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.
Nordhouse Dunes is a backpack-able gem along lake Michigan. Much less traveled than the world-famous Sleeping Bear Dunes, this area will welcome us for three nights of rustic camping and three days of beautiful hiking. On our last day we’ll drive up to Sleeping Bear and spend a day hiking and playing by the lake.
What’s Included
Transportation and accommodations
All group gear including tents
Meals
Trip leaders
Backpacks, sleeping bags and sleeping pads are available if needed
Not Included
Meals while on the road
Personal Gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
Come hike the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, one of the most beautiful places Michigan has to offer! The park was established for its outstanding natural features, including dunes, beaches, forests, and ancient glacial phenomena on the shores of Lake Michigan. After two nights, we’ll head to the solitude of Wilderness State Park and spend a day on the historic grounds of Mackinac Island. We’ll explore the beautiful island by bike, the preferred method of transportation on car-free Mackinac. This will truly be a trip to remember, in places that beg to be returned to again and again.
What’s Included
Transportation and accommodations
All group gear including tents
Meals
Trip leaders
Backpacks, sleeping bags and sleeping pads are available if needed
Not Included
Meals while on the road
Personal Gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
Join a group of your future classmates for a breath (or two) of fresh air along the pristine and picturesque Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. Exploring the sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, forest and Lake Superior are all highlights of this trip. This wilderness offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to experience an area truly unique to the Midwest. The bulk of the hike follows the coastline atop sandstone cliffs that erupt 200 ft. out of the vast Lake Superior. Upon returning, participants will be able to move their belongings into their residence hall on August 25.
What’s Included
Transportation and accommodations
All group gear including tents
Meals
Trip leaders
Backpacks, sleeping bags and sleeping pads are available if needed
Not Included
Meals while on the road
Personal Gear: Weather appropriate clothing, shoes, toiletries
Pre-Trip Meeting
Via phone prior to trip
First Ascent
The First Ascent program provides incoming U‑M freshmen with an opportunity to connect with fellow freshmen in small groups for camping, hiking, paddling and exploring the state’s natural areas. Casual campfire discussions are led by upper-level undergrads or grad students and center around the transition to college and all things U‑M. The goal of First Ascent is to help participants grow in self-esteem, self-reliance and confidence—and to have a great time!
All gear is provided. No experience is necessary.
We’ve worked with University Housing to coordinate our First Ascent trips with move-in. If your trip starts in late August and ends on an official move-in date, you can move your belongings in to your room before the trip begins.
For questions, email advleadtrips@umich.edu or call (734) 764-3967.
Camps
Adventure Leadership Camps are packed with opportunities for your teen (ages 11–15) to cultivate wonder, gain confidence and independence, and develop leadership skills. Adventure Leadership Camps utilize the experiential learning model—focusing on each camper’s personal growth as the week goes on. Campers will explore high-adventure challenges, embark on field trips near and far, become actively involved in the community, and make new friendships.
All camp sessions take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Adventure Education Center at 1120 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Drop-off will occur at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up will end at 4:30 p.m.
To reserve your child’s spot, call the Adventure Leadership Rental Center at (734) 764-3967. The deadline to register is Thursday, June 30, 2019.
Prepare to embark on new heights! Campers will spend the week learning the basics of climbing—from knot tying to proper belay techniques—and will bring their new skills to practice on high-rope courses and climbing walls. As the week comes to a close, campers will take a trip to the Grand Ledge to put their skills to the test!
Campers will dive in, literally, to all that nature has to offer. Each day, campers will embrace different elements of nature—tubing down cascades, learning about animal rehabilitation at the Howell Nature Center, or making their own fishing rods to use at our on-site river and pond. Campers will gain new skills that increase their personal connection to the outdoors.
Learn essential nature survival skills through a week of hands-on experiences that inspire thinking outside the box. Campers will explore local parks to learn orienteering, Leave No Trace practices, fire-building, and other nature skills. We add archery, kayaking, and high-adventure climbing to ensure campers will leave with the confidence to take on the great outdoors.
Cost: $275
Become an Intern
For Interested Candidates
Adventure Leadership is an outdoor, activity-based, experiential learning and leadership development program. You will guide trips and facilitate team building programs, providing participants opportunities to explore leadership, organizational behavior, group development, and the environment using adventure education practices and outdoor recreation principles. In addition to hands-on experiences, you will design and complete a project of your own that takes into account your unique strengths, passions, and ambitions. For example, your project might address underserved populations; build a relationship with a key stakeholder; or create a new exercise, element or initiative for team building. No matter what your career aspirations may be, the skills and experience gained during this internship will be powerful and highly valued in all areas of your life, personal or professional.
2019 Internship Hiring, Training and Employment Timeline
The following dates are required for all potential interns. Please disclose any conflicts in the application.
January 28, 2019 Applications Due
January 30, 2019 Interview Invitations Sent
February 13, 2019 @ 7PM– 8:30PM Interview Session I
February 20, 2019 @ 7PM – 8:30PM Interview Session II
February 27, 2019 @ 7PM – 9PM Final Interview Session
March 6, 2019 Internship Offers Sent
March 15, 2019 Deadline for Internship Acceptance
March 30, 2019 @ 9AM – 5PM Facilitation Training I
March 31, 2019 @ 9AM – 5PM Facilitation Training II
April 3, 2019 @ 6:30PM – 9:30PM Facilitation Training III
April 10, 2019 @ 6:30PM – 9:30PM Facilitation Training IV
April 17, 2019 @ 6:30PM – 9:30PM Facilitation Training V
May 6 – 10, 2019 Wilderness First Responder Training
May 15 – 17, 2019 Trip Leader Training
May 22 & May 23, 2019 @ 9AM – 5PM Low Element Training
May 29 & 30, 2019 @ 9AM – 5PM High Adventure Training
May 31 & June 1, 2019 by appointment Skill Verification Days
June 5, 2019 – September 4, 2019 Wednesday Evening Bi-Weekly In-Service Trainings
August 24 – 31, 2019 Peak Week – MANDATORY
Expected Time Commitment
May 13, 2019 – September 2, 2019 Minimum 15 hours/week (maximum 40) as assigned
September 3, 2019 – November 30, 2019 Additional hours available based on program schedule
Compensation
$9.45/hour
Application
Please respond to the following prompts with a short paragraph (2-3 sentences). Attach your resume and your responses in a document and email to Jessa Lytle, Assistant Director, at jessal@umich.edu.
What do you hope to gain as a member of the AL Internship 2019 Cohort?
Do you have prior experience working in an adventure, education, outdoor recreation, experiential learning, or challenge program? Please list any skills, qualifications, and/or certifications you possess as they apply to this type of work.
Please share an example of a time you felt outside of your comfort zone.
Please list any dates/times that conflict with the internship timeframe. This information will be used to create each intern’s individual schedule, so please be as thorough as possible. Examples include but are not limited to: class, family vacation, study abroad programs, research expectations, part time job hours, other commitments, etc.
Each trip follows a different set of policies and guidelines. We typically cover this information in our mandatory pre-trip meetings. These meetings are held a few days before your trip; if you have questions at any time, contact us.