Try top-rope climbing on our indoor wall at the American Mountaineering Center. Students over 11 years of age may also learn to belay depending on group size and length or programming. Climbing can be combined with a Science of Climbing class, slacklining, team building, or the Mountaineering Museum.

Experience climbing adventures outside at a variety of field sites though the Front Range. Spend half a day outside honing your climbing skills, learning about Leave No Trace, and enjoying the outdoors!

*More advanced skilled-based classes (knots, belaying, techniques & rapelling) available upon request. Contact Schools & Groups Program Manager for more information!

Test your balance on our slacklines! Slacklining combines the individual challenge of walking a tightened rope with the group dynamics of spotting by teammates to create a safe physical challenge. Slacklining is a great cross trainer for any sport with the ability to increase reaction time through the connection between the mind and the body. Can be accompanied with team building activities for a more well-rounded program. This program can be run at your school or at the American Mountaineering Center.

America's first and only museum dedicated to the heroism, technology, culture and spirit of mountaineering. From the storied history of the 10th Mountain Division to the daring first ascent of Mt. Everest, learn about Mountaineering's exciting history and meet larger-than-life figures and modern day heroes who have brought the challenge to where it is today.

This one-of-a-kind facility will allow visitors to live the ascent of the world's most inspiring mountains through educational displays, interactive exhibits, breathtaking photos and climbers' personal stories.

Jump a crevasse, hang out in a port-a-ledge and find your route up Mt. Everest!
Can be combined with rock climbing and team building for a full day exploring what it takes to climb a mountain.

To find out more:
http://www.americanmountaineeringcenter.org/museum.html

Leadership/Team Building Hike- Build a sense of community while getting outside on a hike. Learn the 7 essentials of Leave No Trace and participate in group activities to become stewards of the land and build your leadership and teamwork skills. Available in the Fall (Aug-late Oct) and late Spring (end of April & May).

Get out on a hike in the mountains! Ecology Hike- Get out at a hike at Mt Falcon for gorgeous views of the mountains, learn basics of hiking safety, and learn about local flora and fauna. Available in the Fall and late Spring (last week of April & May).

Bring earth science and geography to life through an experiential, outdoor field trip. Participants will learn about Colorado's unique topography, geology and natural history while hiking up North Table Mountain in Golden. Curriculum will focus on applying knowledge of rock types and the rock cycle to field observations in order to best craft a geologic history of North Table Mountain. Additional hands-on activities may include topographic map reading. Available in the Fall and late Spring (last week of April & May)

Teambuilding activities use a mountain expedition theme to develop group dynamics. Students will work together to complete a progression of games and challenges that promote communication, trust and positive personal growth. Teambuilding works best combined with other activities (see suggested pairings) Location at the American Mountaineering Center, a local open space or park, or at your school.

Learn how to find you way with a topographic map and compass. Students will have an opportunity to hone their skills using paces to complete an orienteering course. Class activities may vary from simple compass skills to navigation or triangulation. Course can take place at the American Mountaineering Center, a local open space or park, or at your school.

Bring science concepts to life through hands-on experiments and rock climbing on our bouldering bus or our indoor climbing wall at the American Mountaineering Center. Discover what rock types are good for climbing. Review the rock cycle as well as learn about different climbing areas and rock types throughout the state. This program can be run at your school or at the American Mountaineering Center.

Bring science concepts to life through hands-on experiments and rock climbing on our bouldering bus or our indoor climbing wall at the American Mountaineering Center. Explore the concepts of friction, force, and motion through a hands-on physics experiment exploring the interaction between different shoe and rock types. This program can be run at your school or at the American Mountaineering Center.

To find out more:
https://www.cmc.org/Youth/SchoolsGroups/CourseDescriptions.aspx#Science%20of%20Climbing

Head out into the snow on a snowshoe excursion. Learn the basics of snowshoeing and tailor the educational content to meet your class’s needs. Focus on snow and avalanche science, or winter ecology and tracking.

Elementary- Recommended as a combination with a pre-trip indoor snow science program. Snowshoeing field day will focus on emphasizing what students previously learned about snow science, and discovering winter ecology.

Middle/High School- Avalanche Safety: Examine current conditions while snowshoeing out in the field. Gain awareness of the powerful destructive forces of avalanches through hands-on activities. Students will practice using avalanche rescue equipment including beacons, shovels, and probes to work together with their team to conduct a mock rescue in the snow. Classes encourage teamwork and decision-making among participants.

Join us for an overnight field trip of hiking and/or rock climbing. Overnight camps will take place at Golden Gate State Park, or other locations if rock climbing. During these 2-4 night programs, students will explore nature through educational hikes, discover local flora/fauna, learn about mountain safety and Leave No Trace, and/or learn how to be adventurers and outdoor rock climbers!

Available for a limited time in the Fall or to Partner Schools upon request. Call or email for pricing and program options.

Many of our programs can be selected a la cart style and combined in several unique ways to best serve your goals. For example, combine indoor rock climbing, team building, and the American Mountaineering Museum for a day-long program exploring what it takes to climb a mountain. Contact YEP to discuss your goals and design a unique field trip for your students. Programs can take place at your school, at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, or at a local open space or park.

Prices are based on the highest cost activity and number of students.

YEP’s Bouldering Bus serves as a mobile classroom that can bring bouldering, a type of rock climbing, to your school’s front door. Combine with our Science of Climbing programs, a teambuilding program, or a slacklining program.

To find out more:
https://www.cmc.org/Youth/BoulderingBus.aspx

Explore Colorado's watersheds through experiments in your classroom and/or take a field trip outside on our stream ecology field study. Choose 1 or both of the following options:

Nature's Water Filter (Indoor): How does nature provide ecosystem services and clean water? Discover how nature works as a water filter through indoor classroom experimentation and design!

Stream Ecology Field Study: Visit a local watershed and explore the health of a stream's ecosystem through macroinvertebrate surveys and water quality tests.

Learn about local Colorado plants and animals and how they all have specific adaptations to help them survive in their environment.

Mammals: Make observations about physical features and adaptations of Colorado mammals (skulls, skins, feet)

Birds: Where do birds live? Learn about bird adaptations in their habitats. Become familiar with local Colorado birds and learn how birds move and communicate.

Trees & Plants: Where can trees grow? Learn about local Colorado trees and their adaptations, and tools scientists use to identify trees.

Gain awareness of Colorado's variable weather through observation, investigation and safety. Each of the following topics can be included and will run 30-60 minutes each depending on student age and background.

Lightning: Create lightning sparks using a Van de Graaff generator and understand how they are created/occur in nature. Furthermore, learn where to go during thunderstorms whether you're in the city or in the mountains.

Mountain Barriers: Learn how Colorado’s topography and geographical location play a role in the weather.

Clouds: Make a cloud guide, learning what the three main cloud types look like and what sorts of weather they indicate.

Field Weather: Measure the current weather outside using weather tools such as thermometers, wind meters, and cloud guides, and make predictions of what weather is on its way.
This program can be run at your school or at the American Mountaineering Center.

Learn about avalanche safety and snow science in the classroom. Students will learn what snowpack is and that all snow is not the same. Students will use models and a bit of imaginations to create different snow conditions to discover what conditions make avalanches more common. This program can be run at your school or at the American Mountaineering Center.