Black Mountain Expeditions

Patrick Emery

Adventure programs offer students a refreshing departure from the confines of indoor spaces to the vast, uncharted territories of nature. They encourage students to step out of their comfort zone, learn new skills and build lasting friendships, all through trying new things together.

Black Mountain Expeditions (BME) was founded on this mission of fostering growth through friends and adventure.

BME offers custom-designed outdoor adventure programming, group development and international travel for all types of groups, including schools, universities, organizations, and businesses. With intentional program design capabilities, expertise in professional instruction and exceptional camp facilities, BME brings immense value to clients.

“We partner with schools to develop future leaders through fully customizable programs,” says Mary Page, executive director.

BME was founded in 2008 as an extension of two summer camps—Camp Merri-Mac and Camp Timberlake—in Black Mountain, North Carolina. BME’s affiliated properties feature lakes, climbing towers, mountain bike trails, fully staffed dining halls, cabins and miles of trails. School groups can partake in a retreat on camp property, experience a wilderness trip in the backcountry, or follow a basecamp model, which involves staying in cabins, dining in the halls and engaging in off-site activities like rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, rafting and rappelling.

Participating in adventure activities accelerates personal growth and deepens friendships. BME’s programs enable school administrators to provide students with robust and well-rounded educational opportunities while creating strong relationships between student bodies and faculty members.

Customized programs are developed after thorough discussions with school administrators and teachers in order to understand their objectives. The programs can accommodate groups of students ranging from 6 to 250 individuals.

“We take time to understand who the client is and what they're trying to accomplish, and then take that information and design a program to successfully meet those goals,” says Patrick Emery, director.

Numerous educational institutions have experienced the transformative effect of these programs on students and class dynamics. A school in Durham, North Carolina, sends their senior class each fall to participate in a five-day backpacking and rock climbing expedition. The program aims to help students develop leadership skills by challenging them to step into the freedom to fail and the grit that it takes to try something again. They are encouraged to apply these skills when they return to campus for their senior year. With the success of this program, the school’s partnership with BME has been thriving for over a decade.

“BME is hands-down the best adventure experience company with whom we have worked throughout the many years of experiential education programs at our school,” says Julian Cochran, Durham Academy.

At the heart of BME’s programs is the belief that adventure is a catalyst for growth. BME also emphasizes that exploration is not confined to a single experience; it looks different for everyone. In the case of Durham Academy, an adventure could mean engaging in activities like rock climbing, backpacking, camping under the stars and preparing meals over a camp stove. Meanwhile, for a group from Atlanta, Georgia, adventure could mean staying in cabins and swimming in the lake together.

The ability to provide such captivating experiences can be attributed to BME’s professional staff, recruited through rigorous hiring and training processes.

“Our staff’s professionalism, energy and enthusiasm in facilitating outdoor activities and adventures are exceptional,” says Will Troxler, executive director

BME is currently focused on promoting progression within schools through structured, sequential programs. One example includes a program designed exclusively on camp property for freshmen, followed by a sophomoreyear program that incorporates kayaking in the Everglades, ultimately culminating in a senior-year program featuring adventure, service, and cultural immersion in Costa Rica. This will enable students to build upon and integrate their learning experiences year after year and foster skill development in varied settings.

BME's customized programs promote the well-rounded development of young minds, allowing them to embark on a journey of self-discovery and build friendships that last a lifetime.