Alumni participants gathered this year for a two-day celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Discovery Expedition and reminisced about what Discovery meant to them. Jake Wetzel started the program in 1976, and the annual expedition takes students through the Western North Carolina wilderness to backpack, climb, canoe and take a solo adventure. The program is still going strong, with students and outside participants eagerly awaiting the expedition each May.
One tradition that continues occurs at the end of the trip: students run down from Mount Mitchell into the heart of Montreat College’s campus. They are greeted by their friends and family. This year, they were also welcomed home by Discovery alumni both old and young. While the crowd ranged from college students to grandparents, they all had a shared experience: They had conquered Discovery.
As the night went on, a campfire was started, and stories flowed continuously. The discussion was led by Ben Fortson ’78, a Montreat alumnus, who explained the program as an experience that “changed the course of his life.” A few years after he did Discovery, Fortson returned to Montreat, where he taught in the Outdoor Recreation program and led students through that same life-altering program.
Fortson’s story is just one example of the lasting impact Discovery has had on the people who have experienced it. For some, the expedition is remembered through the places they traveled, the challenges they faced or the friendships they made along the way. For others, Discovery became something much more — an experience that shaped the direction of their lives. At the 50th reunion, many came back to Montreat to express their gratitude and share their stories.
That is part of what made this year’s 50th anniversary celebration so special. Around the campfire, the years seemed to disappear. Alumni who had experienced Discovery decades ago remembered old adventures and listened to stories from their peers. There was plenty of laughter and some tears.
Details of the expedition may have changed over the years, but the heart of Discovery remains. Students are still challenged to step outside their comfort zones, depend on one another and experience the wilderness together. They return to campus tired, grateful and changed, carrying stories that they will remember long after the expedition ends.
Fifty years later, Discovery continues to create those stories.
From the first expedition in 1976 to the students who ran down Mount Mitchell this year, almost 700 people have experienced the challenge, the community and the adventure that make Discovery what it is. Some have gone on to become leaders, educators and mentors, but everyone carries the memories with them.
From Participants and Leaders
“Discovery’s impact on me has reached far beyond the technical outdoor skills gained from three weeks in the wilderness. It taught me perseverance through long days hiking and sleeping in the rain, resilience through navigating quickly changing plans or routes, and a reliance on the power of prayer and surrendering everything to the Lord.”
—Virginia Velker, Discovery Expedition participant, 2023; leader, 2024–2026
“Looking back, Discovery was a defining season for me. It completely expanded my view of God and showed me the intricate care he put into every detail of creation. I’ve always had a heart to teach kids about our Creator through nature, but Discovery took that spark and turned it into a full-blown passion. Now, I get the privilege of living out this mission every day with campers at Center Lake Bible Camp through all of our different programs.”
—Virginia Lesnett, Discovery Expedition participant, 2022
“Discovery taught me a number of important life lessons. 1) Nature, and life, are indifferent to my personal preferences or moods; she has rules; if I ignore them, I might be very miserable, or worse. 2) Decisions are usually a bit more pleasurable (and effective) when multiple brains are employed. 3) The less-traveled world is a beautiful and sacred place; seek out wild places, they restore my soul. 4) Adventure — the escapade of trying something new and daring — not only builds character and expands my capabilities, it’s pretty darn fun; have more adventures. 5) Life is what you make of it; attitude is about 95% of how your life turns out.”
—Ben Fortson, Discovery Expedition participant, 1982; leader, 1984–1996
“Discovery is focused on teamwork and leadership, using activities and challenges to build these qualities. While I had the honor of getting the program started, I credit Ben Fortson and Dottie Shuman for keeping the program running all these years. I hope to see more students take part in the program in the next 50 years.”
—Jake Wetzel, founder of the Discovery Expedition