Wilderness Orientation is a fun adventure filled with exploration. Our program is designed to introduce all new students to the school’s values of respect, responsibility, and excellence through a ten-day backpacking trip. Wilderness Orientation also serves the vital role of creating a shared collective experience through service, teamwork, challenge, and adventure all before the start of the academic school year. The skills taught on Wilderness Orientation not only benefit students on subsequent outdoor adventures but also provide valuable lessons and strategies that will help them better approach everyday life at CRMS and beyond.

The individual Wilderness Orientation groups travel through the nearby high country in the Hunter-Fryingpan, Snowmass, and Maroon Bells regions. The first three days of the trip are devoted to a service project with the U.S. Forest Service to maintain and improve backcountry trails. The remainder of the adventure entails a week-long backpacking expedition traveling on- and off-trail through the spectacular mountainous terrain. All the expedition leaders are CRMS faculty members who are qualified, experienced, and certified outdoor educators.