Expedition Backpacking California - Expedition Camp
Menlo College, 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton, CA 94027
About
Expedition Backpacking California - Expedition Camp is a one-week backpacking program where campers spend their days hiking, camping, and exploring the backcountry. Campers practice backcountry cooking, use backpacking tents and backcountry stoves, learn water treatment, and use a map and compass on the trail. During downtime, the group plays games together.
• Ages: 10–12 years old
• Schedule: One-week sessions with Sunday check-in at 10:00 AM and Friday check-out at 3:00 PM
• Price: One Week Price $1,425. Airport Shuttle $50 one-way, $100 round-trip. Backpack Rental $40. Avid4 Merch - Delivery at Camp Prices Vary (Tax Incl.).
Groups include up to 13 campers with 2 instructors, and campers may spend up to six hours a day hiking and exploring terrain, including longer hike days and layover days with light day packs for nearby peaks or high alpine lakes. Campers carry group equipment, food, and personal gear on their backs and may carry an additional 10–25 lbs of food or group gear, set up camp in different locations, pitch tents, and cook meals together on backcountry stoves. Campers sleep in backpacking tents with no access to showers, toilets, or running water, and all water is filtered from local sources for drinking, hand washing, and food preparation. The program includes learning Leave No Trace principles, including how to properly dispose of human waste through burying in the ground or carrying it out, and every activity starts with a discussion about risks, how to prevent them, and how to respond if something goes wrong. Campers take turns cooking and cleaning up energy-packed meals, practice communication, problem solving, teamwork, and leadership by guiding the group on hikes, and may participate in a brief, structured solo reflection experience depending on the trip. Campers get familiar with compact cooking, cleaning, and sleeping gear, camping basics like bear protocols and water treatment systems, and how to set up, break down, and pack equipment efficiently, and they get access to top-of-the-line gear specifically sized for kids.
Instructors are all 18 and older and are described as skilled, supportive, incredibly well-trained, and professional, with serious safety and skills training. The leadership team includes Founder David Secunda, a former president of the Outdoor Industry Association and a 25-year veteran of the outdoor education industry. Avid4 Adventure states a mission to give kids a love of outdoor activity, build kids’ skills, confidence, grit, and determination, and teach a new generation of adventurers to thrive in the outdoors while supporting future caretaking of the planet. The organization is accredited by the American Camp Association, is a Certified B Corp, and has been named among Colorado Parent’s Top 5 Sports Camps, and it operates under a Special Use authorization from the National Forest Service. Avid4 Adventure provides transportation to and from recreation areas and offers an Avid4 Adventure Guarantee that includes a free next camp if its stated promises about authentic outdoor adventure, staff training and professionalism, camper confidence, and customer experience are not met.
Parent testimonials describe children learning new outdoor skills, including biking without training wheels, and being eager to share what they learned each day, and they describe the staff as mature, responsible, and excited to share their passion with campers.
Last updated July 16, 2026.
• Ages: 10–12 years old
• Schedule: One-week sessions with Sunday check-in at 10:00 AM and Friday check-out at 3:00 PM
• Price: One Week Price $1,425. Airport Shuttle $50 one-way, $100 round-trip. Backpack Rental $40. Avid4 Merch - Delivery at Camp Prices Vary (Tax Incl.).
Groups include up to 13 campers with 2 instructors, and campers may spend up to six hours a day hiking and exploring terrain, including longer hike days and layover days with light day packs for nearby peaks or high alpine lakes. Campers carry group equipment, food, and personal gear on their backs and may carry an additional 10–25 lbs of food or group gear, set up camp in different locations, pitch tents, and cook meals together on backcountry stoves. Campers sleep in backpacking tents with no access to showers, toilets, or running water, and all water is filtered from local sources for drinking, hand washing, and food preparation. The program includes learning Leave No Trace principles, including how to properly dispose of human waste through burying in the ground or carrying it out, and every activity starts with a discussion about risks, how to prevent them, and how to respond if something goes wrong. Campers take turns cooking and cleaning up energy-packed meals, practice communication, problem solving, teamwork, and leadership by guiding the group on hikes, and may participate in a brief, structured solo reflection experience depending on the trip. Campers get familiar with compact cooking, cleaning, and sleeping gear, camping basics like bear protocols and water treatment systems, and how to set up, break down, and pack equipment efficiently, and they get access to top-of-the-line gear specifically sized for kids.
Instructors are all 18 and older and are described as skilled, supportive, incredibly well-trained, and professional, with serious safety and skills training. The leadership team includes Founder David Secunda, a former president of the Outdoor Industry Association and a 25-year veteran of the outdoor education industry. Avid4 Adventure states a mission to give kids a love of outdoor activity, build kids’ skills, confidence, grit, and determination, and teach a new generation of adventurers to thrive in the outdoors while supporting future caretaking of the planet. The organization is accredited by the American Camp Association, is a Certified B Corp, and has been named among Colorado Parent’s Top 5 Sports Camps, and it operates under a Special Use authorization from the National Forest Service. Avid4 Adventure provides transportation to and from recreation areas and offers an Avid4 Adventure Guarantee that includes a free next camp if its stated promises about authentic outdoor adventure, staff training and professionalism, camper confidence, and customer experience are not met.
Parent testimonials describe children learning new outdoor skills, including biking without training wheels, and being eager to share what they learned each day, and they describe the staff as mature, responsible, and excited to share their passion with campers.
Last updated July 16, 2026.
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