Wild Waters Mountaineers

Some experiences teach you things about yourself that a classroom never could. Wild Waters — our new high school outdoor adventure program — is built around that idea.

Over the course of the week, 9th–12th graders take on two of the most remarkable water adventures in the region. First, a canoe expedition along the French Broad River, one of the Southeast’s most scenic paddling rivers, where campers travel with experienced guides, camp along the water’s edge overnight, and experience the kind of stillness that invites real reflection before continuing downstream the next day. Then, whitewater rafting on a nearby river — a rapid-by-rapid lesson in reading a situation, trusting your crew, making quick decisions, and discovering that you can handle more than you thought. Back at camp, campers take on our challenge tower, adding another dimension of physical and mental challenge to the week.

What sets this program apart isn’t just the adventure — it’s what the adventure asks of you. Every element of Wild Waters is designed to develop the skills that define great leaders: communication, risk assessment, resilience, and the ability to stay calm and focused when things get hard. Experienced counselors walk alongside campers not just as guides but as mentors, creating space for honest conversation about who campers are and who they want to become.

Wild Waters is for the high schooler who is ready to be stretched — and ready to lead.

Campers are housed in platform tents or cabins when not on the river campout.