parents' passage
low stress / high bliss
backbackpacking experience
for adults
of many ages and abilities
july 31 - august 5
Attend a Zoom info session with guides Eli Marienthal and Jesse Sachs on May 6th at 6:30pm
a backpacking journey for parents in the eastern sierra
Buckeye Canyon, CA
July 31 – August 5, 2026
For years, parents have asked us the same question: When will it be our turn?
The answer is finally now!
Join Back to Earth co-founders Eli Marienthal and Jesse Sachs for a six-day, five-night backpacking journey to one of our most beloved places in the Sierras. Parents’ Passage is an opportunity to step away from the speed and noise of everyday life and into the deeper rhythms of the mountains.
Highlights Include:
-Hot springs
-Backcountry gourmet food
-Solo time to soak in the beauty of the mountains
-Time to build with other rad parents around the fire
like a WILD trip
(but different)
Parents’ Passage is shaped by the same philosophy that guides WILD: attention, connection, and meaning. Unlike a WILD trip for teens, we are not here to find out how hard we can push.
We will put in the minimum effort required to get someplace magical and spacious, and then sink in and let our nervous systems unfurl. We are going for maximum pleasure and relaxation in the context of a backpacking adventure. We expect to hike between three and five miles on moving days, with plenty of time for those with extra energy to drop their packs and explore further.
You will not only see beautiful places — you will participate in practices designed to slow down, sharpen awareness, and connect deeply with the natural world.
Many parents tell us that sending their sons on a WILD trip changed something in their whole family. This journey offers a way to step inside of that transformation firsthand.
Who This Journey Is For
Parents’ Passage is for adults of many ages and abilities. It is being conceived with parents of WILD alumni in mind, but is open to all adults and friends of the program. In particular, we imagine you:
Have wondered what your children experienced
Want meaningful adventures of your own
Want to explore your own gifts more fully
Are ready to unplug, slow down, and be present
Are called to strengthen your role as witness to and ally of your children’s growth
No prior backpacking experience is required.
Participants should be comfortable hiking between 3 and 5 miles with a 30-40 pound pack.
If you're on the fence about physical ability, err on the side of thinking you can do it, come to the info session, or email us at eli@backtoearth.org and let's have a realistic conversation about the itinerary and your body.
The trip is being conceived with WILD alumni parents in mind, but is open to all adults and friends of the program.
What You’ll Experience
Backpacking through spectacular Sierra terrain
Visits to one of Back to Earth’s favorite places
Instruction in core WILD skills
Daily morning practice
Evening council around the fire
Time for solitude and reflection
Gourmet backcountry meals prepared together
A small, supportive group of peers and guides
Soak in natural hot springs before heading home
The Deeper Why
In many traditional cultures, rites of passage derive their power in part from the recognition of family and community. When someone returns from a significant journey, they are seen differently — and treated accordingly.
By stepping into the mountains yourselves, you help strengthen that circle of recognition for your children and for one another. Your sons stepped into this story. Parents’ Passage is your invitation to step into it too.
If there's a spark of “Yes!” after reading this, join us for a 45-minute online session where we'll walk through what this experience actually looks like, who it’s for, and answer any questions you have.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
6:30pm Pacific
Live on Zoom
Meet Your Guides
Eli Marienthal & Jesse Sachs are co-founders of Back to Earth and longtime wilderness guides. They have been traveling together in the Sierra Nevada Mountains for more than 20 years, and have led hundreds of young people through transformative journeys.
Itinerary
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Arrive at camp and step out of the car into the electric air of the Eastern Sierra. The scent of sun-warmed sagebrush and conifer hangs in the breeze, granite walls rising sharply to snow-capped peaks above wide glacial valleys.
We land together—get oriented, meet the group, share our first meal, and open the circle around the fire.
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We wake to coffee and our first taste of Back to Earth’s morning practice—a simple, grounding ritual that will anchor each day of the journey. After breakfast, we pack up and head into the backcountry.
The first hike is intentionally short—just enough to settle into the rhythm of carrying what we need. We make camp in a meadow along Buckeye Creek, ease into the pace of wilderness living, and close the day with food, songs, and stories by the fire.
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By now, the cadence of the trip begins to land in the body. Each day follows a natural flow: coffee, morning practice, breakfast, pack up, and hike.
We travel deeper into the canyon, arriving at a new camp near the rocky cascades of upper Buckeye. The afternoon opens for rest and connection, followed by dinner and another evening by the fire.
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This is the centerpoint of the trip. We take a day hike into a secluded ceremonial landscape—a place chosen for stillness and depth.
Here, we slow down. There is space for solo time, reflection, and simple but meaningful ritual. This day is about listening—tuning into something older and steadier, and stepping into the lineage of rites of passage that have guided humans for generations.
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We pack up and begin the journey back out of the canyon, descending gradually toward the trailhead.
Back at camp, we soak in nearby hot springs, letting the body unwind. The final evening brings a celebratory meal and a closing fire together.
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We share one last morning practice, breakfast, and a closing circle before packing up and heading home—carrying the experience with us.
faqs
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The trip is being conceived with WILD alumni parents in mind, but is open to all.
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July 31 – August 5, 2026.
We will gather at a campground by the trailhead on the evening of July 31 (exact location, time, and preparation materials will be provided after registration).
From there, we will caravan into the park and to our trailhead, before entering the backcountry on the morning of August 1.
On August 5th, we share one last morning practice, breakfast, and a closing circle before packing up and heading home—carrying the experience with us.
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Yes and no. Wilderness immersion is a powerful teacher of inner-peace and well being; it is inherently therapeutic. But we are not therapists and we are not trained or equipped to substitute for licensed medical care of any sort.
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A non-refundable 30% deposit is required at the time of registration. You can choose to pay the full tuition at registration or select a payment plan option from the available choices at check out. The full tuition minus deposit is refundable up to one month before departure. Cancellations within one month of departure are non-refundable. This includes COVID-19 or other health-related cancellations, as well as evacuations from the field during a trip.
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We will be spending our time in the Buckeye Creek watershed. Buckeye Canyon is an epic glacial valley, blanketed with alpine meadows and rimmed by vaulting peaks. This course area offers gentle hiking up-canyon, beautiful creekside camping, and the reward of natural hot springs at the mouth of the canyon on or last night of the trip.
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We recommend that participants engage in regular, moderate to strenuous physical activity on a regular basis for at least two months before their trip. Hiking, running, playing sports, climbing, weight lifting are all helpful in getting ready for the rigors of hiking with a full pack. We also recommend that participants explore their comfort carrying a heavy pack at least two months before the trip starts. If you have any questions about your physical ability or how to prepare for success we are happy to advise.
trip logistics
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Back to Earth provides all necessary group gear, including tents, food storage and kitchen setup. Participants are responsible for bringing or renting all personal gear.
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Food is central to the experience. Expect nourishing, thoughtfully prepared meals that go far beyond standard trail fare — shared preparation, communal eating, and the deep satisfaction of good food in wild places. This is one area where things will be somewhat more luxurious than a standard WILD trip. Because, hey, you deserve it!
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Your two pieces of footwear are really critical: Boots and camp shoes.
Boots
The most important piece of personal gear that Back to Earth doesn't rent is boots. They should be a mid-weight hiking boot with ankle support. You don't need heavy mountaineering boots, and you also can't hike in sneakers. Boots should be comfortable, not too big and not too small, with deep treads. We know that some people prefer low-tops as they are more comfortable. However, we require high-tops because of the evacuation risk of an ankle injury with a heavy pack on in the mountains.
Camp Shoes
It's important to give your feet a break after a long day of hiking in your boots. Your camp shoes must be closed-toed to prevent toe injuries. No slides, No sandals, No flip-flops. They should be light-weight with good treads, preferably quick-drying in case of use to cross streams and creeks.
aPreciatioN from ParenTs
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![Silhouette of a fluffy dog with its head lowered, facing to the right, set against a black background]()
Back to Earth saved us!
I was desperately looking for something for my teenage son to do during the lockdown of summer of 2020. I happened upon WILD on a parents site and immediately signed him up for the 10-day backpacking trip. He had a blast; I had a break; but, even more importantly, he developed new skills and a renewed sense of being capable and connected. To keep that goodness going,I signed him up for Mentoring Circles, which provides him with healthy, positive activities and an ongoing connection to excellent, supportive mentors and the out of doors. Highly recommended.Kate, WILD parent
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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
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![Silhouette of a bison in a profile view against 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
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![Silhouette of a buffalo or bison against a white background.]()
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
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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
WILD scholars
program
Expanding equity in wilderness education. This program is for high school sophomores and juniors in the San Francisco Bay Area who are in need of extra support to make a WILD trip possible.
field notes:
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