Adventure: Embracing the Unknown. Exploring Possibilities.

Ecologies: Connection. Community. Interdependence.

At Adventure Ecologies, we strive to provide resources and opportunities to help people explore the natural world, discover what they are capable of, and find connection.

Two backpackers crossing a beaver dam.

Our Values

We recognize that outdoor spaces have not always been welcoming or safe for everyone in our communities. Even if things are improving, we still have a long ways to go.

At Adventure Ecologies, we believe that all human and nonhuman beings have value. We seek to create supportive opportunities for exploration and growth. This means we use correct names and pronouns, we respect people’s cultures, abilities, backgrounds, personal space, and goals, and we apologize when we get it wrong (and work to fix it).

We recognize that what might be a great adventure for one might not be a great fit for another. We work towards providing a variety of resources and opportunities so everyone can choose what works best for them.

Community Responsibility

While we believe that, ultimately, the positives of getting people outdoors outweighs the negatives, we also acknowledge that outdoor recreation can be a form of resource extraction.

We are working towards mitigating any negative impacts we have on natural and cultural spaces by donating, being members of, and/or volunteering for the organizations who manage the lands we use, by teaching and abiding by Leave No Trace principles, and by providing scholarships for folks who find cost a barrier and for those who are from underrepresented communities.

Cedar trees with exposed roots along a riverbank.

Pay-it-forward Program

We try to make our resources and adventures as financially accessible as possible.

We provide scholarships whenever possible to help defer the costs of our adventures and strive to keep our resource library free.

Many of us have gotten to where we are by being helped along the way. If this describes you, and you feel like you can “Pay-it-forward” too, click below to donate to our fund and amplify the positive chain reaction.

Our People

  • A woman smiling outdoors near a body of water, wearing sunglasses, a purple hat, and a hiking backpack, with trees and a clear sky in the background.

    Anna Swarts (she/her)

    FOUNDER & GUIDE

    Anna loves to help people feel confident outside. She holds certifications as a Wilderness First Responder, in Leave No Trace Ethics, and as a yoga instructor.

    She loves the quiet connection of human-powered adventures in nature. Her favorite activity changes with the season.

    For more about her personal adventures, check out exploringedges.com

  • Our Partners

    We partner and contract with other like-minded organizations and individuals. Some ongoing partnerships include:

    Molly Oace Massage at mollyoace.com

    The Friends of the Superior National Forest at friendssnf.org

    Hardshell Fitness at hardshellfit.com

    Interested in partnering with us? Reach out to anna@adventureecologies.com