From the trail

Field Notes

Reflections on wilderness education, youth development, and reconnecting to what is sacred and wild

A Grandmother’s Trust, A Young Man’s Transformation

When Candace Keith first heard about Back to Earth, it was through her grandson’s godfather, Steve Snider. He spoke about a program that brought young men into the...

Eli Marienthal

December 3, 2025

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From Reluctant Teen to Wilderness Guide: Ezri’s Back to Earth Journey

When Ezri Mayeri first heard about Back to Earth, he wasn’t interested.“I kind of said yes just to get my mom off my back,” he laughs. “She saw...

Eli Marienthal

November 24, 2025

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Back to Earth receives Meta Local Community Fund grant

Back to Earth was honored to receive a grant this Fall from the Meta Local Community Fund, administered by Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. The MLCF grant, which focuses on...

Eli Marienthal

November 19, 2025

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Everything Is A Ripple | Eli Marienthal TEDx Talk

What are YOU here for?By asking the core questions, "Who are you?" and "What are you here for?" Back to Earth co-founder Eli Marienthal takes us on a...

Eli Marienthal

September 5, 2025

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Tangentially Speaking w/ Christopher Ryan

Listen to the full episode on the Tangentially Speaking substack.Recorded just as the world was going into shutdown in March of 2020, this was a fascinating conversation with...

Eli Marienthal

September 5, 2025

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What we mean by rites of passage

Back to Earth guide Amani Cary Simms presides over a ceremonial river crossing that marked this young woman's graduation from 8th grade.”When we talk about settling the world's...

Eli Marienthal

September 5, 2025

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Why We’re Here. A tribute to Jean Dickinson.

We arrived at the summit around midnight. It was a warm, still night in the dead of Mexican winter. The moon was centered in the velvety black sky,...

Eli Marienthal

March 11, 2019

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Hey Bro: Why wilderness work with young men is more important than ever

Summer 2025 will be our 11th season of WILD, and the work with the young men has never felt more critical.‍As we embark on another season, we take...

Eli Marienthal

March 11, 2019

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Back To Earth: What’s in a Name

Have you ever thought about our name - Back to Earth? Intuitively, I think, we all know what it means. It's a reminder that, although we never really leave...

Eli Marienthal

March 11, 2019

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Alumni Q&A: Gia DePalma

Alumni Q&AEli: Thank you so much for agreeing to share your experience with our wider community. To start, can you just tell us a little bit about your...

Eli Marienthal

March 11, 2019

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