Texas Big Bend and Boundary Waters Leadership Semester

Leave a Review

Location

United States of America

Length

4 - 12 weeks

Program Tags

Adventure Travel

View Other Details

Program Details

Primary Language

English

Age Max

Pricing

Starting Price

5000

Price Details

All food and equipment will be provided. Students must provide own transportation to the course start and from the course finish, as well as cover the cost of transportation from Minnesota to Texas.

Last Updated: Aug 25, 2016

Wish List

1 traveler is looking at this program

About Program

This intensive 10-week leadership semester course is an outstanding opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the rugged landscapes of the Big Bend and Boundary Water wilderness areas. It can also complement a traditional college education.

Travel and study through two spectacular and dramatically different regions of the country. You’ll have the opportunity to acquire an extensive range of outdoor skills and a broad understanding of environmental and ecological challenges along the way. Begin paddling and portaging by day and camping lakeside by night in the Boundary Waters, North America’s premier canoe area.

This semester involves travel from border to border. In the great American Southwest, you will paddle and navigate thrilling whitewater rapids on the Rio Grande in the canyons of Big Bend. You’ll also travel through amazing desert vistas as you backpack over mountains, through canyons, and on top of mesas.

Request Info

Video and Photos

Related Programs

Program Reviews

Looks like there aren't any reviews yet for this program. Leave a Review

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Calvin from Outward Bound

My favorite travel memory is being invited to dinner with one of the families in a small border town in Texas. They were so welcoming, just happy to meet new people and share a meal. The kids ran around the outside kitchen while the adults shared stories of the desert that stretched out for miles around.

Everyone there was welcoming and very happy to help us learn about the area. They wanted to feed us a huge dinner even though they were poor. It was a unique feeling I haven't encountered before or since.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I've learned a lot about how to be flexible when unexpected situations arise.

When you're out on a wilderness expedition anything can happen, and not when it is convenient! Being able to stay calm and adapt to a changing environment is great training for any future endeavor.

You learn patience, how to communicate, and how to take care of yourself and the team.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One student I had years ago got in touch to let us know that he had become a successful college graduate after floundering for so long. He said that he never really went camping again, but that the lessons about teamwork and perseverance stuck with him after his course. He attributed his success to how he learned to handle himself during his Outward Bound trip.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

hikers with mountain views

The semester program that starts dogsledding in Minnesota and ends canoeing and backpacking in Texas. These are two of the most contrasting environments in the United States, and it is amazing that students get to travel in both areas. Semester courses also allow for plenty of time to practice skills (72 days) and really master what you are doing. I think that feeling of accomplishment is one of the most important things people take away from their courses.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

We strive to teach a strengths-based curriculum that holds compassion as a top value. That means that every student is assessed not on what they can do, but how they help each other improve. I love watching groups learn to take care of each other throughout the challenges that our expeditions provide.

About Voyageur Outward Bound School

For over 50 years, Voyageur Outward Bound School has offered wilderness courses in Minnesota and Texas for all ages. In the words of our founder, Kurt Hahn, we show students that "there is more in us than we know." Through challenge and discovery, we help students gain confidence in problem-solving, leadership and risk-taking. Focused on character...