Wilderness Discovery Adventures
Click here to request information about private guided adventures or
personal outdoor coaching sessions!
Springer Mountain Triple Loop (all inclusive)
Hike sections of two iconic trails. This easy to moderate 12 mile backpacking adventure features portions of both the Appalachian Trail and Benton MacKaye Trail in north Georgia. It’s a memorable backpacking adventure for beginners and novices.
$1499 per adult (double occupancy)
August 31-September 4, 2023
May 26-May 29, 2024
Click here to learn more and register for an Intro to Backpacking Adventure [Easy Edition].
Intro to Backpacking Adventure
Perfect for anyone whose camping experience is a sheet tent in the living room but is ready for a little bit more adventure. The Valiant Outfitters’ Intro to Backpacking Adventure is a low-risk, high-reward first step toward overnight backpacking. Under the guidance of our founding outfitter, Joe Bassett, you’ll launch day hikes from a base camp where you’ll practice trail etiquette, Leave No Trace principles, tent construction, and packing and hiking skills without the stress that often comes from a first overnight hike.
$289 per adult
We’re planning the Winter/Spring 2024 schedules right now. Check back often to book your adventure.
Click here to learn more and register for an Intro to Backpacking Adventure [Easy Edition].
Group Backpacking Adventure
[Easy Edition]
Do you daydream about hiking the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail, but your longest walk is usually from the sofa to the fridge? Then the Group Backpacking Adventure [Easy Edition] is just your speed. Over 2 days and 1 night you’ll backpack and camp along 15 miles of The Florida Trail in Ocala National Forest or thru-hike the 12-mile Pioneer Trail in Jennings State Forest. Your Valiant Outfitter guide will be with you every step of the way during this low-impact adventure.
$359 per person
(travel to and from trailhead not included)
We’re planning the Fall 2023 schedules right now. Check back often to book your adventure.
Click here to learn more and register for a Group Backpacking Adventure [Easy Edition].
Group Backpacking Adventure
[Moderate Edition]
Do you have a bunch of day hike miles on your boots, but want more adventure? Or have you completed one of our [Easy Edition] hikes and crave some more adventure? Are you ready to check a section hike of the Appalachian Trail off your bucket list? Then the Valiant Outfitters Group Backpacking Adventure [Moderate Edition] is your next step (or few thousand). Whether it’s in the mountains of north Georgia, through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, or the Poconos of northeast Pennsylvania, this guided, overnight backpacking trip will scratch the camping itch of any aspiring thru-hiker.
We’re planning the Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 schedules right now. Check back often to book your adventure.
$499 + local accommodations (travel not included)
Click here to learn more and register for an upcoming Group Backpacking Adventure [Moderate Edition].
Group Backpacking Adventure
[Black Diamond Edition]
This one is advanced and it’s our founding outfitter’s favorite. He reserves guiding this one himself! Joe will guide you through the 25 miles and nearly 10,000 feet of elevation change that is The Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The “Prezi” (with seven 4,000+ foot peaks) is considered the most difficult section of the Appalachian Trail with Mount Washington’s peak (Home of the World’s Worst Weather) being the crown jewel of the traverse.
We’re planning the Summer & Fall 2023 schedules right now. Check back often to book your adventure.
$1099 + local accommodations (travel not included)
Click here to learn more and register for an upcoming Group Backpacking Adventure [Black Diamond Edition].
Intro to Wilderness Survival Adventure
What’s it really like to survive by your wits like Brian in the book Hatchet? During this adventure, your family will take their first steps to self-reliance with our Family Intro to Wilderness Survival. Using the Valiant Outfitters Key Three approach to wilderness survival kids 8 years old to adults 80 years old or in your family will be introduced to friction fire building, primitive shelter construction, and water and food harvesting.
$289 per adult
We’re planning the Summer & Fall 2023 schedules right now. Check back often to book your adventure.
Custom Private Adventures
Premium Private Backpacking Adventures
This is your very own adventure, planned and guided specifically for your family or group by our founding outfitter, Joe Bassett. He’ll be with you all the way from selecting a trail to planning the route to prepping your gear. Then he’ll guide you through the hike.
Dates available for your private backpacking adventure:
September 4-10, 2022reservedSeptember 18-24, 2022September 25-October 1, 2022October 2-8, 2022February 27-March 3, 2023March 28-April 4, 2023reserved
Please email info@valiantoutfitters.com for a quote or more information.
Family Intro to Wilderness Survival
During this private 3-day/2-night adventure, your family will take their first steps to self-reliance with our Family Intro to Wilderness Survival. Using the Valiant Outfitters Key Three approach to wilderness survival kids 8 years old to adults 80 years old or in your family will be introduced to friction fire building, primitive shelter construction, and water and food harvesting.
$239 per adult
$179 ages 12-18
$129 ages 8-11
Click here to learn more and schedule your Family Intro to Wilderness Survival.
Survival Bachelor Party
Sure, it’s traditional to tie one on in Vegas with your chums as you come to the end of your “wild oats” era. But you’re cut from a different, better cloth. During the 3 day/2 night Valiant Outfitters Survival Bachelor party you and your groomsmen will discover your resistance, tenacity, and strength to lead your families.
$239 per person
Click here to learn more and schedule your Survival Bachelor Party.
Wilderness Survival Adventure
[Leadership Team Building Edition]
Survival in the wilderness is dynamic and unpredictable, even chaotic. It requires both concrete plans and the flexibility to jettison preconceived ideas. It demands established attributes and virtues.
Hey, corporate leader, does that sound familiar?
Few experiences establish comradery, develop teamwork, and refine leadership skills like overcoming adversity. Wilderness survival training re-calibrates the ability to de-emphasize what can’t be controlled, options, and reinforces what can be, the ability to identify and execute the next best step. Immersing your team in the Valiant Outfitters Key Three survival program highlights individual and team strengths and reveals shortcomings providing the emotional and cognitive tools for life, team, and leadership.
Contact our founding outfitter, Joe Bassett, to learn more and book your organization’s customized wilderness survival adventure. info@valiantoutfitters.com.
What about…
…gear?
Don’t have a tent, sleeping bag, or any gear at all? No worries. We have rental gear and all of our Backpacking Adventures include one of a Virtual Personal Outfitting Sessions when we’ll guide you through purchasing or renting as much or as little as you need.
Recommended backpacking gear list.
…food?
Our adventures are BYOF (bring your own food), but we’ll help you plan your menu. One of our guides will help you plan your menu, drinks, and trail snacks during your Virtual Personal Outfitting Session. By planning your own menu you’ll learn how to prep hikes for yourself and address your personal dietary needs.
We’ll also help you purchase or rent your cook kit. Suggestions are included in the gear checklist.
…clothing?
Comfortable, but as little cotton as possible (cotton is rotten). Athletic clothing that you already own is fine, even recommended. Also, you really only need one piece of outer clothing (shirt and pants or shorts) for a 2 or 3-day hike. An extra pair of undies are always a good idea, though.
A complete list of clothing is in the gear checklist, but if you’re not sure, your guide will be happy to help during your outfitting session.
…your feet?
Yes, please bring them.
Seriously though, lightweight hiking boots or sneakers are more than enough for most of our discovery adventures. The exceptions are certain Black Diamond level hikes which usually require trail runners or lightweight hiking boots.
Along with your feet, bring 2 pairs of wool or wicking socks.
…my fitness level?
The goal of Valiant Outfitters is to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy the wilderness, so we design our adventures for every body type and experience level.
If you can walk 2-3 miles on level ground in less than an hour, then you’re ready for one of our easy or moderate adventures, even carrying a backpack. We usually hike 6-12 miles per day over level to moderate terrain.
YOU CAN DO IT!
…rain?
You’re worried about rain? It’s called the wilderness for a reason. We go rain or shine. In fact, rain tends to bring out a good mood in our guides. And if you follow the gear checklist, then you’ll be just fine.
But even our guides have their limits. Dangerous weather such as thunderstorms, excessive wind, extreme cold, or other dangerous conditions may lead to an itinerary change, “bailout” or cancellation. We’ll never put our hikers and guests in harm’s way.
Our job isn’t to just get you to the end of the trail, it’s to help you have an adventure and get you home safely.
…safety?
Speaking of getting home safely, all of our guides are certified in wilderness first-aid and CPR. You’re in good hands.
…payment and refunds?
Valiant Outfitters Adventures are pre-paid and include a non-refundable 20% admin fee.
But we understand that “life happens,” so we’re happy to refund your payment, minus the admin fee, if you need to cancel more than 2 weeks before the adventure or course.
Cancellations made within 7-14 days before an adventure or course are eligible for a 50% refund.
Refunds are not issued for cancellations made within one week of an adventure or course.*
If Valiant Outfitters cancels an adventure or course due to severe weather, then a full refund will be issued.
[*Different cancellation policies apply to beta adventures and courses.]
…tips?
We’ve already shared one of our favorite tips, “avoid cotton.”
Oh, you meant, “Should I tip my guide?”
Well, our fabulous, well-trained, professional, good-natured, helpful, attractive guides don’t expect tips, but they do appreciate them. We’ve heard that the industry standard is 15-20% percent of the cost, but we’ll leave that up to you.