Some verifiable magic happens when an Apogee group enters the backcountry; when they are out in nature with only what they can carry on their backs. It’s a spectacularly simple way of living, and especially for students who have never spent a night in the backcountry, develops a sense of accomplishment, confidence, and independence.

It sounds fantastic, right? But how do we make sure the middle and high schoolers on the trip pack everything they need? And how does one fit clothes, food, tents, and everything else you need for a few days away from civilization?

To make things easy, we’ve put together a clear, go-to answer, our Backpack Packing Tutorial video! This video covers how to pack for the backpacking sections on the following trips: Maine’s Downeast Explorer, Alaska Mountains & Coast, Alps Explorer, Dolomite Mountains & Croatian Coast, and Pyrenees Mountains & Coast. All of our other hiking trips have only day hikes, so students will only need to pack what they need for the day’s hike in a much smaller pack.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro who’s joined us for several summers or this is your very first Apogee adventure, our short step-by-step video with Assistant Director Lucia Daranyi is a great guide to packing like a pro!

So, what does our quick 3-minute video cover?

• Recommended backpack sizes for Apogee trips
• The different compartments of a backpack
• What to put in each compartment
• How to pack everything you need for the backpacking portion of your trip into the bag!
  Check it out!