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Outdoor Experiences

Adventure Leadership invites you to grow your comfort, confidence, certifications, and community through our outdoor experiences. We offer trips and adventures, outdoor education and safety training, certification programs, clinics, and even a night of adventure and environmental films. Whatever you are looking for, find yourself here!


Find Your Trip

Embark on a journey of self-discovery and adventure with Adventure Leadership at the University of Michigan! Our expertly guided trips offer students the chance to explore the State of Michigan, build lifelong friendships, and develop essential leadership skills. Join us to push your boundaries, connect with nature, and create unforgettable experiences. Discover your next adventure and find your trip with Adventure Leadership today!

Questions: Call 734-764-3967 or email us at [email protected]

There are 7 trip. Expand all into a list.

Dog Sledding Retreat
January 23 – 25, 2026

Register Here!

Fulfill one of those lifetime goals you never knew you had and come dog sledding in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula! This winter adventure combines the thrill of mushing your own sled team with the peaceful beauty of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing through pristine northern forests. This three-day, two-night lodge-based trip will take you up to McMillan Michigan to experience the biggest training region for dog sledding outside of Alaska – and yes, you get to go!

Cost: $400

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Dogsled & Winter Skills Weekend
January 30 – February 1, 2026

Register Here!

Spend a weekend learning how to stay warm, build igloos and quinzhees, practice survival skills, and try classic winter fun!  You’ll experience the true spirit of winter recreation—including flying down wooded trails with a team of professional sled dogs and warming up in cozy cabins at Camp Carvela with good friends, hot chocolate, and hearty meals. No experience is required—just a love of adventure, snow, and new experiences!

Cost: $575

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Cross-Country Ski Clinic
February 6 – 8, 2026

Register Here!

Ski the legendary Sleeping Bear Dunes. A relaxed lodge-based weekend with beginner-friendly coaching, beautiful trails, and plenty of time to build your confidence on skis.

Experience the true spirit of winter recreation, skiing across Hickory Hills, Heritage Trail, and Timber Shores surrounding Michigan’s most famous National Lakeshore.

Cost: $250

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Echo Valley
February 13 – 15, 2026

Register Here!

A low-stress, high-fun winter weekend near Kalamazoo. Stay in a lodge, then hit the tubing and toboggan runs at Echo Valley for the perfect chill-with-friends getaway.

Cost: $200

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Winter Stargazing
March 20 – 22, 2026

Register Here!

Stay at Camp Greenwood and visit the James Veen Observatory. Let’s use the long, dark nights to our advantage and get some time to learn and look up at the stars. Learn to navigate using star charts, identify constellations, and more.

Cost: $225

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Spring Break Trip – Winter Wonderland
March 2 – 6, 2026

Register Here!

Trade palm trees for powder. Spend spring break exploring the Upper Peninsula from cozy yurts and heated lodges — XC skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and maybe even dog sledding or ice climbing if conditions allow. This will be a winter bonanza!

Cost: $575

Questions: Email us at [email protected]

Sleeping Bear Dunes
March 27 – 29, 2026

Register Here!

A unique three-day escape to Sleeping Bear Dunes: hike or snowshoe sandy ridgelines turned snowy playgrounds, sled down massive dunes, and watch for the first signs of spring!

Cost: $225

Questions: Email us at [email protected]


Outdoor Education

Build skills, confidence, and community with Adventure Leadership’s education and training programs at the University of Michigan. From beginner-friendly introductions to outdoor recreation to advanced professional development for emerging leaders, these offerings are designed to meet you where you are and help you grow. Through hands-on workshops, multi-session series, certifications, and immersive experiences, you’ll learn practical outdoor skills, deepen your relationship with land and place, and develop the tools to recreate responsibly—and help others do the same. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your path as an outdoor educator, Adventure Leadership offers a supportive, experiential gateway into lifelong adventure and stewardship.

There are 6 opportunities. Expand all into a list.

Resource Expo Series
Six Sessions

Register Here!

Are you excited about the outdoors but not sure where to begin? The Adventure Leadership Resource Expo is your all-in-one launchpad into outdoor recreation. Over the course of six engaging, hands-on sessions, you’ll build the practical skills, confidence, and know-how to start adventuring on your own. Our instructors will guide you through every step—trip planning, gear basics, camp cooking, campsite setup, safety, and Leave No Trace ethics. Whether you’ve never camped before or just want to feel more prepared, this series gives you a supportive community and a structured pathway into the outdoors. Register for the full series to get the complete beginner-friendly experience—and start your adventure journey with us.

Skills Sessions & Workshops
Drop-In

Register Here!

Already spend time outside but want to level up specific skills? The Adventure Leadership Resource Expo offers flexible, stand-alone workshops designed for experienced outdoor enthusiasts, student groups, and trip leaders looking to build or refresh targeted skills. Drop in for the topics that matter most to you—whether it’s dialing in your backpack fit, mastering backcountry stoves, refining your campsite setup, improving your risk assessment and safety practices, or diving deeper into Leave No Trace. Each one-off session is hands-on, focused, and practical, so you walk away with skills you can immediately apply on your next adventure. Choose the offerings that fit your goals—no need to attend the whole series.

Bike Education with Common Cycle
4-Week Program

Register Here!

Are you interested in learning how to repair your bike – or any bike and don’t know where to start? Or are you a regular bike user looking to sharpen your skills? Whatever experience you have with bikes, we invite you to join our growing bike community. Over the course of four sessions, we will cover a range of topics, from fixing flats to working on the brakes.

This program is in partnership with Common Cycle – a great resource for the Ann Arbor Campus Community!

Leave No Trace (Level 1)
January 17-18, 2026

Register Here!

Be the person people want to camp with, while building your own relationship to land and environment! Graduates of this two-day Level 1 course are equipped to lead skills courses and workshops, model the seven principles of Leave No Trace, and help people develop their own personal outdoor ethic. Come anticipating juicy discussion and fun advocacy practice opportunities.

The Level 1 course certification for Leave No Trace is a two-day workshop hosted by Adventure Leadership to empower participants to learn about outdoor stewardship and advocacy to take proper care of the Great Outdoors when recreating. This course is engaging and thought-provoking, and promises a great time!

Outdoor Educator Training
March 2-6, 2026

Register Here!

This is a professional development week for students or other professionals seeking to level up their teaching career outside. Following an opt-in Wilderness First Aid course over the weekend, this week will be an intensive resulting in 2 more:

(1) Leave No Trace Level 1 – The premiere outdoor ethics certification, which includes in-depth research on behavior change and advocacy, and a strong focus on traditional ecological knowledge

(2) Outdoor Inclusive Leadership Level 1 / 2 – A justice-oriented course focused on how to support communities in inclusive outdoor experiences

This course will be heavy on instruction (both giving and receiving) in the context of a lodge-based winter camping trip. For extra cost and time (evenings), participants may be able to certify at Leave No Trace Level 2.

Outdoor Educator Summit
May 4-7, 2026

Register Here!

This is a professional development summit for students or other professionals seeking to level up their teaching career outside. Prior to an opt-in Wilderness First Aid course following the LNT, this week will be an intensive resulting in 2 more:

(1) Leave No Trace Level 1 – The premiere outdoor ethics certification, which includes in-depth research on behavior change and advocacy, and a strong focus on traditional ecological knowledge .

(2) Place-based activities at the Adventure Education Center.

This course will be heavy on instruction, and there will be at least one overnight.


Wilderness Medicine

Hybrid Wilderness First Aid

Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course is designed for people taking half or full-day trips, and for those traveling with reliable cell phone coverage—where outside assistance is typically available within a few hours. WFA courses are an introduction to wilderness expedition medicine, focusing on general concepts, basic anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, assessment,  and treatment. Learn more about what to expect and how to prepare.

Refunds are not available for those who do not successfully complete the course or to those that are unable to attend the in-person portion. Is the hybrid model is right for you? Learn more here.

Because WFAs scratch the surface of many topics, many WFA graduates return to take more advanced courses to go more in-depth and get more hands-on practice.

Hybrid Wilderness First Responder

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses are designed specifically to meet the needs of wilderness guides, expedition leaders, and anyone traveling in the backcountry with friends or family. This is the industry standard for outdoor professionals and the course you want your friends to take before you travel with them. Using the Wilderness Medicine Training Center’s unique Hybrid Course, participants complete a course of study and tests online (Part 1) prior to the start of the practical on-site training (Part 2). Learn more about what to expect and how to prepare.

Refunds are not available for those who do not successfully complete the course or to those that are unable to attend the in-person portion. Is the hybrid model is right for you? Learn more here.

REGISTER WITH WMTC for May 3 – 7, 2026

Buy your pre-sale tickets here!

Ignite your passion for adventure! The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour will exhilarate you with amazing big-screen stories when it comes to the Michigan Theater, hosted by Adventure Leadership.  Journey to exotic locations, paddle the wildest waters and climb the highest peaks. This local showing is sponsored by Bivouac.

Date

Date & Time of Show: Sunday, 12 April, 2026 at 7:00pm (Doors at 6:00pm)

Location

Michigan Theater @ 603 E Liberty Street, Ann Arbor

Limited availability and price increase on Day-of-Show.

 


Policies

Outdoor Experience Program Policies
  1. Participants must be currently enrolled as a University of Michigan student or have graduated from the University of Michigan within the past two years. These requirements apply to all open enrollment programs.
  2. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
  3. Payment of the total program fee is required at the time of registration.
  4. Total program cost includes a non-refundable registration fee.
  5. A partial refund may be provided if the participant has a documented medical emergency.  Appropriate documentation can include a doctor’s note or hospital records.
  6. Adventure Leadership may remove a participant from scheduled activities for any reason. The University shall have no liability or responsibility to participants who are willingly or unwillingly removed from the program.
  7. The University of Michigan reserves the right to cancel any program at any time for any reason. Participants may receive a partial to full refund if the University cancels the program.  The University shall have no liability for cancellation of a program.
Wilderness Medicine Registration & Refunds
  1. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
  2. Program payment is due in full at registration.
  3. Completed registration requires a two part enrollment:
    a. Through the Wilderness Medicine Training Center
    b. Through the Adventure Leadership Webstore
  4. Refunds are not available for those who do not successfully complete the wilderness medicine courses, testing, or those that are unable to attend the in-person class.
  5. Registration for all Wilderness Medicine programs will close at a minimum of seven calendar days before the first day of the in-person part of the program.
  6. The University of Michigan reserves the right to cancel any offering at any time for any reason. Participants may receive a partial or full refund if the University cancels the program.  The University shall have no liability for cancellation.
Your adventure starts here.