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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Campsite at Sunset, Pinyon Flats Campground
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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Ambassadors for Wilderness

Ambassadors for Wilderness - What It's All About

Ambassadors for Wilderness - What It's All About
See for yourself what our summer trips offer -- exploration, skills, leadership, fun, and friends!

Credit / Author: NPS
Date Created: 2011-01-11

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2012 Ambassadors For Wilderness Application Forms

 

Summer 2012 Trip Dates

Middle School Session A: June 17-21

Middle School Session B: June 24-28

High School Session A: July 15-21

High School Session B: July 29-Aug 4

Eligibility: current 7-8th graders for middle school sessions and current 9-11th graders for high school sessions.


 
Ambassadors for Wilderness Group 2008

NPS Photo

Participants learn Leave No Trace and outdoor skills during a 5-day trip down Sand Creek.

Regional middle and high school students are invited to "go wild" this summer at the Great Sand Dunes. The park's Ambassadors for Wilderness program will host a selection of youth for a summer's worth of activities in the park's wilderness environments.

Learn skills, develop leadership, have a blast, and be a part of the Great Sand Dunes family for life!   

 
Ranger teaches GPS

NPS Photo

In addition to traditional map and compass skills, participants are exposed to modern navigational technologies.

National Park Service rangers will lead participants in activities surrounding the themes of outdoor skills, Leave No Trace, leadership, field science, and park management. The majority of session time will take place in remote areas of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, including high alpine zones, forests, and remote stretches of the dunefield. When students return back to school, they will complete a project of their own design to educate others about their wilderness experience and about the resources of the Great Sand Dunes. 
 
Participants and ranger take a flying leap off a north side dune

NPS Photo

"...an unconfined and primitive type of recreation..." - Wilderness Act 1964

The Ambassadors for Wilderness program charges no fees. A $50 fully refundable deposit is required to hold your spot once accepted. Food, gear, and entrance fees are paid for by the program. The participant is responsible only for his or her own personal clothing and transportation to the park. Students going into grades 8 or 9 are eligible for the middle school sessions, while students going into grades 10-12 may apply for high school sessions. Students who complete all summer sessions and the Ambassador project will receive a $100 scholarship and their choice of either volunteer service hours or elective credit.

 
Ambassadors for Wilderness brochure

Ambassadors for Wilderness Brochure

Ambassadors for Wilderness brochure 2012 (.pdf, 515k)

FAQs about Ambassadors for Wilderness (.pdf, 86k) 

Email or phone the Education Specialist at 719-378-6344 for more information.

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Last Updated: February 02, 2012 at 09:46 MST