Big City Mountaineers Celebrates 2024 Achievements with Release of Impact Report

December 17, 2024

Report indicates programs powerfully foster social-emotional growth, creating positive ripple effects that extend for beyond the trail

DENVER, Colo., December 17, 2024 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Big City Mountaineers (BCM) today announced the release of its 2024 Impact Report, highlighting a year of unprecedented growth and transformative experiences for youth in the outdoors. The report showcases key milestones and metrics that underscore the organization’s mission to provide youth who would not otherwise have such opportunities to experience the outdoors and develop essential life skills.

“We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished this year,” said David Taus, Executive Director of Big City Mountaineers. “Our 2024 Impact Report reflects not just the numbers but the transformative stories of resilience, growth, and belonging, and joy among our youth participants. We look forward to continuing this critical work and increasing our impact in 2025 and beyond.”

Key Highlights from 2024 Include:

• 40% Increase in Youth Served: This year, BCM reached more young people than ever before, expanding opportunities for connections with nature, themselves, their community and with a deeper sense of joy.
• 27% Growth in Trail Hours Delivered: Youth participants spent significantly more time immersed in nature, fostering and a deeper connection to the environment.
• A Successful New Program Region: BCM proudly launched its inaugural program in Birmingham, Alabama, marking an exciting expansion of its reach and impact.

Transformative Impact on Youth Social-Emotional Wellness
BCM’s programs are not only about outdoor adventure but also about supporting critical social-emotional growth. The 2024 Impact Report highlights substantial improvements among participants, including:

• Across-the-Board Growth: Consistent gains in self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social belonging from pre- to post-experience.
• Greater Engagement, Greater Impact: Youth who completed the full series of BCM programs – day hikes, overnight trips, and expeditions – demonstrated significantly higher growth compared to those who participated in partial programs.
• Higher Gains Compared to Peers: BCM participants consistently outperformed their peers in social-emotional measures, demonstrating the program’s unique effectiveness.
• Transformational Impact for At-Risk Youth: Participants with lower initial social-emotional scores showed the most substantial gains, highlighting BCM’s success in empowering youth facing greater challenges.

One BCM youth participant described their experience in nature as, “It means peace, it means reconnecting with myself and all the things that get trapped in my heart or mind as the days pass in my daily life.”

Year-End Giving
Big City Mountaineers is also in the midst of its end-of-year fundraising to continue to expand its impact in providing equitable access to transformative experiences in nature for youth from disinvested communities nationwide. Now, through December 25 contributions will be matched up to $5,000 thanks to a generous challenge pledge from BCM’s founding family.

Explore the full 2024 Impact Report here . To learn more about BCM’s mission and programs and make a donation visit www.bigcitymountaineers.org

About Big City Mountaineers (BCM)
BCM provides free, fully outfitted, and professionally led backpacking trips and paddling expeditions for youth from disinvested communities, so they can access the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits of being connected to nature. Research shows that experiences in nature reduce stress, improve physical health, advance education outcomes, and build civic-mindedness. Unfortunately, not every young person has the same opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and cannot experience all the benefits of a connection to nature equitably. BCM’s model removes material, economic, and social barriers to participation outdoors by acting as a hub between the outdoor industry, youth-serving community-based organizations, caring adult volunteers, and professional experiential educators. To learn more, please visit www.bigcitymountaineers.org or follow BCM at @bigcitymountaineers on social media.