Archive for the 'TC' Category

Hello!

I talked to Em and Chris on Thursday and the group is having a “really phenomenal” time! They just came out of their second backcountry up near Hellroaring Creek and “had so much fun” along the way. During their first backcountry trip around Old Faithful, the group woke up to bison walking right next to their campsite which was incredible. They also saw two bull moose with huge racks during a hike one day. On the second trip they saw a lot of bison as well as elk racks and bones leftover from the winter scattered across the meadows and trails. On Wednesday night the group heard wolves as they went to bed which everyone thought was really cool. Em said the weather has been gorgeous and it’s only rained a couple times intermittently for about 15 minutes before it passes. The group has learned to be quite adept at hanging bear bags too and everyone, especially the boys, have gotten really into it. (For those who don’t know, you hang all your food and anything with a scent in bags that are suspended from the ground well away from where you cook and where your tents are). It usually takes a long time to hang everything but the group of ten has gotten faster every night, learning how to tie clove hitches and slip knots too. The group’s favorite activity has been swimming in all of the alpine lakes in Yellowstone. They’ve especially liked the fact that with the warm weather, the water temperature has slowly gone up during their two weeks out west. Em summed it up well by saying that “everything has been fantastic, the weather has been nice and hot, everyone is healthy, we’ve been playing lots of ninja and battling the mosquitoes. Life is good”. The group goes rubber ducky kayaking on the Snake River today then starts two days of mountaineering school, with Exum Mountain Guides, before attempting to climb the Grand over two days. With all of the snow, the group will hike at a 2:1 guide to student ratio instead of 4:1 to make sure everyone is safe and having fun! Here’s a picture Em sent of the group too; apologies for the low quality– I’ll try to get something better soon!

-Conor

Hello!

I spoke with Em and Chris earlier this week and they said their Teton Challenge group was fabulous! Chris said everyone was “meshing really well and it feels like the students have known each other for weeks instead of just days”. It’s a very energetic group, they get along really well and the meals have been superb–the highlight being an American Thai fusion dinner of pad thai and hot dogs–which Em said was a big hit and actually really good. TC had two great day hikes to start their program including a trip to Elephant Back Mountain which afforded the group of twelve a beautiful view of Yellowstone Lake. They also hiked up to Shoshone Lake where almost everyone went swimming despite the cold water temperatures. On the way up they also saw a huge elk which most thought was a caribou before Em (a Montana native) told them that caribou actually didn’t live in Wyoming. The weather has been spectacular with abundant sunshine and the group has enjoyed sledding and some innocuous snowball fights with all the snow leftover from the winter. Instead of the original 9-day backcountry along the Continental Divide, the group is now doing a 5-day and then a 4-day trek in two separate sections of Yellowstone National Park that have less snow. The first trip will circle Old Faithful and the second will be up near Yellowstone River. In short, the weather and kids have been great and they’re getting excited for the backcountry!

-Conor

Overland has big things planned for 2011 – five of them in fact.  For our 27th summer, we’re announcing five new programs to add to our lineup of hiking, biking, language, writing, service and field studies programs.   To inquire about these new programs or any of our programs for the summer of 2011, please give our staff a call at 800.458.0588.  We’re always here to help! 

Sierra Adventure for 6th graders, 2 weeks

Discover California’s spectacular Sierras, hike in the Sierra high country, explore Lake Tahoe by foot & by kayak and raft the American River.

Gulf Coast Service for 9th – 12th graders, 2 weeks

Reach out to the people of New Orleans, assist with home building & restoration, volunteer to help restore Gulf Coast ecosystems and explore the history & culture of New Orleans.

Appalachian Trail Challenge for 10th – 12th graders, 2 weeks

Hike 100+ miles along the Appalachian Trail, climb Mount Washington (6,288 feet), climb ten of New Hampshire’s 4,000 foot peaks and learn backcountry skills & Leave No Trace practices.

Teton Challenge for 10th -12th graders, 3 weeks

Climb the Grand Teton (13,770 feet), backpack Yellowstone National Park, kayak the scenic Snake River and attend Exum Mountaineering School.

Field Studies Ecuador & the Galápagos for 9th – 12th graders, 4 weeks

Explore the exciting urban culture of Quito, discover the wildlife of the Galápagos, live & serve in a Quechua village in the Central Highlands, explore Ecuador’s culture & language and hike in Cotopaxi National Park.