Yosemite Alpine Backpacking
On this expedition, you’ll backpack through towering trees in Yosemite, swim in alpine lakes and sleep under countless stars.
This course is open to students of all genders. We strive to create an inclusive experience for all of our students and welcome you to talk with one of our course advisors if you have questions about which course is the best fit for you. We also offer gender-based affinity courses for female-identifying and male-identifying students who are looking for that type of gender composition on their course.
This course will give you the opportunity to develop your leadership, build community, learn outdoor skills, and find your voice in a peer group at the same developmental stage — it’s a great first step into wilderness travel.
NOTE: Outward Bound strongly recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and up to date as defined by the CDC prior to arriving to their course start. For all open enrollment courses beginning on or after April 15, 2023, Outward Bound will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For questions regarding this policy please see this page or call us at 866-467-7651.
UPCOMING COURSES
This course is closed for the season.
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY
This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL
When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
I used to be an extremely picky eater and one of the goals I set for myself was to be less of a picky eater. When I got to be cook, I was really hungry and I wanted to provide for the group. I made a stir fry – that was a meal I would never have eaten at home. I was really engrossed in every part of the process – preparing the vegetables, lighting the fire, and then watching the other students enjoy eating it. It was so delicious. That was rewarding.
Students will travel into the heart of the Sierra Nevada where they will learn Leave No Trace camping and travel skills, outdoor cooking techniques, map and compass use, route finding, and how to set up shelters in the backcountry.
Students on alpine backpacking courses spend the majority of their time navigating off of established trails. This includes terrain that crosses talus, boulder fields and potentially snow. Peaks that are climbed on alpine backpacking courses do not require ropes, but may require the occasional use of hands for balance (Class 3-4), and creek crossings are often without the use of bridges.
In addition to technical skills, Instructors will teach and facilitate the interpersonal skills needed for students to function effectively as a team, accomplish goals, and tackle new challenges. Challenges on course are designed to compel students to draw upon inner resources and develop trust in one another. One example of on-course challenges is a peak attempt. With lighter packs, participants will start before sunrise to summit a mountain and are rewarded with 360 degree views and an incredible sense of accomplishment.
As skills and experience increase, Instructors will turn over more responsibility to the crew. Students will eventually make navigation decisions, plan routes and set up camp.
Please note: Students carry both personal and group gear, which means packs can be heavy. Students should be physically able to hike with a 40-pound backpack to be successful on this course. If the applicant is under 5 feet tall and/or 85 pounds, please call Outward Bound prior to enrollment.
Service to others and the environment is a core value of Outward Bound and is integrated into each course. Students follow Leave No Trace ethics and do acts of service while leading and supporting fellow participants. When possible, designated service projects are coordinated with land managers like the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service to collaborate on land restoration projects. Students develop a value of service, see the impact of their actions, firsthand, and transfer this desire to serve their communities at home.
In order for profound learning to take place, Outward Bound believes there must be time to reflect on the experience. During course, the Solo is that opportunity. It is a chance to experience solitude in the wilderness without distraction while also taking a break from the physical rigors of course. Students are separated from their group for a period of time which depends on course length and instructor assessment of group capability. Solo sites are chosen to provide solitude. Students have all necessary equipment, food and water. On this course, Solo time will not exceed 12 hours.
Courses vary in length from 4 to 85 days. On shorter courses, students receive an intro to leadership skills, strength of character and a desire to serve. During longer courses, the same outcomes and benefits are achieved but with the ability to reach a more profound level of mastery. Longer courses allow for more opportunities to develop technical skills, receive and implement feedback and further personal development.
Yosemite National Park, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, is famous for breathtaking views of waterfalls, massive granite domes and peaceful alpine meadows. Yosemite is home to some of the world’s most treasured landmarks. While this course steers clear of the crowded tourists’ attractions of the valley, dramatic alpine scenery can be seen in the horizon like peaks rising from the valley to elevations above 12,000 feet. On occasion, relocating a course to another location in the High Sierra (not in Yosemite) is the best way we can maintain our high safety standards. A relocation is possible in the case of inclement weather, environmental disaster such as wildfires or smoke, or other uncontrollable interruptions.
Summer in the Sierra is mostly sunny, with occasional rain and cold evenings. Snowfall is unlikely, though June courses may traverse atop lingering winter and spring snow. Summer temperatures tend to be in the 70s to 80s during the day, dipping into the 30s to 50s in the evening and night.
These regions are the ancestral lands of the Northern Paiute, Western Mono/Monache, Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok), and Me-Wuk (Southern Sierra Miwuk) nations. We acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land, and also pay respect to their elders, both past and present. We recognize and continually support and advocate for the sovereignty of the Native nations of this territory and beyond. By offering this land acknowledgment we affirm tribal sovereignty, commit to working to support these tribes, and commit to holding Outward Bound California accountable to this work.
Course Stories
I used to be an extremely picky eater and one of the goals I set for myself was to be less of a picky eater. When I got to be cook, I was really hungry and I wanted to provide for the group. I made a stir fry – that was a meal I would never have eaten at home. I was really engrossed in every part of the process – preparing the vegetables, lighting the fire, and then watching the other students enjoy eating it. It was so delicious. That was rewarding.
Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.