Programs
Our goal is to provide opportunities for participants to grow as individuals and as a group through a unique backcountry experience. We understand that most of the participants we take into the backcountry have little or no experience, and have found that clear communication and planning go a long way to ensuring they have a positive experience.
Your Goals
We believe that the wilderness is an integral part of life that can be of tremendous value in the development of all youth. Lessons learned in the backcountry translate to our everyday lives including teamwork, sharing, communication and trust. We also see time to play and have fun as very therapeutic.
To this end, it’s helpful if your staff and participants have a clear understanding of why you are undertaking this trip. Is it an exercise in team building/group support or eco-educational? Is it a chance for participants to have lots of reflection time or should there be constant activity? Letting us know your goals will help us customize the itinerary and activities to best achieve them.
Expectations of Participants
Your adventure with Crossing the Divide is meant to be just that, an adventure. Coming on a trip with us means accepting new challenges. We try not to spend too much time going over rules and regulations that will turn participants off before we even start, but there are three rules that, if broken, could bring a trip home early:
- No drugs or alcohol
- No weapons
- No violence (including verbal)
These rules will be emphasized with the whole group before we leave, and we encourage you to share them with participants before the trip. Participants are also expected to follow backcountry etiquette, which we will cover at the pre-trip session. In addition, participants are expected to help with camp chores such as cleaning after meals, setting up/taking down tents, paddling canoes and so on.
Group Size
We strive to keep the size of groups small, typically a maximum of 10 including two agency staff and two guides. This allows us to maintain an optimal guide-to-participant ratio of no more than 1:4. Ideally all participants will come from the same group, but we can combine smaller groups. For non-custodial groups we can also accommodate larger groups with a guide-to-participant ratio of up to 1:8.
Safety
Our guides have the final say in all matters that affect safety in the backcountry. They are experienced in leading groups in the outdoors, and their main concern is to facilitate group activities and manage the risks inherent in all backcountry experiences. Our guides have wilderness first aid certification and, if the trip involves canoeing, aquatic life-saving certification, swift water rescue and canoe certifications. They also have personal experience and training in route finding, backcountry navigation and other skills.
NOTE: All Crossing the Divide trips are subject to change. Activities will occur only if guides determine it is safe to do so. This includes taking into consideration the attitudes and limitations of the participants, the weather, and other environmental concerns.
Required Information
For each youth participating in a Crossing the Divide trip, we require the following information:
- Signed permission forms from all involved persons, including guardians, social workers, probation officers, counselors, etc.
- Medical concerns and administration of required medication.
- Their level of physical fitness.
- Specific security issues so that we can ensure their safety and that of other participants.
- Any additional information that will help our guides ensure the success of the trip.
