Hello Muddah, hello Faddah.... even executives need something to write home about.

• Author: Bohi, Heidi
• Position: GETAWAYS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hello, you have reached the voicemail for the president and chief executive officer of a big, important company. I can't come to the phone right now because I'm away at summer camp. I won't be checking messages because there's no reception where I'm going, but leave your name and number and I'll call you when I'm out of the woods and back at my desk.

Sounds like a scene from a summer comedy starring Steve Martin, right? Maybe so, but more and more, recreational businesses and organizations are realizing that summer camps are not just for kids anymore--and probably more than anyone, grownups deserve the opportunity to punch out and take advantage of the short Alaska season. Nobody's going to pack your knapsack for you. You'll probably be paying for your own registration fees. Care packages from home or letters from morn and dad? Not likely.

But whether you've got one hour, one day, or one week to step back from the daily bump and grind of business, there are hundreds of adults-only summer fun classes, events, activities and overnight camps that are sure to leave any adult with a "what I did on my summer vacation" story to tell at the water cooler.

LEADERSHIP CAMP

Since 1971, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has offered leadership expeditions into the wild from the Arctic Circle to Denali and down to the shores of Southeast's Alexander Archipelago. Part of a worldwide "classroom" that offers courses in exotic places that range from Alaska to Scandinavia, Patagonia and India, NOLS is based on the idea that an extended expedition--ranging from two weeks to 12--teaches adults leadership skills they can use for life through the development of judgment and decision-making.

Founder Paul Petzoldt believed that the skills required for an expedition--such as setting goals, planning, efficiency and teamwork--are the same ones that help adults succeed in life whether they are climbing to the top of a mountain or climbing up the corporate ladder. Rick Rochelle, assistant director of the Alaska operation, says that customized and standard expeditions are far from being like a boot camp.

"It's not about going out with a knife and a loin cloth, it's about taking modern equipment and skills to be comfortable and safe in the outdoors," he says, adding that NOLS considers itself more of a school than a guide service. At the same time, staff try to keep the daily schedule light enough to be like a vacation, recognizing that part of the fun is experiencing new places and forming...