Event Details

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF WILDERNESS TREKKING SCHOOL OR DAY HIKING SCHOOL AND PROFICIENCY IN THE SKILLS LEARNED IN EITHER SCHOOL ARE PREREQUISITES FOR BACKPACKING SCHOOL. Requesting a WTS waiver is an alternative pathway. 

BKPS is offered in a hybrid format:

• On-line learning and reading assigments (completed prior to Class/Field days)
• Webinars and in-person training

Students are assigned to a small group led by a BKPS Group Leader with BKPS assistant instructors.

We will meet twice as a school (Class #1 and Field #1) and the remaining webinars and in-person training are with your small group. A Welcome Packet will be mailed early to mid May which contains the BKPS book and curriculum. Please note that there are course pre-requisites (~2 hours) prior to class start on June 1!

Classes

• Class #1 – Tuesday, June 1, 6:30 - 8:00 pm at AMC (outside, weather permitting, or inside)
• Class #2 – Tuesday, June 8, ~1 hr in the evening via Webinar [exact time determined by each Group Leader]
• Class #3 – Tuesday, June 15, ~1 hr in the evening via Webinar [exact time determined by each Group Leader]

Field Days

• Field #1  Day – Saturday, June 12, 7 am - 12:30 pm at AMC (outside, weather permitting, or inside)
• Field #2  Overnight  – Saturday/Sunday, June 26 - 27 [Location determined by each Group Leader]
• Field #3  Overnight  – Saturday/Sunday, July 10 - 11 [Location determined by each Group Leader]
• Field #4  3 Day/2 Night Trip – Dates to be determined by each Group Leader; completed by September 30

Note 1: all Classes and Field Days are required for BKPS graduation. Within the current session, there is no provision to make-up a missed Class or Field Day, so please ensure you are available for all the dates. 

Note 2: Class #1 and Field #1 may be provided via webinar due to Colorado and/or CMC COVID restrictions. 

Email Jennie Popovich at  cmcbackpacker@gmail.com with CMC ID and WTS graduation information (or approved WTS waiver by WTS Committee). Once WTS graduation is confirmed or the waiver is approved, Jennie will provide you with the passcode to register. Note: Students in the 2021 Spring WTS session may sign up for BKPS but must graduate prior to BKPS start. Please email Jennie with any questions.

The school is taught by volunteer instructors experienced in the Colorado Mountains and elsewhere, who have honed their skills and perfected their gear, who love to be outdoors and enjoy sharing their knowledge and experience.

Attendance & Graduation Policies:
The Denver Group Backpacking School is open to all CMC members 18 and older regardless of hiking classification and youth 15-17 years of age accompanied by a parent or guardian. ​Participation in the school's outings may provide the student with hiker evaluations that can be used towards a "B" or "C" classification change. The "B" and "C" (and "D") hiker classifications have additional requirements so please contact the office (office@cmc.org) for the required form and additional information.

The objective of the school is to graduate students with demonstrated proficiency in backpacking skills along with the knowledge and confidence to safely hike and backpack in Colorado's mountains and elsewhere. Graduation from the school will be based on the following:

• Evaluations by the student’s group instructors
• The student’s attendance in classes and field days. (Students are expected to attend all classes and field days. Formal make-up classes and field days are not planned.)

Refund Policy:

• Refer to the CMC policy.