Honoring Native American Heritage Month

On our Alaska Expedition, students get to hike along Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park, which on a clear day affords long-range views of the namesake mountain. In the last 500 years, Denali’s lands have been inhabited primarily by the Koyukon, Tanana, and Dena’ina peoples.

As you may know, November is Native American Heritage Month, dedicated to honoring indigenous peoples and their culture, and learning about and understanding the true history of Natives in America.

The heritage of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and First Nations of British Columbia (National Indigenous History Month is celebrated in June in Canada) is a rich and important part of the national parks and forests, state parks and forests, and all the land we have the privilege and opportunity to experience every summer. We feel it’s important to recognize the vital role that Native Americans play in the United States, and to spread awareness about the culture and history of Native American people.

Here are a few ways we encourage our families to honor and support Native American Heritage Month.

Learn about the Native tribes in your area, and on your Adventure Treks trip

Clearwater Lake in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Many First Nations sites have been found within the park, most of which belong to the Shuswap (Sepwepeme) Nation. There are also historical sites credited to the Chilcotin First Nations people.

Did you know that Alaska’s state name is an Aleut Indian word? Alaxsxaq means “the mainland” or Alyeska, “the great land.” And though Alaska has the highest relative population of Native Americans, California has the highest number of Native American residents. British Columbia has the second-largest First Nations population among Canadian provinces.

Talk to your family about the people who first cared for the land where their Adventure Treks trip is going. Information on each of the tribes found in the states we run our programs can be found here: Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho, California, Colorado, British Columbia, Alaska, and North Carolina.

Explore the Native Land’s online map to see federally recognized tribes where your family lives.

In the summer, land acknowledgements are a way that we can become better allies to Indigenous Peoples. The National Museum of the Native Indian states that “many places in the Americas have been home to different Native Nations over time, and many Indigenous people no longer live on lands to which they have ancestral ties. Even so, Native Nations, communities, families, and individuals today sustain their sense of belonging to ancestral homelands and protect these connections through Indigenous languages, oral traditions, ceremonies, and other forms of cultural expression.”

The Sierra Club, one of the nation’s oldest and largest environmental organizations, recently sat down with Angela Mooney D’Arcy (Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation) to discuss land acknowledgments and how we can go beyond acknowledgment to truly honor Indigenous environmental leadership; you can find that interview here.

Explore Native museums and cultural centers

Northern California is home to a rich Native history, including the Tolowa, Shasta (Mt. Shasta pictured), Karok, Yurok Hupa Whilikut, Chilula, Chimarike and Wiyot tribes.

A great place to learn about Native cultures is through attending local tribes’ museums cultural centers, and attending community events. You can find a list of Native American museums by state here, and a list of the most recommended (anywhere from the east coast or west) here.

No matter where you live, spend some time on the National Park Service’s Native American Heritage Month website, which makes it easy to discover history, important people, stories, events, and specific places. If you want to learn even more, visit the Museum of Indian Arts + Culture online. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian offers an online exhibition, too, including a virtual art and history collection from tribes around the globe.

Read books and share stories written by American Indians

Although it can be hard to find time to read on an Adventure Treks trip, here are a few books you can read throughout the year. It’s always a great idea to diversify the authors you read: here is a list from the School Library Journal with their books for teenagers by and about Indigenous peoples. I just finished reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her essays bring together Indigenous teachings and plant and animal ecology in a wonderful exploration of our relationships with other species. It helps us appreciate the beauty of nature around us, learn from it, and work to protect it so we can continue to explore and recreate for years to come.

Support Native-owned businesses and charities

In addition to learning about the history of the lands we live and play on, it’s important to get involved with organizations that support and uplift Native Americans. One way to do this is to invest in Native communities and programs that help Native food sovereignty, language preservation, youth programs, and community-building. First Nations Development Institute’s grantee directory is a great place to find hundreds of grassroots Native-led initiatives across the U.S. that First Nations has invested in. You can also support First Nations directly and to assist their Native Youth & Culture Fund, COVID-19 Emergency Response efforts, and more. With the holidays quickly approaching, you can give thoughtful presents while also supporting indigenous businesses and preserving culture—from basketballs to coffee, gourmet chocolate, and jeans. USA Today also has a list of businesses to shop.

Watch movies, shows and documentaries produced by or starring Native Americans

Olympic National Park is home to eight tribes: Hoh, Jamestown S’Klallam, Elwha Klallam, Makah, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Quileute, Quinault, and Skokomish.

More often than not, the stories of Native and Indigenous people have been told by Hollywood through the lens of everyone but Indigenous people. This can create a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of culture, history, and experiences. It is an important time to learn from and support Indigenous storytellers, directors, and producers to break stereotypes and common misconceptions, and to gain a better understanding of the reality of the past and present of American Indians. Smoke Signals, Crooked Arrows, Edge of America, and Warrior Women are a few movies to look into. Shift is a documentary our fall 2020 Leadership Adventure Semester students watched before building mountain biking trails, as this film is about indigenous youth from Carcross, Yukon, who have spent the past 10 years converting traditional trails around their town in to a world-class mountain biking destination. PBS currently has a collection of films available to celebrate the history, culture, and traditions of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Another great way to stay informed about Native American Communities is to follow Native American news outlets. Typically you won’t hear common issues, current events, or contributions from Native American communities, so Beyond Bylines provides a list of news sources you can follow to stay up to date.

We hope this information is helpful. We encourage you to look into these resources as a family, learn about the area you live, where your child’s Adventure Treks trip is located, and have meaningful discussions. Our focus on respect, cultures of kindness, and building a positive and curious community goes beyond an Adventure Treks trip—to learning more about the world around us and being stewards in protecting the land we have so many meaningful experiences on.

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mt. Shasta

Fun facts about Mt. Shasta

As any Adventure Treks student who has climbed Mt. Shasta can tell you, this mountain has a lot going on. From spectacular beauty and long-range views to spectacularly strange claims of extraterrestrial activity, the history and folklore of one of our favorite mountaineering destinations is worth looking into. Here are 10 things you may not know about Mt. Shasta.

1. Mt. Shasta is TALL. At 14,179 feet, it is the second-tallest mountain in the Cascade Range and the fifth-tallest in California. The mountain looks so striking and prominent because its summit is nearly 10,000 feet above the low hills and valleys that surround it. (See number 5 about the route Adventure Treks students take to the top.)

2. California’s largest national forest houses this landmark. Two separate forests were established in 1905—the Trinity National Forest and the Shasta National Forest—and were combined in 1954. Now, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest covers 2.2 million acres of northern California, and Mt. Shasta is its highest point!

3. Avalanche Gulch, the route Adventure Treks generally takes to climb Mt. Shasta, is considered the least technical way to the summit. With more than 7,000 feet of elevation gain in six miles, it may not require advanced rock climbing or glacial travel skills, but it certainly packs a challenge.

At right, a topographical map of Mt. Shasta including our students’ route (Avalanche Gulch), made by AT instructor Ian Petersen. Check out Ian’s beautiful, artistic topo maps at mapyouradventure.com, and see his maps specific to Adventure Treks trips here!

(The intense effort, teamwork, and grit—and thus incredible reward, unforgettable memories, and strong sense of achievement—involved on this climb means it’s often a topic discussed in college essays!)

4. There are seven named glaciers on the mountain. The Whitney, Bolam, Hotlum, Wintun, Watkins, Konwakiton, and Mud Creek glaciers keep Mt. Shasta’s slopes white year-round. Unfortunately, during summer 2021’s record heat waves, some of these glaciers split into smaller pieces, and all of them experienced rapid melting. The first snow of the season fell at high elevation this October, so here’s hoping for a heavy snowpack this winter, which makes for a safer and easier climb in summer!

5. The view of Mt. Shasta’s summit is often obscured by lenticular clouds. When air passes calmly over high points in a landscape, moisture can condense into lens-shaped clouds. These clouds are often said to look like UFOs, which brings us to:

6. Mt. Shasta might be full of aliens. There are many theories involving extraterrestrials on, in, and around the mountain, often proposing that the unique lenticular clouds are strategically placed to hide a spacecraft landing near the summit. Another theory proposes that the Lemurians, humanoid inhabitants of a hypothetical ancient land bridge that sank beneath North America, became trapped inside the mountain and built their society within.

7. But back to the facts. Mt. Shasta is a stratovolcano and, along with the rest of the Cascade volcanoes, forms part of the Ring of Fire.

8. The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is the ancestral homeland of many native peoples. The Winnemem Wintu tribe consider a natural spring on Mt. Shasta’s slopes to be the place where their people came to be. Other tribes believe the mountain holds the creator of the universe. Thirteen different tribes work with the National Forest Service to protect their access to sacred sites on and around the mountain.

9. Mt. Shasta is known as the root chakra of the world. Chakras are an ancient concept of energy sources throughout the body—on the globe, the chosen sites are places with a particularly strong energy that pull visitors for a variety of reasons. Other sites include Uluru, Stonehenge, the Great Pyramids, and Mt. Kailas.

10. About 300,000 years ago, Mt. Shasta mostly collapsed, forming one of the largest landslides in history. Many of the hills surrounding the base of the mountain (they’re called hummocks) are not hills at all, but rather piles of old volcanic rock.

Sources:

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Pura Vida! Start Your Spring Gap in Costa Rica

Our inaugural spring Leadership Adventure Semester (LAS) gap program is filling up! We are so excited to embark on this adventure with our students.

The first two weeks of spring LAS will take place in beautiful, warm, sunny Costa Rica. Straddling two oceans and continents, Costa Rica is home to some of the greatest biodiversity on earth. After flying into San Jose and meeting our instructors, we will make our way to our basecamp in Turrialba, one of the country’s oldest towns. Sitting at about 2,135 feet in elevation in the Cordillera Central, Turrialba’s mountainous landscape (it’s home to the 10,958-foot Turrialba Volcano) and snaking rivers provide incredible recreational opportunities. In fact, Turrialba is known as a whitewater hotspot, with the Rio Pacuare, Rio Pejibaye, and Rio Reventazón right next door.

In addition to recreation, the town is perhaps best known for its traditions, preservation of indigenous legacy, natural environment, and the invention of Turrialba cheese.

Jim Wells, director for the Cascadia Adventure Education Center in Washington will be our host and guide in Costa Rica, housing us at his Rancho Cascadia. (Our summer 2021 LAS students will be happy to tell you all about Jim and his hospitality, as he hosted their wilderness first responder and swift water rescue trainings in Washington.) We’ll spend the first few days taking part in intensive whitewater kayaking clinics on the Rio Pejibaye, learning the basics and then more advanced skills with professional river guides. Students will learn how to scout rivers, navigate their boat, paddling techniques, rolling techniques, and more in both inflatable and hard shell kayaks.

Students will then move on to a swift water rescue course with an American Canoe Association–certified instructor; during these two days, students will learn how to throw rescue ropes, swim in rapids, manage river rescue situations, and much more.

Then we’ll embark on our three-day adventure down the world-class Rio Pacuare! Students will learn the basics of paddling rafts down whitewater in rapids up to class IV from our professional guides. On calmer sections, we’ll take some time to explore nearby canyons and waterfalls before setting up camp on the riverbanks at night.

Armed with our newfound river knowledge, students will trade paddles for oars as we jump into canoes for an excursion through jungle passageways and canals to the Caribbean Ocean, where we’ll pitch camp on the beach for the night. As we descend in elevation, the ecosystem changes dramatically, and there are endless opportunities to observe sloths, sea turtles, monkeys, iguanas, and exotic birds.

In between our river adventures, we’ll explore the town of Turrialba, shopping at the local markets, and learning how to budget and cook for ourselves and our group. In addition to learning so many water-related skills, students will naturally develop the inclusive communities Adventure Treks is known for, improving their social and group management skills, leadership and followership skills, and collaboration skills. Instructors will begin handing over more responsibilities to students, including planning the big-picture and day-to-day logistics of our semester.

It’ll be hard to say goodbye to Costa Rica, but everyone will be excited to head north to North Carolina, where we’ll spend the rest of our semester honing our paddling skills and learning and advancing mountain biking, rock climbing, and backpacking skills. There, we’ll also participate in the 80-hour wilderness first responder course, participate in local service projects, and learn “essential life skills,” including basic auto maintenance, interviewing skills and resume-building, and basic carpentry, plumbing, and electrical home maintenance.

Interested in learning more about our Leadership Adventure Semester program? Give us a call at 888-954-5555 or shoot us an email! You may also view the full itinerary here. We’re also happy to put you in touch with an LAS alum so you can hear firsthand about their experience.

[button url=”https://www.adventuretreks.com/leadership-adventure-semester-spring/” target=”_self”] Learn more and sign up now for the spring Leadership Adventure Semester[/button]

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Why Take an Outdoor Adventure Gap Semester?

Since its inception in 1993, Adventure Treks has provided education, growth, and unforgettable memories for more than 20,000 middle and high schoolers seeking fun and challenging outdoor programs. The philosophy behind Adventure Treks summer programs remains steadfast: to foster inclusive communities through the beautiful outdoors and create meaningful growth opportunities for teens.

Now, with the launch of the Leadership Adventure Gap Semester (LAS) in fall 2020, Adventure Treks is striving to create more opportunities for both new and former students ages 18–20.

Why take a gap semester or gap year?

The outcomes of deferring your first year of college have long been studied and continue to produce benefits for young adults. In a 2020 study by the Gap Year Association, gap year students overwhelmingly reported that their program:

  • Helped them learn how to interact with people from different backgrounds
  • Increased their maturity and academic motivation
  • Improved their self-confidence
  • Gave them a competitive advantage when applying to school or jobs
  • And inspired them to volunteer more, among many other benefits

In an earlier 2015 survey, respondents noted the following as their most significant outcomes from their gap program:

  • Helped them develop as a person
  • Allowed time for personal reflection
  • Helped develop communication skills and a greater understanding for other cultures
  • Helped them acquire skills to be successful in their careers

Worried about academic performance or falling behind? Don’t be. A Middlebury College study showed that their students who took a gap year overperformed in college, and that the effect lasted over all four years.

Want to read more about the benefits of gap years? Here are a few recent articles:

What makes the Adventure Treks gap program so unique?

On-site instruction

Adventure Treks’ spring and fall semesters are largely basecamp-based, meaning students won’t be constantly traveling throughout their program. The spring semester begins in Costa Rica, where students will live for two weeks in an eco-lodge as they learn and improve whitewater kayaking, rafting, and canoeing skills. Then they’ll transition to western North Carolina, where they’ll begin curriculum on mountain biking, rock climbing, and backpacking, while continuing their paddling education. The fall semester begins and ends in western North Carolina.

This is a unique opportunity for gap students to live and learn in an exciting and adventurous environment; more important, it gives students a space to call home.

The summer semester is expedition-based, giving students the opportunity to experience and explore different parts of the Pacific Northwest.

Academic credit

Spring and fall LAS students will have the opportunity to earn up to 14 hours of academic credit through Western Carolina University (WCU). On the shorter summer LAS course, students will have the opportunity to earn up to 10 hours of credit.

This provides LAS students with a strong foundation for their college career, no matter what degree they pursue.

Academic course info through WCU (find in-depth descriptions here):

  • PRM 200: Introduction to Rock Climbing (2 credits)
  • PRM 357: Wilderness First Responder (4 credits)
  • PRM 224: Survey of Outdoor Adventure Activities (4 credits)
  • PRM 254: Introduction to Outdoor Pursuits (4 credits)

Multiple medical and skill certifications

Adventure Treks students will have the opportunity to become wilderness first responders—this is the industry standard certification for anyone looking to work in the outdoors, and a fantastic opportunity to have an advanced understanding of wilderness medicine.

For the spring and fall semester, students will also take a two-day swift water rescue course—valuable training for navigating moving water, learning about hydrology and river classifications, and boat handling and rescue systems.

Local, meaningful service projects and place-based learning

In spring and fall, students’ service opportunities will focus on the surrounding areas in which they recreate. Our service learning projects foster continued care for our outdoor community and give back where we can. Projects range from restoring and maintaining trails to facilitating river clean-ups.

Our curriculum also focuses on understanding the long history of the Cherokee Nation. This fosters a learning environment where students are better connected with the area, and deepens the meaning behind the service projects centered around the land that surrounds them.

“Real world” skills

Adventure Treks students engage in hands-on activities that teach the “real world” skills missing in academic life, including cooking; plumbing; auto maintenance; basic carpentry and electrical work; personal finance and budgeting; resume-building; actively leading and following; and giving and receiving constructive feedback. These skills bolster young adults’ independence, self-sufficiency, and confidence when starting their lives outside their childhood home.

These life skills workshops are taught in small groups, which allows students to be hands-on and get personal attention as they learn.

Interested in an Adventure Treks gap semester program? Learn more about each of our programs below!

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Gear Series: Tips for Buying Fleece

Patagonia Retro Pile Fleece (heavyweight full-zip)

Interpreting the language of outdoor retail

When it comes to buying outdoor gear for Adventure Treks (or even for a personal trip), there’s nothing more daunting than trying to decipher every obscure label, material, fabric, and technology that comes with buying even the simplest outdoor item these days.

But Adventure Treks is here to help! This spring, we’re launching our Gear Series: Tips for Buying Outdoor Gear. We’ll discuss some of the materials, technologies, labels, and other features commonly found on outdoor equipment, and attempt to clarify their meaning, use, and how they’re helpful on an AT trip.

Fleece jackets and pullovers

What is fleece? Especially if you live in a warm climate, that’s a great question. Despite being a staple of any outdoor packing list, this product is often poorly defined. The title “fleece” is applied to such a wide-ranging variety of products that it can be difficult to know what to actually purchase.

What is fleece?

Fleece is simply a fabric: a soft, fuzzy material made from processed or recycled plastic or polyester or other synthetic fibers. These fibers are processed until they are soft enough to weave into fabric, which is then “brushed” to create the fluffy texture that we would recognize as fleece. The finished product resembles sheep’s wool, from which it gets its name.

Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover (midweight)

Why wear fleece?

A fleece layer is a must-have for many different outdoor settings, including all Adventure Treks trips. Until synthetic fabrics (and merino wool, the soft, fine weave that most of today’s products use) hit the market, the staple outdoor non-cotton material was wool because of the warmth it provided and its natural oils that would help retain its warmth when wet. The downside to the wool of old (and the reason for the emergence of merino fabrics): They were bulky, heavy, and sometimes retained a lot of odors.

Nowadays, fleece is a staple in most households. Because it’s a synthetic or made-from-recycled-plastic fabric, its thick network of fine fibers provide insulation while remaining lightweight. And because plastic doesn’t absorb moisture, it retains its insulative properties when wet. Plus, fleece tends to be less expensive than wool. Jackpot!

Fleece weight and warmth

In the fleece world, “warmth” and “weight” are fairly intertwined: To talk about one is to talk about the other. Fleece descriptions often include terms like heavyweight, midweight, or lightweight. This refers to the fabric’s thickness, its actual weight, and how warm it’ll keep a person. (You may also see the term “pile”; this refers to fabric with loops, strands, or tufts of yarn standing up, resembling the fluffy bath mat material.)

If your Adventure Treks packing list says to bring two fleeces, one of them can be lightweight. If it just lists one fleece, you’ll want to pack a midweight.

Marmot Rocklin Half-Zip Jacket (lightweight)

Fleece styles

  • Hoodie: A fleece hoodie is a great option when you won’t be wearing other layers over it (a hood can get in the way of a rain jacket). If you’re only bringing one fleece, don’t bring a hooded one.
  • Pull-over: Think of a crew-neck, V-neck, or quarter-zip fleece. It’s a versatile style and should be one of the fleeces you pack for Adventure Treks.
  • Jacket: This refers to a full-zip top. It adds a little extra bulk (and thus weight) and will often be a mid- or heavyweight option. Another great fleece to bring to Adventure Treks.

Fleece takeaways

  • A fleece is an essential and versatile piece of gear that we will use again and again at Adventure Treks.
  • You’ll never go wrong with a midweight fleece, and when in doubt, go with a pullover.
  • In the end, don’t worry too much about weight and warmth; as long as you have something that says fleece in the description and in the quantity shown in your packing list, you’ll be OK!
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Where Are They Now? Catching Up with Fall 2020 LAS Students

Adventure Treks’ inaugural Leadership Adventure Semester in fall 2020 exceeded even our highest expectations. This phenomenal group of students formed one of the closest, most inclusive, and most respectful communities we have ever witnessed, and their desire to learn and grow was extraordinary.

Since leaving Adventure Treks, all of our students have embarked on impressive paths, which we share in part one of this blog below!

An Adventure Treks LAS reunion on the slopes.

What have you been up to since LAS ended in November 2020?

“I spent time in Pittsburg working on a native reforestation project. There, I helped the owner of the land cut cages for plants, and I helped remove invasive species. I also relocated a lot of rocks to a nearby creek. It was a little chilly, so I decided to move south to Mason, TX, where I am working on a vineyard—and it’s amazing!

Recently, I learned how to prune the grape vines before harvest season. I’ve been here for about a month and spent most of the time helping rebuild part of the vineyard because of the huge snowstorm that hit Texas this spring. We patched up the drip lines (so the vines get water), and cut down a lot of damaged vines from the freeze. We’re hoping there won’t be another freeze this season. I’m really enjoying my work at the vineyard because I’m thinking about majoring in biochemistry and possibly having a career in the plant world.

After the vineyard, I’ll go on a month-long backpacking and canoeing trip in Utah with Outward Bound. I loved the canoeing and backpacking part of LAS, so I wanted to find another opportunity where I can continue those cool activities. I promised myself that I would never go into the backcountry during November again, so hopefully, April will be a lot warmer!” – Mia Kauffman

Backpacking on Cumberland Island, GA

“Since LAS ended, I’ve continued making bathing suits at a local company; in fact, I have designed and created my own bathing suit start to finish! I have also seen a few of my LAS buddies (Jordan, Max, Matt, Maggie, Gio, and Jacob) on a trip to Utah. Then I met up with Laura for a few hours up in Boulder to live out our plan of going thrifting together. Those are the most notable highlights because of course they involve my new buddies. It’s been equally relaxing and unnerving being here at home, but it’s been great spending time with my family and having the ‘freedom’ to do a small amount of traveling. I also purchased my first real backpack, an Osprey Aura AG 65!” – Adelaide Lenihan

“I’ve gone on a few adventures. Last fall at LAS, the word “adventure” meant whitewater canoeing or mountain biking in Pisgah National Forest. But this time when I say adventures, I mean something a little different. Getting my WFR this fall in North Carolina was an incredible experience filled with challenges, and we all graduated the class with a set of helpful skills. I knew that I wanted to “up” my certification and become a full-fledged EMT, so I took a wilderness EMT class in New Hampshire. It was super cool, and I used all of my skills from this fall in my WEMT class. I learned so much, and as a licensed EMT, I am going to work for an ambulance corps in New York and Maine this summer.

After my EMT class, I channeled my inner LAS and went on a backpacking adventure with my dad along Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia. I love backpacking and hiking, and getting to experience some peaceful days in the woods took me back to my time at LAS.

I’ve spent the last two months in Ohio, where I’ve been exploring another huge passion of mine: music! As everyone in the LAS community knows, I love playing the guitar and writing music. I’ve always loved to record music on my own, but I wanted to take it a step further, so I just finished up an internship in audio engineering and music production. It has been an incredible experience. I’ve spent a lot of time in the recording studio learning all about how to run sessions and mix and produce music. I can’t wait to take everything I’ve learned and start working on an album of my own.” – Maggie Broaddus

“After leaving LAS, I worked as a ski instructor out in Winter Park, Colorado. It was an amazing experience; it was really cool to be in the teacher role after learning from some of the best instructors at Adventure Treks. It was a lot of hard work, but I can’t complain too much when I got to be on the slopes seven days a week.”– Laura Kephart

Did LAS help inspire any goal for the near future?

“LAS definitely inspired me to ‘just do it.’ I had been set on continuing school last fall, even if it was online; however, LAS came up as an opportunity, so I thought, ‘let’s do it.’ A lot of challenges at LAS, from the rock climbing wall to mountain biking, inspired me to adopt a mentality of bravery. The 11 weeks at Adventure Treks also showed me how precious time is. I have noticed that I am living more in the present moment, rather than being so focused on my future that I miss the small beauties in the moment. This has been a huge goal in my life, especially for my gap year, and I feel that I am using these newly acquired skills in my decisions for my future and for all the activities I’m doing for the rest of the year!” – Mia Kauffman

“It’s easy to say that LAS inspired my whole lifestyle! At the surface, LAS created doubts and holes in my plan to pursue fashion. While fashion and creating clothing is still a huge part of my being, it doesn’t compare to spending hours making a fire. LAS reminded me that life isn’t about the materialistic things you put out into the world; rather, it’s the intangible ‘snip bits’ you take and release into the world that matters. Almost immediately after returning home, I revoked my acceptance to Savannah College of Art and Design and reapplied to Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, for a future in adventure education.” – Adelaide Lenihan

Maggie, Adelaide, and Tori during their LAS gap semester

“LAS had a major impact on everything I’ve done since the semester ended and on many of my future goals. The semester gave me such an appreciation for the outdoors, helping me realize how much I love being outside and backpacking, canoeing, and so many other activities. If it weren’t for LAS, I wouldn’t have met Adelaide, and I wouldn’t be heading out west to start my farming adventure. Adelaide and I are planning a lot of backpacking trips and many other outdoor adventures during our time in Oregon and Washington, and everything we learned at LAS has enabled us to do that. I also plan on taking everything I learned last semester and bringing it to college with me. Bowdoin has a very active outing club, and I can’t wait to jump in.

Most important, however, LAS infused me with confidence, and I am incredibly grateful for that. The supportive community we formed this fall was truly everything. We tackled many challenges together, and all of those rewarding experiences left me feeling more ready to go into the world. It left me feeling capable. The rest of my gap year has been filled with some wild adventures. In my EMT and audio engineering classes, I have been surrounded by people a lot older and more experienced than me. And before LAS, that would’ve really scared me. But the community we formed in our semester was so empowering that my confidence has allowed me to tackle everything thrown at me.” – Maggie Broaddus

“LAS has influenced my priorities in life. It showed me just how fulfilling it can be to not follow the traditional path in life, and I think it will end up affecting which major I decide to pursue while in school!” – Laura Kephart

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Helpful Tips for the College Application Process – Part 2

A few weeks ago, we published a blog by current Adventure Treks parent and private college advisor Daniella Friedman with some helpful tips about the college application process.

In part two of this series, Daniella, who guides students through the college search and application process, talks about how students can write about their Adventure Treks trips in their college essays and how backpacking help prepare students to transition to college.

Read “Helpful Tips for the College Application Process – Part 1”

How do you suggest students write about their backpacking trip in their personal college essay?

Most college application platforms require students to write a personal essay. The personal essay is the student’s primary opportunity to distinguish themself from a heap of other applications with similar GPAs and test scores. Given that few colleges give interviews, the personal essay is the primary way for a college to get to know a student beyond academics. Therefore, a student’s personal essay should positively reflect upon their character, strengths, passions, and uniqueness. Their essay should also reflect that they are likable—the kind of person who would engage on campus, make a good roommate, and help build a strong community. Of course, given that admissions officers are reading hundreds of essays a day, it’s also critical that the student’s personal essay be memorable and well-written.

In the Common App, which is the most popular college application platform, the student submits a personal essay that is 650 words or less. Although there are several suggested prompts, students can choose to write about a topic of their choice. Therefore, an essay about an outdoor adventure experience like Adventure Treks is always fair game. Taking backpacking trips demonstrates to a college that a student is down-to-earth, adventurous, and willing to embrace challenge.

Yet, the student must be careful to avoid turning an essay about their backpacking trip into a cliché. How? They should not write about their entire AT trip or their challenge in hiking to the top of a mountain. Instead, the student should focus on a smaller slice of their AT experience that’s unique to them. And then they should explain how this AT experience changed them.

Some additional tips for writing a powerful personal college essay:

  • Get started! The best time to write the essay is during the summer of your junior year.
  • Brainstorm topics. Picking a great topic is the key to writing a strong essay.
  • Outline the essay. This helps you to tell a story that has a beginning, middle and end.
  • Write and rewrite and rewrite. Write a draft, leave it alone for a few days, and repeat!
  • Tell a story that comes alive using specific details and vivid descriptions.
  • Avoid passive voice, wordiness, and nominalizations because they make your essay boring.
  • Be original and authentic! Don’t use cliches or fancy vocabulary that’s not you.
  • Read your essay aloud. This will help you find mistakes and awkward phrases.
  • Solicit feedback. Ask family, friends, teachers, or a college counselor for comments.
  • Proofread. Make sure you don’t have grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors!
How can students write about their backpacking trip in their supplemental college essays?

Besides the personal college essay, many colleges require students to answer supplemental essay questions. The quintessential college supplemental essay prompt asks the student to describe why that specific school is a good fit for them. If a student is applying to a school with lots of outdoor extracurricular opportunities, such as Colorado College, the student can write about how their AT experiences fostered a love of the outdoors. Likewise, if the student wants to pursue a major at a college that’s somehow related to the environment, they can write about how their AT experiences fostered this interest. Students can be creative in making this connection, and they can also use their AT experiences as the basis for answering many other supplemental essays, such as:

  • Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
  • Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge.
  • Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside or outside of the classroom.

The key is to answer the supplemental essay prompt using lots of specific details and vivid descriptions from the student’s AT experiences.

How will a student’s backpacking and outdoor adventure trips help them with the transition to college?

The transition to college is challenging, even for very bright and social kids. For many, this will be their first time living away from home, independently managing their time, organizing their belongings, cooking and cleaning for themselves, and taking care of their physical and mental health. Many students will need to adjust to a more competitive environment than they are accustomed to. And even the most social students may be challenged with finding their people or dealing with difficult roommates. Parents should talk to their children about the possibility that the transition to college may be difficult.

However, students who have taken backpacking trips with programs like Adventure Treks will likely have an easier time transitioning to college because they have already practiced many of these critical life skills. At AT, students gain experiences with living independently, managing their time and their belongings, and getting along with others for extended periods of time while living in a close community. They also have experience powering through challenging situations, relying on their peers for support, and admitting when they need help. This practiced independence and resilience will help them overcome challenges they will face during their freshman year of college.

For any additional help with the college search and admissions process, contact your partner in the college admissions process,
Daniella Friedman, J.D., college advisor
daniella@collegetogether.com
303-609-8636
collegetogether.com

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Gear Series: Tips for Buying Insulated Jackets

Interpreting the language of outdoor retail

When it comes to buying outdoor gear for Adventure Treks (or even for a personal trip), there’s nothing more daunting than trying to decipher every obscure label, material, fabric, and technology that comes with buying even the simplest outdoor item these days.

But Adventure Treks is here to help! This spring, we’re launching our Gear Series: Tips for Buying Outdoor Gear. We’ll discuss some of the materials, technologies, labels, and other features commonly found on outdoor equipment, and attempt to clarify their meaning, use, and how they’re helpful on an AT trip.

Insulated (aka “puffy”) clothing

Warm clothes don’t create heat to keep you warm when it’s cold and/or wet outside. (OK, there are some garments with built-in batteries and heating elements, but let’s not talk about those for now.) Products that are designed to keep you warm in the elements do so with the help of insulation: layers of material that trap warm air from your body and keep it close to your skin, while stopping cold air from the outside getting in.

While insulated bottoms exist, they’re not applicable for Adventure Treks, so we’ll stick to upper body layers like coats and jackets. Some Adventure Treks trips (like Alaska Expedition, Ultimate Northwest, and California Challenge) include insulated jackets on the packing list due to mountaineering activities or colder weather. However, if your child gets cold easily, you can pack an insulated jacket for their trip just in case—just please pack synthetic (see below).

Insulation glossary

Synthetic: Synthetic insulation comprises long, very fine strands of plastic, piled together to form a fluffy, gauzy-like material, typically formed into sheets and sewn in place between the outer fabric and lining of the product. Because the insulation is plastic, it’s naturally water-resistant and will not collapse and “mat” together when wet. Synthetic items allow the warm air to continue to be trapped against the skin and maintain an insulative property even while wet. Synthetic insulation is almost always less expensive than down insulation, but it will be slightly heavier and bulkier than its down counterpart.

*We ask that students bring synthetic insulated jackets to Adventure Treks so that even if the material gets wet, it will keep your child warm.

Down: Down insulation uses the fluffy and soft down feathers, generally from ducks or geese, that help keep birds warm. These are very light and can trap a lot of air, so down insulation provides a fantastic warmth-to-weight ratio (essentially, it doesn’t need to be heavy to be warm). Because of its light weight and compressibility, down is a great choice when space and weight are an issue. The main drawback to down is that it doesn’t keep you warm when wet: In rainy conditions, these feathers will collapse, clump up, and mat, leaving no space for warm air to be trapped and rendering the jacket ineffective.

Fill power: This term describes the quality of down feathers used in a product, essentially measuring how the “loft” (how fluffy the feathers are, and how much air they can trap). Super fluffy feathers will trap a lot of air, so they will have a higher fill power. Feathers with more of the vein (that hard quill part of the feather) won’t trap as much air and will have a lower fill power. High loft = traps a lot of air. Low loft = not so much air. You’ll see this measurement listed as a number value, most commonly 650, 700, 800, and 900.

  • 650–700 fill: Good loft, slightly more quill so feathers sometimes poke through the face fabric of these products. Good warmth-to-weight ratio. Less expensive options
  • 800–900 fill: Very high loft and fewer quills on these feathers, so much less likely that feathers will poke through. Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. Most expensive options

Insulation takeaways

  • If purchasing a new insulated jacket, go with down if you’ll be spending a lot of time in dry climates like California.
  • If you face the potential for lots of rain and snow (like in Alaska or the Pacific Northwest in winter), go with a synthetic jacket; these are typically a little more durable as well.
  • For an AT trip, go with a synthetic jacket or coat; parkas are not necessary for our trips.
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Helpful Tips for the College Application Process

It’s about time for high school juniors to begin working on their college applications. Knowing that high schoolers are faced with the constant pressure of juggling academics, different extracurriculars and clubs, summer programs, and athletics, we asked Daniella Friedman of College Together Admissions Counseling a few questions about the role that a program like Adventure Treks can play in the college application process.

Daniella’s experience as a private college advisor who guides students through the college search and application process also extends into the AT world—she has a high school junior who will took her fifth AT trip this summer. Daniella was kind enough to share some helpful tips for high school students who will soon embark on the college application journey.

How can a trip with Adventure Treks strengthen a student’s college applications?

Adventure Treks is a worthy experience in and of itself. Students learn grit, teamwork, and leadership, all while having fun and making lifelong friendships in the great outdoors. At the same time, participating in Adventure Treks can strengthen a student’s college applications in many ways, including enhancing their activity list and college resume, giving them something to write about in their personal statement and supplemental college essays, and obtaining a strong letter of recommendation from an AT instructor. (And starting in fall 2020, students can also demonstrate a passion for the outdoors and leadership while earning college credits by participating in Adventure Treks Leadership Adventure Gap semester program.)

How can students incorporate Adventure Treks into their list of activities?

College application platforms provide students with an opportunity to list their top 10 extracurricular, sports, work, and community service activities. Generally, students must identify the type of activity (e.g., academic, sports, community service, work, other), the name of the organization or program (e.g., Adventure Treks’ Pacific Northwest Adventure), their position/leadership role (e.g., president, member, participant), the grades they participated in the activity (e.g., 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th), the time period they participated in the activity (e.g., academic year, break), the hours per week and weeks per year they participated in the activity, and whether they want to participate in similar activities in college.

In the Common App, which is the most popular college application platform, students must describe each activity in 150 characters or less. That means students need to be concise yet detailed. Students’ experiences during an AT summer are ripe for using active verbs and descriptive adjectives that make an activity stand out. For example, a summer trip with AT to the Pacific Northwest could be described as follows in 145 characters (the name of the activity and the student’s role don’t count toward this character limit):

  • Adventure Treks Pacific Northwest Adventure, Participant
  • Backpacked through Pacific Northwest, including hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting through
    national parks; summited Mt. St. Helens.
  • 40 hr/week, 3 wk/year

Some colleges also permit students to upload a college resume, giving them more space to go into detail about their activities.

Even if uploading a college resume is optional, students should always take advantage of this additional opportunity to describe their educational achievements, work experiences, extracurricular activities, community service, and skills. A resume is an excellent way for colleges to get to know a student beyond their grade point average and test scores.

How can a program like Adventure Treks reflect positively on a student’s college application?

Outdoor experiences like Adventure Treks demonstrate to a college that a student is down-to-earth, adventurous, and willing to embrace challenge. But colleges also like to see that students have “stick-to-it-iveness” and real passion. So while one summer spent backpacking with Adventure Treks looks good, several summers spent backpacking with Adventure Treks looks even better. Students list their activities in the Common App in order from most important to least important. Therefore, the more summers the student spent at AT and the more recent the student’s AT trips, the higher up the student should list AT on their activity list.

Students should keep in mind that connecting several summers spent at Adventure Treks with other related extracurricular activities is also important. For example, a student can join related school organizations such as gardening or ecology clubs, take related academic coursework such as environmental science, or obtain related certifications such as lifeguarding or a wilderness first responder.

Beware that a list of 10 unrelated extracurricular activities may demonstrate a student’s lack of commitment and sincere interest. It’s essential to submit a cohesive application that presents as authentic.

How else can a student’s positive experiences with a program like AT help them with applying to college?

Many colleges permit students to submit letters of recommendation from persons other than teachers. On an AT trip, students have many opportunities to learn new skills, connect with others, work as a team, and demonstrate leadership. These are the types of character traits that colleges are looking for in prospective students. Following an AT trip, students receive detailed instructor evaluations that comment on their personal growth, community contributions and friendships, leadership development, expedition behavior, and outdoor skills. These evaluations provide the exact type of detailed examples of strong character that make for the beginnings of a persuasive college letter of recommendation.

In part two of this blog series, Daniella will discuss how students can incorporate their Adventure Treks experiences into their personal statement and supplemental college essays and how Adventure Treks prepares students for the transition to college.

Your partner in the college admissions process,
Daniella Friedman, J.D., college advisor
daniella@collegetogether.com
303-609-8636
collegetogether.com

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Gear Series: Tips for Buying Rain Gear

Interpreting the language of outdoor retail

When it comes to buying outdoor gear for Adventure Treks (or even for a personal trip), there’s nothing more daunting than trying to decipher every obscure label, material, fabric, and technology that comes with buying even the simplest outdoor item these days.

But Adventure Treks is here to help! This spring, we’re launching our Gear Series: Tips for Buying Outdoor Gear. We’ll discuss some of the materials, technologies, labels, and other features commonly found on outdoor equipment, and attempt to clarify their meaning, use, and how they’re helpful on an AT trip.

Waterproof rain gear

Waterproof rain gear is an essential item on any outdoors packing list; no matter the weather, it’s an indispensable piece of your personal gear kit. With that said, it can be confusing to know if you’re purchasing the right item. “The list says rain coat; this one looks good, but it says it’s a hard shell, not a rain jacket. Will that work? Oh, it’s GoreTex; do I need GoreTex? Wait, what is GoreTex?”

To make your shopping easier, we’ve included some helpful terminology below with advice on choosing the right rain jacket and rain pants.

(Note that while we mostly talk about rain jackets, the following applies almost identically to rain pants.)

Rain gear glossary

Waterproof: An item that’s truly waterproof means it’s made from PVC vinyl or fabric that’s treated with a rubberized coating, creating an impermeable layer that water can’t get through. While these products are indeed waterproof, they’re heavy, bulky, and don’t” breathe” for hiking or other activities (the classic yellow fisherman’s coat comes to mind).

Because we’re so active in the outdoors at Adventure Treks, we need something that’s both waterproof and breathable (backpacking in a rubber coat would cause a swampy, sweaty mess).

Bottom line: Don’t buy this kind of jacket or pants for an AT trip.

Waterproof-breathable: The magic phrase! This describes technology built into a garment that prevents water from seeping through the fabric on the outside, while allowing water vapor from your body (i.e., sweat) to escape. Essentially, the “pores” in waterproof-breathable materials are small enough to keep water out, while still allowing vapor to escape. This means you can hike in this kind of jacket and not worry about sweating or getting that clammy feeling—while being protected from the elements.

Many companies have proprietary waterproof-breathable technologies such as Polartec’s Power Shield, Marmot’s PreCip, Patagonia’s H2No, or The North Face’s DryVent— but they’re all just different names for the same thing.

Bottom line: A waterproof-breathable jacket and pants are a MUST for any Adventure Treks trip—or if you live in a humid, rainy climate where you’ll spend a lot of time moving around outside.

Hard shell vs. soft shell: Hard shell simply refers to a waterproof-breathable fabric that has no insulation (like a heavier ski jacket). It doesn’t keep you warm and dry, just dry. We like to layer fleece jackets or comfortable baselayers under a rain jacket to keep warm.

A soft shell is a pliable fabric made from woven synthetic fibers that is, well, soft and feels more like a sweatshirt than a rain jacket. While not waterproof, these fabrics are often treated with DWR (see below) to provide some protection. While they provide some insulation and protection from the wind, they’re not acceptable substitutes for rain protection.

Bottom line: Your Adventure Treks rain jacket should be a hard shell jacket. 

DWR (durable water repellent): This is a treatment applied to a fabric to create a hydrophobic (“water-fearing”) surface. This is what causes water to “bead up” on the surface and roll off instead of soaking in. However, DWR does not mean it is waterproof!

Bottom line: DWR does not equal waterproof-breathable; make sure you purchase waterproof-breathable.

GoreTex: Similar to Kleenex or Velcro, GoreTex is a brand name commonly used as a “catch-all” for waterproof-breathable technology. GoreTex  is widely considered to make the most effective waterproof-breathable membrane, and therefore can be commonly found on many different brand-name clothing. GoreTex is durable and reliable; if you plan to spend many hours being active outdoors, then it makes sense to spring for GoreTex.

Denier: This is a term that describes how thick a fabric is, and it often appears in a product description as a number followed by a “D” (e.g. 30D). The lower the number, the thinner and lighter the fabric. 10D is very light (think pantyhose); 300D is very thick (think heavy canvas). Most rain jackets are somewhere in the 30–50D range.

Rain gear styles
  • 2-layer shell: This refers to rain gear that comprises the “face” (outer) fabric and the waterproof-breathable membrane on the inside. These two layers are laminated together or sprayed on as a coating.
  • 2.5-layer shell: This is the similar to the 2-layer; these products are usually more affordable, but they are slightly less durable. Plus, people often report feeling a little clammy or moist on the inside.
  • 3-layer shell: The same first two layers are laminated together (“face” fabric and inner waterproof-breathable membrane), but they have an additional durable layer laminated on the inside of the jacket. This “fabric-membrane-fabric” sandwich creates a highly durable, 3-layer shell that feels like a single piece of fabric. This is often the most expensive option because of the extra material and higher quality fabric; it also has a more advanced look and design.

Suggested rain jackets
  • 2-layer hard shell: Marmot PreCip Jacket (men’s and women’s)
  • 2.5-layer hard shell: Outdoor Research Apollo Jacket (men’s and women’s)
  • 2-layer hard shell with GoreTex (my personal favorite and in my opinion the absolute best jacket for the money): Marmot Minimalist Jacket (men’s and women’s)
  • 3-layer hard shell without GoreTex: Patagonia Torrentshell (men’s and women’s)
  • Other recommended brands: REI Co-op, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, The North Face

Our rain gear takeaways

So, we just threw a lot of technical terms out there. What does it all come down to? For an AT trip, pick a waterproof-breathable hard shell that keeps you warm and dry. Rain jackets must have a hood and should fit comfortably over fleece and baselayers. Just like the jacket, the rain pants need to be a waterproof-breathable shell that fit over your hiking, fleece, or baselayer bottoms. You might consider full side-zippers to get in and out of them more easily.

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