A unique outdoor program for adults
For over 25 years, Wilderness Awareness School's Immersion program has transformed the lives of adults through an intense, nine-month, nature connection experience. Located on a 60-acre campus in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains, the program is a powerful model for how immersive, holistic outdoor education can inspire personal growth, foster community, and build tomorrow's environmental leaders.
As interest grows in nature-based wellness, organizations are uniquely positioned to offer life-changing experiences like The Immersion. But what does it take to run a program of this scale and depth?
The Immersion At A Glance
The Immersion runs from September through May, three days a week (Tuesday through Thursday), with a few extended wilderness expeditions woven throughout the year. The program takes place in a lush and diverse setting, complete with conifer forests, a beaver pond, and winding trails that serve as a living classroom.
Participants range in age, background, and life stage, but they arrive with a shared desire to reconnect with themselves, their communities, and the natural world.
The Immersion curriculum is built around eight core areas:
- Survival Skills
- Naturalist Studies
- Wildlife Tracking
- Bird Language
- Cultural Studies
- Community Leadership
- Land Stewardship
- Self-Discovery
These topics are interwoven in a rhythm that blends hands-on skill-building, reflective practices, and guided outdoor experiences. Some subjects, such as leadership development or wildlife tracking, are revisited periodically throughout the program; others are explored in depth over several consecutive days.
This flexible curriculum structure, designed with seasonal relevance and depth of learning in mind, helps students retain information and integrate new skills in a meaningful way.
Staffing And Mentorship
Each year, the program is led by a team of three core instructors who are responsible for curriculum design, facilitation, and the overall culture of the class. They are supported by several apprentices (alumni of the program who are stepping into leadership roles) and a rotating cast of guest instructors who teach specialized topics, such as fire by friction, medicinal plants, hide tanning, and natural movement.
This instructor model supports both depth and diversity in instruction. It also helps to build a rich mentoring culture, where students are supported not only as learners, but as whole people on a journey.
A cornerstone of the program's educational approach is "Coyote Mentoring," a methodology developed by Wilderness Awareness School that encourages curiosity-based learning. Instead of frontloading information, instructors help students learn through experience, questions, and stories. It's a playful, emergent approach that fosters long-term retention and deep engagement—and it's particularly effective in outdoor settings.
Growth On Every Level
Throughout the nine-month program, students are guided through a series of physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges that serve as gateways to transformation. Physically, they undertake demanding experiences, such as a winter overnight where they sleep in a shelter of their own making, wearing only the clothes on their backs. Intellectually, they engage with structured naturalist lessons, deepening their knowledge of the land and its species. Emotionally, they are invited to examine long-held beliefs and behaviors, shedding what no longer serves them and making space for new aspects of themselves to emerge.
Challenge is woven intentionally throughout the year, acting as both a mirror and a catalyst for growth. These experiences allow students to discover their true capacities, gain awareness of their coping strategies, and develop greater emotional resilience. At the same time, they learn how to collaborate closely with others, building strong, supportive relationships rooted in trust and mutual effort.
The program culminates in a powerful rite of passage designed to mark the transition from student to graduate. It is both a celebration and a test—an opportunity for each individual to step fully into growth and carry forward the insight, confidence, and purpose they've cultivated over the course of the year.
Making It Work Financially
Running a high-quality program like The Immersion comes with real costs. Current tuition is just under $15,000 for the nine-month program. While this may be out of reach for some, Wilderness Awareness School offers up to $3,000 in scholarships, as well as two full fellowships annually for BIPOC students with an interest in leadership.
Students often arrange part-time work or make intentional sacrifices in their professional and personal lives to attend. Some live on-site in shared housing, while others commute from the surrounding area. The program demands significant time and energy, but for those who complete it, the personal and professional rewards are often profound.
Real Transformation
"Through this experience, I've been able to relax and let the weight of the world fall off my shoulders. I have finally not been in fight-or-flight mode. This place has created peace for me, and it feels like I was finally able to catch up to myself again," says Joe Singer, a 2023 graduate. The Immersion has a remarkable ability to bring out the best in its students.
The close-knit community that forms over the course of the year is consistently one of the most cherished aspects of the experience. Within each cohort, students learn how to cultivate highly supportive, functional, and synergistic relationships—skills that often carry over into their lives beyond the program. “The Immersion has transformed how I am with my mom and dad, and it's totally healed our relationships," says Abby Loos, a graduate of 2025.
Ripple Effects
Programs like The Immersion are impactful, not only because they transform individual lives, but because they ripple outward—into families, communities, and the broader culture. Students leave with a deeper sense of purpose, emotional resilience, and connection to the natural world, all of which are desperately needed in a time of widespread disconnection, burnout, and ecological crisis. These graduates often go on to become community leaders, educators, land stewards, and bridge-builders—carrying the lessons they've learned into every facet of their lives.
"I found my 'why,' and now I know without a doubt that I have what I need to make a change," says Sarah Lomize, a graduate of 2023. The world needs more spaces that invite people to slow down, reconnect, and remember their place in the web of life. As more organizations consider how to meet the evolving needs of their communities, nature-immersion programs offer a powerful, time-tested model for cultivating well-being, leadership, and deep belonging.
