industry's highest safety standards

Helpful Resources

Safety Standards

As a leader in wilderness therapy, we at WinGate are committed to the highest safety standards in the industry. We believe in using every safety feature available and employing every safety protocol necessary to run an effective and safety-driven program. We don't believe in taking shortcuts or doing the bare minimum when it comes to safety.

The state of Utah has extensive safety standards for working with clients in the wilderness. Because of our core belief in a culture of safety at WinGate, we use the same stringent safety standards in our teen program and our young adult program.

Our Standards for Safety
  • Every WinGate client is evaluated for physical health at a local medical clinic by a doctor upon admission to the WinGate program.
  • Every client is given a Mental Status Examination by a trained therapist before going out to the field.
  • If clients are experiencing potentially dangerous detoxes off of alcohol or other drugs, we refer clients to a licensed medical detox program until clients are safe for the field.
  • All staff is screened, given background checks, and drug tested. All meet state standards for working with children or vulnerable adults.
  • Every WinGate young adult group has staff with CPR, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), and Postive Control Systems (PCS) certifications.
  • Backup staff is available with training as Emergency Medical Technicians.
  • We maintain a ratio of 1 staff for every 4 young adults.
  • Staff is regularly trained in protocols for dealing with every possible medical or behavioral contingency.
  • WinGate maintains two redundant forms of satellite communication, so if one fails the other is still available. These are used for two daily check-ins with base to pass on any needs or medical concerns, or for instant communication for any immediate concerns.
  • An Emergency Response Team is always on-call 24/7, 365, and able to get to the groups with a short response time.
  • In addition to the satellite phones, WinGate uses GPS units, regular satellite check-ins every couple hours, and a check in the middle of the night.
  • Water is dropped for daily spots or can be called out for emergency camps.
  • Every young adult is given appropriate clothing and food for the weather and season.
  • WinGate has an ER medical doctor on-call at all times.
  • For emergencies, clients can be taken to the local hospital or medical center in a very short amount of time.

These are only a few of the safety protocols that go above and beyond the state requirements for licensing of a therapeutic wilderness program and reflect our commitment at WinGate to a culture of safety.

WinGate Academics

Students who complete the wilderness program at WinGate are eligible to receive 3.5 high school credits from Alta Independent High School. The cost to capture these credits is a one-time fee of $250.00.

Alta offers three different options to tailor the following credits to your student’s needs:

  • Journal Writing & Literature (0.5 credit)
  • Wilderness Science (0.5 credit)
  • Wilderness Health & Nutrition (0.5 credit)
  • Teen Living (0.5 credit)
  • Wilderness Survival (0.5 credit)
  • Visual Arts (0.5 credit)
  • Physical Education* (0.5 credit)

Option 1: Your student will receive a Pass (P) grade for elective credit for all classes. Pass grades do not impact GPA.

Option 2: Your student will receive a letter grade for elective credit for all classes. Student will be required to write one 500-word essay per class for this option. Visual Arts also requires a portfolio. Letter grades impact GPA.

Option 3: If your student needs core credit to apply toward graduation requirements at their school, they can take supplemental online courses through Alta Independent for an additional fee of $75.00 per class. They will have 3 months to complete those courses for core credit. If not completed in that time frame, they will be issued a Pass grade for elective credit.

The courses eligible for core credit are:

  • Journal Writing and Literature
  • English 9, 10, 11, or 12
  • Wilderness Science
  • Environmental Science
  • Wilderness Health & Nutrition
  • Healthy Living

*Physical Education will be issued as a core credit class with an "A" grade on all options.

Please contact Anjilee Stevens at (888) 423-9192 ext 110 or email [email protected] to get started!

**Please Note: If your child plans to play ncaa sports after high school graduation, our classes are not NCAA approved at this time**

Support for WinGate Families

Willows are known for their abundant watery bark sap, which is heavily charged with pliant tough wood, slender branches, and large fibrous roots. The roots are remarkable for their toughness, size, and tenacity to life, and roots readily grow from aerial parts of the plant.

We chose the WILLOW as a symbol of the family. The Family is the root of our society; with its life-sustaining energy it gives meaning and purpose to life. Our family roots give us strength and courage to find new ways of making healthy connections. Our family roots give us direction as we journey through life.

Our family can bring us challenges for which we can find answers and resolutions. We offer YOU, our past, present and future families of WinGate answers to those challenges in this electronic Family Support Talking Circle. We offer a talking forum online and via conference calls in order to aid your growth and continued progress.

The professionals of WinGate Wilderness Therapy provide a wealth of important information for parents to use in helping their child. There are various help options and methods that are available. The following is a table of contents that includes the information provided by WinGate for parents.

Table of Contents
Family Support
  1. Conference call weekly
  2. Family dynamics
  3. Family values and why they matter
  4. Family resources
Mental Health Topics
  1. Thinking errors or cognitive distortions
  2. Depression, anxiety, and anger – the "big three" states
Helping Things Go Right
  1. Getting out of the "box"
  2. Staying out of the "box"
  3. Managing power struggles
  4. Signs your teen is in trouble
  5. Parenting 505: Dealing with difficult and challenging teens
Navigating the Addicts World
  1. Self deception and the twelve steps
  2. What to DO when you suspect your teen is drinking and/or drugging

WinGate Wilderness Therapy is here to provide parents with a viable help option for their struggling children, If you have any questions in regards to how WinGate can help, Call WinGate today.

Activities, Lodging, Professional Resources, And Restaurants

The following are lodging options in the Kanab area, some of which offer discounts to WinGate families (keep in mind that due to it's proximity to some amazing landscapes and state and national parks - Zion's national park, Bryce Canyon, The Grand Staircase Escalante, Lake Powell, The Grand Canyon - Kanab has become a tourist destination. Please make reservations early, especially during the summer months).

The following are lodging options in the Kanab area, some of which offer discounts to WinGate families:

Hotels and Lodging
Restaurants and Dining
Professional/Medical Resources
Recommended Books