OUR MISSION
Explore with Confidence
At Mountain Shepherd, we believe every person, regardless of their background and level of experience, can learn to appreciate and navigate the outdoors.
Mountain Shepherd provides the training and skills you need to embrace your next outdoor adventure. Each course and adventure we offer is focused on safety and preparedness in the outdoors.
Through education and outdoor recreation, Mountain Shepherd aims to introduce people to new outdoor activities, to build planning and preparedness skills, and to inspire everyone to learn more about the environment and themselves. Our experiences are tailored to each group of participants so every adventure is safe, personalized, challenging and exciting!
Enjoy exploring the
Mountain Shepherd Experience!
Why Choose Us?
Our Team
From Appalachian Trail thru-hikes to paddling, caving, and mountaineering expeditions, our instructors have decades of cumulative experience exploring the region and the world. Our diverse interests have led us to pursue advanced training in skills like first aid, bushcraft, land navigation and plant identification. We’re bonded by our love of wild places and our appetite for adventure, and driven to share that passion with new friends.
Our Community
Check your assumptions about who you’ll meet in these southern Appalachian mountains. We are delighted to welcome participants from around the world, whether they’ve been camping for decades or are brand new to the outdoors. Everyone is welcome at Mountain Shepherd, and the diversity of our participants creates a rich learning environment and enduring sense of community.
ADVENTURE COURSES
Try out a new type of recreation or gain valuable safety and preparedness skills in our adventure courses. Experiences include backpacking trips, canoeing, rock climbing, caving outdoor fitness courses, and even a summer camp for adults! Survival skills are always included. Adventures are available for families, women only, and co-ed adults.
WOMEN’S ADVENTURE COURSES
Whether you’re looking to learn something new in a girls-only zone, to meet some other adventurous women, or to boost your confidence in the outdoors, we’ve got a unique women-only experience for you! Options for women to connect with and learn from other women include single-sex Survival 101, local backpacking trips, and even a grown-up summer camp.
SURVIVAL COURSES
Survival priorities and skills are the foundation of every Mountain Shepherd adventure. For the individuals and families looking to try their hand at more than just the basics, we offer several survival-focused courses. Learning and practicing wilderness survival is not only fun; our training provides you with the knowledge and confidence to adventure responsibly!
GEMS CAMPS
Girls Empowered by Mountain Shepherd (GEMS) gives girls in middle and high school empowering opportunities to learn survival skills, explore outdoor recreation, and learn about themselves while surrounded by supportive peers and positive role models. GEMS come to camp to expand their comfort zones in the outdoors, and grow into courageous, confident, compassionate leaders!
LEADERSHIP & TEAM BUILDING
Surviving in the wilderness is strikingly similar to surviving in the workplace, especially when you’re navigating high-pressure, stressful situations. Teamwork in outdoor scenarios translates well into the office! Our leadership and team-building experiences include our core wilderness survival curriculum and can be customized to help your group meet their goals.
CUSTOM EXPERIENCES
Get creative with your Mountain Shepherd experience! Do you want to design an educational course for a group? Are you looking for help planning and preparing for an upcoming outdoor adventure? Do you need a location for an exciting, off-the-beaten-path celebration? Contact us to propose your plans and begin customizing your experience! Custom experiences are subject to scheduling and space availability.
WILDERNESS INSPIRATIONS
Our partner non-profit organization fundraises to provide empowering outdoor experiences for girls and women. Wilderness Inspirations aims to ignite courage, confidence, and compassion in women and girls through outdoor adventures and experiential education. Scholarships for our Girls Empowered by Mountain Shepherd (GEMS) program are provided by Wilderness Inspirations.
EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION
Our programs for students, teachers, teams, and clubs provide opportunities for learners to engage with their community and the natural environment to make learning real. Environment-based education encourages student engagement in all school subjects and improves students’ ability to problem-solve, think critically, and make decisions. Experiential education programs are tailored to each group’s interests, needs, and goals, and can include our wilderness survival curriculum.
GEMS for G.I.R.L.s
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What’s so great about learning in the “great outdoors”?
At Mountain Shepherd, we believe each person, regardless of life experience, can learn to navigate the outdoors and respond to unexpected challenges. We also agree that learning outdoors, about anything, and even shifting activities typically done indoors out to a...
