyd, the director of Camp Merri-Mac and I went rock climbing at Rumbling Bald, one of the many premier rock climbing areas that western North Carolina has to offer. We climbed a route called “Flapping in the Breeze.” It was a multi-pitch climb that required Traditional lead climbing. Let me take a moment to define some of the terms that I am referring to.

Multi-pitch climbs: A climb divided into sections, called pitches, with intermediate belays. Each pitch is a section of the climb about the length of the rope or less

Lead climbing: One climbs a pitch and places pieces of equipment called protection in the rock as he climbs until reaching the belay station.

Belay: is managing the rope to catch a falling climber, and lowering the climber when it is time to come down, aided by the friction of the belay device.

We chose this particular route for several reasons.

1) Adventure: We had not climbed the route before and there was a quality of mystery to the route. The route demanded patience and work to figure it out. There is something incredibly rewarding both the successes and failures in attempting a task with an unknown outcome.

2) Stretching our comfort zone: The skill and ability needed to climb the route was just above the level of difficulty that was in our comfort zone. Every move in the climb demanded attentiveness to our technique and ability. It is in this zone that learning and growth is most likely to occur.

3) Community: In multi-pitch climbs there is a lot of time to connect with your climbing partner. There are no distractions, just the route and climbing partner. This context facilitates rich growth in friendships and creates opportunities to take the experience far beyond the climbing.

4) Safety Margin: Anytime there is an element of unknown there is an element of real risk. We deal with real risks every day of our life. Part of choosing this climb or any adventure for that matter involves choosing what level of risk is acceptable. Adam and I chose this climb after evaluating the level of risk and accepting the consequences whether they are positive or negative.

We successfully reached the summit of the climb and were rewarded with a magnificent view at the top. More valuable than the view at the top were the lessons learned on the climb and the quality time we had together.

These ideas around our climb are some of the very same ideas behind Black Mountain Expeditions. The great reward of the successes and lessons learned while attempting tasks and experiences with unknown outcomes. Stretching one’s self outside of his/her comfort zone because that is the most fertile place to learn and grow. Developing rich and authentic relationships with peers and experiencing the richness of life when it is not just about you. And doing all of this within a structure committed to the physical and emotional safety of the group.

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