Guiding wilderness rites of passage here at Rite of Passage Journeys (RoPJ) requires many layers of experience: wilderness safety & risk management, ceremony & ritual, curriculum building, and working with diverse populations of participants. It can be a physically and emotionally intense experience. The best way to prepare to step into a guide role yourself, is to assist skilled guides through our Apprenticeship Program.

Apprenticeship is an opportunity for you to integrate theoretical and practical study and training with real world experience. There are two required training sessions that every apprentice must complete:

• The Youth Rites of Passage Leadership Training course (2 required, online weekends: May 23-24 & June 6-7, 2026)

• Participation in our 4 Day Staff Training June 18th-21st, 2026 at the beginning of the summer season.

All RoPJ Trips take place between the end of June and the end of August.

Placement of Apprentices

Matching apprentice candidates with particular trips is determined with consideration to previous experience, demonstrated capacity, and other factors. We have three tiers of apprenticeship opportunities:

• Short trips for younger youth

  •  These trips have the fewest training requirements, as they are shortest and work with younger youth in a relatively ‘light touch’ level of initiatory and ritual dynamics. Trips: Call To Adventure

• Coming of Age Journeys

  • These trips are the most ritually intense, and therefore require a certain degree of demonstrated capacity to hold space for vulnerability. They are also strongly rooted in the Solo Fast. As such, it is generally a prerequisite to have personally experienced your own Solo Fast or similar type of initiation or rite of passage. Trips: Mountain Quests, Moon Rise, Olympic Odyssey

• Working with Teens

  • Working with teens in our rite of passage trips requires a capacity for grounding, a demonstrated level of integration of your own adolescent journey, and previous backpacking experience. Trips: Fire on the Mountain, Solo Crossing, Queer Crossing