As humans, we once lived connected to the natural world. Now cut off from wild nature by modern living the outdoors seem alien. But nature is here and calls for us to explore and rediscover our connection to her. And for those curious enough to seek her a world rich in wonder and mystery await. Join us this summer for Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California. With Lifesong Wilderness Adventures.
"I feel like I could go to Lifesong adventures every summer for the rest of my life and still be challenged and surprised." ~ Eli
Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp
Call of the wild
I was 15 years old when I first heard the call deep in the Canadian bush. The moon full and bright, the summer air sweet and rich. And in that moment the primeval song of nature ran through me electric! Here in the wild the primal holds our imagination. It is here we have room to move and grow.
So, I can think of no better place for your son or daughter this summer than to be out in it! Challenging themselves, learning outdoor skills, growing, hiking, exploring, creating, learning, and making new friendships.
~Mark Wienert
Season 2022 Update
Teenagers 16 to 17 may attend any of our adult camps with parental permission. See Winter Survival Camp. See our Calendar for other scheduled courses.
Medical Release required and proof of COVID-19. vaccination required. Now that children 12 and older are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. We require all teens be vaccinated to attend our programs. Thank you.
Our 2021 program Overview
This exciting summer adventure is open to boys and girls ages 14-17. Campers learn basic to advanced primitive survival skills. Wilderness navigation, leave no trace camping, hiking, fishing, and life in the outdoors.
- tent living & primitive shelter
- fire-craft - bow drill fire by friction - carving
- locating and treating water to drink in the wild
- learn wild edibles like grasshoppers, ants, and bark beetle larvae
- intro to animal tracking and behavior
- useful wild plants
- useful tools- cooking containers
- hiking of course. We love to explore.
- and much much more!
Contact Mark and request an application for your teens Today.
Should my child attend Lifesong Adventures Teen program?
Teen adventures with Lifesong wilderness adventures: if we stand back and look at what is in front of us. Instead of our expectations of what we think we are supposed to see. We see what there is to see.
And in that place, nature resounds. It’s magical, fun, and interesting. The fire crackles and the creek sings...laughter is often heard on the breeze and we do as we do.
We may not explain the workings of a leaf, at first. But we look deeply into the leaf to see what there is to see. Colors, scents, sounds, the sparkle of a dew drop. An insect's cocoon.
All for one, one for all. Is our teen camp motto
We include everyone in everything we do. We hike as fast as the slowest camper. We look out for each other. Compassion, understanding, and respect. We stay together because we are the team!
A rich and full camping experience for your child
I have always expressed that nature is the teacher. And we as guides facilitate the introduction and awareness of her. The education our teens acquire at camp is rich and fully rounded.
It is measured with adventure, exploration, hiking, stories, doing, creating, skills, and shimmering night skies and bugs.
There are ah ha's, wows, and questions, all in a day’s work. As far as I know, there are very few programs like ours that do what we do in the exponential way we do it.
Please continue reading below, there is loads more info.
Our normal schedule has been disrupted due to COVID.
Outdoor camping adventures for teen's 14-17.
7-day adventures for ages 14-17: includes basic and intermediate survival and outdoor education and skills training - Young Wolf ages 14-15
Teenager's age 16-17
14-day wilderness Adventure for ages 16-17: a two-week adventure with basic, intermediate, advanced, survival and skills training - Call of the Wild ages 16-17
Father Son Camp
Survival skills fun camp for Father and son and or Mother daughter. Includes basic and intermediate survival and outdoor education. With emphasis on parent child adventure. ~CLOSED
28-Day Wilderness Immersion
28-Days of Wilderness Adventure for teens - an extensive 28-day Wilderness Immersion program. Wilderness survival training for the adventurous spirit from 15 to 17 years of age - 28-Day Teen Adventure 15-17
Teen Wilderness Adventure Camp California
Teen Adventure Camps are held in northern California near Mount Shasta.
What we do
Activities include hiking, backpacking, 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 staff do their absolute best to make your teen feel welcome and at ease.
Camp meals
Over the many years of working with teens. Many teenagers who come to camp are very good cooks. This has been a wonderful surprise for us. so, In the spirit of self-reliance, teens now will cook their own meals at camp. We supply the food, and with a lot of over site and support teens take care of the rest.
Safety is number one
Our camper's safety is number one. Safety in all camp activities is an integral part of our program.
We provide a supportive, caring, and welcoming 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:
(three teenage boys, plus two parents) wholeheartedly recommend Mark Wienert's tracking and camping experiences".
"Mark 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."
Mothers' testimonial
~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. 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. While learning to discover and trust in her own inner strength and power while testing new edges.
28-day Teen Apprentice
I can tell that she had a lot of fun, too, and greatly enjoyed the community of peers, counselors, and guides. 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.
Growing up
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 Wilderness Adventures.
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. And hand-picked student and adult volunteers exhibiting outstanding leadership qualities.
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.