Adventure Trips (Grades 8-12)

While our adventure trips head off to various destinations and are designed for a variety of skill levels, certain aspects of the programs are universal. Read below for an overview of all Adventure Trip Programs.

• Adventure Trips are in the wilderness
• Sleep in tents for duration of program
• Go to the bathroom in the outdoors. Sometimes there are pit toilets or outhouses available, sometimes participants and staff will need to use nature, urinating in nature and digging a hole to defecate (poop).
• Programs are led by qualified staff, trained to lead in the outdoors. Every trip has at least one (but often two) 21+ year old staff and Wilderness First Responder (the industry standard for wilderness medicine).
• Trips generally have 6-8 participants. Trips for 9^th-12^thgraders are all gender during enrollment but sometimes shift to single gender based on demand. Trips for 8^th graders are identified as single gender during registration.
• Trips challenge EVERYONE in different ways, across spirit, mind, and body. Campers need to physically ready to exert themselves everyday while on trip and mentally ready to overcome various challenges such as rainy weather, insects, blisters, and group living. The challenges of these trips provide unparalleled opportunities for growth.
• All trips will begin at Camp Echo, with bus transportation provided from the McGaw YMCA in Evanston. All travel and food expenses are included in the cost of the trip, including airfare for Cascades Backpacking.

Trailblazers II continues the mixed-discipline model of Camp Echo’s Trailblazers program by providing an opportunity for young trippers to try a combination of backpacking and river canoeing. The Trailblazers II group will venture slightly further afield to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for backpacking in the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore along Lake Superior and paddling one of the Upper Peninsula’s scenic rivers, such as the Manistique!

This trip is great for rising 8^th graders who have already completed the Trailblazers I trip (North Manitou Island and Manistee River) or have other camping experiences.

Trailblazers II will end a day early directly in Evanston.

The Porcupine Mountains offer the opportunity to progress and develop backpacking skills while experiencing the amazing wildlife and scenery of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

When campers arrive to Echo on the first day, they begin by reviewing backpacking skills– packing a multiday pack, hiking with loaded packs, fitting boots, and packing out food and gear from our trip center. After fully preparing the group leaves camp on their journey to Porcupine Mountain State park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The group will be on trail for the next 8 days, hiking approximately 6-8 miles per day. There is something for everyone on this trip – the breathtaking coastline of Lake Superior, countless waterfalls, and acres of shady forests. Participants build confidence and strength as hikers while enjoying the beautiful landscapes and lots of group fun throughout the trip.

Porcupine Mountain Backpacking will end a day early directly in Evanston.

Campers on Minnesota Canoe spend eight days paddling and portaging through the Boundary Waters on the border of Minnesota of Canada, an environmentally protected watershed composed of over 1,000 lakes. Campers will start at Camp Echo, arriving via bus or car dropoff and spend the first two days on-site growing as a team and becoming familiar with the equipment and skills required for the trip.

The group heads for Minnesota on Tuesday and begins paddling in the Boundary Waters on Wednesday. The next week is spent “on trail.” By day, participants experience the beauty of waterfalls, rock cliffs, and abundant wildlife including bald eagles and moose. At night, the group enjoys incredible sunsets, dinner around a campfire, and falling asleep beneath a blanket of stars. The group will then get off the water and start their journey home.

Minnesota Canoe I will end a day early directly in Evanston.

Experience the beauty and ruggedness of Isle Royale in this two-week backpacking option. They will then get to enjoy one of our nation’s most underrated national parks, viewing exceptional wildlife, such as abundant moose, and expansive vistas of Lake Superior while backpacking as a group through the trail system on the island. This destination offers the peace and serenity that only a wilderness island can provide. After 7-8 days of hiking, they will depart the island and continue their journey back to Evanston.

Isle Royale Backpacking will end a day early directly in Evanston.

Minnesota Canoe II is an extended paddling trip that provides experienced trippers an opportunity to spend more time honing tripping skills and getting deeper into the wilderness. As a three week program, the group will have a little more time on camp at the start of the trip to prepare for the trip and review maps. Additional time will also be spent in the wilderness, with campers and staff working together to choose the best route through the vast expanses of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

This trip is recommended for trippers who have already completed a two-week wilderness camping program and are ready for a greater challenge.

Campers experience seven memorable and fantastically beautiful days sea kayaking Canada’s Georgian Bay. At the beginning of the trip, the group spends a day with the professional staff at White Squall Paddling Center in Parry Sound, ON, where they learn about paddling technique, water safety, and weather identification. Then they set out for a week of kayaking through the crystal blue waters of Lake Huron. Days on the Bay are spent paddling, swimming, and scouting out jumping rocks.

The North Cascades Backpacking trip is a two week hiking excursion into the North Cascades National Park. This trip offers a chance to explore the unique climate of the Pacific Northwest’s temperate rainforests while hiking in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. With views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and turquoise blue lakes the trip offers views to remember for a lifetime. They will then spend approximately 8 days hiking through the hiking trails surrounding Ross Lake. The group will be hiking up to 10 miles per day in challenging terrain. This trip features portions of steep terrain and challenging climate, offering a chance for participants to have a unique mountain hiking experience.

Leadership training is an integral part of all Camp Echo teen programs. Trip participants can expect to enhance leadership skills in ways similar to participants in Camp Echo’s L.I.T. and C.I.T. programs. Camp Echo trips are designed to teach participants about teamwork, inclusion, relationships, communication, developing others, decision-making and emotional maturity all within a wilderness setting.

All participants entering tenth grade or higher will receive a camper letter, which is a letter from the counselor written directly to the camper (as opposed to a parent letter).  This letter highlights the camper’s strengths as well as opportunities for growth to help teen participants when they later apply to work on staff.  We believe this process of evaluative feedback provides a growth opportunity for teen program participants.

The safety of all Adventure Trip participants is a priority. Emergency safety procedures will be taught during the in-camp training period of each trip and followed while on the trip itself. Appropriate clothing and safety equipment will be worn at all times. Each group follows a pre-arranged itinerary that includes scheduled telephone check-ins. Failure to check in initiates pre-established steps including notification of proper authorities. Each trip will carry necessary emergency equipment, including first aid materials and satellite phones. Despite these precautions, the potential for serious injury remains. However, following the above guidelines and stressing safe behavior can keep these risks to an absolute minimum.

Trip Guides play a key role in the success of our program. All of our guides have been hired for their experience working with youth as well as their specific skills and knowledge of adventure travel. All of our Adventure Trips have at least two staff members. At least one, though often both, members are certified as a Wilderness First Responder and Lifeguard. These guides receive extensive training on camp and in wilderness settings so that they can support all of their groups’ needs, from physical wilderness first aid to providing mental emotional social health support.

Each Adventure Trip has a recommended gear list. Camp Echo provides all group equipment including tents, canoes, paddles, lifejackets, food, stoves and cooking equipment. Participants will have to carry their own equipment and a portion of the group’s food and gear.

Trips are physically and mentally challenging. A challenge well worth it, but does require some preparation to be successful. We encourage Adventure Trip participants to establish a home regimen for building strength and endurance and to be as successful in the new environment as possible. Another option is to sign up for physical conditioning classes at their local YMCA.