REGISTRATION

  • COR strongly suggests that everyone begin physically preparing for their course at least six weeks prior to their trip (eight weeks or more if you are currently inactive.) For most courses, our baseline recommendation is that men are able to complete a three mile jog in thirty minutes and that women are able to do the same in thirty-five. While we do not run on our courses, this is a good baseline indication of fitness and cardio preparedness for carrying a heavy pack at elevation. We suggest using a workout plan that challenges your current level of fitness; you are welcome to use or adapt our workout plan found here.

    COR Participant Workout Plan

  • If you are signing up for an open-enrollment course that is posted on our website, there will be a registration link included with the course information. A deposit will typically be required with registration. If you are signing up for a trip through your school, parish, youth group, etc. please contact your trip coordinator for instructions on how to register.

  • A deposit is typically required with registration to confirm your spot and final payment is typically due three weeks prior to your course start date.

  • Yes, your deposit is nonrefundable. However, we may be willing to accommodate refunds on a case by case basis in extenuating circumstances. Please contact the COR office to be considered for a refund.

  • For information about financial aid offered, please contact us.

  • For cancellations between 30 and 14 days prior to the course, you will be responsible for 50% of the total course fee. Cancelling within 14 days of the course will require full payment of the course fee.

  • Once you are registered for a trip, you will receive an email at least 1-2 months prior to your trip with details regarding travel logistics. Course participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the designated location for pick-up and drop-off. For most of our courses, this location is the Denver airport, though you may also have the option to meet the group at the wilderness location or other designated location if you are driving rather than flying to the trip. Your COR instructors or a member of our support staff will pick you up in one of our program vehicles and drive you to the wilderness locations.

  • You can access your account by logging in here.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON A COURSE

  • Typically, if you are on a multi-day backpacking or river trip, you will not have access to bathroom facilities for the majority of the trip. At the beginning of your course, our instructors will go through how to go to the bathroom in the woods while maintaining comfort, hygiene, and privacy. For multi-adventure trips consisting of day trips to each activity, you will typically stay at a campground with pit toilets. All courses will be provided with the opportunity for showers at the end of their course prior to their travel home.

    If there are no bathroom facilities, do you provide or should I bring toilet paper? We do not provide, nor do we recommend bringing toilet paper on our backcountry courses. Other ways to maintain good hygiene will be taught by the instructors. If you do decide to bring toilet paper, come prepared to carry your used toilet paper out with you, according to the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.

  • Unless otherwise specified (e.g. the COR Ranch) all of our trips are camping trips. You will spend each night sleeping in tents or under tarps under the stars. Tents are provided and sleeping bags and sleeping pads are available from our equipment center. The tents provided typically sleep 4-6 participants. Male and female participants will have separate tents.

  • Unlike many programs that use dehydrated “just add water” meals on their wilderness trips, we provide real ingredients that you and fellow course participants will use to cook your own meals over a camp stove. Breakfast options may include oatmeal, pancakes, granola, bacon, and bagels. Lunch is generally eaten on the trail and may include deli wraps, pretzels and peanut butter, fruit, trail mix, granola bars, or power balls. Dinner options include macaroni and cheese, pizza, alfredo pasta, beans and rice, potato soup, and stir-fry. We can accommodate most common dietary restrictions, including gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, vegetarian, etc. You will be asked to specify these needs and the severity of any food allergies upon registration.

  • Unless otherwise specified, all of our courses are co-ed.

  • On a typical week-long backpacking trip you will carry 40-60 lbs. The weight of your pack will vary depending on the length of the trip. On trips of two weeks or longer, there will be a re-ration of food mid-trip in order to keep the pack weight manageable.

  • We do our best to ensure that there is a priest on all of our open-enrollment courses and when a contract course is not able to bring their own chaplain we are happy to help recruit a priest for these trips as well. We cannot guarantee that a priest will be present for the entirety of the course, but we always ensure that the group is able to attend Sunday Mass either on Sunday itself or Saturday evening and that time for daily prayer both as a group and individually is provided.

  • COR trips are not your typical retreat that might take place at a church or a retreat center. However, we fully believe that each course provides participants with the opportunity to encounter God in a radically renewing way. Our courses are similar to a traditional retreat in that they offer plenty of opportunities for prayer and reflection, and provide an intense step away from the distractions of technology and routine. Each course includes time for daily personal and communal prayer, reflections facilitated by missionary instructors, and the presence of the Sacraments and Adoration whenever possible. However, COR takes this prayerful atmosphere, removed from the distractions of technology, a step further. We believe that God desires to meet each of our participants not only through dedicated prayer, but also in the experiences of life-changing community and transformative adventure. For this reason, COR courses often provide a unique opportunity for individuals who otherwise may not be interested or able to attend a structured retreat format.