Is Beartooth Mt. Ascent right for you
and your son?		 Improved life skills for young men ages 18 - 26. Why Choose Beartooth Mt. Ascent?

An Uniquely Effective Alternative To Traditional Wilderness Programs

Beartooth Mt Ascent is a Residential Catholic Young Adult Male Life Skills, Sober Living, Transitions Program located on a 40,000 acre working cattle ranch in northwest Wyoming (around 85 miles from Yellowstone National Park) that gives at-risk young men the opportunity to discover a healthy way of life. Our form of therapy is based on living and working on a cattle ranch, we call this "real life therapy". This ranch life expereince includeds experiential education, spiritual life development and vocational training to increase self-esteem, self-motivation, self-discipline and proper coping mechanisms for these at-risk young men.

Beartooth Mountain Ascent (BTMA) offers a comprehensive residential Christian sober living-substance abuse recovery program designed for young men whose ages range from 18 to 26. Our Young Adult Rehab program offers troubled young adults an opportunity to transform their lives by promoting the values of work ethic, self-reliance, the importance of spirituality, and the communicative skills necessary for them to develop strong personal relationships. More often than not, young men struggling with addiction and anger issues lack the patience required to listen to others in conversation; they are also commonly deficient with the ability to articulate their emotional needs and, thus, have developed self-destructive defense mechanisms to cope with daily life. Most of our young men come here feeling isolated and misunderstood. BTMA uses a variety of organic therapeutic approaches that are successful in helping the struggling young adult develop healthy alternative methods for handeling with the stresses of normal life.

BTMA has at its disposal a 40,000 acre “working” cattle ranch that is located near the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park in Clark, Wyoming. It must be emphasized that this is no “dude” ranch that offers only the recreational novelty of a trail ride in the Rocky Mountains; we have 800 head of cattle and 35 horses that require constant attention and hard work. BTMA will teach the young man all aspects of what it takes to become an authentic “cowboy:” horsemanship, commitment, courage, and faith. In this unique environment, he will simultaneously learn a new work ethic and useful job skill while also discovering inner-resources that will help him repair his damaged self-esteem.

Beartooth Mountain Ascent is operated by a Catholic family that stresses the importance of practicing the Christian virtues within every facet of social life. Many young men who have attended our program had preconceived notions of religious devotion prior to their arrival, often associating spirituality with hypocrisy. The incorporation of prayer and weekly mass into our curriculum will make the young man aware that the church pews in Clark, Wyoming are filled with the rugged cowboys he works with side by side, each day, in the corrals. We believe that the recovery process begins when the young man surrenders his life to God, and starts to engage with role models that demonstrate the admirable Christian characteristics of honesty and moral integrity.

It is in the spirit of this Christian approach to transforming the lives of young adults, Beartooth Mountain Ascent offers the following:

• Residential Experiential Education Ranch Program
• Substance Abuse Recovery
• Natural Horsemanship
• Improved Life, Communication and Job Skills Program
• Individual Counseling Therapy
• Family Relationship Focus Therapy
• Catholic Principled Recovery Therapy
• Equine Therapy
• Vocational Work Therapy
• Christian Character Formation Therapy
• Nature Outdoor Adventure Therapy


A Life Changing Experience for struggling young men, parents and the entire family.

Please note: The programs and therapy listed on our web site are each aspects of our daily life on a working cattle ranch, and are integrated with in our main BTMA program. Students participate in the daily ranch activities that are an organic part of real ranch life and work. Students do not get to pick and chose what activities they want to do each day. This teaches a young man to go beyond himself, become part of something bigger than himself, and learn to do what is required and needed, not what he finds pleasing to himself. Also note that not every activity listed is offered every day, and many are available only when the season or weather permits.

Our program is located on a remote rural ranch in a back to basics, frontier style buildings without any frills. If you are looking for luxurious accommodations for your son in a resort like setting this is not the place to send him.

If you want your son to appreciate and not take for granted what has been provided for him by you, then our Ranch is the place to help him grow in appreciation and thanksgiving for all that he has received in his life. Young men that engage in our program leave here with a deeper respect for authority, self-discipline, and a new work ethic that will help them be successful in holding down a job or going to college.





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Beartooth MT Ascent - Assessment Form

Is this program right for your son? The following form will help you determine if Beartooth MT Ascent
is a suitable program for your troubled son's needs.

The first sets of checkboxes are conditions that we treat at Beartooth MT Ascent.


Defiance toward authority figures
Poor/declining relationship with family members
Lack of self-esteem and/or confidence
Out of control behavior in the home, school, and/or community
Emotional outbursts/inability to channel anger appropriately
Poor personal motivation
Emotional immaturity
More concerned with possessions than with people
Social phobias
Truancy or lack of participation in educational opportunities
Underachieving
Minor delinquencies or legal offenses
AD(H)D- Attention Deficit Disorder with or without the hyperactivity
ODD- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Non-psychotic depression
Low self concept
Impulsive behavior
Lying/manipulative action
Stealing and/or lack of respect for property of others
Experimentation with drugs and/or alcohol
Poor interpersonal skills
Choosing a negative peer group/easily influenced by friends
Treatment Resistant

The second set of checkboxes with criteria marked in red is conditions that you will need to contact a BTMA admissions counselor to determine enrollment eligibility. If any checkboxes below are marked please contact a Beartooth MT Ascent admissions counselor
to see if an exception can be made for your son. The admissions number is: (307-645-3381)

History of violent episodes that have required physical or medical restraint
Sexual Offenders
Major medical problems that have not been stabilized
(we can not accept students that are diabetic or epileptic)
History of or substantial potential for suicidal attempt
Schizophrenic or sociopath personality disorders
Very poor physical condition or physical impairments
Same sex orientation/homesexual
Intelligent Quotients (IQ) below 80

Improved Life Skills

Beartooth MT Ascent has highly qualified professional staff who are dedicated to helping every young man overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of living a productive, healthy lifestyle. Beartooth MT Ascent is built on the foundations of Mount Carmel Youth Ranch which has over nineteen years of experience in helping at-risk youth. Jerry and Mickey Schneider, the founders of Mount Carmel Youth Ranch, were awarded "Parents of the Year" honors in 2002 as well as the distinguished service award from "Who's Who in America." They were recently awarded the "Fidelity Award" from Catholic Central in Michigan for the unwavering dedication to the Christian/Catholic principles of education of this distinguished private school.

Beartooth MT Ascent's Virtue/Character Building Program is very effective in helping the troubled young man grow in confidence and self-esteem as he learns that he can achieve and learn with our individually focused independent study program. We provide a weekly class in Character Development and Abstinanc eEducation. We also address the very serious problem of pornography addiction which many of the young men who come to Beartooth MT Ascent Program struggle with. We give each young man the understanding of how destructive this behavior is to his relationships and how it can very negatively impact his ability to have a healthy, happy marriage in the future. We provide a deeper understanding and appreciation for the dignity of every human person and how to cultivate healthy relationships.

Please note that the programs and therapy listed on our web site are aspects of our daily life on a working cattle ranch, and are integrated with in our main BTMA program. Students participate in the daily ranch activities that are an organic part of real ranch life and work. Students do not get to pick and chose what activities they want to do each day. This teach a young man to go beyond himself, become part of something bigger than himself, and learn to do what is required and needed, not what he finds pleasing to himself. Also note that not every activity listed is offered every day, and many are available only when the season or weather permits. For example during the harsh winter months we do not ride our horses very often as it is hard and the horse and the rider and can be dangerous when the ground is frozen and icy.

Why We Are Different

What makes us different from other treatment centers?

Beartooth MT Ascent is a personal and relational experience. It is genuine, real, authentic, and peaceful, where a young man has the opportunity to unfold his heart and mind as he discovers who he really is, in the midst of the incredible beauty of Gods creation. Beartooth MT Ascent offers a totally unique residential program in a holistic, safe, and positive environment. Young men are able to actualize successes utilizing our experiential therapy program while avoiding the cold, sterile environment found in clinical or institutional settings.

Beartooth MT Ascent cannot be duplicated because we combine these critical elements of recovery:

  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy
  • Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
  • Positive Behavior Motivation Training
  • Neurochemical Therapy (Neurotransmitter Repair)
  • Body Mind & Spirit wellness Training Program
  • Relationships and communication skills training
  • Comprehensive Life Planning and Recovery Life Coaching

Addiction is not a disease, it's a dependency brought on by your choices. We are very different from other alcohol and drug rehab centers because we recognize that addictions are a dysfunction of choice and that God has given us the gift of free will, We can and must make the choices that give our life meaning and purpose. We have a saying at Beartooth Mt Ascent, "You can Not expect someone to say not to drugs, alcohol, porn, or video games unless they have something better to say YES to!" Substance abuse creates damage and changes to the reward center of your brain, which alters your ability to make positive choices, you are stuck. Our program is designed to repair this damage and to help you understand why and how it occurred and what to do about it.

We start with the Gift nature and the Gift of work. Working with the hands, has a healing effect on the brain. When a person learns to do something new, for example work with a horse and learn to speak the Horses language, new neurological pathways are created in the brain. This helps break the person out of the "rutts" in their mind, the negative though patterns that keep them trapped in the lies they believe and live out. Our Goal is to help you experience the truth about who you are, for "the Truth will set you free."

Since the addictions begin with your choices, it is essential to learn the skills necessary to make different choices once the damage is repaired. People learn through experience how to handle their lives and confront the problems they face in all situations. To understand that addiction is a dependency of choice is not to say that a drug or alcohol abuser properly weighed the pros and cons and made an objective decision to be an addict or alcoholic. The truth is, people learn behaviors that make them feel comfortable and choose to use those behaviors because the are easy and familiar.

Drugs and alcohol create an artificial sense of normalcy and functionality that is perceived as positive and essential. When someone begins to recognize this and incorporates substance use into their everyday life as a coping tool or to feel "normal", the cycle of dependency begins.

Just as important to changing your life is repairing the damage caused by substance abuse. This damage occurs to your neurotransmitters, which control depression, anxiety, and cravings. Our program is able to help correct these chemical imbalances and provide a more stable platform for recovery.

Once your body and mind are on their way to a restored state, we can begin the work of helping you to transform your life. People normally learn to cope with problems and social situations in a way that creates positive outcomes.

The Beartooth MT Ascent program includes a very effective substance abuse recovery program.

The 90 day (minimum) program addresses the root cause of the addiction or poor lifestyle choice patterns.

The "S.M.A.R.T Recovery" approach we use has been one of the most successful alternatives to drug rehab and alcohol rehab programs in the country, helping people with drug abuse and alcohol abuse problems become permanently sober. 4-point program for addiction and alcohol abuse Our 4-Point ProgramSM

The SMART Recovery® 4-Point ProgramSM offers tools and techniques for each program point:

1: Enhancing and Maintaining Motivation
2: Coping with Urges
3: Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors
4: Living a Balanced Life
Our approach for addiction and alcohol abuse
  • Teaches self-empowerment and self-reliance.
  • Provides meetings that are educational, supportive and include open discussions.
  • Encourages individuals to recover from addiction and alcohol abuse and live satisfying lives.
  • Teaches techniques for self-directed change.
  • Advocates the appropriate use of prescribed medications and psychological treatments.
  • Works on alcohol abuse, addiction and drug abuse as complex maladaptive behaviors with possible physiological factors.
  • Evolves as scientific knowledge in addiction recovery evolves.
  • Differs from Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12-step programs.

Recognized for addiction and alcohol abuse Recognition

SMART Recovery® is a recognized resource for addiction recovery by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Center for Health Care Evaluation, The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), US Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

We combine "S.M.A.R.T. Recovery" with "Addiction Free Forever." This Christian substance abuse program, as opposed to 12 step treatment methodologies, is what allows us to help young men achieve permanent sobriety.

We use this Substance Abuse Recovery Programs as an essential part of our Young Adult Transitions Program.