Rockies High School Journeys: Multi-Day Field Trips
Howl offers 5-day and 7-day land-based learning experiences in the Canadian Rockies for high school groups.
Our core focus is empowering youth through an immersive blend of land-based and experiential learning. Students will engage with the unique lens of the land and the amplification of community voices as tools to:
Understand Personal Wellness: Develop concrete strategies for managing emotional health and building resilience.
Deepen Community Connection: Build meaningful relationships and engage in community service.
Learn from Indigenous Knowledge: Engage with Îyârhe Nakoda Elders and Knowledge Holders who share traditional wellness practices and methods for building a personal relationship with the land.
Develop Environmental & Climate Perspectives: Learn from professionals working directly in the field about how to manage protected areas while exploring possible career and education pathways that contribute to sustainable communities.
Through numerous opportunities to learn on the land, youth will leave feeling a sense of connection, and be better equipped to make positive choices for their futures.
Overview
2027 Dates:
Ages:
Duration:
Cost:
Start/End Point:
Spring 2027
Fall 2027
Grades 10-12
5-7 days
TBD
Calgary
Book a program
We are currently booking trips for Spring/Summer 2027. Please email info@experiencehowl.com if you are interested in getting more information and bringing a group out to experience the Rockies, or by clicking the ‘Request a program’ button above.
We are happy to work with educators to develop custom programming. Contact us to explore how we can tailor a unique land-based learning experience to meet your students' specific needs and curriculum goals.
What to expect
Howl High Journeys immerse high school students in real-life applications of their curriculum, believing that the outdoors is the best classroom. We replace everyday learning environments with multi-day, overnight experiences in the breathtaking landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, where stories and studies carry equal weight and value.
Participants can expect to learn through action, moving, doing, and exploring through personal experience. This approach fosters a holistic understanding by:
Building Meaningful Relationships: Finding a voice as a changemaker and proactively taking ownership of personal wellbeing and resiliency.
Learning from Diverse Perspectives: Connecting with local Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Holders, scientists in climate and ecological systems, industry experts, and community leaders.
Bringing Concepts to Life: Engaging with important concepts like climate and reconciliation—which are studied, but not always truly learned at school—through living connection to curricular ideas.
Our programs are guided by principles that enrich the learning journey:
All My Relations: Students are introduced to the ecosystems and peoples who ancestrally and currently call the Rocky Mountains home, helping them to see the interconnectedness of all elements and build their personal relationship with the land and those who steward it.
Two-eyed Seeing: We braid narratives, connecting stories and views students understand with ones they may not have heard before. Students learn about scientific concepts through both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, developing their ability to appreciate diverse perspectives.
Wise Practices: Our programs use locally appropriate actions and principles to ensure that the experience meets participants' needs in culturally appropriate ways.
Join us to move, explore, and learn in an environment designed for community building, personal wellness, and unforgettable growth.
More information
-
The cost of this program varies depending on group size, activities, and time of year. Get in touch with our team by emailing info@experiencehowl.com or by clicking the “Request a program” button above to get a quote.
Included in the price of your program is:
Ground transportation
Meals while on program
Accommodation
Program materials and activities
Elder and Knowledge Holder honoraria
-
Howl works with accredited and compliant carriers. This means all of our drivers have undergone rigorous training and are licensed to transport groups in board-approved vehicles.
-
Programs predominately run out of the Barrier Geoscience Institute (BGI, operated by the University of Calgary. This site is a 1 hour drive from Whitehorse. There are a number of dormitory style accommodations. Participants need to bring their own sleeping bags; pillows and cover sheets are provided.
Washroom facilities have running water, showers, flush toilets, and electricity.
What will we do?
Program itineraries are designed to focus on our four core teachings. There is flexibility for groups to cater program design to their specific needs and interests. The full selection of options (at this time) for activities is listed below. Some activities are considered core to Howl programming and are included in all programs; those activities are highlighted below.
Activities can be seasonal and availability will vary. The list below is continually under review as more activities become available or are rotated out. Once you’ve confirmed your group’s attendance, Howl staff will request your activity preferences and build them into a once in a lifetime trip plan.
Science topics
-
Weaving western science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in topics around glaciology, hydrology, geology, and applied climate change science on the Icefields Parkway.
-
How to balance the needs of everyone who visits the busiest of Canada’s National Parks? With more than 4 million human visitors a year, learn about how Banff balances the needs of people and the environment in this busy place.
-
What role do amphibians play in an ecosystem? Learn about the significance and vulnerability of this group of creatures while conducting citizen science research for RAINA (Reptiles and Amphibians in Alberta).
-
A Kananaskis Country case study: How to keep the peace and avoid conflict in an ecosystem loved by both humans and bears. Learn strategies that wildlife biologists use to monitor bear movement and behaviour.
-
What can a pond tell us about the health of an ecosystem? Conduct a series of scientific tests to determine the health of a pond and its related organisms.
-
Explore the beauty of Kananaskis on snowshoes, while learning about the significance of snow to mountain ecosystems. Participate in investigative snowpack science activities and learn about how plants and animals adapt to survive challenging winter conditions.
-
Learn the cultural significance of tipis and the variations in building style used by different Indigenous communities throughout Treaty 7. Practice building your own miniature version and discover why this is a challenging practice.
-
Get to know our plant relatives by learning about botany and traditional plant medicines from an Indigenous Knowledge Holder in this land-based learning experience.
-
What does it mean to be a natural space? Explore your understanding of nature through a visit to this unnaturally beautiful place.
Wellness & leadership topics
-
Learn through movement - test out some of the games traditionally played in various Indigenous communities across Canada.
-
Explore personal wellness through a nature based activity by learning the basics of paddleboarding on a pristine mountain lake.
-
Explore personal wellness through nature based activity by learning the basics of cross country skiing in a wintery mountain wonderland.
-
Lend a hand to help one of Howl’s many partner organizations in the Bow Valley. Sometimes the best way to calm the mind and explore one’s thoughts is through supporting others.
-
Visit the town of Banff and learn more about the history of this popular destination mountain town from both Western and Indigenous perspectives.
-
Work with Stoney Nakoda Elders to learn about traditional medicines, the significance of medicine bags and how to make them.
-
Understanding community-specific Indigenous cultural history, protocols and Wise Practices in Indigenous relationships through land-based learning, culture, arts and community connection building.
-
Use music as a healing tool, begin to learn the importance of the drum, and explore rhythm and storytelling.
-
Howl educators guide youth through the process of developing an idea and a process for a community focused project to initiate in their home, schools and/or community.
-
Build connections between students and develop an understanding of personal leadership skills through participation in team building games and activities.
Frequently asked questions
-
Our core high school programming is divided into two terms:
Semester 1: September to January
Semester 2: February to June
We also offer core CALM programming for students in the summer months (July/August). For inquiries related to programming outside of these core times, please contact us directly to discuss options.
Programs are subject to availability with our hosting partner, the University of Calgary’s Biogeoscience Institute.
-
We are able to accommodate groups of 20-30 students plus school based supervisors. If your class/group is smaller than 30, we encourage you to submit a booking request and include this information. Our team can provide a tailored budget that meets your needs.
-
Our core high school programming is divided into two terms:
Semester 1 (September-January): Bookings must be made by May 30 of the previous semester.
Semester 2 (February-June): Bookings must be made by October 31 of the previous semester.
If you miss these booking deadlines and still want to apply we encourage you to reach out. If calendar space allows, we will attempt to add a booking. Bookings can not be made fewer than 2 months prior to the start date of the Program.
-
Submit a booking inquiry through our booking request form. A member of our team will be in touch with you to learn more about your program needs and to answer any questions.
Submit a signed copy of our booking agreement.
Submit a non-refundable deposit of $1000. If paying this deposit in full presents a barrier to your school’s participation in the program, please contact us directly ahead of the booking deadline.
-
Final participant numbers are due 2 months prior to the start of their program. At this time, we will generate an invoice for the program, less the deposit fee. One half of this amount is due 30 days before the start of the program, the other half is due within 30 days of the Program ending. Schools can choose to pay in full prior to the start of the program. Full payment is adjusted to reflect the number of participants, less the deposit amount.
In the event that schools to not pay 50% of their program costs by 30 days prior to the program, their program will be cancelled.
-
Payments can be made through Interac e-Transfer (finance@experiencehowl.com) or by credit card through our secure online payment system.
Payment by EFT can be made by contacting our finance team to discuss.
-
Teachers in charge may adjust their group size at any time up to 2 weeks pre-program as long as the group size stays within the 20-30 student parameter.
Group size cannot be reduced within 2 weeks of the Program start date. At this point, Teachers-In-Charge should work to replace students who are unable to come on short notice.
-
If a school cancels a Program more than 30 days prior to the Program start date, all program fee payments less the non-refundable deposit will be refunded.
If a school cancels the Program less than 30 days prior to the Program start date, Howl will not refund the program fees.
In the unlikely event that Howl has to cancel the Program for any reason (e.g., due to pandemic, unforeseen circumstances, etc.), we will reimburse the entirety of the program fee payments already made, including the deposit.
-
In the event that a participant withdraws from the Program with short notice, after payment for their spot has already been accounted for, Howl will retain the non-refundable deposit and all program fees paid. The School should do their best to replace the participant and maintain numbers.
No refund will be made if a participant is asked to leave the Program for violating school conduct regulations or for any other reason determined by the School, acting reasonably. In the event of withdrawal or dismissal from the Program, any remaining unpaid fees will be payable within 30 days of the participant’s departure from the Program.
We understand that special circumstances may arise. In exceptional cases, fees may be refunded (e.g., serious injury, medical situation, death of a family member, etc.). Howl retains the right to waive any part of this policy at its sole discretion. We will assess these circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
In all cases, we will work closely with Schools to identify any reasonable solutions or accommodations to overcome challenges that they may be facing and to help them navigate the Program successfully within the limits of our capacity.
Program team
-
Mark joins Howl as the new high school program coordinator making the transition from teaching after over a decade of working in the public education system in Saskatchewan. He grew up in the National Capital Region (Ottawa) on un-ceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory. Mark holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Ottawa. As a teacher, Mark saw the tremendous benefits that land-based learning practices and opportunities had on his students and himself. The opportunity to be on the land and learn from Indigenous knowledge holders influenced Mark to seek out more ways to incorporate land-based learning along with Indigenous Ways of Knowing and two-eyed seeing into his professional practice. Mark has long-held a passion for the outdoors and more specifically a strong pull toward the mountains. Mark sees HOWL's high school programs as an opportunity for youth to find connection through land-based learning experiences while navigating their own personal path. Mark enjoys spending time on outdoor adventures with his family, sipping a good cup of coffee, and baking a mean apple crisp. You might also find him running for hours on single-track trails with big climbs and exhilarating descents or in a camp chair by a good fire.
-
Morgan Paul (she/her) is a dedicated Métis educator based in Calgary, Alberta, with deep roots stretching back to her Red River Métis family in Manitoba. With an educator background that spans the K-12 spectrum, Morgan has intentionally spent time in the classroom fostering environments where every student feels a genuine sense of safety and belonging. She is particularly passionate about working alongside youth and creating environments where they feel heard, seen, and valued. Morgan finds immense joy in supporting others' dreams and sharing new perspectives and knowledge that help them navigate their own unique paths.
Driven by a desire to explore alternative learning environments, Morgan recently transitioned from traditional classroom teaching to focus on the healing and growth that occurs when education is rooted in the land and community. She aims to create meaningful opportunities for participants to connect with the outdoors, encouraging them to foster a bond with both their local community and the broader environmental ecosystem.
Guided by foundational values of respect and service, Morgan is currently channeling her energy and enthusiasm into her role with The Howl Experience. Outside of her professional life, Morgan stays grounded through her own creative and physical pursuits. She loves spending her free time creating art pieces through beading and sewing, and showing up for the people in her community. Most days, she can be found getting outside within nature and exploring the world with her new dog, Winnie.
-
Gracie Jackson is the Manager of Indigenous Youth Pathways for The Howl Experience and a proud Indigenous woman with deep roots in the Iyarhe Nakoda Nation of Mini Thni, where she was raised on reserve and remains deeply connected to the land, mountains, culture, and community that shaped her. On her maternal side, Gracie is also connected to the Blackfoot Confederacy through her Kainai (Blood Tribe) family, grounding her identity in strong Indigenous traditions and kinship networks. Family is at the heart of everything Gracie does. As a wife and mother, she also has ties to the Northern Cree community of Whitefish Lake First Nation #128, strengthening her connections across Nations. Growing up on reserve, Gracie witnessed both the impacts of intergenerational trauma and the resilience, strength, and beauty of her people. These lived experiences have shaped her commitment to advocacy, education, and ensuring Indigenous voices are meaningfully included in decision-making processes not as an afterthought, but as leaders, knowledge holders, and partners. From the age of five, Gracie was immersed in the world of horses and competitive rodeo, developing discipline, determination, and a strong connection to the land. Today, she brings extensive experience in facilitation, program coordination, and program design, creating opportunities that empower Indigenous youth to thrive. Gracie is a passionate advocate for Indigenous peoples and is dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders through cultural awareness, cultural understanding, land stewardship, and community-based learning. She is committed to continuously learning the history of her people and inspiring Indigenous youth to reconnect with culture, identity, and the land. Her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit have been recognized through her studies at the University of British Columbia, where she earned her Indigenous Business Management and received recognition for the Top Capstone Project. Gracie is known for her thoughtful leadership style one that prioritizes listening, observing, and understanding before taking action. Through her work, Gracie continues to be a strong voice for Indigenous youth, helping create pathways that honour culture, strengthen communities, and support future generations in achieving their full potential.
Partners & supporters
