Summer Expeditions

• Overview
• Outfit Expedition (Coed 10-13)
• Wild Country Trek (Coed 13-15)
• Prairie Trek (Boys 13-15)
• Turquoise Trail (Girls 13-15)
• Mountain Desert Trek (Coed 15-18)
• Trek Institute (Coed 14-18)
• Adult & Family Trek
• What to Expect
• Getting Ready
• Request Brochure

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P.O. 25106
Albuquerque, NM 87125

1-800-2-Go-Trek

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2008 Wild Country Trek

Co-ed, ages 13-15

10-20 members

2 Sessions: June 26 - July 12 and July 18 - August 3

Tuition $1,875

Highlights: Introduction to wilderness backpacking and rock climbing, exploring remote places, living in the pristine wilderness of high desert and alpine country.

This 17-day expedition into the Southwest is an introductory experience in wilderness living and exploration. On this adventure through some of the most rugged and beautiful wild places in the country, members of the Wild Country Trek will learn the basics of backcountry camping and decision-making in the wilderness. The group’s strength and confidence will build towards a 3-4 day backpacking trip through high alpine country.

Members of the expedition will arrive in Albuquerque, where they will be met by their staff and will caravan back to our Zuni mountain Base Camp and nature preserve. Over the next two days, the group will acclimatize to the altitude and environment, while preparing for the challenges that lie ahead. These first few days at Base Camp heighten your knowledge and awareness of the high desert’s unique wildlife and forest ecology, especially with the help of our resident instructors in art, ecology, and archaeology.

On the third day, the expedition will take to the road, heading into the wilderness of New Mexico. The group will establish a base camp in the Gila National Forest, home to the oldest designated wilderness area in the United States. From these camps, the group will set out on increasingly challenging exploratory dayhikes of the area with their staff instructors.

When all preparations are complete, the group will take to the trail for a four-day, three-night backpack through some of the most breathtaking wilderness New Mexico has to offer. The expedition will split into smaller hiking groups, to minimize their impact upon the land and to maximize the potential for learning and adventure with their staff and other Trekkers.

Upon returning from this hike, the group will head back to Base Camp, to take their place at rendezvous, meeting the Trekkers from the other Cottonwood Gulch expeditions to share stories of their adventures and experiences. After this day of fun, the group will settle into a brief stay at our base camp, taking the time to explore the projects available, ranging from forestry to silversmithing, from archaeology to wildlife biology. They will finish the expedition with an opportunity for a daytime wilderness solo experience and a traditional final banquet.

This expedition will be led by staff members with experience teaching first-time Trekkers how to adapt to this landscape. With the staff’s guidance and support, the expedition members will soon find themselves trying out new skills, such as finding and treating drinking water in the backcountry. Each day will bring new surprises and lessons, which the group will face together. By the end of this expedition, the Trekkers will have stretched their minds and their legs, making new friends along the way.

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