Denali Backcountry Adventures

DBA Open Session:
May 29th – June 3rd – waitlist only

Tuition:
$425

DBA Open Session Registration

Three additional sessions of DBA are scheduled with the following groups:

June 28 – July 3: Upward Bound
Operated in partnership with the National Park Service(NPS) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks(UAF)
July 17 – 22: Student Social Services
Operated in partnership with NPS, UAF, and the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)
July 31 – August 5: Fostering Science
Operated in partnership with NPS and UAA

DBA Program Overview

Denali Backcountry Adventures (DBA) is an introductory backpacking experience for high school students and student groups through Alaskan partner organizations. This is a great opportunity to foster interest in the natural world by exploring Denali’s wilderness. DBA is open to students entering high school (9th-12th grades) in the fall. No prior experience is necessary – if you or a group of students you work with are adventurous, have a positive attitude, and are interested in improving your wilderness, teamwork and leadership skills, this expedition could be the highlight of your summer!

Mission

To provide high school participants with extraordinary wilderness experiences in the backcountry of Denali National Park and Preserve that challenge and extend physical, mental, and spiritual limits.

Goals

Strengthen common sense, good judgment, and decision-making skills.
Foster an understanding of one’s relationship with the environment of Denali National Park and Preserve.
Develop and hone teamwork and leadership skills.
Increase appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor experiences.
Cultivate backcountry skills and methods consistent with Leave No Trace principals and National Park Service standards.
Create a physically, mentally, and emotionally safe environment for students to challenge themselves.
Foster an atmosphere that equates learning with fun.

Instructors

Throughout this program, DEC and NPS staff work together to create a supportive team with a shared vision to provide students a fun, informative adventure in Denali National Park and Preserve. We pride ourselves on creating an engaging learning atmosphere in an outdoor setting and strive for a student-to-instructor ratio of four-to-one.

Backpacking in Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali National Park and Preserve provides a stunning classroom for studying undisturbed taiga and tundra and experiencing firsthand an untrammeled wilderness. Denali is unique in its backcountry management procedures and has few established routes or backcountry campsites. Traveling in this environment requires that we design our own adventure by choosing the route. Along with this opportunity comes the responsibility to protect the wilderness resource for future users by adhering to the principles of Leave No Trace.

Registration

This page will be updated as we continue to confirm camp details and itineraries. We will post a link to our registration page on the morning of registration. You may also email Justine at youth@denali.org or call us at 907-683-2597 if you have any questions.

Scholarship Applications are due within two weeks of your registration. Scholarship notifications are announced by April 15th, 2022.

All paperwork is due two weeks after confirmation of program enrollment. Required forms (and the scholarship application) can all be found and filled out here.

Cancellation and Refund policy:
5 weeks before course – Full refund
4 weeks before course – 75% refund
3 weeks before course – 50% refund
2 weeks before course – No refund

DBA Students Celebrate Wilderness!

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act in 2014, we asked Denali Backcountry Adventures students what wilderness means to them. Watch the video to learn what future stewards had to say.