About Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing
About WAEL
Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing (WAEL) is an adventure camp, event, and retreat center tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia.
We’re open year-round and host a wide mix of experiences—from summer camps and school trips to group retreats and special events. Every program is designed around your group, with flexible options and thoughtful planning to ensure it feels like the right fit from start to finish.
History of WAEL
Founded in 1990 by retired Marine Colonel Gene Nervo and his family, Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing began as a small backpacking camp for youth ages 8–18. Over the past 35 years, it has grown into a year-round destination—home to a Summer Adventure Camp, weddings, group retreats, festivals, and a wide range of outdoor adventure programs.
When WAEL first opened, Base Camp consisted of a single 1800s-era farmhouse, which still forms the heart of today’s Main Lodge. Built outward using the same construction style, the lodge became the welcoming hub of the property. Over time, the Sly Lodge, Sneaky Cabin, Admin Building, and additional facilities were added, shaping WAEL into the fully equipped, year-round conference and retreat center it is today.
Our Mission
At Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing, our mission is to create meaningful, character-building experiences that help people grow in confidence, leadership, and teamwork through outdoor adventure.
We do this by placing participants in supportive, hands-on environments where challenge is paired with encouragement. Guided by experienced instructors, individuals and groups learn to work together, push their comfort zones, and take ownership of both shared and personal goals. The result is growth that lasts—stronger character, greater confidence, and skills they carry well beyond their time with us.
Meet The Team
Our team is driven by passion, expertise, and kindness
At Wilderness Adventure, everyone from the directors who guide the ship to the year-round staff who lead different program areas and the seasonal crew of Group and Trip Leaders are deeply passionate about what they do. It's rare to find anyone at our organization who isn't enthusiastic and committed to their role.
Our story starts with The Colonel
The Colonel
The heart and soul of Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing is its founder, Gene Nervo—known to staff and campers alike as The Colonel. With more than three decades in the U.S. Marine Corps and seven children of his own, Gene brought a steady mix of discipline, humor, and perspective to everything he built.
After serving 33 years as a Marine and raising a family with his wife, Patricia, on military bases around the world, Gene retired with a simple vision: to create a place where time outdoors could shape character, confidence, and leadership in young people. He imagined a stretch of land with woods, fields, cliffs, and creeks—somewhere adventure could do real work.
In 1990, at age 50, that vision became reality. Alongside Patricia and several of their children, Gene cleared land, built cabins, gathered gear, and hired young leaders to guide trips into the neighboring Jefferson National Forest. He spread the word about a camp that was more rugged, more hands-on, and more grounded in real outdoor experience than most. Campers came—and many left changed by what they learned in the woods.
A longtime Boy Scout leader, Gene designed Wilderness Adventure’s programs around four guiding principles: strong work ethic, clear communication, mutual respect, and a positive attitude. Those values remain the foundation of every trip, shaping not just great adventures, but confident, capable people.
Office Team
Jamie Nervo
Owner / Executive Director
Meet Jamie Nervo, our Owner and Executive Director at Wilderness Adventure. The daughter of founder Gene Nervo, Jamie has been part of WAEL since the very beginning. Her creativity and vision continue to shape the camp’s growth and direction, always bringing fresh ideas and energy to everything we do. When she’s not leading the charge at camp, Jamie can often be found baking something delicious, dancing around in her tie-dye pants, or creating art—her work can even be seen in galleries and spaces around Roanoke.
Chip Cressman
Operations Director
Meet Chip Cressman, our Operations Director at Wilderness Adventure. A former construction company owner, Chip now oversees our grounds, facilities, and daily operations, keeping everything at camp running smoothly. He’s known for his hard work, quick problem-solving, and ability to fix just about anything. A Certified BICP Level 1 MTB Instructor and ride leader, Chip spends his free time riding local trails and enjoying a cold IPA after a good day’s work.
Abby Williams
Activities Director
Meet Abby from Oil City, Pennsylvania—one of the kindest, silliest, and hardest-working members of our team. Abby first joined Wilderness Adventure in 2013 as an intern from Slippery Rock University and has been part of the WA family ever since. Now serving as our Activities Director, she leads staff training, manages our gear systems, and keeps all things adventure running smoothly When she’s not keeping camp organized or mentoring staff, Abby loves getting outside for kayaking, caving, skiing, mountain biking, running, and whitewater adventures whenever she can.
Logan Paone
Programs Director
Meet Logan, our Programs Director at Wilderness Adventure. Originally from Canton, Ohio, he joined the team as a trip leader in 2022 and quickly found a home here. With a background in risk management and leadership, Logan helps plan and coordinate our camps, and school programs. He’s passionate about getting people outside and helping them find what they love in the outdoors. When he’s not working on trips or logistics, he’s probably somewhere daydreaming about the next big wall to climb.
Winston Stalker
Logistics Director
Meet Winston, our Logistics Director from Lynchburg, Virginia. A graduate of Liberty University with a Master’s in Sport Management, Winston joined the Wilderness Adventure team in 2024. He keeps our programs running on time and manages the ever-changing camp schedule. Winston still leads trips as one of our whitewater kayaking and caving instructors, and he rarely misses a chance to be outside. If he’s not on the river or in a cave, he’s probably skiing, hiking off-trail, or planning his next adventure.
Morgan Cofer
Activity Instructor
Meet Morgan from North Carolina. She joined Wilderness Adventure in 2023 as a trip leader and now works as one of our climbing and caving instructors, while also helping train new staff. A Ferrum College grad, Morgan brings a steady mix of humor and know-how to every trip she’s part of. She still leads a few specialty programs throughout the summer and never misses a chance to get out on the water—especially when it involves whitewater kayaking.