Summer Programs > Age 10-12 > Call To Adventure
Call To Adventure
“I had a great time backpacking. I explored an interesting sea cave, spent a day on the beach, and discovered ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks hundreds of years ago. I gained many things: mental & physical strength, perseverance & courage. I now appreciate the place we live in more." — Aiden, Age 10
Session 1: July 3-9, 2027
Session 2: August 12-19, 2027
At A Glance
Dates Session #1: July 3-9, 2027
Dates Session #2: August 13-19, 2027
Cost: $1495
Duration: 7 days
Who: All-Genders, Age 10-12
Location: Backpacking, Olympic Coast
About Call To Adventure
Do you hear the call of enchanted forests, dramatic coastlines, and the wondrous night sky?
Call to Adventure is a fun-filled backpacking trip that inspires deep connection to the wonders of the wilderness. A group of nine young people (ages 10-12) and three adult guides will come together as a tribe, and journey for a whole week through the magical forests and beaches of Olympic National Park — learning to play, communicate, and share together in the challenges and joys of outdoor living. Kids will:
Explore tide pools, play games along the trail, share stories and songs around the campfire, and sleep under open, star-filled skies.
Learn about back-country cooking and shelter-making, about wild plants and animals and how to care for them, and about themselves and each other.
Experience the trip as a significant rite of passage, as they spend a week away from loved ones and the comforts of home, and are immersed in an inspiring new environment.
Call to Adventure also provides an introduction to the activities and practices that form the heart of Journeys’ programs. With the guidance of mentors, kids will practice authentic sharing and listening in talking circles, explore bits of solitude and self-reflection, and engage in fun and meaningful group rituals.
We named Call to Adventure after Joseph Campbell’s description of the beginning of the Hero's Journey: a call that beckons each of us toward an experience that extends us beyond our level of comfort and current understanding. As they enjoy the rich opportunities for play and exploration, kids who answer the Call to Adventure will develop a variety of interpersonal skills and inner resources that will serve them well as they approach the mysteries of adolescence.
7 Days
All Genders
Olympic Coast
$1495
Sample Itinerary
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Participants and families meet at the Journeys basecamp for a gear check and send-off ceremony. After a ferry ride and some van games, we arrive at a front-country campground, have a fire, get to know each other and prepare for adventures ahead.
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Time to start up the trail! We will embark on a backpacking expedition through the forest and then set up camp upon reaching the coast. Along the way, we’ll learn and practice backpacking, wilderness & community skills, while also playing fun games, enjoying the great outdoors, exploring nature, and hanging out on the beach.
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These days bring new heights of exploration and fun - and a bit of challenge as we complete our longest hike yet. We also take a day off from hiking, enjoy time along a river, check out petroglyphs and play beach games. Through it all we deepen our connections with the natural world, experience time alone in nature and participate in spontaneous art projects and talking circles.
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After having learned and seen so much already, we’ll spend our fifth day preparing for an experiencing a solo experience. We’ll craft intention statements about who we dream of being, hike up the beach, and each choose a spot alone where we can sit with just our thoughts and the natural world for company. When we return back to the group, we’ll have stories to tell and time to listen!
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Time to return home! Full from the wonders and sights experienced and our new friendships, we'll make the triumphant journey back across the ferry to basecamp and waiting families. And yes, we'll have some stories to tell...
Participants engage in “sit-spots” which afford time to sit with emotions and thoughts, get curious about surroundings, and reckon with boredom.
Meet The Team
2027 Guide Teams
Our guides bring years of experience working with young people. With an average age of 30+, most are beyond their college years and bring experience from across youth education, wilderness, wellbeing, and rite of passage fields.
We pride ourselves on the care and supervision we provide, historically maintaining an average 1:3 guide-to-participant ratio. This means individual attention, stronger relationships, and the support kids need to grow.
Check back in early 2027 to meet the Call To Adventure guide teams!