Hands-on Learning for Outdoor Recreation Leadership

Learn outdoor leadership skills with hands-on experience in the wilderness at Colorado Mountain College

Learn outdoor leadership skills with pack on or paddle in-hand. You will practice leading and following others while traveling on high mountain peaks, glaciated valleys, the canyons of the Southwest, wild rivers, and beautiful desert environments.

Technical outdoor leadership skills include:

• Rock, snow, and ice climbing
• Kayaking
• Rafting
• Canoeing
• Backcountry and telemark skiing

Hands-on outdoor leadership courses also give you the opportunity to:

• Assess the skill levels of others
• Master winter camping survival
• Navigate whitewater
• Design outdoor programs for safety
• Learn how to market and coordinate your activities, minimize environmental impact and coordinate with agencies who issue permits.

Being able to respond quickly to any emergency is an essential skill of any good leader. Your training will include mountain rescue, emergency response and water safety instruction.

You'll also have the chance to intern with the likes of the U.S. Forest Service, the Colorado Fourteener Initiative, and adventure companies and outdoor organizations such as The Student Conservation Association. Valuable work experience plus the opportunity to earn Wilderness First Responder, Life Guard and Avalanche certifications puts our students ahead of the game.

And because Colorado Mountain College students are so well prepared, they are in high demand for these internships. They find positions as raft guides, ski instructors, sea kayaking guides, park rangers, interpreters and camp counselors. 

Get the knowledge and real-life experience you need before graduation! Colorado Mountain College prepares you to find immediate employment, or transfer to a four-year institution.