Designed especially for young teens, this classic Colorado adventure is a true multi-sport experience. Discover BOLD EARTH, adventure, personal growth and friendship this summer!
$3,088.00
Two CPR and First Aid certified AAVE leaders; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all camping fees and camping gear (except sleeping bags, sleep mats and mess kits); all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and all hotels or hostels.
Flights to/from Denver, Colorado; optional gratuities, extra snacks and souvenirs.
WHITEWATER RAFTING THE ARKANSAS RIVER
Colorado is known for its high-adrenaline sports, and we jump right in with two days of whitewater rafting through the world-famous Brown’s Canyon. Professional river guides help us navigate Class III & IV rapids as we pass massive 14,000-foot peaks and camp on the shores of the Arkansas River.
ROCK CLIMBING IN BIG HORN SHEEP VALLEY
Technical rock climbing camp in the Arkansas Valley comprises our next adventure. With instruction tailored to participants of all ability levels, we scale granite cliffs and challenge ourselves in a thrilling yet safe environment. Professional climbers teach us the essentials of this awesome sport which builds incredible skills and personal confidence.
BACKPACKING COLLEGIATE PEAKS WILDERNESS
Next, we head deep into the Rockies for high-country trekking in the awe-inspiring Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Safety, learning and fun is the goal as we trek through Colorado’s high-country amidst pristine mountain lakes and tumbling waterfalls.
MOUNTAIN BIKING CRESTED BUTTE
Our summer of discovery concludes with a mountain biking adventure through the wonderous backcountry of the Aspen-peppered Crested Butte. Local guides show us the best of the area’s signature singletrack trails, and rides are tailored to participants of all abilities. We give back to the local community by improving the biking and hiking trails surrounding Crested Butte. Time to explore the funky mountain time of Crested Butte caps off our fat-tire adventure!
Our amazing adventure begins with a flight to Denver! Before departure, we’ll send you a packing list, important contact information, a flight roster and a t-shirt so you can identify other campers in the airport. In Denver International Airport, your Bold Earth trip leaders will meet you upon arrival. Once the group is all together,
we call home to confirm a safe arrival before heading to our first campsite in the San Isabel National Forest. Here we go over orientation, get to know each other and discuss what can be expected in the next 14 days. We relax and prepare for tomorrow’s adventures!
We warm up our mountain legs with a beautiful hike to an alpine lake. We follow the Timberline trail to Timberline Lake where we take a dip and cool off before lunch. Throughout the day, we learn minimum impact backcountry skills. We practice “Leave No Trace” camping everywhere BOLD EARTH travels. After our hike, we return to camp near the aptly-named Turquoise Lake outside of historic Leadville, CO.
Now that our bodies are adjusting to the thin mountain air of the Centennial State, we are ready to tackle a slightly bigger challenge. Our second day hike takes us to colossal Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak at 14,443 feet! While we are not yet ready to summit this giant of the Rockies, we do have the opportunity to explore some popular trails surrounding the peak’s lower elevations. Look out for more picturesque lakes and abandoned gold mines along the route. We also learn some topographical map and compass skills that help us to safely and accurately navigate in the wilderness. At the end of the day, we travel south to our new campsite on the shores of the Arkansas River, which will be our home for the next four nights.
We rise early to meet our experienced river guides from American Adventure Expeditions. We launch our rafts and navigate the class III rapids of Big Horn Sheep Canyon near Canon City. This lesser-known stretch of the world-famous Arkansas River takes us through exciting twists and turns and over creatively-named rapids such as Maytag, Three Rocks and Puppy’s Tail!
Day two of our whitewater rafting expedition brings even more thrills and excitement! Professional guides help us safely navigate through Brown’s Canyon, America’s most popular stretch of whitewater (for good reason!). We work together to paddle through famous rapids such as Zoom Flume, The Staircase and Big Drop. Surrounded by the towering Collegiate Peaks, there will be plenty of sunshine, water fights and whitewater fun!
We meet our professional guides from Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center who give us an orientation on the tools and skills required for outdoor rock climbing. After learning the basics of this exhilarating sport, we hit the granite walls of Big Horn Sheep Canyon to try out one of Colorado’s favorite pastimes. All abilities are welcome and everyone gets a chance to reach the top!
Today we try some more epic climbs, this time at Castle Rock Canyon, just east of Buena Vista. In the morning, we learn more in-depth technical skills like belaying, rappelling, smearing, jamming and stemming. The afternoon is a chance for us to put together all we’ve learned over the past two days to conquer the rock and take in the beautiful panoramic views from the top! After debarking our rafts, we continue on to Taylor Lake near Crested Butte where we set up camp for the night and prepare for tomorrow’s mountain biking.
Mountain biking! Home to the Mountain Biking Hall of Fame, Crested Butte is world-renowned for mountain biking. Today, the Crested Butte Mountain Guides give us the ride of our lives! After a safety orientation we strap on our helmets and head for the hills for a day of challenge, fun and adrenaline! Traversing the popular “Lower-Lower Loop” just outside of town, we enjoy perfect single-track trails surrounded by secluded peaks and blossoming wild flowers. The ride is perfect for beginners, and tecnical routes are available for more experienced riders.
Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, we spend the morning on a service project improving the rugged biking and hiking trails that we enjoyed yesterday. Then we’ll take a break and have some free time to explore Crested Butte’s frontier-style downtown area. Crested Butte is an authentic Colorado mountain town! After a delicious dinner, we’ll gather together to enjoy the palette of colors across the sky as the day draws to and end.
We travel for one breathtaking day over picturesque Rocky Mountain passes to Como, a quaint Colorado town nestled in a mountain valley. We take a day to resupply, enjoy the town and pick up some souvenirs before hitting the trails in this mecca of the Colorado backcountry.
Practicing the “Leave No Trace Camping” techniques we learned earlier in the trip, we get to enjoy our last few days together by backpacking with only ourselves and mother nature for company. With backpacks supplied by Bold Earth, we build on our backcountry foundation and skills while hiking and camping in the pristine wilderness of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Our final challenge is a group summit of Mt. Silverheels (elevation 13,822 ft.), which dominates the South Park Valley below. The magnificence of our surroundings are exceeded only by the huge sense of accomplishment we earn! After hiking back out to the Gold Dust Trailhead, we travel back to Denver and celebrate our last night together with a well-deserved dinner.
We travel to the airport early, say goodbye to our new friends and start planning where BOLD EARTH will take us next year!
This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.