Thank you, Mike. You’re ahead of the game to already be thinking about raising your child to love the outdoor while he’s still an infant. I think you’ll find the You May Also Like list of suggested stories (above, at the bottom of the story) informative and helpful. Good luck.

Thanks, Karla. You were indeed a fortunate person to have had parents who introduced you to the outdoors.

Thanks, Lynn. I completely agree.

Thanks, Victoria. If you care about this issue as much as it sounds like you do, I’m sure you will be successful.

Thanks for the nice words and for sharing your story with us, David. And good on you for leading and re-establishing the Sierra Club youth outings. Programs like that are desperately needed. I hope they’re a great success. Please do keep in touch.

I have been a volunteer leader with the Sierra Club National Outings program since 1974. I led national Junior Knapsack trips (ages 12-15) during the 1970’s and 1980’s before taking a break to raise my own kids. We used to offer 15 trips per summer which were always full. The last time the Sierra Club ran such a trip was over 10 years ago. When I returned to leading for the Outings program several years ago, I made it my mission to re-establish these youth outings. I am working hard to offer national teen backpack trips beginning in the summer of 2018. As you can guess, the Sierra Club outings focus, not just on having fun and experiencing a wilderness trip, but also our conservation message, which, as you mentioned in your article, is going to help build supporters for wilderness and conservation in the future.

I am putting the pieces in place to lead these outings again. I work with the National Outings Chair, my subcommittee chairs, the safety program manager and am also trying to work closely with our youth program already in place: Inspiring Connections Outdoors. This will happen and I have the support of the Outings Department of the Club, but I think I am going to have to sell these trips to parents and I think your article will help me in these efforts.

On a side note. I taught in Hailey, Idaho for 16 years and raised three children who were able to benefit from backpacking, whitewater rafting, hiking and skiing as they grew up. They had similar experiences to your children and I wouldn’t have traded our experiences for anything. I watched my 8 year old son get washed out of a drift boat in the middle of a rapid on the Main Salmon. He did what I had taught him to do and was fine, but I understand the emotions you discussed in your article.

Yes, J, I’m afraid that’s true.

Thanks Wil.