Teen Leadership Expedition — Alaska, Backpacking

The Alaska – Backpacking teen leadership expedition is a 12-day wilderness adventure during which you’ll participate in backpacking and camping activities – while learning how to travel in the outdoors on a multi-day backcountry course.

You’ll visit a variety of areas while you explore the Chucagh National Forest and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Along the way, you’ll explore the rugged ridges of these mountain areas as you practice the basics of camp setup, backpacking, and other outdoor skills.

We’ll be living in tents and enjoying our evenings in different areas most nights, identifying the stars and sharing highlights of our learning.

We offer this course in a variety of locations and during different periods throughout the summer to accommodate the destination and schedule that works best for you. You can also explore the Pacific Northwest or North Carolina on a 12-day summer expedition!

This course is best suited to those who want to challenge on a memorable summer adventure!

You do not need to be an “Ironman” to participate in this course. That said, you will be required to carry your own pack, with your own gear and some group gear. While backpacking, your pack will weigh between 30 and 40 pounds at any given time, while hiking over rugged terrain.

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 age for this course is 15-17 year olds.

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.

Your tuition with NCOAE covers all major costs related to your room, board, and lodging, except when specified in the itinerary. Each student should bring a small amount of spending money for personal items; such as souvenirs, extra snacks, and gifts.

Since we will be carrying all of our food, 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.

If you are flying, please plan to arrive at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) on the day of your course, no later than 10:00am Pacific Time. A staff member from NCOAE will greet your child at the airport’s baggage claim area, sign them in for their course, collect any medications they may have, and do a bag check to ensure they have everything they need for their course.

To assist your child, you can view the map of ANC — including the location of the baggage claim areas — online at https://dot.alaska.gov/anc.

If dropping your child off or picking your child up at the conclusion of their course, please contact us for alternative drop-off and pick-up locations.

Please note: If you may need to fly into ANC the day before the course starts or if dropping off the day before the course’s start date, please contact us for alternative drop-off date, time, location, and cost.