Gap Year Semesters
Earn college credit while living a mountain athlete lifestyle!
Gap Years at RIDGE offer student athletes a campus-based mountain sports immersion semester in Whitefish, Montana. The RIDGE Gap Year is designed for male and female student athletes who have finished high school and are taking a break -or Gap- before enrolling at a traditional college. RIDGE Gap student athletes are interested in strengthening their training, forging new skills, and discovering their passions in the mountains.
The RIDGE Gap Year is for student athletes looking for:
- A backcountry mountain school
- Outdoor industry certifications
- A gap year in the mountains
- An outdoor education gap year program
- An outdoor industry internship program
- High level health and nutrition coaching
- A jump on earning College credit
- Pro coaching in mountain sports
The RIDGE Gap Year is:
Mountain Sports- The RIDGE Gap Year is for beginner through elite student athletes who are looking to expand their mountain sports skill sets while earning college credit. RIDGE student athletes can focus their training on a specific sport, or gain experience in a variety of mountain sport disciplines. RIDGE Academy mountain sports include:
- Winter: Skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, backcountry touring and skimo racing
- Fall: Mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing, and alpine climbing.
Academics- RIDGE Gap Year student athletes have the opportunity to earn 3 college credits through RIDGE Ed and can choose to enroll in other online college courses. RIDGE academic advisors perform thorough assessments of each Gap Year student athlete's academic histories and future goals. At RIDGE, we devise individual academic plans.
RIDGE Gap Year academics include:
- RIDGE Ed courses
- Internships
- College counseling
- High school courses
Life Skills- RIDGE Gap Year student athletes live in Whitefish, MT- an iconic mountain town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Gap Year students develop life skills as they learn to balance training, responsibilities, and academics. Direct support from RIDGE coaches gives RIDGE Gap students the resources and guidance they need to develop skills for success in the future.
Coaching- RIDGE Gap Year student athletes benefit from working with RIDGE mountain sport coaches all semester long. RIDGE coaches are experts in their fields and they develop programs which give student athletes a route towards success.
Health and Nutrition- RIDGE Gap Year student athletes receive one on one coaching from RIDGE health coaches. RIDGE works with each student athlete to develop health and fitness programs to support your goals and supplement all aspects of your training. RIDGE will help you become a well-rounded mountain athlete.
A fusion of mountain sports, education, and life skills, a RIDGE Gap Year prepares student athletes of all abilities—beginner to elite—to develop balance, purpose, and their true potential.
