April 23, 2020
In this unprecedented and dynamic time, Wilderness Adventures is working diligently to monitor the ever-evolving pandemic situation, evaluate its impact on travel, and make the best decisions on behalf of our students, their families, and our staff. We continue to be inspired by the words of encouragement and support we have received over the past several weeks, they mean more to us than words can express. We live to run these trips and we remain hopeful that our students will be able to enjoy our trips as a part of their summer and life experience.
The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all of our international programs slated for the summer of 2020. COVID-19 has forced us to adapt and implement enhanced risk management measures so that we do our part to help contain the spread of the virus and protect the health, safety and welfare of our WA Family.
We will continue to evaluate all of our remaining programs. Any decision to cancel international trips will be made prior to April 30, and any decision to cancel domestic trips will be made prior to May 15. Our hope is that well-timed decisions will enhance the possibility of preserving some trips while providing much needed clarity as we all organize for the coming months. These are and will continue to be difficult and complex decisions, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. As of April 24, we are also currently planning to operate our Base Camp program in Jackson, WY this summer.
As we look to provide clarity around all of these programs, we are relying on state and local health departments, the CDC, and the WHO to inform our decisions. We are also working with these same organizations in addition to our partners in the national forests and parks and at the American Camp Association to understand what programmatic adjustments will be made to our operation this season.
Still, our ability to run programs, and what those programs will actually look like remains to be seen. We are a creative bunch, and we will continue to see where there are opportunities for summer outdoor programming for kids. We believe the need for this programming is at an all time high, and we cannot wait to get back on the trail, fulfilling our mission of doing something wild by inspiring growth and wonder.
Thank you to all the support you, our greater WA community, has shown us. From stories of students connecting with each other, to pictures of students living the ‘do something wild’ spirit, we continue to be inspired by our community. Be well, stay safe and think summer!
