1,000 ON TRAIL IN 2026

THE GRAND ADVENTURE

WHY NOW?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Backpacking is what we do, but transformation is why we do it.

    The noise is growing more constant and the places to listen are few and far between. We are more connected than ever before, yet the loneliness epidemic is raging. How can someone build deep community if their life doesn’t have space to connect? How can we discover who God has created us to be if we don’t pause the busyness to listen to the Creator?

    For many, a WayForward trip may be the first time in their adult life where they take time to pause and reflect upon their purpose.

  • To catalyze transformative Christ-centered experiences.

    In order to create space for the brightest and busiest, we must be worth trusting with their most valuable resource…time.

    The WayForward model is built around premier hospitality and servant leadership. Participants are welcomed into an environment that celebrates excellence in facilities, appearance, food, service, and quality of experience. We aim to remove logistical barriers and digital distractions to create space for deep connections with God and each other.

    From sign-up to celebration, WayForward points men and women toward Jesus and sets the table for God to do the work that only He can do. With the backdrop of the breathtaking mountains, combined with Bible study and facilitated discussions, people end their journey transformed.

  • 50% Men - The target clientele are men searching for meaning in the middle years of their life. Struggling to reconcile his external success with his internal sense of being stuck, each man knows something is on the horizon but can’t figure out how to push through an invisible resistance or even where to start. The books, classes, sermons, TED-talks, advice, and even disciplines that have helped get him here aren’t enough for this test. Despite all that he has and the people he loves, he knows something is missing but can’t describe it or find it.

    25% Women - “I want that,” many women say after hearing about a men’s trip. These women long ot have uninterrupted conversations and let go of the responsibilities that weigh down their everyday life. The adventure is often just the vehicle to get to a space where they have enough time to dream, listen and laugh like they haven’t done in years.

    25% Families - Looking for a way to intentionally invest in their families, parents find that the old vacation on the beach just isn’t working like it once did. These parents and kids long for the digital detox on trail and the curated questions to take conversations to the next level. Family rhythms are transformed on trail, creating an experience that is the fastest growing market for WayForward.

The Goal

  • “It’s like backpacking with Chick-fil-A employees. What makes moments like this happen is clearing obstacles. WayForward hospitality is top-notch - the attention tod etail and thoughtfulness. I had the gift of being present on trail.” - Ryan, 2022 Participant

    “When you ask a bunch of cynical Type-A 50ish-year-old men to give up control and trust the process, the trains had better run on time.. and they did.” - Mickey, 2021 Participant

  • “My experience working with WayForward has been challenging and so rewarding! I’ve grwon as a Christian and as a man. The impact WayForward has had on me has been life-changing.” - Dan McGill (5 years on summer staff)

    “This summer has been such a sweet time of growth. I have been surrounded by a community that wants to see me be the person the Lord created me to be, that encourages me toward Him, and grows together. The culture here is second to none and the Lord has blessed this ministry. It makes me tear up thinking about all the people the Lord has touched this summer on and off the trail. Praise the Lord for this summer! - AC Ratliff (3 years on summer staff)

  • “After WayForward, we carry around with us the certainty that there is a better answer, a better life than ‘busy’…because for one week we lived it. We take with us the better option of being present with others and aware of God’s presence with us. Everyone needs to experience that!” - Travis Endsley (9 WayForward trips)