We’re proud of the groups we have worked with, and even more proud that they come back year after year.
What our clients are saying...
“Durham Academy has had a long-standing relationship with Black Mountain Expeditions. Our partnership with BME has afforded our students the opportunity to go on some amazing adventures in the mountains of western North Carolina through the years. Expanding on our school’s Senior Challenge program, where our rising senior class heads out into the woods in August for a week of backpacking, rock climbing, self-discovery, bonding, and fun, in 2019, we added a second program with BME. The spring outdoor education capstone program was created with the hopes of providing students in grades 9-11 the opportunity to do more adventure-specific trips with the goal of teaching the hard skills young people need to plan and execute trips of their own. Since that time, hundreds of DA underclass students have had the opportunity to pursue their passions for backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, or whitewater kayaking on week-long trips that run in late May. BME is hands-down the best adventure experience contractor with whom DA has worked throughout the many years of experiential education programs at our school. BME’s leadership is passionate about what they provide for our students and their guides are expertly trained instructors who believe in the value of outdoor education for young people and connecting with their clients. We highly recommend BME to any school seeking custom designed outdoor experiences!”
Julian Cochran, Durham Academy
“Ensworth School has partnered with Black Mountain Expeditions each fall for the last several years. Our students are able to enjoy the great outdoors, bond as a class at the start of each school year and challenge themselves by professional guides who truly love what they do! As a school, we are able to design our program to serve our student needs and accomplish our goals and expectations. What really stands out to me as an educator and trip leader is the care and love each staff member shows our students and teachers. Their facilities are great but the compassion and partnership Patrick and his staff show us, is what makes Black Mountain Expeditions a great experience for Ensworth.”
Robbie Sinks, Ensworth School
“BME created a tailored experience to fit our school’s unique hopes for a team building outdoor pursuits camp. Their personalized approach and commitment to capturing opportunities to challenge, grow, and unite our students is why we come back each year. There is intention and heart put into planning and executing the best experience possible for every child.”
Christin Minder, Seacrest Country Day School
“We use Black Mountain Expeditions for our class trips and have been very pleased with how easy they are to work with to make the trips a success. The staff’s professionalism and attention to detail make planning easy. The balance between fun and challenging students outside their comfort zone has been achieved on each trip and our students give excellent feedback on their experiences.”
Wendy Sutton, St. Andrews School
“Durham Academy has been working with BME for many years and we couldn’t imagine a better partner. They are professional every step of the way. They take pride in tailoring the experiences to our school’s goals while also staying true to what they do best— finding just the right balance between challenge and support, so every student comes away from the trip more confident and self-aware than when they started. As a teacher, I admire and appreciate BME’s thoughtful, student-centered, and goal-oriented approach. Working with them is always a highlight of the school year.”
Rob Policelli, Durham Academy
“Our annual Black Mountain Expeditions trip allows 300 Duke undergraduates to experience friendship, wonder, and reflection in a way no other programming can match. Students frequently praise the annual Black Mountain Expeditions trip as one of the most important experiences of their undergraduate career. Our partnership with Black Mountain Expeditions is one of our most prized relationships.”
Alfredo Watkins, Duke University
“We thoroughly enjoyed our senior class trip to Timberlake. Patrick and his entire team did everything possible to make the trip memorable for our seniors! The food was delicious and plentiful! The location is beautiful! It’s easy to see God’s handiwork in the rolling pastures as the sun sets each evening. The beach offers the students a beautiful place to relax and cool off. From the welcome snacks to the closing bagged lunches, everything was well attended to.”
