Experience the Summit

ETS is currently available in Sarasota Fl. To launch this program in your community visit the “Join The Movement” page & apply to become a certified AFA coach to learn more.

Experience The Summit will refine your adventure athletes survival skills, endurance, & teamwork over 3-4 months of intensive training to prepare them for their biggest trek yet. With three progressive tiers, athletes will progress their endurance, survival skills, & outdoor knowledge. From a 2 day trek covering 6-10 miles in mother nature in Ascent (tier 1) to Apex (tier 3), a 4+ day trek covering 15-30+ miles. Experience The Summit challenges athletes to master their survival skills, develop resilience, & prove to themselves that they can conquer any challenge—on the trail & in life.

*Graduating from the Experience The Outdoors program is highly recommended before taking on this adventure

Mastery of survival skills is the first step toward a successful trek to the summit. In this first phase your adventure athlete will refine their ability to prepare a fire, pitch their tent, & properly pack their essentials. Our focus is to turn learned skills into instinctive actions—so that when the real adventure begins, they’re not just equipped with knowledge; they’re confident in their ability to take action.

It’s time to earn every step. This phase is designed to condition athletes physically & mentally—building strength through progressive hikes, weighted pack training, & elevation challenges. As they push through resistance week after week, they build grit, pacing, & the inner voice that says, “I can keep going.” The goal is to train harder than the mountain demands, so when it’s time to trek, they’re present, prepared, & ready to enjoy every step of the experience.

In the backcountry, safety is a shared responsibility. We will teach your adventure athlete how to assess their environment, communicate with clarity, & to collaborate when they feel pressure. From trail signals to team check-ins, they learn how to keep themselves & each other safe by reinforcing their leadership development, decision-making, & communication skills. Because real success in the mountains isn’t about going fast—it’s about going together.

The best way to prepare your adventure athlete for their expedition through the mountains is to experience real-world backpacking challenges. Through this part of their training they will practice setting up camp as a team, managing their pack, navigating terrain, & testing their problem-solving skills within the outdoors—ensuring they feel fully prepared before they take on the mountain summit.

Summiting isn’t just about the destination—it’s the result of every challenge faced along the way. In the final phase of each tier, athletes will step onto the mountain with everything they’ve earned: physical strength, emotional resilience, practical skills, & the belief that they are capable of anything. It’s more than just reaching the top—it’s seeing themselves in a new light, grounded in the belief that they can.

Once you & your adventure athlete reach your first summit, the question often becomes: what’s next? This phase teaches that growth is an endless trek of putting one foot in front of the other & focuses on tailoring training to each athlete’s unique goals—building on their strengths, addressing growth areas, & designing a path that keeps the journey going. It’s about moving from a milestone to a mindset—where adventure, growth, & belief become a lifelong pursuit.