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)

We are excited to introduce Ryan Carlson as the Director of Black Mountain Expeditions.  When people ask why we are just now expanding into this program area we answer saying that we have finally found the leadership to run a program that we are proud of. The very best programs in the country will always have the very best leadership on the country. With this in mind we’ve kept our eye on Ryan as he developed his skills and leadership and are now looking forward to his coming on board with our staff.

After earning his B.S in Outdoor Education, Ryan served seven years as the Director of Wilderness Ministry for Ohio Wesleyan University and the Coalition for Christian Outreach. In addition to steep mountain adventures all over the world Ryan has led expeditions in the Wind River Range, Joshua Tree, the White Mountains, Florida Everglades and Wyoming’s Absorka Range. He is a Certifying Instructor for the Wilderness Education Association and Master Educator with Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Ryan also holds certifications as a Wilderness First Responder, a Professional Climb Instructors Association Single Pitch Instructor and an ACA Canoe Instructor. Before moving to NC Ryan’s wife Annie served as Director of Experiential Education for a OH high school. Annie works with students at Montreat College and is a field instructor in the off season.