Support Youth Backcountry Camps

Four Days on Trail. A Lifetime of Impact.

Youth Backcountry Camps (YBCC) are immersive four-day backpacking experiences for teens ages 12–17 on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Guided by experienced Youth Backcountry Instructors, participants build confidence, develop practical outdoor skills, form friendships, and discover what they are capable of in the backcountry.

For many young people, this is more than their first backpacking trip. It is their first time navigating challenge, solving problems as a team, and gaining confidence that carries far beyond the trail.

Why It Matters

Youth today need opportunities to disconnect from screens, connect with others, and experience the kind of growth that only happens when they are fully present in the world around them.

Backcountry camps are more than time spent outdoors. On trail, campers learn by doing. They carry their gear, set up camp, cook meals together, navigate new terrain, and support one another through every mile. Participants learn to navigate challenges together, communicate with compassion, and support one another through uncertainty. Along the way, they build resilience, interdependence, communication skills, and a deeper connection to nature, one that fosters environmental stewardship, personal well-being, and a shared sense of purpose.

Confidence starts with a first step, a new challenge, and the space to make mistakes and try again.

What Campers Gain

Through Youth Backcountry Camps, participants build:

  • Confidence through challenge and accomplishment
  • Leadership and teamwork skills
  • Real-world problem solving and decision making
  • Connection to nature and stewardship values
  • Meaningful friendships and sense of belonging
  • Outdoor skills including navigation, camp cooking, water treatment
  • Leave No Trace practices

2025 Camp Stats

Why We Need You Now

This year, shifting priorities among several longtime funding partners created a funding gap of more than $90,000 for our 2026 Youth Backcountry Camps.

Thanks to generous early supporters, $45,000 has already been committed toward our shared goal. Now, we’re launching the Confidence Starts Here campaign to close the remaining gap. Every new gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar, transforming individual generosity into collective impact.

When you give, you’re joining a community effort to ensure our young people can discover their strength, build the foundation for resilience and confidence to take on arising challenges, and form a connection to the outdoors that connects all of us together.

Access Matters

We believe every young person deserves the opportunity to discover the power of connection: within themselves, with others, and with the natural world.

Support for YBCC helps remove barriers to these transformative experiences through scholarships, reduced program fees, shared gear, and partnerships with schools and community organizations. Your gift creates the space for young people to grow into confident, compassionate leaders, both in the outdoors and in their communities.

Help the next generation reach their potential. Donate today toward our $45,000 goal and be a catalyst for the next generation of trail blazers. Your support will provide safe, facilitated backpacking experiences for over 180 youth this year, equipping them with the confidence, skills, and stewardship ethic to care for the landscapes and communities that shape us all.