2021 By The Numbers

If 2021 showed us anything, it’s the power that outdoor recreation can have on a child’s life. 

For many kids, Coombs Summer Camp was the only opportunity they had to get outside, see their friends, try new activities, and escape the stress of daily life. Whether it was taking inflatable kayaks down the Snake River, learning to make a meal from the community garden with Slow Foods of the Tetons, camping and backpacking in Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest, hikes with a Wilderness Ranger, paddle boarding at R Park, or learning to rock climb with Exum Mountain Guides, we saw firsthand how impactful time outdoors can be in a time of crisis.

2021 was a record-breaking year at Coombs Outdoors. Our restructured programs, additional staff, and incredible partnerships allowed us to serve more kids than ever before. Our EMPOWER internship program encouraged more participants to invest in their futures and create lasting relationships in the community. We have also continued to grow our spring and fall activities to truly provide a full year of thoughtful and supportive outdoor programs for kids who need it most.

Looking Ahead to 2022

Coombs Outdoors continues to make significant growth. We are heading into 2022 in a position to provide year-round outdoor programming to more kids than ever before. 

Winter
With 340 kids enrolled in winter programs at Snow King and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Winter 2022 is off to a great start. There truly is something for everyone during the winter at Coombs. Between our Learn to Ski programs at Snow King, Powder Pals at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Coombs Club at Snow King which both provide mentoring and ski days to middle and high schoolers, our Nordic ski Ositos program for elementary students in partnership with JH Ski Club, Nordic programs in Teton Valley through a new partnership with Teton Valley Ski Education Foundation, snowboarding lessons in partnership with Carving the Future, and 47 parents skiing in our Padres program, Coombs is providing access to outdoor winter recreation in as many ways as possible.  

Summer
This summer, we’re looking forward to expanding our summer programs to provide multiple weeks of camp for kids K-12, with opportunities for middle and high school students to dive deeper into activities like climbing, mountain biking, and backpacking. 

Fall
Fall workshops will take place in our new programming office, which holds a safe and welcoming space for indoor after school programs. We look forward to hosting community partners and creating collaborative workshops to offer our participants a diverse number of options to build community, grow their interests, and have formative experiences together, 

High School Internships
We’re excited to dive deeper into the EMPOWER component of our program model, working with our older kids to harness the confidence they have built through Coombs Activate and Engage programming. Coombs will continue to offer an internship program which will rely on partnerships with local businesses and organizations to provide our high school participants with career opportunities in the outdoor recreation industry. In addition to expanded professional experience, we will also provide participants with access to professional skill development workshops and college preparation activities and resources, including a college visit.