Earn a WRT Wilderness Trip Leader Certificate
Visit the SUNY Cortland Study Abroad website for the application.
A transformative wilderness experience. The State University of New York partners with Wilderness Rescue Training each year to offer a backpacking trip in the magical Sierra de la Laguna mountains of Baja California Sur. In sunny Baja, the spine of the sierra rises from sea level to above 6,000 feet, offering breathtaking views. Wild and remote canyons provide shade and water and conceal cave paintings created by the people who lived there long before the peninsula was explored by Jesuit missionaries in the 18th century.
College credit and life-long leadership skills. You will master outdoor living skills and walk away with the skills and confidence to lead your own backpacking trips. Baja is beautiful and safe, and the locals are friendly and welcoming. The Sierra de la Laguna is a pristine area, rarely visited by Americans.
Cultural immersion. In these mountains there are small substance farms, or ranchos, hidden far from the nearest road. The rancheros that live there lead self-sufficient lifestyles, raising goats and cows and tending citrus and mango orchards. We can learn a lot about living close to the land from interacting with these off-the-grid families. While exploring Baja, you'll also have opportunities to practice your Spanish language skills, although knowledge of Spanish is not a prerequisite for this course.
Allie facilitates a map briefing before the day's travel.
How do I sign up?
Answers to all of your questions, from getting credit to getting to the airport!
Our route passes natural water slides.
Building a fire on the beach by the Sea of Cortez.
Meet your Instructor
NAME: Allie
AGE: 31
OUTDOOR SPECIALITIES: Backpacking, Canyoneering, Skiing
CREDENTIALS: NOLS Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, LNT Master Educator
PASSIONS: Spoon Carving, Bread Baking, Cabin Planning
Allie has been a lead instructor for five wilderness schools.
“I thought Allie and Dave have a great pair dynamic. Never once did I feel unsafe. They are both calm, cool, and very well collected.”
“This has truely been a once in a lifetime experience, and I am so appreciative for it. Thank you so much!”
This course was created for students in the SUNY system. If you are interested in creating your own Custom Backpacking trip, please send an email to wildernessrescuetraining@gmail.com
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