• ABOUT US.

OUR MISSION

Yellow Breeches Adventures serves the greater Harrisburg community and beyond by designing and facilitating experiences that utilize adventure activities as a catalyst for empowering groups and individuals to achieve their goals.

Whether through a multi-day backpacking experience or an evening paddle on the Yellow Breeches Creek, we draw upon the incredible power of adventure as a tool for renewal and growth.

In addition to leading experiences, we equip people to enjoy creation on their own by renting canoes for paddling on the Yellow Breeches Creek.

OUR VALUES

GROWTH THROUGH CHALLENGE

We do hard things because they lead us to discovery.

COMMUNITY

We cultivate relationship through our adventures.

PLAY

We incorporate play and fun into every adventure experience.

PURPOSEFUL DESIGN

We utilize adventure activities as tools for achieving personal and group goals.

PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION

Our instruction aligns with industry standards and builds participants’ skills, confidence, and passion for adventure.

CARE

We prioritize the needs and well-being of the people we serve.

OUR LEADERSHIP

Dave Tanis

Owner of Yellow Breeches Adventures
dave@yellowbreechesadventures.com | 717-503-5179

I have been involved in adventure programming for over 30 years, first through campus ministry with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and then as Associate Professor of Adventure Education at Messiah University.  I have found adventure activities to be transformative tools for growth and learning.  My training and education have provided me with both a theoretical understanding and technical know-how to design and lead powerful adventure experiences.  Fostering relationships is my primary motivation for taking people on adventures, and I have cultivated this in various settings, from multi-week backpacking expeditions to day-long caving, paddling, and climbing trips to a few hours of group games and teambuilding activities.  A distinctive of the experiences I lead is play and playfulness.  As an educator, I love to design engaging experiences that help my participants achieve their goals.

Although I love adventuring with groups, my favorite adventures are with my wife Tricia and three kids. I am most passionate about water based activities and love paddling my white water canoe on the Lower Youghiogheny River.

Education:

  • B.S., Engineering, Calvin College
  • M.A., Higher Education, Geneva College
  • D.Ed., Adult Education, Penn State University. Dissertation: “Exploring Play/Playfulness and Learning in the Adult and Higher Education Classroom.”

Certifications:

  • Wilderness First Responder, SOLO, 1993–present
  • American Canoe Association Instructor/Instructor Trainer
    • Level 3 Whitewater Canoeing Instructor Trainer (Solo and Tandem), 2011–present
    • Level 4 Whitewater Canoeing Instructor (Solo and Tandem), 1998–2019
    • Level 3 River Safety and Rescue Instructor, 2011–present
    • Level 2 River Kayak Instructor, 2016–present
  • Wilderness Education Association (WEA) Instructor, 1995–present
  • Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator, 2004–present
  • Professional Climbing Instructors’ Association (PCIA) Base Managed Climbing Instructor, 2010-2013, 2019-present

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