Join us for ACES’ unique mountain survival class for expert adventurers-in-training! Inspired by Jean Craighead George’s fictional masterpiece My Side of the Mountain, this class will recreate the adventures of Sam Gribley with an Aspen twist. Participants will have an introductory day at Hallam Lake on Monday, and then set out on an outdoor adventure to a remote area from Tuesday through Friday. Camp will be set up with the comforts of sleeping bags and tents for the week. However, the group will also be challenged to build and spend a night in basic shelter, forage for food, and practice bow-drill fires to truly experience living off the land! This camp will also include group discussions and personal reflections regarding being one with your local environment. 

Leave no trace principles and teamwork will guide us on many planned and spontaneous adventures. This course is led by experienced ACES educators and geared towards middle schoolers who want to challenge themselves and expand their backcountry skill set. The lead instructor of the course will contact participants a week prior to the adventure to help organize the expedition and answer any questions. 
Prerequisite: Participants must have prior camping experience and should feel comfortable living in the outdoor environment for the week. 

Overnight Details:
Monday: 9:30am – 3:30pm at Hallam Lake
Tuesday: Meet at trailhead at 10am with all your camping gear
Friday: Pickup at trailhead at 12pm.