Calvary Wilderness - High School - Calvary Bible Church

High School Wilderness Trips

Our backpacking trips are six-day adventure-packed journeys through some of Colorado’s most beautiful scenery filled with peak climbing, backpacking, river crossings, and sleeping under the stars. With the distractions of modern life left behind, you will be challenged physically, relationally and spiritually as you learn from God’s word experientially, adventure in community, and get to spend uninterrupted time alone with God. This year our groups will be focused on hearing God’s voice around what it looks like to steward our lives for God’s kingdom purposes.

These trips are designed for high school students who attend Calvary as well as any other friends you would like to invite along! We aim to provide trips that are accessible and enjoyable for participants whether they are first time backpackers or more seasoned backcountry enthusiasts. No matter your experience level along the way your guides will help equip you with basic backcountry skills!

Trip Dates & Cost

This summer of 2025 we have trips available for high school students at all three of our campuses.

Erie & Thornton Campus Trip
June 26-July 1 | 6 Day Trip
Cost: $360

Boulder Trip
July 8-12 | 5 Day Trip
Cost: $300

Erie Campus Trips
July 10-13 | 4 Day Trip
Cost: $240

July 17-22 | 6 Day Trip
Cost: $360

July 31- August 5 | 6 Day Trip
Cost: $360

Where

On Calvary Wilderness trips we are more interested in a wilderness journey in community than we are in a specific destination! Your trip guides will select a wilderness area as your trip gets closer based on a variety of factors including weather, trail conditions, fire bans, etc. Once the trip guides have selected a location for your adventures we will let parents know what wilderness area each trip will visit.

Registration

Opens soon!

Payment
Trip payments for High School Wilderness Trips can be paid in full, but there is also an option to do a $100 non-refundable deposit. If you choose to make a deposit rather than paying in full, your balance will be due 2 weeks before the trip. We will send you a reminder when it is due!

Cancellations & Refund Policy

No refunds will be issued for cancellations within 2 weeks of the trip.

If you need to cancel your registration prior to that point a partial refund of $260 will be available.

More Details!

Trip Kickoff
Meet at 7:30am at the Erie Campus.

Upon arrival your trip guides will spend time checking your personal gear, divvying up group gear and coaching you on how to pack up your backpack!

Trip Return
We will aim to return by 6pm to the Erie Campus.

Post-trip Potluck Celebration

6pm at the Erie Campus
Each trip will have a celebration and meal for parents and student upon the return of the group. Students will share memories and things that they learned on their trip. Please look for a food signup for your student’s trip in your email and bring something to contribute.

MORE INFO

Activity Level

These backpacking trips are beginner friendly, but will likely still require some physical preparation in order to maximize your enjoyment of your time in the wilderness. You must be prepared to do the following:

Carry a 40 lb pack for 3-7 miles each day of your trip
Complete 3,000-5,000 ft of total elevation gain
Hike and camp at elevations of 9,000 ft. and up
Complete up to 15 miles of hiking on a 4 day trip, up to 20 on a 5 day trip and up to 25 miles on a 6 day trip

We understand the physical requirements may be a bit intimidating, but we find most people can train and do great! If you aren’t sure what it looks like to prepare physically, we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips to physically prepare for your adventure.

Sample Itinerary

On Calvary Wilderness trips our hope is to challenge you to simply be present and not to worry too much about managing time or what is coming next on the schedule–you guide team is on it and has a great trip planned for you and will also be ready to adjust their plans to the changing needs of your group! That said, here is a glimpse into what a 6-day trip could look like, though times may vary greatly depending on your group and of course the length of your trip:

Meeting Place and Time

MEETING PLACE & TIME
Trip Kickoff

Meet at 7:30am at the Erie Campus.
Upon arrival your trip guides will spend time checking your personal gear, divvying up group gear and coaching you on how to pack up your backpack!

Trip Return
We will aim to return by 6pm to the Erie Campus.

What's Included

2-3 trained volunteer backpacking guides from Calvary who will facilitate your group’s trip. These guides have training in the following areas:

Wilderness First Aid
Backcountry Navigation
Leave No Trace Principles
Backpacking Basics
Wilderness Ministry

Transportation to and from the trailhead

Backpacking gear including:

65-75L Backpack
Pack Cover
Shared Tents
20-30 Degree Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Bag Liner
Foam Sleeping Pad
Camp Chair
Stoves
Cooking Gear
First Aid Supplies
Safety Whistle
Emergency Communication Device
2 Nalgene Water bottles
Water Purification
Rain Fly
Rope
Meals & snacks for 6 days

Note: If you have your own backpacking gear like a pack, sleeping bag or sleeping pad that you would prefer to use, bring it to the trip kickoff and your guides will make sure it looks sufficient for your trip!

What to Bring

Clothing:

Please bring the following non-cotton items:

Long underwear/baselayer (top & bottom)
1-2 Short Sleeved Shirts
1-2 Pairs of Hiking Shorts and/or Pants
Fleece Pants
2-3 Fleece and/or Down Jacket Layers
Rain Jacket
Lightweight Gloves
Fleece Hat
Baseball Cap or Sun Hat
3 Pairs of Underwear
3 Pairs of Wool Socks
Hiking Boots
Sandals or Camp Shoes

Other Items:

Pen & Small Notebook
Small Bible
Sunscreen
Insect Repellent
Sunglasses
Lip Balm
Toothbrush & Travel-sized Toothpaste
Headlamp
Personal Medications
Travel-sized Hand sanitizer

Optional Items:

Wet Wipes
Camera
Hammock
Hiking Poles

Fishing Gear

What NOT to Bring:

Phone or other tech
Watch
Weapons

Please do not bring many additional items–every little bit of weight adds up! For more details regarding the items on the packing list please see our gear page

Post-Trip Potluck Celebration

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I be carrying?
Each person will carry a 40-45 lb pack that contains their own clothing and other personal items, backpacking gear (like a sleeping bag, pad, and camp chair), group gear (like tents or cooking gear) & some food for the trip.

Where do we sleep?
Your group will sleep in a combination of 4 or 6 person tents. Tents will have same gender groups. Weather permitting there will also be nights when you will have the opportunity to sleep out under the stars.

What do we eat?
Each participant will carry some food for the group. The trip guides will prepare delicious meals for the group. A sample menu for the day might look like protein pancakes and dried fruit for breakfast, pizza bagels for lunch and burrito bowls for dinner!

What if I have dietary restrictions?
Our goal is to accommodate any dietary restrictions that you might have. Simply note any restrictions or allergies when you register for the trip and we will connect with you before the trip to ensure that we are prepared to accommodate your needs. We will let you know if you need to bring any additional items!

What training do the trip guides have?
All trip guides have a Wilderness First Aid certification. In addition they have gone through training in wilderness navigation, cooking, camping and have been equipped to facilitate Christ-centered experiences and conversations in the back-country.

What communication can my family expect while the trip is out?
Trip guides will have a GPS device that they will use to check in with a predetermined member of our guide team back in the front-country. They will send their location daily as well as some basics about how the trip is going. The front country team will communicate with families in the event of any emergency or change of plans. Otherwise, no news is good news.

What does transportation look like?
Calvary Wilderness trips will use 15 passenger vans to transport groups to and from the trailhead. All drivers will have passed Calvary’s driver check.

Your Question Not Listed?

Reach out to Lindsay at wilderness@calvarybible.com with any questions or to learn more!

Stay in the Loop!

Questions? Connect with Lindsay to learn more!

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