Rooted in Adventure, Rooted in Appalachia
At Our Core
Adventure
Adventure is inherently exciting and often involves leadership, risk management, and consequential decision making. Each adventure on which we embark helps us develop an innate sense of confidence and self-awareness that can be applied to all facets of life.
Outdoor adventures are complex and dynamic situations that allow us to examine ourselves and our place in the natural world. Our programs encourage the development of these crucial skills while helping participants discover what adventures best align with their personalities and individual goals.
Community
Developing a sense of community forms the foundation for sustainable living. Whether you’re part of a local community or a global network, we can accomplish more when we band together to achieve a common goal.
We help participants develop community engagement skills through our curriculum that focuses on communication, conflict resolution, and leadership.
Sustainability
Sustainability can mean different things to different people. At APEX, sustainability means:
- Reducing our impact on the natural environment and its resources so they may be preserved for future generations.
- Educating people about sustainability concepts and how they can be incorporated into daily life.
- Promoting strong environmental ethics.
We reduce our impact on the planet by adventuring close to home. We offset our footprint by planting trees, composting food, and diminishing waste via refusing and reducing our use of new materials. We reuse, repair, repurpose, and recycle as many products and resources as possible.
Nature Connection
We are an institute whose beliefs are rooted in the concept of Deep Ecology. Meaning, we recognize that humanity is a key component to the natural functioning ecosystem of the planet, but does not have more or less value than any other organisms in the ecosystem. Many of our programs, either explicitly or implicitly, attempt to help participants find their ecological identity in this world. This eco-philosophy (among others) permeates our program beyond just the ideas that we teach; we use it as a model to organize our systems, staff, and schedule.
Start Exploring
Summer 2023 Youth Expeditions
Cheat River Watershed Expedition
Cheat River Watershed Expedition
WV Highlands Adventure
WV Highlands Adventure
Tucker Community Backpacking Trip
Tucker Community Backpacking Trip
Mountaineer Backpacking Trip
Mountaineer Backpacking Trip
APEX Adventure Day Camp
APEX Adventure Day Camp
Advanced (ages 11-13): Five days of adventures including whitewater rafting.