TRAILHEAD | Water & Mountain
Spend 2 days packrafting the Yellowstone River, concluding with a 4 day/3 night backpacking excursion in Southwest Montana.
Dates: August 23-28, 2026
Grades: Rising 7th - 9th
Group size: min. 8 - max. 12 students/2-3 instructors
Length: 6 Days
Tuition: $2,100
Course Prerequisites
None, just the desire to learn and grow outside!
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Fundamental outdoor skills for traveling in remote environments
Packraft (inflatable kayak) skills
Reading swiftwater and understanding river hazards
Backpacking in Southwest Montana
River and land navigation skills
Sampling multiple forms of outdoor recreation
Community and leadership building
COURSE DESCRIPTION
TRAILHEAD | Water & Mountain combines packrafting and alpine backpacking into one introductory experience for motivated middle school teens. Designed for those eager to build confidence and competence across multiple outdoor disciplines, the course emphasizes exploratory technical skill development and thoughtful decision-making in remote environments. This course is ideal for students with little to no previous backcountry experience.
Spend days one and two in Bozeman and Paradise Valley, exploring the waterways of our backyard. Students will be introduced to packrafting and paddling techniques, reading swiftwater, and identifying hazards while floating sections of the Yellowstone River. Each day, students return home for the night to recharge and prepare for the day ahead.
On day three, students trade in their river shoes for hiking boots, stepping into what it takes to backpack in Montana: packing food and gear, preparing routes, and testing equipment.
Days four through six, students embark on a beginner backpacking trip through the mountains of southwest Montana. There, they put their rapport- and community-building skills to the test as they enter a true backcountry experience. Technical skills learned include backcountry cooking, campcraft, map and compass navigation, and Leave No Trace principles.
For more information about MWS core curriculum and expedition progression, check out Expedition Life. If you have additional questions please check out our FAQ page or reach out to contact us.
Course Skills and Outcomes
TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Learn positive communication skills with diverse group members to create a healthy community, build trust, and make sound decisions in the backcountry together
Develop an expedition philosophy, apply it to the course, and understand how it can transfer back to the student’s home environment
LEAVE NO TRACE® PRINCIPLES
Students will learn the core principles of Leave No Trace®, focusing on how to travel and recreate responsibly in natural spaces
They’ll practice minimizing their impact through smart decision-making around waste, campsites, and wildlife interactions
The course builds awareness of how individual choices affect ecosystems and other visitors
Ultimately, students gain practical skills to help protect wild places for future generations while enjoying meaningful outdoor experiences
BACKCOUNTRY SELF-CARE AND GROUP-CARE
Students will learn essential backcountry self-care skills, including managing personal health, hygiene, nutrition on the trail
They’ll practice recognizing early signs of fatigue and environmental stress and learn how to respond appropriately
Through group care, students develop communication, empathy, and shared responsibility to support one another in a backcountry setting. Together, these skills build confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of teamwork on an introductory backcountry trip
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING AND NAVIGATION SKILLS
Use safe backcountry kitchen practices to cook nutritious meals on a camp stove or fire
Demonstrate an ability to select an appropriate campsite and set up a shelter while minimizing the impact on the ecosystem
Understand and demonstrate how to stay healthy, warm, and comfortable in the backcountry
Understand and demonstrate techniques for camping and traveling in bear habitat
Use various navigation and route-finding tools and methods for on and off trail travel
Travel efficiently in the alpine environment using map and compass skills
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Packrafting, Backpacking
Inflating, deflating, packing and securing equipment in an inflatable packraft
Reading water and understanding hydraulics in swift moving water
Packraft control and paddling skills in swift moving water and rapids
How to prepare and pack for a 3-day backpacking trip
Setting up tents, camping in bear country, and entry-level risk management decision making
Core outdoor skills such as cooking, hygiene, and map & compass navigation through mountainous environments
"I feel that the opportunity that MWS allows for teens is vital for their growth. Learning to trust themselves, working together, and accomplishing goals, as a team and individually, helps to build self-esteem and increase self-worth."
— Parent of 2022 MWS Participant
