About The Wilderness Institute
In 1984, when eco-tourism was barely known and wellness retreats were rare, Brad Childs founded The Wilderness Institute in California’s Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. From the beginning, Brad grounded his work in both practice and research—his master’s thesis on how outdoor challenges shift people’s sense of personal control confirmed what participants were experiencing firsthand—that real growth happens when people step outside their comfort zones and face authentic challenges in nature.
In 1984, when eco-tourism was barely known and wellness retreats were rare, Brad Childs founded The Wilderness Institute in California’s Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. From the beginning, Brad grounded his work in both practice and research—his master’s thesis on how outdoor challenges shift people’s sense of personal control confirmed what participants were experiencing firsthand—that real growth happens when people step outside their comfort zones and face authentic challenges in nature.
The Beginning
It started with a simple belief that nature has the power to transform lives. In 1984, Brad Childs founded The Wilderness Institute as a grassroots nonprofit with a mission to promote wilderness education, training, and advocacy. Brad’s approach wove together wilderness skills, environmental education, and personal development in ways that created lasting change. Early programs included natural and cultural history courses, backcountry skills, mountaineering, and aquatic sports, all designed around the principle that real growth happens when people step outside their comfort zones.
By 1985, the Institute was hosting the first annual Wilderness Fair, drawing over 2,000 people to celebrate outdoor adventure and environmental awareness. That same year, the “Wheel to the Sea” event began, serving people with physical disabilities and eventually growing to include over 400 wheelchair participants and volunteers annually. These weren’t just programs—they were expressions of a core belief that wilderness experiences should be accessible to everyone.
Expanding Impact
The late 1980s brought the development of adventure ropes courses and corporate team-building programs, with the T.L.C. Executive Experience seminars pioneering new approaches to experiential learning in business settings. The Institute also expanded into comprehensive youth services, creating specialized programs for at-risk teens that combined outdoor challenges with family involvement and community support.
As the organization grew, so did its reach. Mobile programs brought adventure education to communities throughout California. The Wilderness Institute became one of the first providers of ropes course construction and training services in the state, building over 30 courses and training hundreds of instructors. Environmental advocacy became integral to the mission, with efforts to preserve wilderness areas like Cheeseboro Canyon from development.
Across The West, Santa Fe Bound
From the Santa Monica Mountains to Northern California’s Sierra Nevada region, from Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Front Range to finally settling in New Mexico’s high desert, The Wilderness Institute adapted to different landscapes while maintaining its core purpose. Each location brought new opportunities—ski centers in the mountains, aquatic programs at lakes, indoor climbing facilities during transitional periods, but the heart remained the same—helping people discover their potential through authentic experiences in nature.
The numbers tell part of the story. Over 100,000 participants, hundreds of organizations served, and countless lives changed. But the real story lies in the moments of breakthrough—the corporate team that learns to truly trust each other on a high ropes course, the family that bonds during a wilderness adventure, the individual who discovers capabilities they never knew they had. From youth at risk to Fortune 500 executives, Brad’s vision of using nature as a classroom for life has touched people from all walks of life.
Our Guiding Principles
- Environmental stewardship
- Community building
- Empowerment
- Outdoor saftey
- Outdoor skill development
- Therapeutic nature experiences
- Self discovery through adventure
Brad Childs, Founder
Brad founded The Wilderness Institute in 1984 with a vision to help people discover their potential through authentic outdoor experiences. He completed his master’s degree thesis which studied the positive impacts of outdoor challenges on people’s sense of personal control and capability. A certified clinical hypnotherapist and lifelong educator, Brad brings over 40 years of wilderness expertise to every program. His credentials span from National Park Service ranger and wildland firefighter , Search & Rescue Team Member, to certified instructor in everything from rock climbing and wilderness first aid to archery and survival skills.
When not leading adventures, Brad lives at Santa Fe Treehouse Camp with his life partner Ciana and their two dogs, still as passionate about connecting people with nature as he was four decades ago. See credentials and awards
Ciana Grove
Ciana Grove is the Administrative Assistant, Team-Building Facilitator and Event Coordinator for The Wilderness Institute and Assistant Director of Santa Fe Tree House Camp non-profit organizations. She has worked for the National Park Service, summer camps, and wilderness programs providing outdoor recreation, wilderness survival, and interpretive naturalist programs with such populations as at-risk youth, and physically & mentally challenged.
She has been a Recreational Therapist, Physical Conditioning Specialist and Bio-feedback Stress Management Technician for those in recovery for drug and alcohol addiction; providing wellness services in a hospital setting. And, she is a national and state certified Massage Therapist for over thirty-five years. As a certified hypnotherapist and the owner of Sacred Grove Wellness she brings her expertise in massage therapy, guided imagery, energy work and nature immersion to work with both groups and individuals.
