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Group of people in a forest, sitting and standing on a fallen tree, smiling and posing for a photo.

create a custom program or retreat

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design your own outdoor education experience


Want to create a meaningful experience for your school or community? Whether you are dreaming of a backpacking expedition in the high sierra or glamping at a retreat center, want a full weekend of programming or just support to bring your offering to life, let’s talk about what’s on your mind, and how Back to Earth can make it happen!

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Two males chopping wood outdoors, one with an axe and the other holding a saw, near a wooden structure and pile of logs, surrounded by trees.
Two young males chopping firewood outdoors, with logs and woodpile nearby, under a wooden shelter.

summer bridge
& bte clubs

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weave the magic of BTE into your school

Our Summer Bridge program offers a private backpacking journey exclusively for students from your school. This shared experience builds deep bonds, fosters personal growth, and sends students back to campus carrying the spirit and culture of Back to Earth.


Back to Earth Clubs bring the essence of our programs to your school with guide-led sessions that spark nature connection and leadership development right where you are.

ParTners & clIents

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Group of children and teenagers outdoors on a grassy hillside, writing in notebooks with backpacks nearby, in a mountainous area with green hills in the background.
A group of children outdoors in a grassy field on a sunny day, some looking down at notebooks or tablets, with mountains and greenery in the background.
Graphic logo for the website 'the east bay school' with stylized text and design elements.

The East Bay School (formerly the East Bay School for Boys) is a non-profit independent middle school in Berkeley, CA. Back to Earth has anchored EBS’s outdoor education program since 2016, producing end of year outdoor retreats and camping trips all over Northern California. From sweat lodges with native elders, to backpacking in Pt Reyes, to tubing on the Yuba River, Back to Earth has been a core partner in scaffolding a multi-year outdoor education program for all EBS students.

Group of children outdoors in a grassy field, writing in notebooks with mountains in the background.
Group of children and teenagers standing outdoors in a grassy field with hills in the background, writing or drawing on paper or notebooks.
Illustration of the logos for the Easy Bay School District and the East Bay.

The East Bay School (formerly the East Bay School for Boys) is a non-profit independent middle school in Berkeley, CA. Back to Earth has anchored EBS’s outdoor education program since 2016, producing end of year outdoor retreats and camping trips all over Northern California. From sweat lodges with native elders, to backpacking in Pt Reyes, to tubing on the Yuba River, Back to Earth has been a core partner in scaffolding a multi-year outdoor education program for all EBS students.

Children and adults swimming and playing in a rocky river with clear water and large rocks.
Children and teenagers enjoying swimming and playing in a natural river, surrounded by rocks and greenery.
Logo for Lodestar, a Lighthouse Community Public School

Lodestar Academy is a public charter school in the Sobrante Park neighborhood of East Oakland. Back to Earth works with middle school and high school boys from Lodestar at our land base in Nevada County, CA, creating programs focused on culture-building, harm reduction, and the healing power of time in nature

Group of people crafting floral arrangements at a long table outdoors under a wooden pavilion, with trees and a clear sky in the background.
Group of people gathered under a wooden shelter, making flower arrangements with sunflowers and other flowers at a long table outdoors.
Part of a school logo with the word "CRYSTAL" and a blue arch.

Crystal Springs is an independent school serving grades 6-12 at its Belmont and Hillsborough campuses. Back to Earth produces Crystal’s beginning of year 12th grade overnight retreat, as well as a variety of mindfulness, leadership development and culture-building workshops and overnight retreats for student leaders and the professional adult community.

A group of people sitting in a circle outdoors on dry grass, with trees in the background, participating in a discussion or activity.
Group of people sitting in a circle on dry grass outdoors, listening to a person in the center discussing something, with trees in the background.
KIPP public schools Northern California logo in black and white.

KIPP Esperanza High School is a public charter school in East Palo Alto, CA, and Back to Earth’s inaugural WILD Summer Bridge partner. Through that program, KIPP Esperanza students spend multiple weekends outdoors in the Spring, building towards a seven day backpacking trip in Tahoe National Forest. Alumni from the summer trip join a Back to Earth club at school, where they continue to integrate their experience, use it as part of their college application process, and onboard the next generation of KIPP Esperanza outdoor leaders.

Group of children and a woman on a hiking trip in mountainous area with snow-capped peaks, some sitting on rocks and others standing, reading and talking.
Group of children sitting outdoors in front of snow-capped mountains, some reading or writing, with a woman standing nearby.
Millennium School logo with circular emblem and the words 'millennium SCHOOL'

Millennium School is an independent middle school founded in 2016 with a mission to ignite adolescents’ authentic connection to themselves, others, and the world. Back to Earth began working with Millennium’s founding faculty and board members before the school ever opened its doors. We designed week-long immersive camping retreats for their first and last weeks of school, and supported the school to make outdoor education and nature connection a core feature of its emergent culture and identity.

Children sitting on a blanket outdoors near tents, having a snack with bowls of watermelon and colorful sprinkles, in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.
Children sitting on a blanket outdoors near tents in a desert landscape, having a picnic with watermelon slices and snacks.
Pink circular logo with a stylized pigeon and the text 'Nomad' inside.

Nomad Middle School is a tight-knit, project-based learning community in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood. Back to Earth ran custom road trip adventures all over California, from the Sespe Wilderness to the Eastern Sierras for Nomad students. We visited mountains and deserts, hiked in snow, soaked in hot springs, and introduced Nomad students to the incredible diversity of California’s lands and waters.

Group of young teenagers standing outdoors on a gravel surface, inspecting and holding dry firewood. Some are wearing hoodies and jackets, indicating cool weather.
Group of boys gathered outdoors, cooking or roasting marshmallows over a fire, with some people in the background.
San Francisco Friends School logo with three horizontal lines above and below the text

The San Francisco Friends School is a K-8 independent school in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, rooted in a progressive approach that is intellectually engaging, purposeful, and affirming of the spirit of each child. Back to Earth produces SFFS’s beginning of year overnight retreat for incoming 8th graders at the Marin Headlands.

Group of hikers with backpacks and trekking poles walking on a grassy field in a mountainous area with snow-capped peaks and evergreen trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Two people hiking outdoors on a sunny day, carrying backpacks with camping gear, in a mountainous area with trees and rocks.
A person hiking on a snow-covered mountain trail with backpacks, using trekking poles, with panoramic mountain scenery in the background.
Two young boys with backpacks and hiking gear standing on a mountain trail with snow-capped peaks and green fields in the background.
Two hikers walking along a rocky mountain trail near a lake with mountainous terrain in the background under a blue sky.
Four hikers with backpacks climbing on rocky terrain beside a mountain lake under a clear blue sky.
Three young men sitting outdoors in a forested area with tents in the background, wearing hiking gear and hats, some making peace signs, during daytime.
Group of people relaxing and sunbathing on rocky terrain near a body of water on a bright, sunny day.
Two young men examining a bird identification book outdoors on the ground, surrounded by trees and other people.
Four young men inside a screened enclosure, smiling and making playful gestures.

aPpreciatioN from ParenTs

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    It was an...

    an answer to my prayer. His parents aren’t in his life, and he needed that male mentorship. He needed someone to see him, to help him know his own strength. He came home different, more grounded, more grateful. He hugged me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Thank you.’ Something in him had shifted. He was more aware of himself-and of the love around him.”

    -Candace, WILD Grandmother

  • Silhouette of a bison or buffalo with its head lowered

    It's impossible to overstate...


    how valuable and wonderful Back to Earth has been for our 16 year old - both for him and for us as his parents. He returns from these trips and gatherings in a state of calm, happy groundedness that is wonderful to see and to be around. You know how great it feels as a parent when your kid is having an enlivening, enriching, challenging, fun-filled experience? That's how it feels to have your kid involved with Back to Earth, times 100.

    - Elizabeth, WILD parent

  • Silhouette of a bison in profile on a black background

    Exactly what I hoped for.

    Far more daunting than navigating my own transition from adolescence to adulthood has been parenting a son doing the same. Since joining the first trip to Yosemite, Jesse and Eli have been profound role models for my son. Through their example, my son is learning the source of truest strength - the courage to be open and to connect. WILD has been exactly what I hoped for but didn’t imagine existed.

    - Jennifer, WILD Parent

  • Silhouette of a dog, possibly a collie or shepherd, in profile facing right.

    WILD is so much more than a summer camp.


    My son has benefited immensely from every trip he’s gone on. It’s a great change of pace from his usual urban lifestyle. He has come back each time with new levels of confidence, and stories of camaraderie and overcoming challenges. So grateful for Eli, Jesse and the whole team.

    - Andreas, WILD Parent

  • Silhouette of a dog standing and looking down against a black background.

    More than I imagined!


    I cannot say enough about this program and the guys who run it. My son went on his first backpacking trip with them last summer and it was transformative in so many ways. Not only did he gain experience backpacking, he went through an incredible spiritual and emotional transformation as well. He came away with life long connections to amazing people and a belief in himself that he hadn't felt before.

    - Sevgi, WILD Parent

Two young men in outdoor clothing are sitting on large rocks on a snow-covered mountain. One is looking down at his hand, and the other is smiling and talking, with scenic mountains and a blue sky in the background.

get in touch



We’re happy to answer questions about what to expect from the program and whether your teen would benefit from a summer adventure.

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Let's Chat

Keep exPloring

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field notes:
what we’re reading and writing

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Our version of a blog - original thoughts and reposted content, on reconnecting to what is sacred and wild in ourselves and our world.

explore more
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Group of people, including children and adults, sitting in a circle outdoors in a forest, engaging in a group activity or workshop.

expanding equity & access in wilderness education

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The WILD Scholars Program is a wraparound mentoring and scholarship program for Bay Area high school students from communities who have been historically underrepresented in wilderness education.

learn more
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meet the back to earth guide and mentor community

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We are mentors, climbers, builders, farmers, writers, poets, singers, dancers, medics, leaders, teachers, healers, learners, lovers of earth and sky …

read stories