In recent years, an increasing number of educators have opted for non-traditional programs that afford students opportunities that traditional classroom experiences do not. Many educators are utilizing the wilderness environment as a means of providing students and staffs with an experientially-based developmental program. Activities such as rock climbing, rappelling, backpacking, and whitewater rafting serve as the teaching medium to promote personal development and increase students' understanding and application of group process skills. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive explanation (grounded in educational theory) of why and how to develop a wilderness program as a part of staff and student development activities. Stetson University's program, "The Staff Wilderness Adventure Trip," is used as a case example and describes how the Department of Residential Life's upper level staff (14 persons) participates in a fall, 5-day staff adventure trip to the north Georgia mountains and South Carolina's Chattooga River. Appendices provide a chart on the theory of challenge/response; a synopsis of the activity schedule; a list of activities in which participants were involved; general and specific objectives for the planned activities; and evaluation responses from residential life staff members who participated in the staff wilderness adventure program. (Author/ERB)