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Youth LEAD Camps

Anthony Ng, Youth LEAD student, grinning and paddling through a whitewater rapid

The Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC) Youth LEAD Program offers life-changing experiences for diverse groups of teens, ages 14-18. As ETC’s students travel along a California watershed, they learn about our precious natural resources, develop leadership skills, and make lifelong friends. After our summer courses, ETC offers unique opportunities to stay connected to the wilderness and continue to build leadership skills through the Youth LEAD Fellowship Program, volunteer guide training, and program internships.

Our Youth LEAD Program creates a vibrant community of confident, compassionate, and environmentally savvy young leaders with essential life and leadership skills.

Register for the Youth LEAD Program.

Apply for a sliding-scale scholarship.

Click here to access the required medical form.

For more Information
Call or email to learn more about which program is best for you and about our scholarship program.

Camps

All Abilities Adventure

Youth LEADers on the bay, the GOlden Gate in the background

This 12-day adventure travel camp offers teenagers with and without disabilities a supportive and inclusive environment to experience Northern California's natural treasures by sea kayaking on San Francisco Bay and whitewater rafting on the South Fork American River.  July 31 - August 11, 2012

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Kayaking and Boatbuilding Adventure

Gier Hernandez paddling the iqyak he helped build as a Youth LEADer

This 16-day adventure travel course offers teenagers from diverse
backgrounds the chance to explore our coastal waterways, learn primitive camping skills, build a traditional Inuit kayak, and embrace the 10,000 year old tradition of kayaking! 2012 dates TBA.

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Sea to Source Expedition Adventure

A boat of young, multicultural paddlers charging into a whitewater rapid head-on

This 24-day adventure travel expedition offers teenagers from diverse backgrounds a thrilling yet educational journey along Northern California’s waterways. This trip includes sea kayaking, whitewater river rafting, backpacking and a stay at an organic farm.  June 20 - July

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Young Women’s Adventure

A group of young women LEADers grinning, posing with their fists up, on the slope of a Sierra mountain
This 21-day adventure camp creates a supportive environment for an all-female group of teenagers to engage in a challenging and exciting experience of a lifetime. This trip includes sea kayaking, whitewater rafting and backpacking.  July 16 -

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Keeping the great outdoors open to all.