Inspiring Conversations with Alex George of Deer Hill Expeditions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex George.

Hi Alex, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I spent my childhood in the Midwest splitting my time between Nebraska and Missouri. After high school, I moved to Olympia, Washington for a change of scenery and a fresh start. It was here that I developed a love for the outdoors which eventually led me to Deer Hill Expeditions in 2015 as an intern. I spent the next six summers facilitating Deer Hill programs as a field instructor, and am a true believer of the transformative power of outdoor education and the Deer Hill mission. After graduating from Prescott College with a degree in Environmental Studies, I am thrilled to be at Deer Hill in an administrative role to continue working in a community of passionate individuals committed to building a brighter future by connecting others to nature, place, and self. I am now entering my 10th year at Deer Hill and couldn’t be more excited to be a part of our transition to a full non-profit organization, which became official January 1st of 2025.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Meeting the needs of a new generation of youth is always a challenge, and one that we take on with enthusiasm. Today’s youth, more than ever before, are steeped in worlds of technology. We believe that real world experiences, in wilderness and through engaging in diverse cultural contexts, provide an antidote to many of the struggles of today’s youth.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
For 40 years, Deer Hill expeditions has been facilitating meaningful youth outdoor and cultural exchange programming based out of the Four Corners region of the Southwest. Our trips combine wilderness elements, like backpacking and rafting, with cultural exchange and service-learning opportunities with Indigenous community partners on the Navajo (Diné) Nation, as well as the Hopi and Zuni Pueblos. Our programs are designed to foster personal growth, build resilience, and cultivate joy and a sense of belonging.

What really sets us apart are the relationships that we hold with Indigenous communities in the Southwest. These relationships are based on reciprocity and trust, and have been tended to for the past 35 years, when we did our first visit to the Navajo Nation. Students engage in meaningful community-based projects, and also learn about indigenous lifeways and participate in cultural activities.

The combination of these cultural experiences, which broaden our students’ worldviews, with backcountry wilderness experiences that focus on leadership skills and themes of civic engagement, creates a holistic curricular model that is entirely unique to Deer Hill and deeply powerful for our students.

As a non-profit organization, we are able to offer a robust scholarship program to make sure our programs are affordable for all families, regardless of their financial situation.

Additionally, in the spring and fall, we offer custom group programs primarily to school groups, who come from all over the country to participate in our programs.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The anxious generation by Jonathan Haidt is an interesting take on looking at the effect of technologies and social media on today’s youth.

Bill Plotkin’s Nature and the Human Soul outlines a fascinating theory on the relationship between nature and human development, and the importance of rites of passage in our lives. At its heart, taking part in a Deer Hill experience is in itself a rite of passage. Students leave Deer Hill at the end of their programming having undergone some sort of transformation.

World’s Beyond Number is a Dungeons and Dragons podcast that is magnificently orchestrated. Podcasts like this remind me to always keep a sense of wonder and imagination in the everyday. The world we live in can hold so much magic, and we want our students to tap into that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.deerhillexpeditions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deerhillexpeditions/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Deer_Hill_Expeditions

Image Credits
The mountain circle photo is via 1990. The other ones area ll more recent.