Chart your path, seek adventure, and expand your horizon with our W.I.L.D. Outdoors Program
W.I.L.D. — Wilderness Instruction and Leadership Development — is Webb’s outdoor program that provides every student an opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills, build their self-reliance, and immerse themselves in nature through annual class trips, weekend adventures, and signature experiences.
Chart Your Path
The W.I.L.D. program is one of Webb’s longest standing programs, responsible for guiding students towards self-reliance and personal discovery for over 50 years. W.I.L.D. provides an opportunity for students to break free from distraction and experience learning that extends beyond the four walls of a classroom and computer screen. Profound outdoor experiences build leadership skills and teamwork, and encourage community-based decision-making.
Signature Trips
Each year, students participate in various W.I.L.D.-led trips, which have become traditions at Webb. These trips include a Thanksgiving backpacking trip, Winter Freeze — a backpacking trip over the winter break, and Senior Survival — a week-long experience for seniors just before graduation.
Annual Class Trips
At the beginning of every academic year, each class takes a grade-level trip focused on building relationships, promoting teamwork, and establishing connections with faculty and peers. Depending on the grade level, these required excursions vary in length.
Weekend, Dorm and Break Trips
W.I.L.D. offers around 25 trips each year, including day and weekend trips and trips during scheduled school breaks. Trips are open to the whole student body, unless otherwise specified. Boarding students also have the opportunity to go on hikes and day trips with their dorm.
On-Campus Facilities
We maximize our 150-acre campus for skill-based learning. Our on-campus facilities include a high- and low-ropes course, zipline, indoor climbing wall, and well-equipped trail room.
Gear for Every Student
We are committed to W.I.L.D. being accessible for every student on our campus. Our trail room is stocked with all the outdoor gear student’s need, at no additional cost, to participate in any W.I.L.D. trip.
Gain Leadership and Wilderness Skills with the W.I.L.D. Signature Program
Students who want to deepen their knowledge with the outdoors have the opportunity to incorporate W.I.L.D. into their academic schedule.
This Signature Program focuses on teaching survival and leadership skills while also equipping students with knowledge in trip planning.
Meet Your Guide
Joe Griggs '05
Joe Griggs ’05 began his passion for outdoor activities as a Webb student. Building on what he learned through the program, he backpacked 1,450 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Connecticut the summer between his junior and senior year at Webb. His interest continued to increase, serving for four years as a member of the Mountaineering staff at Camp Mondamin in North Carolina during his summers as a student at Centre College, where he received his B.S. and earned his Wilderness First Responder certification. He would go on to complete the entire 2,158 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and for over a decade, he has lived on campus with his wife and their children, leading hundreds of trips for the program.
