Outdoor Program

There are three major outdoor experiences (“peaks”) throughout the semester: Backcountry Expeditions, Outdoor Leadership Weekend, and Solos. During backcountry expeditions in the fall semester, students spend five days canoeing, backpacking, or sea kayaking, often setting up camp in a new location each night.

In the spring semester, students spend four days cross-country skiing or snowshoeing and sleep in heated cabins. For Outdoor Leadership Weekend, students participate in a two-day Wilderness First Aid course taught and certified by Wilderness Medical Associates and spend two days camping on Chewonki Neck, strengthening their skill base and their comfort in the woods to prepare for Solos.

The culminating peak of the Outdoor Living Skills program is the 48-hour Solo on Chewonki Neck. Solos are an opportunity for students to reflect on their personal growth throughout the semester, explore their independence and interdependence at a crucial time of identity formation, and celebrate meaningful time in the natural world.