Stepping up to the challenge

Adventure Crew has long been providing city youth the opportunity to know nature through adventures. We are seen as the largest and most influential organization of our kind, helping to equalize access to the great outdoors for hundreds of city teens every month, all year long. And now, our youth are ‘reaching new heights’ with the Adventure Crew Pathways program.

After a number of indoor climbing sessions this year, a cadre of Blue Crew members took to the outdoors and tested their new skills at Red River Gorge in Kentucky last month. Their transition to serious rock-climbing and rappelling without the cushioned mats below evoked all new fears and even some tears.

But with steady encouragement and guidance from our team, every single teen ultimately met the challenge and scaled the rocky outcrop -- and they were changed by the experience.

These new climbers trusted our Crew staff that day, but more importantly, they trusted themselves. Red River Gorge demanded an all new level of courage, and our kids literally stepped up. On the face of that cliff, they earned their self-esteem. Our Crew keeps growing stronger, one challenging adventure at a time.