Outdoor Adventures
Camp Qwanoes has a rich history of transforming lives and fostering relationships through outdoor adventure. A wide variety of outdoor experiences will stretch and challenge students to go outside their comfort zones to a place where spiritual and personal growth can happen. Whether in the mountains, on a ski slope, or on the water, these adventures teach lessons and create memories that will last a lifetime!
Adventure trips are designed to help students grow in their understanding of who they are personally, spiritually, and as leaders. Bible teaching is incorporated into every trip, directing activities or shaping trips as a part of adventure programming. Students learn lessons through adventures that they can apply to any number of life situations in the future.
Kaléo students participate in a number of one- to four-night trips throughout the year, which may include a sailing voyage, backpacking up a mountain, a week-long ski trip, a high-ropes course, kayaking, cold water surfing, rock climbing, and caving to name a few! Read below for details on some of our most notable trips.
Mount Albert Edward Backpacking Trip
There isn’t a better way to kick off the Kaléo year than with a two-night backpacking trip up Mount Albert Edward. Located in Strathcona National Park, this peak is the sixth highest on Vancouver Island. The backcountry trails provide the perfect environment to grow in community and learn outdoor adventure skills.
Tofino Surf Trip
Vancouver Island is home to Tofino, the surf capital of Canada, where we head for our multi-day surf trip. Zip up your wetsuit for afternoons in the waves or exploring the coastal towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, and spend evenings enjoying home-cooked meals and sharing all the memories we’re making together.
SALTS Sailing Trip
Ride the waves on a much larger vessel - a tall ship! Learn to become a sailor as you engage in the day’s activities, ranging from taking command at the wheel and climbing the mast to tying knots and swabbing the deck. This makes our evenings below deck even sweeter as we sing sea shanties and share stories with a warm mug in hand.
Mount Washington Ski Trip
Halfway through the year, we retreat to Mount Washington which boasts one of the highest average snowfalls of any ski hill in North America and has a vertical rise of 505 meters. Beginners and experts alike are kept busy skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing before returning to our ski-in ski-out chalet for a time of reflection, connection, and looking forward to the semester ahead.
Gulf Islands Kayak Trip
There doesn’t seem to be a better way to conclude our year together than with an ocean kayak retreat. This time around we stick closer to home, leaving from Qwanoes Beach for a multi-day tour of the Gulf Islands. We gather around the campfire for the final time to look back on the year and share our favourite memories we made along the way.