What Jerry Barker says about Wilderness Travelers...

Wilderness Travelers started in 1970 with trips into Linville Gorge Wilderness Area in North Carolina. There have been trips with 15 year olds from Camp Oak Hill, church youth group climbs and hikes, NC State University student expeditions and a variety of other groups experiencing the great outdoors. The adventure and experiential learning has taken place in the mountains of NC, along the Appalachian Trail, in the Colorado Rockies, the Cascades of Oregon, the Sierra Nevadas of California, in Utah Canyonlands, varied ski slopes around the country, and in the Andes of Ecuador and Bolivia. I believe in the power & beauty of wilderness camping, the outdoor 'classroom' and God's great creation.

Goals of our adventure experiences include:

1. To have time and opportunities for self-discovery and personal development, stretching personal boundaries and safely handling the uncertain and uncomfortable

2. To experientially nurture group dynamics, teamwork and leadership

3. To learn camping and mountaineering skills

4. To have fun and see other parts of our country

5. To “ensure the survival of an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.” (Kurt Hahn)

Expeditions have included:

In addition to attempting a major snow covered summit, the groups have done days of rock climbing, mountain biking, river rafting and snow skiing.

Jerry Barker, Ed.D.,  is Associate Vice Chanceloor and Director of Student Health Services at NC State University. He has degrees from Appalachian State University, Auburn University, and NC State. He was assistant director of Camp Sequoyah, Director of Camp Adventure, and founding Director of Camp Oak Hill.