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