Big Sky Trip Highlights
A Montana Classic, this trip has all the best mountain activites under the Big Sky. Find out why this is one of our favorite trips!
Dates
Jul 21 - Aug 01, 2024Ages
12-14 (rising 7th-9th)Tuition
$3445 (airfare not incl.)Destination
Status
Open- Camping in SW Montana
- Hiking and touring Yellowstone
- Backpacking the Gallatin Range
- Rock Climbing Gallatin Canyon
- Whitewater Raft Gallatin River
- Horseback Ride Cinnabar Basin
- Flat Water Float in Idaho
- Natural hot spring pool soaking
I LOVE Alpengirl! I went when I was 14 (and I didn’t even want to go) but I had the most amazing time of my life! I went to 2 more camp sessions, interned for a summer, and then became an Alpenguide for 6 summers, finishing up as the Assistant Camp Director. That’s how much I...
Trip Description
A Summer Adventure Camp in Southwest Montana for Teens
Purple mountain majesty in Big Sky Country! Welcome to southwest Montana, where clear, blue skies are endless, mountains dot the horizon in every direction, and warm, dry days turn to cool, summery nights, making this a truly majestic destination for a trip.
Campers who attend this Bozeman, Montana summer camp are ready to have fun, excited to try tons of new, adventurous activities, and pumped up to do both in one of the most beautiful locations in the world. This camp itinerary doesn’t disappoint; in just under two weeks, we’ll go swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, backpacking, and kayaking, in addition to the treat of exploring the world's first national park – Yellowstone!
A favorite year after year, Majestic Big Sky Adventure will certainly enrich the life of any camper looking to expand their comfort zone and find their inner adventuress.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Alpengirl!
Arriving in Bozeman, MT, at the Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport, your Alpenguides are excited to greet you and introduce you to southwest Montana and your camp group. Icebreakers and name games abound as you get to know your fellow Alpengirls and guides. We’ll hop into the van and drive a short distance to our campsite, where we’ll learn how to set up our tents and cook a deliciously fresh camp meal. As the sun sinks below the horizon, you’ll feel calm as the sound of a flowing mountain creek sings you to sleep.
Day 2: Let’s go rafting!
Waking up energized from a good night’s sleep, you’ll bring your sleeping pad out to our morning circle overlooking the creek for the first of our daily yoga sessions. We’ll allow our bodies to settle into the new rhythm of being outside as our Alpenguides serve a delicious breakfast – perhaps crunchy granola, fresh fruits and berries and strawberry yogurt (YUM!), then teach us the basics of camping.
After lunch, we’ll meet our professional raft guides, who will take us on a rip-roarin’ Class II-IV rafting adventure down the Gallatin River, complete with splashing, soaking, and tons of smiling! Fans of the movie “A River Runs Through It” will notice that the scenery looks familiar, as the Gallatin is where much of the movie was filmed.
Day 3: Climb on!
The adventure never stops as we head from mountain river to granite rocks. A full day of rock climbing in Gallatin Canyon is in store, as we learn proper climbing and belaying techniques. Even the girl who has never been on a wall before will get to call herself a climber at the day’s end. Tonight we may enjoy a meal cooked over the campfire, including our favorite Alpentreat – s’mores!
Days 4-7: Backpacking time!
Backpacking is the best part of camp – it's where you become closer to your group, get off the grid, feel good about yourself, gain from your physical challenges, and discover your inner power by being immersed in nature. Lace up your hiking boots and roll up your sleeping pad, because today is the day that we start our backpacking trip through the Gallatin Range. Before we leave, our Alpenguides will walk us through proper packing procedure and give us a lesson on how to adjust and carry our backpacks. Lightening our load and taking only the essentials, we’ll leave the van behind, grab our cameras, and backpack for 4 days for a round-trip total of about 16 miles.
We'll spend one of these days on a day-hike to swim in a high mountain lake, or for those with more energy, make an attempt to summit a nearby peak! Backpacking affords us sweeping views of pointed peaks and glacier-cut valleys, close-ups of wildflowers, and sights like we’ve never seen before. On our last day, we'll hike out of the backcountry and enjoy the luxuries of a hot shower and laundry.
Day 8: Floatin’ away
We'll wake up early and traverse state lines to Idaho’s Henry’s Fork, a tributary of the mighty Snake River. Grabbing paddles and inflatable rafts, your Alpenguides will give you a lesson in basic paddling skills before setting off on a leisurely and scenic 5-mile float trip down river, where we often get to see moose, bald eagles, and osprey! Swimming and photo opportunities will be abundant along the way. That evening, pull out your costumes and warm up your singing voices, because the Alpenolympic Talent Show event may take place around the campfire. We’ll also enjoy browsing the Alpengirl camp store items for sale!
Day 9: To the National Park!
We’ll get to see what the United States’ National Parks are all about as we head into Wyoming to visit Yellowstone National Park for a day of wildlife viewing, geyser watching, and exploring the natural wonders of this great land! Our journey into the park will fascinate with fossil forests, Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, bubbling mud cauldrons, waterfalls, bison and elk, and explosive geysers!
Day 10: Saddle up, ladies, it’s time to ride!
Back up in Montana’s Cinnabar Basin, we’ll get an introduction to horseback riding before donning our helmets and climbing aboard our trusty steeds to explore the pristine country outside of Yellowstone. Beautiful scenery, blooming wildflowers, and big mountain views are just a few of the many highlights of today’s ride. Tonight, we'll soak in mineral hot springs, shower up, and get wild with an Alpenolympic event and perhaps even a themed costume party dinner!
Day 11: Ahh…relaxation
A final relaxing day checking out downtown Bozeman and enjoying a local ice cream shop! Tonight, we’ll have our traditional End of Session Awards ceremony and pizza party, and enjoy one last night with the new friends we’ve gained.
Day 12: It’s time to go home!
Exchanging hugs with your friends, you’ll depart from Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport knowing that you’ve had a ton of fun and accomplished great things as an Alpengirl and will be a part of our fantastic community for life. See you next summer!
PLEASE NOTE: Alpengirl reserves the right to cancel or alter any aspect of a program, before or during the session, including program itinerary, activities, or location for reasons including but not limited to weather, environment, logistics, or health hazards. If itinerary changes occur, we will substitute comparable alternatives, if possible. If there are significant itinerary changes, parents will be notified by email.
Trip Campsites & Amenities
Eight nights are spent in tents in public “front country” campgrounds where we have pre-assigned campsites with neighbors and campground hosts nearby, running potable water, and private outhouses or flushing toilets.
Three nights are spent in tents in wilderness “backcountry” areas where we will purify our water before drinking and learn to practice basic Leave No Trace camping skills such as how to select a campsite, how to go to the bathroom, and how to keep clean outdoors.
Why Choose This Trip
This trip is our longest running camp itinerary at Alpengirl – it’s where Alpengirl started, and we have it nailed down! This Majestic Big Sky Camp is a perfect introduction to the outdoors for campers of all experience levels. We pack a ton of fun activities into a short period of time and are constantly on the move, allowing campers to get a real sense of what an adventurous, outdoor lifestyle is all about. Many of our returning Alpengirls started with this session, and for many more, it was where they fell in love with nature. Limited to 12 campers in the group.
