Montana & Yellowstone Highlights
Featuring all of the best activities in SW Montana and Yellowstone. A trip to please the heartiest of Alpengirls!
Dates
Jul 01 - Jul 12, 2023Ages
14-16 (enter 9th-11th)Tuition
$3195 (airfare not incl.)Destination
Status
Please Call- Camping in SW Montana
- Hiking and touring Yellowstone
- Backpacking the Spanish Peaks
- Rock Climbing Paradise Valley
- Raft the Yellowstone River
- Horse Ride Cinnabar Basin
- Kayak Yellowstone Lake
- Natural hot spring pool soaking
Three of my favorite summers were spent hiking, kayaking, and canoeing with Alpengirl! I can't think of three experiences which impacted me as much as Alpengirl where I found my love for the outdoors, for travel, and for new experiences. I owe a big thanks to my counselors, my...
Trip Description
A Summer Adventure Camp in Southwest Montana for Teens
Montana's south central region is “Yellowstone County:” home to Yellowstone Park (the world's first national park), the Yellowstone River (the nation’s longest free-flowing river) and Alpengirl Camp (the best outdoor adventure camp!)
Adventure with us in Montana - where wide blue skies are accented by ranges of beautiful, rugged mountain peaks surrounding vast, picturesque river valleys, filled with ample opportunities to sight some of Montana’s abundant wildlife. These pristine landscapes, paired with warm, dry days that become cool, summery nights, are what make this camp truly fantastic.
Campers who attend this teen summer camp in Montana are ready to have fun. They are eager to try tons of new, adventurous activities, and are excited to explore one of the most beautiful locations in the world. This camp itinerary does not disappoint; in just under two weeks we’ll go swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, white water rafting, backpacking, kayaking and more! All of this amazing adventure, while also touring unforgettable Yellowstone National Park.
The Montana & Yellowstone Adventure will certainly enrich the life of any camper looking to expand their comfort zone and meet their inner adventuress.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving in Bozeman, MT at the 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 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 the flowing river nearby sings you to sleep.
Day 2: Waking up energized from a good night’s sleep, you’ll bring your sleeping pad out to our morning circle overlooking the river 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 up a delicious breakfast - perhaps crunchy granola, fresh fruits and berries and strawberry yogurt (YUM!) - and teach us the basics of camping.
A full day of rock climbing is in store on a natural rock face overlooking the meandering Yellowstone River in the scenic Paradise Valley. The views only get better the higher you climb! We'll learn proper climbing and belaying technique from our professional guides, and 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’ll get wild with an Alpenolympic event and perhaps even a themed costume party dinner.
Tonight we'll plan to soak in the natural hot spring pool near our campsite - what an absolutely amazing start to camp!
Day 3: The adventure never stops as we head from rock to ride and river. It’s an action packed day with a Horseback Riding & Rafting combo!
Saddle up, ladies, it’s time to ride! We’ll get an introduction to horseback riding before donning our helmets and climbing aboard our trusty steeds. Our western trail ride will take us into the pristine Cinnabar Basin near Yellowstone Park. Beautiful scenery, blooming wildflowers and big mountain views are just a few of the many highlights of today’s ride.
Next up, our professional raft guides will take us on a rip-roarin’ Class II-III rafting adventure down the Yellowstone River, complete with splashing, soaking, and tons of smiling! Watch out for the big splashes at “Wake up”, “Sleeping Giant”, and "Queen of the Waters" rapids!
Days 4-5: A trip into Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. During our 2 full days in the Park we'll be wildlife viewing, geyser watching and exploring the natural wonders of this awesome, unique landscape. Our journey into the Park will fascinate with fossil forests, Old Faithful geyser, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, paint pots, bubbling mud cauldrons, waterfalls, bison, elk and more! The highlight of our time in the Park is kayaking at sunset: we'll meet our professional guides at Yellowstone Lake (North America’s largest alpine lake in the country above 7000 feet elevation) where we will see and learn about the geysers, hot springs & mud pots in and around the lake from the unique perspective of stable 2-person kayaks!
Day 6: Sleep-in and prep day! It’s been non-stop fun so far and today we’ll slow it down a bit with re-organizing gear and enjoying showers and laundry before we start our backpacking trip tomorrow. Tonight we may enjoy a meal cooked over the campfire, including our favorite Alpentreat - s’mores! Pull out your costumes and warm up your singing voice, because the Alpenolympic Talent Show event may take place this evening around the campfire.
Days 7-10: 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. 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 20 miles in the Spanish Peaks. We'll spend one of these days on a day hike to swim in a high mountain lake. Backpacking affords us sweeping views of pointed peaks and glacier-cut valleys, close-ups of wildflowers and alpine meadows, and sights like we’ve never seen before.
Day 11: We’ll take showers before having a final day visiting downtown Bozeman for a quick stop at the local ice cream shop! Tonight, we’ll have our traditional end of session awards ceremony and exchange contact information with the friends that we’ve made.
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 a program, including program itinerary, activities or location for reason 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, parent 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 “back country” areas where we will purify our water before drinking and learn and 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
Yellowstone Country is where Alpengirl began, and on our home turf we really have the insider's perspective on all the best activities and locations! This trip 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 like. Limited to 12 campers in the group.
