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July 12-18, 2026
Learn more about our summer leadership academy for college students
5-Day College-Student Wilderness Rite of Passage
Sierra Nevada | July 12–18
This five-day wilderness rite of passage is a guided experience for young men standing at the threshold between college and the rest of their lives. Set deep in the Sierra Nevada, the program weaves together backpacking, mentorship, and intentional ceremony to help you build real confidence, own your responsibilities, and not just understand, but feel your place in the natural world.
What You’ll Do
Backpack and camp in remote Sierra Nevada terrain
Build real wilderness skills — campcraft, navigation, Leave No Trace
Move through daily hikes, solo time in nature, and group circles
Dig into honest conversations about identity, responsibility, and what it means to step up
Take part in a carefully held rite-of-passage ceremony marking your transition
Build brotherhood through shared meals, campfires, and working together in the wild
What to expect
Experienced and trained mentors who take both physical and emotional safety seriously
Clear daily rhythms that balance movement, learning, rest, and reflection
A real break from your phone and everything competing for your attention
An environment that pushes you toward confidence, self-trust, and genuine respect for the men around you
A meaningful closing circle to integrate what you lived through and name what you're carrying forward