HIGH ADVENTURE BACKPACKING CLUB
The day has finally come. Tumbleweed Day Camp is getting wild - we're going backpacking! Welcome to the HABC - High Adventure Backpacking Club. Made for high schoolers, this backpacking leadership program builds upon years and years of Tumbleweed experience, offering a seven-day adventure in the Sequoia National Forest along the Kern River. We’ll spend a week hiking and exploring in the Southern Sierras. We’ll camp, cook, and hang out under the stars. We'll adventure into warm springs and try our hand at fly fishing. We’ll learn more about each other and build forever friendships.
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HABC will provide everything you need (except clothing), including tents, food, and supplies. Our program is led by our camp director Tate aka Sassafrazz and our team of counselors, who know lots about backpacking and are excited to meet you.
If you’ve never been backpacking before, that’s ok! It’s hard work, but just like when you were a camper here at Tumbleweed, we’re going to do it together and support each other as we go. YOU are the most important part of the Tumbleweed family, and we want you to be a part of the High Adventure Backpacking Club, too.
what to expect
day one
prep & pack
The first day of the trip will be spent at Tumbleweed. Campers and trip leaders will spend time getting to know one another, and leaders will teach campers all the essential skills they will need to know in the backcountry: how to cook and set up a campsite, packing rations, and checking and packing all gear. Campers will go home and spend the night with their families before leaving early the next day.
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day two - six
travel & adventure
Campers will then meet back at camp and travel together up to the mountains and big trees. The group will spend the next 6 days hiking, exploring, and driving along the Kern River. Most days will be spent adventuring and exploring near the river, including learning how to fly fish and planning for day trips. In the evenings, the group will set up camp, play games, and eat delicious food. Throughout the trip, campers will learn about the local ecology of the area, important camping and hiking techniques, leadership skills, community building, and so much more. Between sliding down natural stone waterslides, flyfishing, and stargazing, campers will have endless stories to share.
day seven
returning home
On our last day, campers will enjoy the last bit of the California wilderness and make their way back to Los Angeles. The group arrives at camp mid-afternoon and will unpack their bags, clean all the gear they used, and return to their families at the end of the day.
our trip leaders
our director
Tate has always been passionate about spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. Since high school, she has spent time camping and backpacking in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, California, and New Zealand. Tate has participated in many trips with the National Outdoor Leadership School, a leader in adventure-based trips worldwide, and she worked at the High Mountain Institute in Colorado leading two-week long backpacking trips with high school students in the program. Tate is a Wilderness First Responder and a licensed counselor for youth. She is so excited to be leading this program and helping more kids discover their love of the wilderness.
why we're great
Our Tumbleweed counselors are the heart of what we do, creating exceptional camp experiences and building happy people, and our HABC trip leaders are no different! In addition to looking for kind, responsible leaders who create a place of belonging at camp, our trip leaders must be at least 21 years old, experienced in backpacking in areas like Yosemite, and have at least Wilderness First Aid certification. Each trip also includes leaders with Wilderness First Responder and Mental Health First Aid certifications.
Tumbleweed, all grown up
At Tumbleweed, we pride ourselves on building happy people through exceptional camp experiences. We help our littles, starting at 4 and 5, master tying their shoes and making friends. We support our North campers in trying new things, exploring the canyon, and conquering their fears at the ropes course. We are with our campers all the way from their first day in the Piglets to their last camper day as a Sequoia. We're there for all the ups and downs, the new and familiar. And now we are here to take the next big step with our high schoolers to help them find their true selves out in the wild.
dates, fees, and application
dates & fees
session 1*
July 6 - July 13, 2023
arrival/departure Tumbleweed Day Camp
Destination - Sequoia National Forest and Kern River
Fee: $2500
session 2*
July 27 - August 3, 2023
arrival / departure Tumbleweed Day Camp
Destination - Sequoia National Forest and Kern River
Fee: $2500
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*If you have been accepted as a CIT for summer 2023, you may participate in HABC as long as it is not during your 4-week session.
