Flagship Summer Program
Wilderness Immersion & Leadership Development
A backpacking adventure and rites of passage program for teenage boys in the Sierra Nevada
What is WILD
Summer Camp Adjacent.
Something More Entirely.
WILD is Back to Earth's flagship summer backpacking program for teenage boys — a nature connection and culture building program based in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. We started in 2015, taking teenage boys to the same epic places where founders Eli and Jesse spent their teenage years exploring and growing.
In the years since, we've guided hundreds of young people on meaningful journeys towards personal transformation, combining the nuts and bolts skills of wilderness travel with rich practices of personal development and self-discovery.
We'd say we are 'summer camp adjacent.' There's a lot that feels like a traditional camp — having fun with your friends, swimming in beautiful water, laughing and joking around the campfire. We're also not a camp in the familiar mold. You won't find us bouncing from one activity to the next, keeping campers entertained. There's an element of WILD that's more like training. Training to pay attention, to embody curiosity, and to be fascinated by the world. Training to be competent, resourceful, patient, and considerate.
Four Pillars of WILD
Nature Connection
A personal relationship with the natural world — not as a backdrop, but as a teacher, a home, and a source of meaning.
Culture Building
Morning practice and evening council create shared rhythm, belonging, and reflection that lasts well beyond the trail.
Backcountry Skills
The nuts and bolts of wilderness travel — navigation, camp craft, firecraft, and Leave No Trace ethics.
Self-Discovery
Mindfulness and awareness practices that build presence, regulation, perception, and emotional intelligence.
12
Trips in 2026
13
Average group size
40%
Alumni return rate
800+
Young people served
A Day on Trail
The Rhythm of the Wild
Each day follows a deliberate rhythm — from morning practice to evening council.
The Solo Ceremony
24–36 hours alone. The gravitational center of the 10-day trip.
The 10-Day Solo
A Meaningful Threshold
Who is WILD For
A Program for Teens Who Want to Grow
Something about taking teenagers into the wilderness makes people want to ask if this is a program for "at risk" teens. The short answer is no.
Voluntary & Joyful
WILD is a 100% voluntary enrichment program for teens who want to discover themselves. Not punishment, boot camp, or rehab — a joyful, uplifting growth opportunity.
No Experience Needed
No prior backpacking or camping experience is necessary. We cover all the basics and are committed to being a safe learning environment for all skill levels.
Ages 13–19
Teens and young adults, 13 and up through early adulthood. All identities, learning styles, and voices are welcome.
Not Wilderness Therapy
Wilderness immersion is inherently therapeutic, but we are not therapists and cannot substitute for licensed medical care of any sort.
The longer answer to that question - is it for at risk teens? - is that all teens are at risk of something. Whether it's substance use, social isolation and media addiction, or the general crises of meaning, purpose and connection that pervade modern society — teens today face risks that previous generations did not. Part of WILD's reason for existing is to directly address these risk factors facing young people today.
A Note on Gender
We know that wilderness immersion and rites of passage are essential for adolescents of all genders. We continue to consolidate our trips by gender-identification in part because that is how we received instructions from our elders for adolescent rites of passage. There is a special kind of trust that can form in groups who share a resonant experience of gender. We invite folks of all gender expressions to determine whether these trips are suitable for them, and we are prepared to work with teens and families to ensure that WILD remains a safe and welcoming space for all.
More Than a Backpacking Trip
More Than a Trip
"Back to Earth is so much more than a backpacking trip. That's how they all start. 9 days later: I thought this was going to be a backpacking trip. It was not."
"When you're at home and on your phone, you don't really realize what's happening to you. But out here, without any of that, I'm realizing I'm not a sad person, it's just my environment."
— Julian, 16, WILD Alum
Out on the trail
Appreciation from Parents
From WILD Families
Sessions & Logistics
Choose Your Trip
The Summer 2027 schedule will be published in December 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Spaces are limited.
Register for Summer 2026.
Registration is open. A 30% deposit holds your spot — payment plans available.
backtoearth.org — guiding teens in the Sierra Nevada since 2015