Olympic Odyssey
Ages 12-14
Session 1: June 26 - July 3rd, 2026
Session 2: July 21 - July 28th, 2026
Session 3: July 30 - Aug 6th, 2026
“Journeys was the beginning of our son’s personal transformation into a young adult. His experiences with personal reflection allowed him to understand his own worth.” - Parent
preparing boys as they approach their transition to young adulthood.
Today, as in years past, the transition out of childhood and into adulthood is not easy, nor simple. Boys today need ample opportunities to prepare themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally, to put down the identity of child or boy, and embrace the oncoming phase of young adulthood.
Olympic Odyssey is an opportunity for boys on the cusp of adolescence to discover and cultivate the knowledge, skills, and capacities that young adulthood will require. This 8 day trip offers youth a powerful experience to explore, self reflect, and cultivate resiliency through challenge in a supportive community of male mentors and peers. Excluding the daily distractions of modern life, the natural pace and rhythm of the wilderness allows participants to experience the richness of being fully alive.
As participants connect with nature, share authentically in talking circles, and learn life enriching skills, they will discover a new found sense of who they want to be in the world. At journey’s end, each will bring home with them the gift of a unique story to share with their family and wider community.
For boys age 13-15 who are truly ready to fully step out of childhood and embrace life as a young adult (adolescent), we offer Mountain Quest for Young Men, a 3 week backpacking Coming of Age program.
This journey welcomes all who identify as male, trans boys, and non-binary youth, knowing this journey is a preparation for initiation through the male lens. Please check out our welcome statement on gender identity here. Not sure which trip is right for your youth? Contact Us and we’ll help figure it out.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Ages 12-14
Olympic Odyssey I: 6/26 - 7/3/2026
Olympic Odyssey II: 7/21 - 7/28/2026
Olympic National Park
Program begins and ends at Journeys Basecamp in Bothell, WA.
$1495.00; Deposit $400.00
Financial Aid is currently available
This journey welcomes all who identify as male, trans boys, and non-binary youth, knowing this journey is a preparation for initiation through the male lens. Please check out our welcome statement on gender identity here. Not sure which trip is right for your youth? Contact Us and we’ll help figure it out.
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Participants reunite with their families after their Olympic Odyssey and share the stories of what they experienced.
Questions? Check out our FAQ page or send us a message!
Trip Description
Olympic Odyssey participants, their families, and our staff participate in a send-off circle at Journeys basecamp. Then the group begins their preparations: community building activities, learning important backpacking and camp skills training. Finally, its off to the trailhead for the mountain adventure, a 6-day backpacking trip in the wilds of the Olympic National Park.
After the backpacking experience concludes, the explorers travel back to basecamp where they are greeted by their families and loved ones, as we share and celebrate the stories of their adventures.
Skills Introduced
Teamwork | Self Reflection | Nature Connection | Backcountry Skills | Campfires | Campskills
Program Outcomes
Improved self-confidence
Skills and insight into teamwork
Understanding and taking responsibility
Ability to listen to intuition
Leadership skills
Improved physical strength and personal resolve
Knowledge of natural history of Northwest terrain
Exposure to Low-impact camping techniques
Understanding of a healthy and appropriate path to adulthood
Olympic Odyssey Guides
Our 2026 guide teams are beginning to come together!
We will continue to update this page as guide teams are confirmed.
2026 guide team, oo i:
Jared ‘J-Mo’ moderie
Program Coordinator
Jared (Jmo) grew up in the bountiful wetlands and frozen shores of Minnesota. His love for the natural world was sparked at an early age on Minnesota's many lakes, learning to fish from his father. Jared furthered his connection at 18 when he packed up his belongings and headed out to Washington to learn bushcraft and survival skills from an immersive course at Alderleaf Wilderness Program…
koby silverman
Program Mentor
Shaped by the alpine majesty of western Montana, Koby has always found solace in the wilderness. Growing up on the edges of suburbs and woodlands, he developed both a natural affinity for the land and a keen sensitivity to the societal disconnection that plagues our times. His early experiences sparked both a profound reverence for the beauty and need for nature…
2026 Guide Team, OO II:
Ryan Kanoa kim Wilcox
Program Coordinator
Ryan Kanoa Kim Wilcox was born & raised on Maui. His youth was spent camping, hiking, climbing trees, & playing in the ocean…activities that are still big parts of his life. A Life Scout, a former lifeguard, EMT, & hiking/sailing tour guide. He left the islands in 2018 to live in a van & has been nomadic ever since. Currently; a naturalist, a wilderness rites of passage guide, a men’s work facilitator, a community leader, a maturation coach, a wilderness first responder, & a loving uncle. A man of prayer & ceremony. A wild child.
christopher criqui
Program Mentor
Criqui is a white, genderqueerdo born and raised in rural Pennsylvania on unceded Susquehannock territory. Much of Criqui’s time growing up was spent hiking with their Boy Scout troop, playing games with other kids on the cul-de-sac, or exploring the Christmas Tree farm next to their neighborhood. Criqui’s journey as an environmental educator began after moving to the Pacific Northwest and developing relationships with the humans and more-than-humans that inhabit this place.
2026 Guide Team, OO III:
ryan kanoa kim wilcox
Program Coordinator
Ryan Kanoa Kim Wilcox was born & raised on Maui. His youth was spent camping, hiking, climbing trees, & playing in the ocean…activities that are still big parts of his life. A Life Scout, a former lifeguard, EMT, & hiking/sailing tour guide. He left the islands in 2018 to live in a van & has been nomadic ever since. Currently; a naturalist, a wilderness rites of passage guide, a men’s work facilitator, a community leader, a maturation coach, a wilderness first responder, & a loving uncle. A man of prayer & ceremony. A wild child.
noah green
Program Mentor
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