Male-identified and non-binary participants.A call to all boys who wish to become the best that they can be! Join us in meeting a challenge that could change how you grow into a man. During this two-week expedition we will challenge our minds, bodies, and spirits while immersing ourselves in the beauty of the Vermont wilderness. Like the ancient school of the Samurai, we will wake early in the morning with exercises that build our concentration and dexterity, our strength, and our will. The coming expedition will test us. We will carry everything we need on our backs. The mountains and river valleys will be our guides, the wind and the rain our teachers. We will not follow trails but blaze our own way, relying on maps, compasses, and our intuition. At night, we’ll gather around the fire to share wisdom and tell stories. As boys crossing the threshold into manhood, we will experience ceremony, build a joyful community, speak from our hearts, and have an opportunity to be alone in the wilderness. Will you join us?
Come Take to the Woods and become the wild children of the forest! Experience the pure fun and magic of living in and from the wilderness. The forest will fuel our projects, providing saplings for branch bows, dry wood for friction fire, pine for bowl carving, and wild plants for food. Camping on the banks of the Ashuelot River we will swim, fish, and learn stealth while observing the life of the woodland animals that abound. We will form new friendships with nature and each other. We will become a true community, relying on each other and celebrating the joys of summertime. Yes, let’s take to the woods: we are the wild ones, adventuring and learning the secrets of the earth!