Teen Village

This intense, life-changing four-week program takes teens on the ultimate trip experience. The Teen Village tour is a 25-day session featuring a 21-day tour filled with challenging adventures designed to instill confidence, nurture independence and develop leadership skills.

Teen Village is a unique and special experience that is truly once in a lifetime. On Teen Village you will cultivate a deep connection to nature and its many wonders. You will form a lifelong bond with others that are on the journey with you and develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, trust, and a deep sense of community.

*Due to COVID-19’s impact on summer 2020, our 2021 Tiyulim grades are flexible. You can also refer to the Tiyulim 2021 FAQ Sheet for more specific information. Please contact us with any specific questions.

Below are some of the hits from past Teen Village Trips. Some of these are mainstays but we add new programs each year, and are constantly evaluating what is the best fit for the program.

1700-Mile Road trip
Mt. Elbert service project & summit opportunity
Canyoneering
White water rafting
10-day Backpacking trip in Weminuche
Volunteer program at Mission Wolf
Rock Climbing
Bouldering
Mountain Biking
Shabbat on the Trail
Outdoor Cooking
24 Hr Solo
Fishing
Orienteering
Day Hikes
Hot Springs
Historic Downtown Durango, Colorado

Below is an example itinerary for Teen Village. Trip spots and campsites are subject to change, annually, based on availability and environmental conditions.

Day 1: Depart Ranch Camp for Eleven Mile State Park. Camp out.	Day 2: Drive to Mt Elbert. Set up camp and get rested for CFI.	Day 3: 6 AM CFI Volunteer @ Mt. Elbert	Day 4: 6 AM CFI Volunteer @ Mt. Elbert
Day 5: Summit attempt @ Mt. Elbert, Depart for Mission Wolf	Day 6: Mission Wolf Volunteer Project	Day 7: All Day Rafting in Cotapaxi	Day 8: Drive to Del Norte, setup camp and prep for backpacking trip
Day 9 – Day 16: Backpacking in Weminuche Wilderness	Day 17: Hot Springs in Durango, Drive to Mesa Verde	Day 18: Mesa Verde	Day 18: Canyoneering in Ouray, Waterfall exploration in Ouray
Day 19: Drive to Salida, Day Hike	Day 20: Ziplining in Salida, Tubing in Salida	Day 21: Campout West CO Springs, Pikes Peak drive and hike	Day 22: Morning debrief and return to camp

Dates and Rates

Check out our dates, rates, payment plans and financial aid options!

Dates and Rates

What are meals like on trips?

Most of our trips don’t have a base camp in the wilderness, but are spent backpacking and camping along the trail that the group is assigned to. Meals are lightweight and easy to pack, prep and cleanup. We do our best to provide a meal that is always Kosher, but balanced and full of the nutrients and energy kids need to accomplish what the day has in store for them.

Breakfast

Pancakes with peanut butter/sunbutter
Rehydrated eggs with hash browns
Oatmeal with brown sugar
Canned Fruit
Granola/protein bars

Lunch

Tortilla with peanut butter/sunbutter, granola and honey
Cheese sandwich
Canned chicken sandwich
Tuna salad packs
Granola/protein bars

Dinner

Macaroni & Cheese
Cous Cous with lentils
Quinoa & Butternut squash
Rice & Bean burritos
Rehydrated Mashed potatoes

Where does Teen Village go?

Exact trip itineraries change annually based off of what mother nature throws at us and what is available at the time of summer trips go out, but we try to keep the most popular things the same so new campers who have heard about something exciting from friends or older sibling will also be able to partake in that same or similar activity.

Teen Village spends time all around Colorado. They do a loop that starts in the South-Central, heads up to Western-Central, back through Rio Grande and back Northeast towards camp. It’s a 1,700 mile round trip adventure sure to leave memories that won’t fade.

How Do I know my camper is safe?

Parents receive daily communication via e-mail, letting them know that their camper’s group is A-OK. We also do a larger update letting parents know the current goings on, especially if the group has just completed a major activity.

Each trip goes out with a SPOT device, used for text message check-ins with our base at Ranch Camp. Each SPOT is equipped with an emergency button that can summon EMS via GPS locators. Additionally, each trip leader carries a SatPhone for daily communication and check ins. Each trip has an appointed time to call, daily.

Finally, and most importantly, we send out only our best for trip programs. These are staff with extensive personal experience backpacking who may be guides or teachers the rest of the year. They receive an additional week of training on top of what other staff receive. All trip leaders are trained in Wilderness First Responder as well as Medication Administration Training.