Standing above all other summits in the Appalachian Mountains, Mount Mitchell rises 6,684 feet above sea level as the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Each year, select Montreat College students start their final challenge of a three-week back-country backpacking trip from this peak. Whether they descend at a run or a more reflective pace, the 14-mile journey back to campus culminates in a warm welcome from the Montreat community celebrating the students’ achievements.
This tradition is just one small part of the expedition’s legacy as the Outdoor Recreation Studies (ORS) department prepares for a milestone 50th trip of the Discovery Program in 2025. A cornerstone of Montreat’s outdoor recreation education since its inception in 1976, this leadership experience has been fostering not only outdoor skills but also personal and spiritual growth through immersion in nature for nearly half a century.
Humble Beginnings
The Discovery Program began in 1975 when Jake Wetzel, a former Outward Bound instructor and leader of Wheaton College’s HoneyRock Camp, brought his passion for outdoor ministry, recreation, and education to Montreat College.
“With Montreat located right in the mountains, they wanted programs that would get the college students out in the mountains and on the rivers,” recalled Wetzel, who made sure to credit former Dean of Students Larry Wilson as a key character in starting the program. “Since I had been doing a trip very similar to Discovery and I had seen the most growth in students from an extended wilderness trip, I wanted to try to get it started here for Montreat students. In 1976, a math teacher named Charles Massey and I were the first leaders. I’m not exactly sure if we had nine or ten students that first year, but that got us rolling.”
Originally known simply as “Recreation,” the program quickly evolved into an immersive outdoor ministry experience that has remained largely unchanged for nearly five decades.
“It’s an amazing trip,” said Dr. Dottie Shuman, an ORS professor who has been at Montreat College for more than half of the program’s Discovery Program expeditions. “The students understand the importance of being outside and being removed from their phones. Students are challenged to think about disconnecting for that long, but they quickly realize how great it is.”
Four Pillars
The Discovery Program is built on four pillars: discipleship, stewardship, community building, and leadership. During a three-week backpacking trip, students engage in various activities such as rock climbing, canoeing, and solo expeditions in some of Western North Carolina’s most spectacular natural settings.
“The course builds up to the solo component with a time of reflection on what they are learning, what God is showing and teaching them,” Wetzel said. “The Bible teaches us a lot about how a group should function through compassion and serving, so those qualities are highlighted as part of the trip. We learn by being part of a group and focusing on what God is teaching us about ourselves and about our role in a group with others. It’s important to get that feedback from others.”
Each student takes a turn leading the group for a day, gaining confidence and experiencing the challenges and rewards of leadership in an outdoor setting.
“We don’t really advertise exactly how the trip goes,” noted Dr. Shuman. “The students have an opportunity to live one day at a time and don’t know what their next thing is going to be out there backpacking. They each have their own tarp, and sometimes they are just asked to stay and reflect.”
Eden Whitby was one of five participants on the 2024 trip. For her, the greatest challenge of the expedition was the physical isolation from her family and friends for three weeks.
“I grew up having my family around all the time and doing everything together,” Whitby said. “I talked with our leaders, Virginia Velker and Will Buie, and they helped talk me through and recognize what I was feeling. One thing I did which was helpful was to write little notes and letters to the people I missed to give them later.”
In an era of constant connectivity, the Discovery Program offers students a rare opportunity to unplug and focus on their surroundings, their group, and their faith. This digital detox allows for deeper reflection and a stronger connection with the natural world, enhancing the overall impact of the program.
“Our Discovery trip helped open my eyes to the vast world we have a chance to explore and appreciate,” reflected Whitby. “There are so many levels of understanding and depths of knowledge to be uncovered regarding nature and recreation in the outdoors. At first it is overwhelming to think about, but then you realize that everyone and anyone can learn about our world and become aware of and inspired by what an intricate, complex environment we get to live in and steward.”
On this year’s trip, Whitby said she learned technical skills such as selecting and setting up a campsite, tying knots, gathering water, rationing resources, navigating with a map and compass, preparing food, and maintaining camp cleanliness. Besides those physical skills, she gained valuable insights into effective leadership and teamwork. The experience taught her how to adapt when plans change and what is essential to keep in mind as an outdoor leader or educator.
“We were very fortunate to have such a wonderful, cooperative, pleasant group of students and leaders on my Discovery,” she said. “We genuinely had such a blast being together and sharing this exciting, unique experience with each other in the outdoors. I would definitely recommend this trip to others who want to learn how to be out in nature and be a responsible steward of God’s world. I learned so much, and I am still learning as I have time to reflect on my attitude and how to make the most out of where I am and what I’m doing, among many other lifelong lessons.”
Reflecting on the Past, Planning for the Future
As the 50th anniversary of the Discovery Program approaches, the Outdoor Recreation Program is busy planning a celebration of the program’s rich history with the 50th trip in 2025 and the program’s golden anniversary in 2026.
“I’m amazed that this will be 50 years,” said Jake Wetzel. “I’m grateful that God has provided the leaders to keep it going. It might end someday, but my personal feeling is that in this day and age now more than ever, a program like this is needed. There’s really a lot to learn by taking a break.”
The Discovery Program has shaped the lives of numerous students, instilling in them a love for the outdoors, a commitment to stewardship, and a deeper understanding of their own leadership potential. While reflecting on the past, the program also looks forward to continuing its legacy as a transformative experience for students for many years to come.
“It’s truly a life-changing event,” summarized Dr. Shuman, “where the students are completely relying on their group, their leaders, and God.”