About Peak

• Our Ministry
• Why Choose PEAK
• Why Small Groups
• Student & Parent FAQ
• Group Leader FAQ
• Focus on Safety
• Statement Of Faith
• Register Online
• Watch Our Video

OUR MINISTRY

Helping young people develop the spiritual, social and physical confidence to succeed in middle and high school is the driving force behind PEAK Adventure Ministries. We are a ministry dedicated to reaching kids wherever they are through adventure sports instruction. Partnering with parents and churches, our camps instill Christian values, develop strong character and teach healthy recreation habits to young people. PEAK is a registered non-profit corporation in North Carolina.

Our Purpose
Using adventure sports to bring growth and life change to students through Jesus Christ.

Our Priorities
1. Reaching young people with the life saving gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Developing young people according to the four pillars found in Luke 2:52 - mentally, physically, spiritually and socially
3. Growing student's faith, maturity and confidence to meet the challenges of middle and high school
4. Providing leadership training and experience for middle school, high school and college students
5. Providing recreation and learning opportunities for youth who otherwise cannot afford a summer camp experience
6. Achieving excellence in adventure sports instruction and programming
7. Growing PEAK into an effective and sustainable ministry

WHY CHOOSE PEAK FOR SUMMER CAMP

Leave the ordinary behind and join an adventure with a purpose. Learn a new sport and conquer challenges you thought impossible in a fun, relaxed small group atmosphere. Paddle your own kayak through whitewater rapids, explore wild caves and hike some of the best wilderness in the East.
All PEAK camps provide expert instruction in a distinctly Christian atmosphere. Our staff are personally selected by the Directors to lead your child physicially and spiritually. Students participate in daily quiet times, devotions and group discussions while they build meaningful relationships with the instructors.

WHY SMALL GROUPS ARE BEST

A small group is the ideal learning environment for a new adventure sport. Selected by age group and gender, your small group of six to eight students stays together throughout your time at camp. You build great relationships with each other and with your adult leaders. Personal instruction allows you the chance to try, and try again, to learn new skills. And we allow plenty of time for fun.

STUDENT & PARENT FAQ

Do I Need To Be In Top Athletic Condition To Participate?
If you can participate in normal school sports (like PE class), you will do well in a PEAK adventure camp.

What Does PEAK Provide?
PEAK provides everything necessary to participate in any of our adventure sports: tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, cooking equipment, ropes, harnesses and caving equipment. We supply all meals and snacks too.

What Do I Bring To Camp?
Clothing and footwear requirements depend upon the adventure sports chosen by your group leader and also upon the season. For a detailed “What To Bring” list, click here. It is especially important that you show up with these four things:
• A willingness to participate
• An openness to challenge
• A readiness to learn
• An expectation of fun

What Should I NOT Bring To Camp?
PEAK’s “not to bring” list breaks into three broad categories:
• If it is illegal (for you as a student) in your hometown, it is unwelcome at PEAK – drugs, alcohol, firearms, etc.
• If it makes a loud noise, it is unwelcome at PEAK – fireworks, air horns, etc.
• If it plugs into an outlet or runs by battery, it is unnecessary at PEAK – cell phone, iPod, game player, music player, hair dryer, etc.

Do I Really Have To Leave My Cellphone At Home?
Yes. Our wilderness areas rarely have cell service and cell phones frequently succumb to the elements.

What About My Digital Camera?
Digital cameras are fragile and frequently fail in wilderness environments. Weather permitting, PEAK will take digital photographs and provide the images to your group leader.

GROUP LEADER FAQ

What Are The Program Options For My Group?
Weekend Option
Your group arrives after dinner on Friday evening for orientation, team building activities and devotions around the camp fire. PEAK provides a light snack Friday evening.
Wake up Saturday to a hot breakfast prepared by PEAK’s staff. After breakfast and devotions, we’ll move into group challenge activities designed to prepare everyone for your chosen adventure sport. Lunch and snacks will be served in the field. After a full day of fun, learning and challenge we’ll have dinner in camp. Devotions wrap up our day.
Sunday begins with breakfast and devotions, followed by team activities designed to reinforce the Saturday’s lessons. We will worship together in camp in the late morning and your group will depart in the early afternoon. PEAK provides a light lunch in camp.

Four and Five Day Option
PEAK’s multi day camps are highly customized with the aim of helping the leader accomplish specific objectives with and for the youth group. These camps may take place during the week or spanning a weekend. They may focus on one adventure sport or they may incorporate multiple sports in addition to fun and challenging group activities. In most cases, your group will spend one or two nights in our base camp and the rest of their time will be in a field location, practicing their new skills.

What Adventure Sports Are Available?
PEAK offers two adventure sports options for groups: Wilderness Trekking and Caving.
Trekking is a true wilderness experience in the heart of the Pisgah National Forest that will challenge you to grow spiritually and physically. Each group determines their own route and destination within the 26,000 acre wilderness area, learning map, compass and GPS skills as they travel. Environmental stewardship and Leave No Trace ethics are strongly emphasized.
Caving allows your group to experience the unique. Explore wild caves featuring narrow passages and caverns containing several acres. Learn to safely navigate underground while demonstrating environmental stewardship techniques designed to protect these pristine environments.

What Team Building Activities Are Available?
PEAK offers a well developed playbook of activities designed for fun and challenge. During the Planning Survey we will discuss the available options and create an activity package that will help you meet your goals.

What Does PEAK Provide?
PEAK’s staff provides expert instruction in your chosen adventure sport, leadership for all group activities including devotions and worship (if desired by the group leader) and meal prep and clean up. PEAK supplies all of the equipment necessary to function comfortably in a wilderness environment: tents, sleeping bags, ground pads, backpacks, shelters/tarps, lights, cooking equipment, firewood, first aid kits and any required sports equipment (ropes, harnesses, caving gear, etc.). All food for the group, including snacks, is included.

What Does The Group Leader Provide?
The group leader provides:
• A competed Planning Survey Form to PEAK’s Group Program Director at least four weeks prior to your camp,
• Completed, signed and notarized medical forms for each participant,
• Transportation for the group to the caving base camp or to the meeting point for wilderness trekking,
• One adult chaperone per eight students; if your group contains both boys and girls there must be at least one male and one female adult chaperone,
• Devotion & worship materials - if PEAK’s staff is not providing these materials,
• A completed Outcome Survey to PEAK’s Group Program Director within one week after the end of your camp.

What Does The Group Participant Provide?
The group participant (student) provides:
• A completed registration form (paper or on line),
• A signed and notarized medical release form (paper only),
• Appropriate clothes & footwear for the sport and for the season.
For a detailed “What To Bring List”, click here.

Does PEAK Have Insurance?
PEAK carries a General Liability insurance policy covering all of our sports, activities and transportation.

How Do My Students Register For The PEAK Camp?
PEAK provides two registration options:
• Group leaders can register their students on paper forms provided by PEAK. Once all of the forms are complete, the group leader will forward the package to PEAK via courier or US Mail.
• Students can register on line via PEAK’s web site, with PEAK’s staff providing a weekly update of who has registered. The group leader will be responsible for obtaining parent’s notarized signatures on the medical release forms

How Should I Prepare My Students For The PEAK Camp?
Focus on the “3 Es”:
• Emphasize that this camp will be a fun, exciting and challenging experience, designed to build friendships in the group and help individuals walk more closely with Jesus.
• Encourage everyone to sign up – this is not a “jock thing” or a “guy thing”. Girls and non-athletes have a great time. They will be learning new sports in a different environment, so everyone begins at the same level.
• Explain that this camp is a true wilderness experience. Electronic devices, including cell phones, are not welcome. Everyone sleeps in tents and the usual creature comforts (like indoor flush toilets) are not available.

How Much Does A PEAK Camp Cost?
Three factors determine the total cost of a PEAK camp: size of your group, duration of your camp and the adventure sport(s) you choose. Typically, costs range from $50 per student per day to $70 per student per day. Adult leaders & chaperones attend for a reduced rate.

How Do I Make A Reservation For My Group?
• Step one is to check for available dates on our website. Go to the home page and look in the “Upcoming Adventure Camps” section. All available group camp dates are shown as “Open”. This section is updated at least every other business day.
• Step two is to contact PEAK and confirm your desired camp date. You may email us at info@peakadventureministries.org or call us at 336-580-5311. If we are out of the office, we will return your call within one business day.
• Step three is to schedule a planning call with our group program director. During this call we will fill in the Camp Planning Form together. To download a copy of the Camp Planning Form, click here.

What Is PEAK's Deposit And Refund Policy?
A deposit of 50% of the projected total camp cost is due within five business days of the reservation. Eighty percent (80%) of the deposit will be refunded if you cancel your reservation before 30 days prior to the start date of your camp. If you cancel your camp less than 30 days prior to the start of your camp, the entire deposit is forfeited. The full payment along with the final student count is due seven (7) days prior to the start of your camp.

FOCUS ON SAFETY

PEAK's leadership team makes every effort to ensure safety throughout your adventure camp experience. Our safety process has three elements: experience, training and equipment.

Experience:
Our adult leaders have many years of outdoor leadership experience. We know how to plan a safe and enjoyable trip, how to read changing weather conditions and how to assess risks as they arise in the field.
Training:
Every adult leader carries the Wilderness First Aid certification from the Wilderness Medical Institute. This advanced training prepares the leader to treat minor injuries in the field and to safely manage medical evacuations when necessary. Most Assistant Leaders carry the Wilderness First Aid certification as well. Fully equipped first aid kits accompany every trip.
Equipment:
We choose high quality equipment, designed for the sports we teach, properly fitted to the student and properly maintained. If a sport calls for specific safety equipment, we carry a primary and a spare.