Gates Magazine...                  

GET ADVENTUROUS!!

OUTWARD BOUND

"Every time I head out on a new adventure I am declaring that my old life is over, that it's time for a new start--a passage, if you will, from the old me to the new me I know I can be." --Mark Udall, Executive Director

Whether you are between semesters, taking a break from school, about to enter a new career, or thinking about employment in an outdoor field, Outward Bound is an adventurous place to be. You can look forward to developing wilderness skills, experiencing rugged adventure, environmental learning, and working with participants from across the nation.

Outward Bound instructors closely supervise students until they demonstrate the competency and confidence needed for greater self-reliance. This process is an integral part of the Outward Bound experience. It is an important step in the passage to adulthood--becoming responsible for yourself and for your companions.

Student safety is Outward Bound's number one priority and is woven through every one of their activities. While risk is an inherent part of all wilderness adventures, their record of safety is unparalleled in the outdoor industry. Statistically, it is safer for a student to attend Outward Bound than to stay home for the summer.

The mission of Outward Bound is to enhance individual character, promote self-discovery, and challenge students to cultivate self-reliance, leadership, fitness, compassion, and service through exceptional wilderness education.

Underlying all Outward Bound courses is an awareness that education, be it at home, work, in the classroom, or the wilderness, is a critical ongoing pursuit for human growth and development. Their courses are not only significant learning opportunities in and of themselves, they also are designed to help each student recognize how dramatic and positive education in any environment can be.

Outward Bound was founded in 1941 in Aberdovey, Wales by progressive educator Kurt Hahn and Sir Lawrence Holt, owner of the Blue Funnel shipping line. The school was an immediate success. Now, at 44 schools around the globe, students and adults have discovered abilities within themselves that can be awakened through rigorous physical challenge, adventure, hands-on learning, teamwork, and serious self-reflection.

The Colorado Outward Bound School, one of five Outward Bound schools in America, was found in 1961 to offer adventure-based outdoor education in the rugged western wilderness. Since its founding, the school has helped more than 80,000 people (from age 14 to 70, about 20% ages 18 to 21) discover the great stores of energy, talent, and promise they possess.

Colorado Outward Bound School provides a perfect example of the Outward Bound experience available to adventurous college students. 23-day Leadership Mountaineering is the signature Outward Bound experience. The combination of altitude, rugged terrain, course length, and depth of skills learned has a proven chemistry that works. Letters and comments from alumni, parents, teachers, admissions, and employment officers all reflect that Outward Bound does indeed help students improve their self-confidence, willingness to accept personal responsibility, leadership, compassion, and appreciation of the wilderness.

Other Colorado Outward Bound courses include: an 83-day Spring and Fall Leadership Semester; a 50-day Summer Leadership Semester; multi-length alpine mountaineering courses; multi-length winter ski mountaineering courses; multi-length desert and canyon exploration courses; 17- and 23-day multi-environment courses; whitewater river exploration courses; international courses; sea kayaking; and much more.

"Outward Bound changed me and pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of accomplishing. It has given me a new sense of pride and self-reliance. One thing that astonished me was how quickly our patrol became friends and how freely we discussed various subjects with trust and compassion. With the right challenges, friends can be easily made even in short periods of time." --Rae Golding, age 20

"Reaching the summit of Mellenthin Peak and being able to see for miles, waking up to watch the sunrise from the top of Cedar Mesa, finishing a twelve mile run having pushed myself further than I ever believed possible. . .I learned the extent to which my limits can be stretched. I will now direct my life as a personal adventure into the wilderness of life and my inner self." --Catherine Burnett, age 21, Student, Princeton University

"She encouraged us to give more than we thought we could, and that sometimes it's ok to have a lapse in effort when we've given our all, as long as we didn't give up; as long as we persevered toward our goal. She showed us to look within ourselves sometimes to find the questions and answers to our problems and to use that information."--Gina Vitelli, age 23, Medical Student

"High adventure is living. It's aggressive instead of passive living. You don't lie back and let it happen to you, you exert some influence over your life. And in so doing, you become more fully human."--Janet Guthrie

"People come to Outward Bound because they are looking for something. We may not know what they are looking for. They may not know what they are looking for. But miraculously, when we do our job, they get it." --Huck Truitt, Program Director Colorado Outward Bound School

If you are enrolled in a college or university, it is likely that you can obtain undergraduate credit for Outward Bound. Most advisors know about our programs and can contact Outward Bound for information and references.

CONTACTS

Outward Bound USA--800/243-8520

Colorado Outward Bound School--800/477-2627

Hurricane Island Outward Bound School--800/341-1744

North Carolina Outward Bound School--800/627-5971

Pacific Crest Outward Bound School--800/547-3312

Voyageur Outward Bound School--800/328-2943

ADVENTUROUS IDEAS

Adventure travel is now a $30 billion industry, with more than 8,000 outfitters catering to the wishes of adventurous students. Contact the Adventure Travel Society at 303/649-9016 or Sobek at 800/227-2384.

Bungee jumping is still one of the highest adventure rushes around. You'll find bungee businesses almost everywhere, but one of the meccas is West Virginia's New River Gorge Bridge on "Bridge Day" each fall. Call 800/CALL WVA.

Extreme skiing and snowboarding are the hot sports for the snow set. Almost every major ski resort now offers some very steep and challenging terrain and some even offer heli-skiing. Many ski mountains also offer excellent instructional courses for budding snowboarders.

Mountain biking is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation. The fat tires allow bikers to get adventurous in rough terrain. Stop by your local bike shop for an introduction to the sport and bike trails in your area. For bike trips, call Backroads at 800/462-2848.

Rock climbing is for those who want to get to the top of a mountain because it's there. Climbing a rock face is challenging, exhilerating, and often beautiful. To learn more about this sheer adventure, contact the International Alpine School at 303/494-4904.

Sailing into the horizon is an adventurous dream for many students. Set sail with the Annapolis Sailing School, 800/638-9192.

Scuba diving is a great way to explore the wonderful world below sea level. It's easy to learn to dive and to get certified for diving in adventurous locations throughout the world. Contact the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) at 714/540-7234.

Whitewater kayaking and canoeing are now an Olympic sports and an adventurous way to get wet in the great outdoors. From Class I riffles to Class VI torrents, there are whitewater rivers to run throughout the world. To learn whitewater paddling at a mecca, call the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina at 704/488-2175. For a taste of whitewater, join a whitewater river rafting trip.

PRESCOTT COLLEGE

Rock climbing up a granite face is obviously very physical. It is also intellectual, and even spiritual. Real learning is more than the struggle for facts and genuine education is more than a preparation for economic survival.

Prescott College in Arizona has created a positive alternative to traditional education. Students become self-directed, creative, and competent in their chosen fields. They learn through real experiences in internships, hands-on research in the wilderness, as well as in classrooms. In cooperation with an outstanding faculty, students work in such interdisciplinary fields as Environmental Studies, Cultural and Regional Studies, Human Development, Humanities, Outdoor Leadership, and many others.

Prescott College is in the pine-clad mountains of central Arizona. The education journey of Prescott's students may take them to remote parts of the Grand Canyon, the Sea of Cortez, the mountains of Colorado, and to many other parts of the world. Contact Prescott College at 602/778-2090.