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:
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Climbing out of Little Boulder Basin
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Bryce, in his element
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Pass #3
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Contemplating the wild, deep in the Boulder Mountains
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Sunset/moonrise
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Serene beauty in it’s natural form
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The magic of a secluded camp deep in the mountains
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Foot wash mid day
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Morning yoga
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Blazing their own trails, Bryce and Sam point the way toward the future
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Joe, employing a rope for the descent
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Boulder hopping between the Boulder Chain Lakes
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Taking a break on the loose descent off the pass
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Entering the Chamberlain Basin
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Climbing above Cirque Lake
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Heading over into Karma Basin on the dark side of the Boulder Mountains
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Clean lines in the White Clouds
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The Doctor, back in his element
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8 hours into an 11 hour trek on day 6
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Summit Stoke!
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Straight from the source, Tsechu fills a bottle from the snout of a rock glacier
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Each evening, ideas related to the wild, entrepeneurship and making of a better worls were shared, discussed and debated
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Pass #4
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Joe and Bryce discussing options for the day ahead
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Sam, adrift in the wild
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Reflection on the day
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morning beauty
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Long shadow trek
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Castle Peak
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Summit brain storm
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Many fish were caught, providing tasty nutrition along the trek.
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The team, heading for the Peak!
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2 legs and a pack among ancient sea beds and a living rock rock glacier at 11,000′
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Stoked to make the pass, Castle Peak in the background
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Lunch break siesta on a big day
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Climbing the final granite slabs toward the “Cheese Grater” pass
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The beauty of each camp was unique
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Tsechu, always smiling
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Climbing from one place of magic to another
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Most mornings began with yoga and/or a meditation
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Unbridled Joy!
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heading toward “Cheese Grater” pass
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Dropping down into the Boulder Chain lakes
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Yahoo, the team atop the summit!
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Arun, enjoying an alpine bath
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Alex, grazing on route
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Camp at sunset
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We began the trek at Coyote Yurt, deemed the “air lock”, serving as the acclimatization zone for the wild ahead
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Tsechu, bargaining with the bars
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Arun, enjoying the exposure
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Bryce, siesta at the 1st pass
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Arun, psyched to to be high and exposed
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The “Board Room” at Sapphire Lake
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Adrift in thought
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YES!
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The 1st steps up into the Boulder Mountains
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Evening light
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a point in nature
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Rugged country, no trail and lots of potential
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Lake contemplation
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Gazing toward our home for the night
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Arun, lunch contemplation
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Sam likes his fish al dente
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The team after crossing the last of 7 passes on the route
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The rock glacier above Cirque Lake is one of the few living glaciers left in Idaho
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Focus on the final climb to the pass
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Sharing humor
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The team, above Boulder Chain Lakes
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Our 1st trail sign in 16 days was found at the very end of our trek, how fitting.
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mmm, a swim and then a some fish for dinner…
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morning Yoga
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heading for the summit of D.O. Lee Peak
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Castle Peak Board Room
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Loving the exposure high on the peak
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The team atop Cheese Grater
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Sam collapses under his book
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Looking toward the peak ahead
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the team, deep.
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Climbing toward the last rays of sun
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The team, atop White Cloud Peak #9
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presenting new ideas
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Alex, feeling the immensity of it.
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Tsechu, feeling the air beneath her feet
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Wild, Sublime, Beauty
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Climbing toward the magical land of peaks, lakes and the ancient White Bark Pines in the White Cloud Mountains
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