Adult Leadership Expedition — Pacific Northwest, Backpacking & Whitewater

The Pacific Northwest – Adult Leadership Expeditions is a 25-day program that takes you to the Pacific Northwest, where you’ll learn the skills needed to travel to pristine destinations around the world. You’ll learn about paddling, backpacking, backcountry cooking, wilderness camping, environmental sustainability, leadership, communications, decision-making, and more!

Our course will begin and end at our basecamp, located on the banks of the Deschutes River in Maupin, OR. Accommodations for the majority of the course are in the backcountry and in wilderness settings. We’ll be living in tents and enjoying our evenings in different areas most nights, identifying the stars and sharing highlights of our learning.

WFR training includes instruction that combines technical medical skills and hands-on scenarios. Most graduates insist that the most important parts of the Wilderness First Responder course are the “real life” scenarios that challenged them to use their newly developed medical skills outside the classroom. While the curriculum is demanding, our NCOAE instructors are some of the best in the industry. Our instructors will work with you to ensure you thoroughly understand each concept during the course, because they want you to succeed.

We offer Adult Leadership Expeditions in a variety of locations and during different periods throughout the year to accommodate the destination and schedule that works best for you. You can also explore Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina , Patagonia, and Ecuador at various times of the year.

No. Previous experience is not required. NCOAE will teach you all the basics you need to know to thrive in the wilderness, and then let you apply them among your group of peers. We will train you in the skills necessary to become a competent wilderness leader.

While there are no predetermined distances, you may travel several miles one day and none the next. You will learn to embrace and appreciate the unknown and unexpected.

In addition to WFR trainings, you will engage in a wide range of experiential wilderness activities focused on outdoor technical skills, leadership skills, and environmental sustainability, including map and compass, wilderness navigation, expedition planning, paddling, backpacking, camp craft, backcountry cooking, kayaking and wilderness risk management. Specific time is included for relaxing and enjoying nature, journaling, and reflecting in solitude.

Yes. NCOAE provides all necessary group gear and food, but you will want, or be required, to bring certain items for yourself. We encourage you to contact NCOAE with all of your gear questions as early as possible. Start planning now by viewing the NCOAE pack list for this course.

Physical preparation depends on your fitness level. You don’t need to be a triathlete to participate, but you will be responsible for carrying your own equipment and some of the group gear while maintaining a positive attitude. The backpacking section will require you to carry 40 pounds or more over rough and rugged terrain, through various environments. The paddling sections will require sitting and paddling for long periods of time and walking on rugged, slippery shorelines or through the water while carrying or pulling your boat.

Each group has two or three instructors and eight to 12 students. We maintain an instructor-to-student ratio of no less than one instructor for every six students.

The average age range for this course is 19-27 years old.

Your tuition with NCOAE covers all major costs related to your room, board, and lodging, except when specified in the itinerary. You may request an optional meal out when we are in an urban area, which you would need to pay for separately. Additionally, you’ll need to budget a small stipend for your personal items, including souvenirs, extra snacks, and gifts

Since we will be carrying all of our food with us, we’ll be eating many of the items that begin in their dehydrated forms; water weight is not something we want to carry. Expect meat, vegetables, fruits, grains, and even fresh baked bread and pizza! Of course, you’ll be making them all from scratch — learning to cook backcountry gourmet on the trail.

Part of every NCOAE course is the solo experience. You will have the opportunity to spend a set number of days alone in the backcountry to meet your personal needs and desired outcomes.

Additionally, you will have the free time on re-supply days, in-between expedition portions of your course. You can use this time to run errands, do laundry, or spend some time alone relaxing and preparing for the next leg of your course.

Because each NCOAE course is different, you may find that you would like to link a variety of courses together. If that is the case, please give us a call, and we can help you decide the best combination of skill progression and destinations to align with your objectives. It’s always an adventure!

We know that an entire semester isn’t feasible for everyone, but we still want to share the magic of the Pacific Northwest with you. For the 25-day Adult Leadership Expedition, we combine the highlights of the river and the mountains with our noteworthy Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course. This shorter, more intense course allows for a wide variety of activities, while providing opportunities to explore the best of the Pacific Northwest wilderness. If you are struggling with the idea that a month may be too short, we suggest you consider joining us for a Gap Year / Semester course.

At this time, we do not offer financial aid.  However, if you are a college student you may be able to use your existing federal financial aid to help pay for your course, and you may receive college credits through a consortium agreement with NCOAE. If you are attending a college or university as part of a degree granting program, your advisor can determine whether your school will accept and transfer academic credits for participating in NCOAE courses from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. If it does, consult your financial aid office to determine if, how, and which funds may be used toward your NCOAE course costs. For more information on the consortium agreement process, contact studentservices@ncoae.org.