Outdoor Trip Basics: Gear, Wildlife, & Respecting Nature | BOLD & GOLD

Preparing for a BOLD & GOLD trip can bring up a lot of questions, especially for participants who may be new to camping or outdoor adventure. What gear do you need? Where will you sleep? What happens around wildlife? Understanding the basics ahead of time can help participants feel more confident, comfortable, and ready for the experience.

What Gear Do I Need for a BOLD & GOLD Trip?

Having the right gear helps make the experience more enjoyable for participants. General packing lists for trips can be found on our website, and BOLD & GOLD provides all technical and group gear.

Participants will also have an opportunity to request items to borrow from our extensive gear library using the Gear Request form included in their paperwork.

If a participant already owns equipment and would prefer to use it on their trip, they are welcome to do so as long as it is included on the packing list. Instructors will inspect any personal equipment at the beginning of the trip. If it does not meet the standards of the experience, it can be stored in a locker at the Seattle base camp during the trip. Space will also be available for storing luggage and excess clothing.

To help prepare, we encourage families to first check their closets at home and local thrift stores before purchasing anything new.

What Not to Bring on a BOLD & GOLD Trip

Please leave all valuables at home, including jewelry, iPods, cell phones, video games, and other electronic devices. Participants should also not bring weapons, including camping knives and hatchets, fireworks, tobacco products, illegal drugs, or alcohol.

Where Will I Sleep on a BOLD & GOLD Trip?

We provide lightweight, pyramid-shaped shelters called mega-mids that typically house three to four participants. Some trips, depending on group size and gender splits, may bring lightweight open-air tarps to sleep under the stars in accordance with our Child Safety Policies.

No matter the shelter used, each participant will use a ground tarp, sleeping pad, and warm sleeping bag, and will learn how to make a pillow out of clothes. Instructors sleep in their own shelters nearby.

Privacy takes on a new meaning when sharing a shelter with three other people. While participants are in close quarters much of the time, each person has their own personal sleeping area and pack for personal belongings. Efforts are also made to provide privacy for changing clothes and other personal needs. If weather allows, trips may use tarps or encourage sleeping under the stars.

What About Animals and Wildlife?

When we spend time outside, we are not only getting closer to the people in our group, but also to the wildlife around us. On BOLD & GOLD trips, we practice the Leave No Trace principle of Respect Wildlife so that we minimize our impact on animals and their habitats.

This means storing food properly, packing out garbage, and giving animals plenty of space. Most animals are wary of large groups like ours and tend to stay away. The most frequent animal interaction on BOLD & GOLD trips is usually mosquitoes, which is why groups are sent out with bug spray.

What Is Leave No Trace?

Leave No Trace is a set of outdoor ethics that promotes conservation in the outdoors. It is built on seven principles:

1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors

While on a BOLD & GOLD trip, every participant is expected to uphold and practice Leave No Trace principles. Instructors help participants understand how to apply these principles in the places where they are adventuring.

Preparing for the Outdoors with Confidence

Packing, sleeping outside, and learning how to live respectfully in the outdoors are all part of the BOLD & GOLD experience. With the right gear, support from instructors, and a shared commitment to caring for the outdoors, participants can focus on building skills, confidence, and connection on their trip.

To get started, review your trip’s packing list and other resources on our website and remember that all required items can be borrowed from BOLD & GOLD’s gear library at the start of the trip.

Or contact our Camping & Outdoor Leadership admissions team at campinfo@seattleymca.org or call (206) 382-5009 (select option 4, then option 3).