
For the past 13 years, we have had had the great privilege of guiding the Deep Wilderness Experience for the Wild Gift, a local non profit dedicated to supporting better world entrepreneurs through mentor-ship, project funding and instilling a deep ethic of the wild. Each year, a class of recipients (known as Gifters) is selected from an ever growing pool of inspirational applicants who have begun social and environmental ventures. The 2016 class included 5 Gifters with varied and amazing projects across the globe and all related to this year’s theme on Climate Change including:
Dr. Arun Gupta: Who is developing ground breaking solar panels with his company, Skyven Technologies designed to capture thermal energy used to heat, process foods and for industrial applications.
Bryce Andrews: Rancher, writer and deep thinker, Bryce is beginning a non-profit educational institution: Swallow Tail Foundation, dedicated to critical evaluation of how to better ranching and farming in the West.
Tsechu Dolma: Growing up in a Tibetan refugee camp in Nepal, Tsechu Dolma recognized the need for developing sustainable solutions for the mountain people of the Himalaya. Her venture, the Mountain Resiliency Project , is dedicated to creating viable communities in these rugged and remote landscapes.
Sam Teicher: Has founded a company: Coral Vita, dedicated toward restoring threatened coral reefs by growing and replanting local endangered corals on degraded reefs worldwide.
Alex Wankel: Has begun a new social enterprise, Pachukuti Foods, to create markets for rare Andean superfoods while supporting farmers and protecting agro-biodiversity. Alex strives to tap into the huge potential of rare and underutilized crops by creating innovative new products that are uniquely natural, delicious, healthy, and good for the world.
Enjoy these pictures of our 18 days trekking deep in the wilds of Idaho with SVT guide, Joe St.Onge, and Wild Gift Facilitator, Raj Vable, and click on the links above to find out more about the Wild Gift and these phenomenal ventures:
- Gazing toward our home for the night
- Many fish were caught, providing tasty nutrition along the trek.
- Our 1st trail sign in 16 days was found at the very end of our trek, how fitting.
- The 1st steps up into the Boulder Mountains
- Climbing toward the magical land of peaks, lakes and the ancient White Bark Pines in the White Cloud Mountains
- The rock glacier above Cirque Lake is one of the few living glaciers left in Idaho
- Each evening, ideas related to the wild, entrepeneurship and making of a better worls were shared, discussed and debated
- Heading over into Karma Basin on the dark side of the Boulder Mountains
- Camp at sunset
- Wild, Sublime, Beauty
- 8 hours into an 11 hour trek on day 6
- heading for the summit of D.O. Lee Peak
- Summit brain storm
- Taking a break on the loose descent off the pass
- The beauty of each camp was unique
- We began the trek at Coyote Yurt, deemed the “air lock”, serving as the acclimatization zone for the wild ahead
- Joe, employing a rope for the descent
- Blazing their own trails, Bryce and Sam point the way toward the future
- Tsechu, feeling the air beneath her feet
- presenting new ideas
- Tsechu, bargaining with the bars
- Loving the exposure high on the peak
- Sam likes his fish al dente
- Focus on the final climb to the pass
- The team, above Boulder Chain Lakes
- Pass #4
- mmm, a swim and then a some fish for dinner…
- The team atop Cheese Grater
- Alex, feeling the immensity of it.
- Tsechu, always smiling
- heading toward “Cheese Grater” pass
- Lunch break siesta on a big day
- Arun, enjoying an alpine bath
- morning beauty
- Arun, enjoying the exposure
- Contemplating the wild, deep in the Boulder Mountains
- Alex, grazing on route
- Sam, adrift in the wild
- Sunset/moonrise
- Arun, lunch contemplation
- Sharing humor
- Summit Stoke!
- Pass #3
- Clean lines in the White Clouds
- Sam collapses under his book
- Climbing above Cirque Lake
- Boulder hopping between the Boulder Chain Lakes
- Climbing toward the last rays of sun
- Castle Peak Board Room
- Lake contemplation
- Bryce, in his element
- Evening light
- Serene beauty in it’s natural form
- The magic of a secluded camp deep in the mountains
- Adrift in thought
- Most mornings began with yoga and/or a meditation
- Straight from the source, Tsechu fills a bottle from the snout of a rock glacier
- the team, deep.
- Joe and Bryce discussing options for the day ahead
- Bryce, siesta at the 1st pass
- Dropping down into the Boulder Chain lakes
- YES!
- Climbing out of Little Boulder Basin
- The team, atop White Cloud Peak #9
- Foot wash mid day
- a point in nature
- Yahoo, the team atop the summit!
- Long shadow trek
- The “Board Room” at Sapphire Lake
- morning Yoga
- Stoked to make the pass, Castle Peak in the background
- Climbing from one place of magic to another
- Unbridled Joy!
- Entering the Chamberlain Basin
- 2 legs and a pack among ancient sea beds and a living rock rock glacier at 11,000′
- Climbing the final granite slabs toward the “Cheese Grater” pass
- The team, heading for the Peak!
- The Doctor, back in his element
- Reflection on the day
- Morning yoga
- Arun, psyched to to be high and exposed
- Rugged country, no trail and lots of potential
- The team after crossing the last of 7 passes on the route
- Looking toward the peak ahead
- Castle Peak
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.