Teen Leadership Expedition — North Carolina, Backpacking & Whitewater

The North Carolina – Backpacking & Whitewater Paddling teen leadership expedition is a 12-day wilderness adventure during which you’ll participate in backpacking and kayaking 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 Blue Ridge Mountains, New River, and Pisgah National Forest. Along the way, you’ll explore the rugged ridges of these mountain areas as you practice the basics of camp setup, backpacking, whitewater paddling, 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 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.

Arrival: Check-in will be between 10:00am – 10:30am ET at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education campus at 9809 River Rd., Wilmington, NC 28412. Programming will begin promptly at 10:00am. NCOAE staff will sign your student in, do a temperature check, collect any medication, and do a bag check to ensure your student has all needed items for the trip. After check-in is complete, you may depart.

If flying, please plan to arrive at Wilmington International Airport (ILM) on the day of your course, no later than 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A staff member from NCOAE will greet your child at the airport’s baggage claim area and provide transportation to NCOAE’s campus in Wilmington for check-in. To assist your child, you can view the map of ILM — including the location of the baggage claim areas — online at https://flyilm.com.

If you prefer booking a direct flight from the airport nearest to your home and the airlines do not offer a direct flight into Wilmington (ILM) from your location, NCOAE will provide a shuttle service to and from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), which offers the most direct flights into and out of North Carolina. Should you opt to fly your child directly to RDU, your child must arrive one (1) day prior to the course’s start date. And if flying directly to RDU, your child’s arrival time must be between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. the day before their course begins.

*Note about shuttle service and early arrival: NCOAE will charge a fee of $550 for shuttle service to and from RDU. Additionally, there will be a charge of $175 per student for arrivals the day before the course start date.

Departure: Student pick-up will be from 12:00pm-2:00pm ET on the last day of the course at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education campus at 9809 River Rd., Wilmington, NC 28412.

If flying, out of ILM, plan to have your child’s flight depart no earlier than 2:00pm ET on the day their course ends.

If flying, out of RDU, plan to have your child’s flight depart no earlier than 4:00pm ET on the day their course ends.

If choosing to pick your child up at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, please contact our office for time, location, procedure, and any additional cost that may apply.