Expedition Backpacking Colorado – Expedition Camp
Avid4 Adventure Expedition Base, 1501 Empire Rd, Louisville, CO 80027
About
Expedition Backpacking Colorado – Expedition Camp is a weeklong backpacking program where campers spend their days hiking, camping, and exploring backcountry terrain. Participants practice backcountry cooking, use backpacking tents, pitch tents, cook meals on backcountry stoves, use water treatment systems, and manage their gear. The program also includes teambuilding, using a map and compass, and games during downtime.
• Ages: 14–17 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 $1,325. DEN Airport Camp Shuttle $50 one-way, $100 round-trip. Backpack Rental $40. Avid4 Merch - Delivery at Camp Prices Vary (Tax Incl.). Multi-Session/Sibling discount: $75 off per session after the 1st. Referral Program: Give friends $50 off their first camp, and receive a $50 coupon for a future 2026 camp when they make a purchase. Service Discount: $100 off for qualifying professions.
During a typical day, campers follow a schedule that includes a 7:00 AM wake-up, morning circle, breakfast, packing up camp, hiking with an on-trail lunch, setting up camp in the evening, dinner, an evening circle, and tent time or bedtime around 8:00 PM. Campers may spend up to six hours a day hiking and exploring, with routes that can include longer hike days and layover days with light day packs to nearby peaks or high alpine lakes. Campers sleep in backpacking tents without access to showers, toilets, or running water, and all water is filtered from local sources for drinking, hand washing, and food preparation.
Campers get familiar with compact cooking, cleaning, and sleeping gear, camping basics such as bear protocols and water treatment systems, and learn how to set up, break down, and pack equipment efficiently. They carry group equipment, food, and personal gear, and should expect to carry an additional 10–25 pounds of food or group gear in addition to their personal equipment weight. The program teaches Leave No Trace principles, including how to properly dispose of human waste through burying it in the ground or carrying it out, and may include a brief, structured solo experience that varies based on the trip.
The group typically includes up to 13 campers and 2 instructors, and the camp’s difficulty rating is listed as 2 – Single Sport Specialty with a wilderness rating of 3 – Backcountry Wilderness Camping. Expedition locations include Rocky Mountain National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Park. The camp is backed by the Avid4 Adventure Guarantee, which states that it promises an authentic outdoor adventure, incredibly well-trained and professional staff, increased confidence, and a customer experience that exceeds expectations, with a free future camp if these promises are not met.
Avid4 Adventure states that its programs evolve with campers from age 3 to 17 and that it provides top-tier staff, transportation to and from recreation areas, and access to top-of-the-line gear specifically sized for kids. Instructors are all 18 and older and receive serious safety and skills training, with extensive experience in youth development, outdoor education, and operations. The leadership team includes Founder David Secunda, who is a former president of the Outdoor Industry Association and has 25 years of experience in the outdoor education industry.
Avid4 Adventure’s mission statement says it believes in the transformative power of the outdoors and that at Avid4 Adventure kids build confidence, make new friends, and master essential skills in activities like paddling, biking, rock climbing, and hiking. The organization states that it was created to give kids a love of outdoor activity and to support future caretaking of the planet. Avid4 Adventure is accredited by the American Camp Association, is a Certified B Corp, and has been named among Colorado Parent’s Top 5 Sports Camps. It operates under a Special Use authorization from the National Forest Service and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Parent testimonials describe their children learning new outdoor skills and continuing to talk about camp after it ends. One parent reports that their child learned to ride a bike without training wheels during camp and that stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and biking became favorite activities. Other parents describe the staff as mature, responsible, and excited to share their passion, and note that their kids were active every day and eager to return.
Last updated April 18, 2026.
• Ages: 14–17 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 $1,325. DEN Airport Camp Shuttle $50 one-way, $100 round-trip. Backpack Rental $40. Avid4 Merch - Delivery at Camp Prices Vary (Tax Incl.). Multi-Session/Sibling discount: $75 off per session after the 1st. Referral Program: Give friends $50 off their first camp, and receive a $50 coupon for a future 2026 camp when they make a purchase. Service Discount: $100 off for qualifying professions.
During a typical day, campers follow a schedule that includes a 7:00 AM wake-up, morning circle, breakfast, packing up camp, hiking with an on-trail lunch, setting up camp in the evening, dinner, an evening circle, and tent time or bedtime around 8:00 PM. Campers may spend up to six hours a day hiking and exploring, with routes that can include longer hike days and layover days with light day packs to nearby peaks or high alpine lakes. Campers sleep in backpacking tents without access to showers, toilets, or running water, and all water is filtered from local sources for drinking, hand washing, and food preparation.
Campers get familiar with compact cooking, cleaning, and sleeping gear, camping basics such as bear protocols and water treatment systems, and learn how to set up, break down, and pack equipment efficiently. They carry group equipment, food, and personal gear, and should expect to carry an additional 10–25 pounds of food or group gear in addition to their personal equipment weight. The program teaches Leave No Trace principles, including how to properly dispose of human waste through burying it in the ground or carrying it out, and may include a brief, structured solo experience that varies based on the trip.
The group typically includes up to 13 campers and 2 instructors, and the camp’s difficulty rating is listed as 2 – Single Sport Specialty with a wilderness rating of 3 – Backcountry Wilderness Camping. Expedition locations include Rocky Mountain National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Park. The camp is backed by the Avid4 Adventure Guarantee, which states that it promises an authentic outdoor adventure, incredibly well-trained and professional staff, increased confidence, and a customer experience that exceeds expectations, with a free future camp if these promises are not met.
Avid4 Adventure states that its programs evolve with campers from age 3 to 17 and that it provides top-tier staff, transportation to and from recreation areas, and access to top-of-the-line gear specifically sized for kids. Instructors are all 18 and older and receive serious safety and skills training, with extensive experience in youth development, outdoor education, and operations. The leadership team includes Founder David Secunda, who is a former president of the Outdoor Industry Association and has 25 years of experience in the outdoor education industry.
Avid4 Adventure’s mission statement says it believes in the transformative power of the outdoors and that at Avid4 Adventure kids build confidence, make new friends, and master essential skills in activities like paddling, biking, rock climbing, and hiking. The organization states that it was created to give kids a love of outdoor activity and to support future caretaking of the planet. Avid4 Adventure is accredited by the American Camp Association, is a Certified B Corp, and has been named among Colorado Parent’s Top 5 Sports Camps. It operates under a Special Use authorization from the National Forest Service and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Parent testimonials describe their children learning new outdoor skills and continuing to talk about camp after it ends. One parent reports that their child learned to ride a bike without training wheels during camp and that stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and biking became favorite activities. Other parents describe the staff as mature, responsible, and excited to share their passion, and note that their kids were active every day and eager to return.
Last updated April 18, 2026.
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