Each year, Big City Mountaineers joins hundreds of urban, under-resourced teens and volunteers together through life-altering outdoors activities. Volunteers and teens will connect again to celebrate their summer accomplishments at the annual Return to the Summit event held from 11:30-4 pm, on Oct. 3, at the American Mountaineering Museum in Golden, CO.

This event, made possible through a partnership with the Colorado Mountain Club ( www.cmc.org), will be an interactive day with an indoor rock-climbing wall, guided tour lead by CMC of the American Mountaineering Museum, team-building games, and slideshow. It will be another way in which BCM and works to expand the horizons of inner-city teens and adult volunteers. The Museum is located at 710 10th Street,Golden, CO 80401.

This summer BCM provided 167 urban, under-resourced youths with an outdoor team mentoring experience that positively impacts their beliefs with regard to age/ethnic diversity, self-esteem, environmental awareness and interpersonal relationships.

"I've never experienced anything like that, and it opened my eyes to a lot," said a CO Teen participant. "It allowed me to truly appreciate nature and all the beauty that surrounds me."

Several Denver-area agencies participated including; Sierra Club ICO Denver, Colorado Youth at Risk, Mercy Housing, Colorado I Have a Dream, Denver Boys and Girls club, Denver Kids, A Kidz hope.

Additionally, 147 adults/volunteers were impacted by the experience and through the special relationships that are built in the outdoors.

"When an adult made a comment that there was 2 days left one of the teens said; "ONLY two days?," said an Adult Volunteer. "As much as they feared the bugs, hated the lack of plumbing, hated the iodine water, hated the early to bed early to rise and lack of make up; they did not want it to end so soon."

For more than 20 years, BCM has been providing this unique outdoor experience to urban, under-resourced youth. Their special ratio of 5 volunteers to 5 youth makes sure each teen gets significant interaction with the adults.

"I am proud to be a part of an organization that for more than 20 years has been transforming teens and volunteers," said Syd Jones, BCM Executive Director. "Our programs expand their horizons, improve their self-being and impact hundreds of lives while showing them the natural beauty of their world."

In order to provide for these programs, BCM has helped develop a unique fundraising event. Now in its 6th year, Backpacker Magazine's Summit For Someone is the number one mountaineering fundraiser in the country, climbing 16 of the world's premiere mountains to support the mission of Big City Mountaineers.

Last year, 125 climbers raised funds that directly increase the number of teens BCM takes out each summer on wilderness trips that change the teen's lives as well as the volunteers.

"It's impossible to summarize the BCM trip in a single quote. How can you capture on paper the symphonic sound of 10 people laughing?" said an Adult Volunteer. "Words cannot describe the joy of accomplishment in the teens' eyes when they discover strength they didn't realize they had. The BCM trip is not something you can just read and understand; you simply must experience it yourself."

ABOUT BIG CITY MOUNTAINEERS
BCM, a Denver-based non-profit, is one of the largest non-profits in the country devoted to working exclusively with under-resourced teens by using the outdoors as a transformational element in their lives. BCM runs its recreational mentoring program in selected major urban centers throughout the country, with its largest program areas in Denver and San Francisco. Learn more at www.bigcitymountaineers.org.

ABOUT COLORADO MOUNTAIN CLUB
CMC is an organization devoted to connecting those who love the Colorado Rockies or who study or seek recreation in them. The primary purposes of the club are to gather and disseminate information regarding the Colorado mountains in the areas of art, science, literature and recreation; to furnish facilities for the enjoyment and study of the mountains by the Club members and the public; and to advocate for the preservation of the alpine regions. Find out more at www.cmc.org.

Tim Esterdahl is the principal of TE Creative Services, a Public Relations firm that provides PR services to Big City Mountaineers. Find out more at www.tecreativeservices.com.