LEVEL ONE: Introductory trips to learn outdoor and leadership skills while exploring the most beautiful parts of Washington.

Beyond City Limits: A Rock Climbing Road Trip

6/28–7/3 or 8/2-7

Currently in 6th to 8th Grade

$375/$550/$850*

Learn to climb among the cliffs and spires of Washington. No experience required! This “Best Of” road trip travels to the most spectacular climbing areas in the State where you will test your limits on classic rock climbing routes.  Along the way you will hike up canyons and mountain peaks, explore caves and forests, build campfires, and cool off in mountain streams. Rock Climbing is the perfect activity to challenge yourself and learn how to achieve the impossible.  The June expedition will escape the rain in the mountains of Eastern WA and the August expedition cools off in the forests and streams of Western WA. 

Olympic Coastal Hiking & Goofing Off     

7/5-11 or 8/15–21

Currently in 6th to 8th Grade

$375/$550/$850*

This journey is simply magic! A land of barking seals, massive trees, and constant waves-- the Olympic coast and the Pacific Ocean make the perfect classroom for this backpacking and goofing off expedition.  You will start in the rainforest and hike down the beach, where you may see eagles and seals and explore tide-pools filled with marine life. You will camp each night just above the beach, body surf in the waves, watch dramatic sunsets and share stories around a campfire. You also will be faced with goofing off challenges such as driftwood fort building and raft construction, capture the flag, and camouflage.  No outdoor experience needed. 

Alpine Lakes Fishing & Backpacking

Currently in 6th to 8th Grade: 7/11-17 or 8/22-28

Currently in 8th to 11th Grade: 7/11-17     $375/$550/$850*

High in the Cascade Mountains there is a land of clear mountain lakes full of fish, meadows filled with wildflowers, and snow capped peaks called the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This will be your classroom as you learn the basics of backpacking and fishing. You will hike through old growth forests, cool off in alpine lakes, fish for trout in mountain streams, and develop your leadership skills in workshops and in practice as you manage the team for a day. After taking on the challenge of the wilderness you will know you can overcome any obstacle placed before you.

Ghost Town of the Cascades

7/18-23        

Currently in 6th to 8th Grade         

$350/$525/$750*

Hidden deep in the heart of the Cascade Mountains are the remains of the town of Monte Cristo.  Once the largest gold and silver mine in Washington with thousands of miners and their families, the town is now abandoned.  This backpacking expedition explores the town and the stories that remain.  You will travel across railroads long overgrown, camp in the old town square, hike up the mountains to the mines and alpine lakes, and tell stories around the campfire.  The ghosts are waiting.  Are you ready?

Pacific Crest Backpacking and Photography

7/25-31                           

Currently in 6th to 8^th Grade 

$375/$550/$850*

The Pacific Crest is the highest part of the Cascade Mountains.  A land of stunning beauty, jagged peaks, and alpine meadows, this area is perfect for learning the essentials of backpacking and outdoor photography (cameras provided).  Working with professional photographers and mountain guides you will learn how to navigate across this beautiful landscape and record your travels in clear, crisp video and photos (like the one above).  You will be challenged hiking up the steep trails and mountain peaks, but after you reach the top of the Pacific Crest and capture images of this incredible landscapes you will know it was worth it.

The Cascade Challenge

8/8–12

Currently in 5th to 8th Grade

$325/$500/$750*

Fishing! Hiking! Camping! The challenge and beauty of the Cascade Mountains awaits. No experience necessary! This backpacking expedition travels through the gorgeous Alpine Lakes Wilderness where you will learn the essentials of hiking and outdoor living. You will travel through old growth forests, dip in alpine lakes, fish in mountain streams, and learn how to cook over a camp stove. You will be challenged, but with a willingness to try your best you will accomplish the amazing.

LEVEL TWO: These longer trips are more challenging, more technical, and provide greater opportunities to develop leadership skills.

The Great Canadian Rock Climbing and Rafting Adventure

7/19-30

Currently in 8th-12th Grade     

$550/$850/$1350*

For this expedition we sought out the best place to do the most rock climbing, learn the most climbing skills, and climb the longest routes we do at BOLD.  This challenging expedition travels to the legendary cliffs and rivers of British Columbia, Canada where you will learn all aspects of rock climbing from the fundamentals to the more advanced climbing techniques all while you develop a strong foundation in multicultural leadership and outdoor living.  These skills are then tested at the end of this expedition when your team takes a whitewater rafting trip down the Squamish River.  No climbing experience needed.  Birth certificate and photo ID required to cross the Canadian Border.

Backpacking, Fishing & Leadership

7/31- 8/13                   

Currently in 8th-12thGrade

$575/$850/$1350*

Last summer BOLD fishing expeditions explored parts of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness for the first time.  What they found was a land of staggering beauty, with long trails on mountain ridges, crystal clear lakes filled with fish, and beautiful mountain vistas.  This expedition attempts to traverse this wilderness.  Starting at Stevens Pass and ending at Snoqualmie you will travel from lake to lake, learning all aspects of backpacking, fishing and outdoor living. You will be challenged often and in doing so will develop your leadership and communication skills, skills that you will put into practice as you manage the team for a day.  This expedition does the most fishing and has the strongest leadership focus.

Backpacking, Rock Climbing & Leadership

8/16–8/29                    

Currently in 8th-12^th Grade

$550/$850/$1350*

The challenge, glory and beauty of the Cascade Crest come together on this exciting mountaineering adventure! You will venture high into the Cascades to work with veteran climbing guides learning the skills necessary to safely travel in the mountains. As the journey progresses you will have an opportunity to summit peaks, learn how to rock climb, and develop the multi-cultural leadership skills necessary to thrive in college and beyond. This is one of the most physically challenging expeditions BOLD offers, but also one of the most rewarding. Do you have what it takes?

LEVEL THREE: The challenging peak of BOLD expeditions.

Mt. Olympus: A Heroic Journey

6/26–7/6

Currently in 9th-12th Grade    

$650/$900/$1350*

Mt. Olympus, the mythic home of the gods, is a high and icy fortress in the heart of the Olympic Mountains. This Alumni only mountaineering expedition will attempt to climb this peak, the highest in the range. This is the most challenging expedition at BOLD. Long days, big mountains, terrible weather. Glory upon return.

*Realizing that families have different abilities to pay we have created a voluntary three-tier fee program. The highest tier represents the actual cost of the program and the lowest tier represents the subsidized cost of the program.  You many choose the tier that is most suitable for your family. 

To register download the pre-registration form and mail or fax it to Andrew Jay at the Metrocenter YMCA.

A sunset on the Olympic coast.

Learn to backpack and take stunning photos like these on the Olympic Coast. 

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness has some of the most spectacular fishing in Washington.  Come experience the glory with our skilled staff.

 All of our expeditions have a lot of goofing off, in addition to our leadership and environmental curriculum, but the Olympic Coastal Hike has by far the most