By Alumnus Samuel Kim, Family Course, 2017 “Close your eyes,” said Nora. “Now, I want you to think about why you selected this course and what you experienced and learned since Wednesday.” Sitting in a circle with others in the woods... READ MORE

By Alumna Taylor Sinason, Instructor Development Course, 2016 After a long night of relentless rain, my crew mates and I lowered the bear-hang in the first morning light to share one last breakfast together. The presence of solo was looming... READ MORE

By Alumna and Prior Instructor, Deb Caughron, 1983 “There was nobody to talk to except myself and the creek.  The creek was constantly talking back so I could hardly get a word in.” —John G. Thomas, Jr., Crew Journal Entry,... READ MORE

By Alumna and Prior Instructor, Deb Caughron, 1983 “There was nobody to talk to except myself and the creek.  The creek was constantly talking back so I could hardly get a word in.” —John G. Thomas, Jr., Crew Journal Entry,... READ MORE

By Alumnus Kyle Roncagli, 22-day Blue Ridge Backpacking Course, 2016 During the summer going into my Senior year of high school, I went on a 22-day backpacking course in the Pisgah National Forest with Outward Bound. I went into the... READ MORE

By Alumna Val Leeper, Professionals Program, 2016 I’m not completely sure how any of us thinks we actually know something. How we definitively have it in our pocket. And that isn’t a cynical statement any more than it’s the first... READ MORE

By Alumnus Henry Cox, American Explorers Program Hello, I’m Henry Cox, a sophomore at Charles R Drew Charter School, and I spent two weeks in the summer of 2015 backpacking with Outward Bound in North Carolina. I came to Outward Bound through... READ MORE

By Alumni Allan Bassler, 28-day Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking Course, 1987 It was with a strange mixture of sadness, pride and relief that I hugged my son in the airport. At age 18, he was shipping off to Navy boot camp.... READ MORE

By Alumni Allan Bassler, 28-day Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking Course, 1987 My Outward Bound experience happened in pre-GPS days, a 28-day course in the mid-1980s. They taught us wilderness navigation using paper maps and a compass. Our main experience was hiking. ... READ MORE