Adventures
_5th-12th grades______
Adventures
Spend 6 to 12 days in the Colorado backcountry with other teens!
Registration for summer 2024 is now open
Our offsite, camping-based Adventures are focused on the development of outdoor skills and leadership while exploring Colorado’s stunning parks, monuments, and most scenic natural environments by foot, on rope, or watercraft.
Students on this expedition should expect to wake up early, carry a heavy backpack, step out of their comfort zone, and support each other through physical and mental challenges.
New Admissions Process
In 2024, we want to improve the quality of each participant’s experience in our Adventure programs. To do this, we will be implementing a more comprehensive admission process to ensure that each participant is placed in a program that is the best fit for that individual. Below are the steps for this process.
See full admissions process
- Families will enroll in their preferred programs
- Families will receive an automatic confirmation email to show that they have been placed in their intended session.
- Families will receive a form that is required to be completed by the participant via email.
- This form must be completed to ensure enrollment in the program
- Failure to complete the form within the designated deadline will result in unenrollment from the program.
- Once the form is complete, the family will receive an email to schedule a phone call with a KSS staff member.
- A KSS staff member will call the family. In this conversation the family has an opportunity to learn more about the program and for KSS to learn more about the participant and support them on their session(s). This conversation will help ensure that participants are enrolled in the most appropriate programming for the individual.
2024
Adventure
Trips
21 Options
Great Sand Dunes N.P.
Dates: June 10-15
Grades: 8-10
Activities: Climbing, Sand Boarding, Rafting & Hiking
All Girls+ Backpacking
Dates: July 8-13
Grades: 8-10
Activities: Rafting, Backpacking
Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park 10-Day
Dates: June 24 – July 3
Grades: 10-12
Activities: Backpacking, Climbing, Rafting Overnight
Skills
No prior experience is necessary. If you have never climbed, rafted, or spent a night out backpacking, it’s ok! Students will be learning and practicing outdoor living skills on every trip.
Backpacking
Learn how to travel in the backcountry & prepare meals.
Environmental Stewardship
We instill principles of outdoor stewardship, to be good stewards of our land.
Paddleboarding
Learn to navigate and move around the lake, or down a lazy river.
Rock Climbing
Climbing requires endurance & agility to overcome the obstacles & puzzles on the route.
Canyoneering
Learn climbing and rappelling techniques, knot-tying skills, & interpreting terrain with a map and compass.
Rafting
We’ll go rafting on some of Colorado’s best rivers, including the Arkansas, Gunnison and Colorado.
Kayaking & Canoeing
Learn to interpret the current, paddling and beaching your craft to explore secluded wilderness areas.
In the words of parents:
“No phones. Dedicated time to focus on self. Reminders about gratitude. Getting in touch with nature. The counselors are strong, sweet, great role models.”
“My kid looks forward to this every year! It is so important for her to get out of her usual routine and meet new people and get a chance to be on her own.”
“We love KSS. The growth our kids have each summer is priceless. Thank you for all the hard work, planning and everything that goes into what you do!”
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Keystone Science School has the power to effect change in outdoor education. We know the trail won’t be easy, yet we remain resolute in our responsibility to press forward and help make the outdoors more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive. With each step we take, we learn from existing footprints and create new ones where there are none. If you’re looking for Keystone Science School, you’ll know where to find us–on the trail.
Leadership Framework
Our Leadership Framework has a foundation of 5 main elements. As students progress through Adventures, they will become familiar with the 5 elements and have opportunities to grow within each. This framework is meant to help instructors identify which elements of leadership are linked to the activities and programs they are leading and how to effectively teach valuable skills through activity facilitation, debrief, and conversation.
