Great Bear Rainforest
Join Melissa Groo and Chris Steppig as they lead a small, select group of intrepid travelers into the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia.
Discover the Wild Beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest
Dates: September 9-16, 2025 | Location: Great Bear Rainforest, BC, Canada
Tuition: $14,995 | Deposit: $5,000
Deposit due upon registration, full tuition due 120 days before the workshop. Workshops limited to 6 participants.
Join Summit Workshops for an immersive photography experience designed for those who want to move beyond traditional wildlife photography and embrace a new way of seeing nature—through storytelling and artistry. With expert guidance, exclusive access to a community-owned eco-lodge operated by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, and small group instruction, you’ll have the opportunity to photograph the hidden beauty of this landscape, its wildlife, and the delicate balance of its ecosystem.
This is not just a workshop—it’s a journey of discovery. Are you ready to explore one of the world’s last great wildernesses through your lens?
Workshop Highlights
- Exclusive, small-group experience for personalized instruction and guidance.
- Stay at a community-based ecotourism lodge owned and operated by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation.
- Photograph the region’s incredible biodiversity, including the rare spirit bear, grizzlies, black bears, and marine life, and the stunning landscapes of the rainforest.
- Develop storytelling and documentary photography skills beyond simple wildlife portraits.
- One-on-one mentorship and portfolio reviews with faculty.
At Summit Great Bear You'll Experience
Beyond the Bears: A Deeper Story
While we may encounter black bears, grizzlies, and the rare spirit bear, this workshop goes beyond frame-filling wildlife shots. Our focus is on telling the full story of the Great Bear Rainforest—from the towering hemlocks to the smallest details of this delicate ecosystem.
Immersive Exploration with Expert Guides
Venture deep into old-growth forests and glacier-carved valleys, guided by expert trackers who will reveal the hidden world of this ancient landscape. From meadows bursting with wildflowers to the fin of a humpback whale breaking the surface, every step offers a new discovery.
Conservation & Connection with First Nations
Stay at a community-run eco-lodge and spend time with the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, learning about their efforts to protect and preserve this pristine wilderness. Through photography and storytelling, we’ll explore how conservation can be woven into our work, making images that have impact beyond the moment.
Workshop Itinerary
Arrive in Vancouver at any time. We will have an informal group dinner and settle in early.
Today we will wake early to begin our journey to the Great Bear Rainforest. Because of its remote location we will travel by plane and boat to reach the lodge.
The following days will be spent exploring the vast beauty and biodiversity of the Great Bear Rainforest. We will travel by boat and on foot in search of wildlife and scenery as we learn about photography techniques and conservation practices. Our exact day to day itineraries will depend on the interests of the group and where animals can be found. Expect an incredible diversity of subjects and a never ending array of stunning landscapes. Evenings will be spent at the lodge with image critiques, lectures, and informal discussions about conservation, nature, and landscape photography.
We will wake up early to being our journey back to Vancouver. Once landed and settled in, we will meet for a final group dinner before saying goodbye.
Fly back to the US at any time.
The final workshop schedule will be provided one month prior to the event. Please keep in mind that the schedule is tentative and may be adjusted as needed during the workshop.
Meet Your Instructors
Melissa Groo
Chris Steppig
Workshop Information
The Great Bear Rainforest (GBR) is the largest tract of temperate coastal rainforest left in the world. GBR is an area of roughly 21 million acres, and staggering beauty, with mountains and granite cliffs rising out of the sea, glacier-carved fjords that wend their way around islands or primeval old-growth forest, where 300-foot-tall hemlock and spruce trees tower above, shrouded in mist. Bald Eagles and Ravens are the most common birds you see, while humpback whales and orcas surface around you as they surge through waters rich with otters, porpoises, and seals. And all these animals, as well as the forest, are critically sustained by the salmon that appear in the late summer and early fall to make their annual spawning run. Even the coastal gray wolf has evolved into a fishing expert.
Will we see Spirit Bears? The odds are very likely as we will be embarking on this journey during the height of the salmon run.
Participants need to be in good physical condition. This means that they are able to walk up to 3 or 4 miles carrying their chosen equipment, snacks, water. They should be able to clamber in and out of boats on their own, and cope with maneuvering often slippery rocks at the shoreline. They should be able to handle being on small boats sometimes on choppy water for up to two hours at a time.
Spouse and companion discounts are available for this workshop! These discounts are for non-photographers who want to share in this amazing experience with you. Please contact us for more information.
Past Student Work
Frequently asked questions
No! Summit Workshops is available to any photographer, regardless of what brand of camera you use. We often have camera gear available to borrow, free of charge, but you are not required to use that gear or any specific brand.
- Lodging overnight in Vancouver on the 9th and 16th
Travel to and from our departure point in Vancouver
Lodging at the Spirit Bear Lodge
Our workshop is for shooters of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to seasoned veterans. We all learn from and help one another, that is what makes the Summit Community so special.
Lodging
Lodging for the workshop is located at the Spirit Bear Lodge in British Columbia.
