The Tahoe Rim Trail Association in partnership with Sierra Nevada Journeys is offering three 3-day, 2-night Youth Backcountry Camps for high school students to promote service learning and introduce participants to backpacking.

There will also be one 5-day, 4-night backpacking trip focused on outdoor leadership and personal development. Camps are limited to 12 participants.

The camps will be July 11-13, July 16-18, and July 21-23. The 5-day trip will be from Aug. 2–6.

The TRTA Youth Backcountry Camps engage young adults between the ages of 14-17 who love the outdoors and want to learn more about backpacking, trail operations, ecology and outdoor leadership skills in an advanced wilderness setting. Participants learn valuable lessons and gain outdoor experiences that will help them to connect with the environment and infuse environmental stewardship into their lives, allowing them to spread their new found knowledge and skills throughout their community.

Several topics incorporated will be:

* Map and Compass Orienteering

* Leave No Trace: 7 Principles for Minimum Impact Recreation

* Shelter building skills

* Flora and Fauna Identification

* Backcountry survival skills

* Team building exercises

* Leadership skills

* Trail building!

Additionally, participants will perform a day of service learning on the trail and get their hands dirty doing actual trail maintenance under the supervision of an experienced TRTA Crew Leader.

Each camp has the capacity for 12 students with the exception of the 5-day which can accommodate only 10 and will be fully supported by TRTA and SNJ staff. The cost for the program is $99 for sessions 1, 2 and 3 (scholarships are available) and $149 for the longer camp. Through a generous donation from REI, participants are provided with all necessary camping gear and food for the program. Participants only need appropriate footwear and clothing and a passion for the outdoors!

For more information, and for prerequisites for this course, please call the TRTA office at (775) 298.0238 or email programs@tahoerimtrail.org.