LEAP Wilderness Programs Information

LEAP | Life Expanding Adventure Program provides river programs for youth and adults facing adversity to build deeper connections with themselves, one another, and nature. Our multi-day programs run on the Lower Salmon River in Idaho and the Lower Deschutes River in Oregon. Participants are referred through partner organizations, including hospitals, schools, and community nonprofits, and programs are offered at no cost to our partners. Through whitewater, shared challenge, and days spent as a small community, participants find connection that often continues long after they return home. Our work is guided by the LEAP's theory of change: reconnection to self, to others, and to nature. Programs are evidence-supported, and we evaluate outcomes and contribute to the growing field of nature-based approaches to well-being. Through our guide-in-training program, past participants can return to the river to deepen the connections they've built as mentors and to mentor those who come after them, completing the circle. Some go on to explore outdoor careers along the way. We envision a future where nature-based approaches to well-being are trusted and accessible to everyone who needs them, and where rivers are protected and cared for as partners in that change. leapadventure.org