Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp – California

Our Mission: To introduce the beauty and challenges of nature to young men and women

Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California.

One week, two week, and 28-Day coed outdoor wilderness adventures for teenagers. Wilderness survival training, bushcraft, nature awareness, animal tracking for teens.

Camps for teenagers 14-15.

One & Two Week Adventures for ages 14-15:  includes basic and intermediate survival and outdoor education and skills training – LEARN MORE

Teenagers ages 16-17

Two Weeks  of Wilderness Adventure for ages 16-17:  a two-week adventure with basic, intermediate, advanced, survival and outdoor skills training –  LEARN MORE

28-Day Wilderness Immersion

28-Days of Wilderness Adventure for older teens – an extensive 28-day Wilderness Immersion program.  Wilderness survival training for the adventurous spirit from 15 to 17 years of age – LEARN MORE

Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California

Lifesong Wilderness Adventures Teen Camps are held in northern California near Mount Shasta. Camp is 10 miles west of the village of Weed. Where mountain streams lull us to sleep at night and night skies so clear you can see the Milky Way.

What we do

Activities include hiking, exploration, swimming, fishing, primitive skills, woodcraft, and animal tracking. Learning to be a human being in nature is an important skill for every teenager.

As humans, we once lived as an integral part of nature. In modern times our natural instinct to play in the woods and fields have been hijacked by technology.

Our teen programs immerse your child in the wonders of wilderness where they have an opportunity to reconnect with the natural world. To play, explore, build, make, wander, and move their younger selves in the way nature intended.

Parents, we care about your teen

Your son or daughter’s well being is important to us. We understand that being away from home for the first time can be difficult. Our counselors and staff do their very best to help your teen feel welcome and at ease.

Cooking and meals

Our campers are active and burn a lot of calories. Their growing bodies need loads of nutrition and healthy food.
Camp meals are fresh each day. Meals include fresh fruit and vegetables. Our menu provides delicious homemade soups, salads, stir-fry, sourdough biscuits and breads! And we definitely will not forget the hot steaming cornbread fresh from Dutch Ovens.

Desert?

Yes, we have desert now and again. And even a chocolate cake or two have been known to appear as if by magic! Inspired staff and students generally instigate this popular camp event.

Safety is number one

Our campers safety is the most important. Safety in all camp activities is an integral part of our camp program.
We provide a supportive, caring, and welcoming camp environment to all.

Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California

Parent’s, nature has taught me there is strength and wisdom in diversity. I have learned that nature does not care about the color of one’s skin or if we are male or female. Nor does she care from what background we come from or what language we speak. We are all part of the web of life.

 What Parents say:

“Our whole family
(three teenage boys, plus two parents) wholeheartedly recommend Mark Wienert’s tracking and camping experiences”.

“Mark is grounded spiritually and physically. He teaches by example from a wealth of experience and knowledge gained by living off and in harmony with the land. He’s a great role model and mentor — calm, wise, highly skilled, and thoughtful soul. We are very lucky to have found him. He has been a pivotal person in our sons’ coming of age over many years now.”

Barbara W. writes about her daughters experience with us during the 28 day Teen Immersion Camp 2015.

~Dear Mark and Lifesong staff, thank you for offering an incredible wilderness immersion experience for my 16-year-old daughter this summer! My gratitude goes beyond words. This is such a significant developmental stage in my daughter’s life, and I can tell that she has just been through a life-changing four weeks being gently guided in trusting nature, gaining a deeper appreciation of the earth that sustains us, and learning to discover and trust in her own inner strength and power while testing new edges.
I can tell that she had a lot of fun, too, and greatly enjoyed the community of peers, counselors, and guides. And I am amazed by the practical skills she learned, as well. On our next camping trip, it will be her task to make fire without matches! And she really did learn how to safely harvest food from wilderness if needed and how to keep herself warm and sheltered.  As a teenage girl, learning survival skills in a supportive community has provided an invaluable opportunity for her to deepen her self-worth and become more grounded in her own true nature while taking courage to explore new edges. In today’s world of media and information overload and commercial pressure put on teens, I believe that any teenage girl would greatly benefit from the opportunity to participate in the kind of
experiences offered by Lifesong.

A Students Testimonial

~Dear Mark, I found the experience of spending a month in the wilderness very internally cleansing. Being away from the city and my daily routine, and instead spending time in such a beautiful environment with caring people, allowed me to slow down and completely let go of all stresses. I lived in the present. Every morning I woke up full of curiosity at what the day would hold, and every evening I fell asleep content. The longer I stayed up there, the more I appreciated the nature around me, and the more I grew to like the simple lifestyle. As I was leaving I found that all my material desires – whether for technology, a warm shower, or certain foods – had disappeared. They were unnecessary, even a burden. I would have been content sleeping on the ground and living off of Polenta for the rest of my life.

I learned a lot, and had a great time doing it, whether I was swimming in pristine mountain lakes, cooking with the Dutch ovens, or covering myself in dirt for camouflage. The great staff made for a very warm and accepting community. In addition, I discovered a lot of strength, both physical and internal, within me, as I conquered challenges such as summiting the mountain after the two night overnight or making fire by bow drill.  I would definitely recommend this experience to other teenagers with a love for nature and a sense of adventure.    ~Best, Masha

Our Staff

The staff is composed of head instructor – Mark Wienert, a graduate of the Tom Brown Tracker School. And Mark’s hand-picked student volunteers exhibiting outstanding leadership qualities.

What we are not

Parent’s, we are not a bed and breakfast, a motel, or leisure inn for your teenager. We do not cater to students’ wants. Yet, we do provide an opportunity for them to excel in a supportive, safe, and fun environment.

Chores and supporting camp

Yes, we have chores at camp. We have water and firewood to haul, dishes to do, kitchen and general camp clean up. Teens as part of everyday camp help with chores to keep it clean and organized.

Nature and your child

“How can our kids really understand the moral complexities of being alive if they are not allowed to engage in those complexities outdoors?”
~Richard Louve; author of Last Child in the Woods and the Nature Principle

“Wilderness has a monumental transformative effect on our children. It is not enough for them to learn about nature only in the class room or a walk in a park. To know this deep and transforming experience a child must be immersed in wildness immersed in the sights and smells and sounds of nature. She must wake up to the dawn song, the rustling of birds scratching in the leaves, and greet the day with the splash of sharp coolness from a mountain stream upon her face.”   ~Mark Wienert

Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California

Tom Brown Jr. in his Field Guide to Nature and Survival For Children says:

“Keeping children always confined to houses, buildings, cars, and heavy clothing will eventually cut them off from what life is all about. You take away all possibility for them to really feel the intensity of life…By encapsulating our children, we cut them off from the feelings of anything real, and we teach them to resist the forces of nature…If you are going to the beach, the woods, the swamps, or the wilderness, really get into it, roll in it, and get rid of all protection that will separate you from fully appreciating where you are. Become alive, not removed and insulated, and teach your children to do the same.”    ~Tom Brown Jr.

Wetland and Bog Restoration Project

Each summer teens take part in the ongoing wetland restoration project of a Darlingtonia bog damaged by illegal off-road ATV vehicle use. This valuable hands-on participation in restoration is an educational experience.

Request an application for your teenager today!

Sponsor a Teenager to Camp. Sponsoring a teenager for a camp is a gift that lasts a lifetime. A special gift to that special loved one.

Or a gift to a family that does not have the resources to send their son or daughter to camp.

This expression of love can make a positive difference in a teen’s life. Especially those whose families do not have the resources to send their son or daughter to camp.

Please Donate below to help sponsor a teen(s) to camp this summer. Your support can help make a positive difference forever in a young person’s life. To find out how your donation help please contact Mark.

Thank you.

Donations are not tax deductible.