Leading Edge Advanced
To create the Advanced course, we started with the foundation of our best-of-class leadership development curriculum for high school students, and added to it an extended wilderness expedition with an emphasis on training students to lead groups in the backcountry. The Advanced course is for students who have experience on extended wilderness expeditions; an interest in developing their leadership further; and interest in becoming wilderness instructors in the future.
The 24-day program begins with a two-day Leadership Workshop at the HMI campus. During this section, we introduce students to our leadership curriculum, and provide them with information about their own leadership style. We also prepare for our expedition. During expedition prep, we begin to rely on Advanced students as teachers as well as learners. Students teach wilderness skills review classes on campus, and teach additional classes to the group during the expedition.
The Advanced course includes a 16-day backpacking expedition. Pristine high peaks and empty wilderness areas await us. During the expedition, though the three adult instructors remain actively involved, Advanced students are given more and more ownership for the itinerary and leadership of the course. Independent student travel is possible. Leadership classes continue, with a particular emphasis on leading groups of beginners in the backcountry and risk management.
We return to HMI for several days of final reflection on the topic of leadership, both as individuals and as a group. At the conclusion of the program, our goal is to have provided young, skilled backcountry travelers with advanced leadership training and preparation for leading groups.
If you are interested in applying to the Leading Edge Advanced, and you are not an alumnus of another HMI program, please submit a short description of your wilderness expedition experience with your application.
Wilderness First Responder certification: It is possible to combine the Leading Edge Advanced with Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, offered at HMI through the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS. For more information about the WFR curriculum, please visit wmi.nols.edu.