Our trips can take you anywhere: dogsledding in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, spelunking in North Carolina, backpacking the Grand Canyon, paddling the Huron River, and more. Whether you want to take off for a couple of hours, a day or a week, let us handle the details—like food, transportation, logistics, trip leaders, and outdoor equipment—while you take in the great outdoors.
Adventure Leadership trips are open to U‑M students, faculty, staff, and the general public. If this is your first trip, please note, that our trips are beginner-friendly, and all gear is provided.
Questions: Call 734-764-3967 or email us at advleadtrips@umich.edu
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First-year students are invited to register for these trips, from simple day trips around Ann Arbor to weekend outings to even longer adventures farther afield! Make friends with other first-year students while participating in experiential, adventure-based activities. All programs are led by upper-level undergraduate or graduate students involved with the Adventure Leadership program.
All gear is provided. Activities will include biking, kayaking, hiking, and more. No experience necessary!
Please note, that First Ascent Trip participants are able to move their belongings into their residence hall prior to the start of their trip.
Check back to this page for updates on this year’s fall 2023 trips.
For questions, email advleadtrips@umich.edu or call (734) 764-3967.
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Do you have an employee group, department or organization that’s looking to get outside and learn a new skill? Whether you’re looking to relax around a campfire with s’mores or work up a sweat cross country skiing, we’re certain our unique activities will help you reconnect and engage together.
Outdoor skills activities are free to Student Life units at the University of Michigan.
Email advleadtrips@umich.edu with the outdoor skill(s) you’re interested in, a preferred date, and your group size.
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Wilderness First Responder courses are designed specifically to meet the needs of wilderness guides, expedition leaders, and anyone traveling in the backcountry with friends or family. This is the industry standard for outdoor professionals and the course you want your friends to have taken before you travel with them. Using the Wilderness Medicine Training Center’s unique Hybrid Course, participants complete a course of study and tests online (Part 1) prior to the start of the practical on-site training (Part 2). This training is focused and thorough. The online portion requires serious study and the in-person portion requires commitment and effort. Refunds are generally not available for those who do not successfully complete the course. Call with questions or for more information at 734-764-3967.
Dates
May 3 – 7, 2022
Price
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Ignite your passion for adventure! The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour will exhilarate you with amazing big-screen stories when it comes to the Michigan Theater, hosted by Adventure Leadership. Journey to exotic locations, paddle the wildest waters and climb the highest peaks.
Michigan Theater @ 603 E Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
$18.00 General | $14.00 Students
(Day of Show – $20.00 General | $16.00 Students)
Let us boost your teen’s summer with a healthy dose of fresh air, forests, and growth!
Recreational Sports Adventure Leadership Camps are packed with opportunities for campers to build courage and independence, develop new friendships, expand their outdoor skillset, and put leadership theories into practice. Campers (ages 13-15) can expect to walk away from a five-day session of Adventure Leadership day camp having engaged in hands-on, mindful activities that include bicycle maintenance, responsible climbing practices, and outdoor survival techniques – all through the lens of experiential learning and leadership development.
Our program is based out of the University of Michigan’s Adventure Education Center, where we invite campers to explore the property’s shaded woodlands, open fields, and peaceful Fleming Creek. Throughout the week, campers will trek and bike to local nature areas to learn orienteering, Leave No Trace principles, wilderness medicine basics, knot tying, fire building, shelter construction, and more. Paddling and challenge course activities will also be included to ensure campers hike out with the confidence and problem-solving skills to enjoy the great outdoors with an informed risk mindset.
Our staff are extensively trained in the philosophy of Challenge By Choice, and are ready to guide teens toward embodying authentic self-expression by establishing an inclusive and supportive space. Each day, campers will have the chance to expand their capacity for resilience through skill building, enhance well-being through mindfulness, and enjoy all the outdoor excitement Ann Arbor has to offer! By connecting body and mind with nature, campers can break away from daily distractions and pressures to live in the present moment and find slices of joy, thrill, and inner peace at Adventure Leadership Camp.
Registration information will be released soon – please ask your camper to fill out this application to be first in line to register for a transformative week of day camp. Only 18 spots are available per week, so submit an application to receive updates!
Cost is $329 per week
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