The Vermont Wilderness School Story

Mark Morey and Steve Young, founders of Deep Wilds wilderness programs, Luz Elena Morey, specialist in the creative arts, and Brian Robertshaw, former caretaker for the Tracker School joined hands in the Fall of 1999 to form The Vermont Wilderness School.

Our Programs

Our programs are grounded in a mentoring philosophy based on our natural blueprint for learning, revealed through teachings of native cultures throughout the world. We offer long-term mentoring programs for children and adults including the Oyase Community School and our Apprenticeship Program. We host and co-host regional adult workshops, a monthly life skills empowerment program for girls and young women ages 9-16, our monthly tracking club, as well as a spring and fall Rendezvous for teens who participate in long-term nature-based mentoring programs.

Programs for middle and high school groups, and camps for teens are offered through Deep Wilds run by founders Mark Morey and Steve Young.

The Oyase Community School, our weekly daylong program for home-schooled children is now in it's fifth year.

Our Mission

The Vermont Wilderness School was founded on our commitment to building a powerful community of naturalists, teachers and leaders who will help caretake our natural environment by guiding people in establishing healthy connections to the natural world, each other and themselves. We are committed to creating a better place to live for future generations to come.

Our school weaves together many programs into a rich matrix of awareness, experience, mentoring, and culture. There is a place for every age from child to elder to play an important role in this rich cultural fabric.