Wilderness

Adventure and service work within the wilderness setting are an important part of our students’ work and growth at Santiam Crossing. Through adventure and recreation in the wilderness, students continue to receive the benefits experienced during their wilderness therapy expedition, finding excitement, courage, success, and the valuable lessons and spiritual connection that is inherent to all healing and change.

Two to three weekends out of every month students participate in a high adventure wilderness experience such as mountain biking, rock climbing, horsemanship or whitewater rafting. One of these weekends includes a service learning component. Caring for the environment through volunteer service work allows students to increase their awareness and understanding of the need to preserve and protect the wild places that have helped them to grow, learn, and heal. Accepting stewardship and responsibility within the various service work projects, helps students recognize the important relationship that they have with the community.

Adventure Weeks One week each quarter, students take part in an Adventure Week. These experiential adventure trips allow students the opportunity to practice their leadership abilities, learn the skills of a particular adventure activity in depth, and refocus on the basics. In addition, students practice both self-reliance and group reliance, and garner both emotional and physical growth.

Recent adventure week trips: Klamath River Rafting Expedition Backcountry Horse Packing in the Cascade Mountains Salmon River Expedition Sea Kayaking in the San Juan Islands Deschutes River Rafting Rock Climbing in northern California

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find resources of strength that will endure as long as life lasts." --Rachel Carson