Wilderness & Wildlife Expeditions
Join a 12-day, hands-on science expedition this summer on the Endeavour in remote maritime Alaska.
Limited to six students, ages 16 to 18.
Alaska Endeavour takes high school students in teams of six, led by researchers, on 12-day expeditions to remote, well-defined wilderness sites -- an island, a lagoon, a glacier, or a river mouth – where, guided by a naturalist, they conduct a type of census called a benchmark study, a snapshot of the location at a certain point in time.
Our commitment to wilderness, science, and education drives everything we do.
So few young people see real wilderness.
Those who do are changed forever.
For the study, each student focuses on one of six aspects of natural history: marine mammals, land mammals and bats, fish and marine invertebrates, birds and terrestrial invertebrates, geology and paleontology, or botany and mycology. They measure, count, and record.
The students learn important observational skills and how to conduct solid field research. Good data is where science starts.
The science is real.
So is each student's contribution
to conservation.
At the end of the expedition, each student writes a section of the paper describing their observations at the site. We publish the paper in research channels and each student earns an author credit, which can be a good addition to a college application.
Benchmark studies are critically important to conservation. Their data tells other researchers what species of animals and plants are there now and gives future researchers a way to measure over time the effects of logging, fishing, mining, pollution, and global warming.
“You can see how the world really works; what an ecosystem really is and how we’re part of it, whether we know we are or not.”
While on board, each student also becomes part of the crew, learning shipboard tasks as they rotate through specific galley, deck and watch duties.
There is also plenty of time for kayaking, fishing, hiking; watching whales, otters, eagles, salmon and bears; and just relaxing.
Our expeditions are extraordinary opportunities for any young biologist, botanist, geologist, or other natural scientist. Through immersion and with a science lens, our students come to understand the profound complexity and wonder of wilderness.
“I never knew how beautiful nature could be. Everywhere you look there is life – the bears and the whales, of course, but also under rocks, in tiny streams, on rotting logs – and it’s all connected. I never understood that.”
Our students get to see and do astonishing things. We hear again and again how their perspective on life on Earth deepens from their experience on board. Some may become scientists. All learn how to observe and record. All become scientifically literate advocates for conservation and preservation.
2025 High School Expeditions
The cost for each 12-day
expedition is $3,600
(airfare not included).
Take $500 OFF
if booked before
April 15, 2025
All expeditions are led by Bill Urschel, a U.S. Coast Guard licensed 100-ton master and former board member of two natural history museums. The crew also includes our expedition manager, Corky Parker, and one of our naturalists, for a two-to-one student-to-adult ratio.
The Endeavour is a designated research vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard and carries all the required safety gear and more.
Faculty!
Bring six students from your school and come along for free. Click here to ask us how.
Subscribe to our captain's log for updates from Alaska Endeavour. Click here.