Mountain Challenge: More than an Orientation Trip

     Maryville College’s Mountain Challenge has become one of the most recognizable parts of MC campus life. For many students, their first memory of campus is tied to a paddle trip, ropes course, or standing at the base of the climbing tower wondering if they can actually make it to the top. But Mountain Challenge is more than just an orientation activity. It is its own organization, deeply connected to Maryville College while also partnering with outside businesses and nonprofits to provide outdoor leadership and team-building experiences.

Mountain Challenge offers students opportunities to kayak, hike, climb, and participate in ropes courses, all while building leadership and community. For student facilitators Lily Boyles (‘27), that mission was what drew her in from the beginning. 

“I first heard about Mountain Challenge when I applied to Maryville College,” Boyles said. “I was drawn to working there because I have always had such a deep love for nature and I felt like the organization would surround me with a great community — and it has.”

  For many facilitators, Mountain Challenge becomes more than a job. It becomes a formative experience. Boyles’ first memory with the program was during freshman orientation on a paddle trip. She remembers bonding with fellow student Kaitlin Koster (‘25) over their shared love for nature and the sciences. That early encouragement to shadow with Mountain Challenge made her feel welcomed and affirmed in the community. 

Anna Price (‘26) shared a similar experience. Even before enrolling at Maryville, she knew she wanted to work for Mountain Challenge. “I’ve always had a great passion for the outdoors,” Price said. Seeing a college program that prioritized kayaking, hiking and climbing was exciting and refreshing. “It’s refreshing to see programming that values things that are often overlooked by other colleges.”

That emphasis on connection, both to nature and to one another, is central to Mountain Challenge’s identity. While it operates as a branch of Maryville College, it also works with outside organizations, offering team-building events and outdoor programming beyond the campus community. Still, its impact on students remains at the heart of what it does. 

During freshman orientation, Mountain Challenge’s busiest season, facilitators often lead two to three events a day. A typical morning might begin at Crawford House, where staff pack backpacks with activities, first aid kits, sunscreen, and bug spray before reviewing the day’s schedule. Between trips, staff regroup, debrief, and often laugh together on the porch before heading out again.

The work is rewarding, but it is not without challenges. One of the hardest parts, according to both Boyles and Price, is helping participants step outside their comfort zones. Many activities are intentionally designed to push students just slightly beyond what feels easy, whether that means climbing the tower, navigating a ropes course or simply kayaking for the first time.

Boyles says her favorite trips to lead are paddling adventures, especially when teaching beginners. “There are always a handful of people who may have never kayaked before, and I enjoy teaching them a new skill,” she said. “I really find joy in sharing my passions with people.”

And often, that gentle push pays off. Facilitators regularly witness students overcoming fears, especially fears of heights. Students who begin the day nervous sometimes leave having climbed higher than they thought possible, or having stepped into leadership roles within their group.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for participants, facilitators say, is how they feel afterward. What begins as apprehension often turns into laughter, connection, and a sense of accomplishment. Team-building happens naturally. Strangers become friends. Screens are replaced by sunlight and river water.

“Everyone should come on a Mountain Challenge trip at least once,” Boyles said. “We aim to provide MC students with ways to be more connected with nature and take breaks from screens in stress-free, safe and exciting ways.”

At its core, Mountain Challenge is about more than outdoor recreation. It is about building community, encouraging growth and reminding students, especially in the chaos of college life, to step outside and simply breathe.