November is a time for reflection, and here at Apogee, we have so much to be grateful for. At the top of our thank-you list? This incredible community. Watching our students and leaders grow over the years and go on to do meaningful things in the world is one of the greatest joys of our work. Consider this edition of Peak News our way of sending a little extra warmth and gratitude your way this season!
Also, if your Apogee Alum has done something cool or exciting recently (and we know you have!), please send in a blurb and photo to lucia@apogeeadventures.com. We love hearing from you!
Student Feature
Mason Knorr: ‘Apo-Gram’ Photo Contest Winner
The winning photo, taken by Mason Knorr in the French Alps
Earlier this fall, we challenged our Apogee students and leaders to send in their best shots from summers at Apogee and the response was incredible! We received amazing entries from alumni all over the country, making for some tough competition. Here at HQ, we put our heads together to choose a winner, and after much deliberation, the choice was clear: Mason Knorr’s photo from Alps Explorer 1A 2025!
This month, we’re taking you behind the scenes to learn more about the photo that took the top spot. Mason captured his winning shot of an ibex on the French section of the Tour du Mont Blanc during his Alps Explorer trip last summer. “It was taken on July 4th, hiking out of Argentière on the way to Chamonix,” Mason explains. To him, the photo represents the immense natural beauty that surrounded him throughout the Alps. “Stopping for photos especially helped me appreciate the small details,” he says. Amid the vast mountains, Mason’s camera helped him notice the smaller, but no less stunning, sights of the Alps.
The breathtaking views and incredible wildlife weren’t the only highlights of Mason’s Alps Explorer trip. He recalls the entire trip fondly, but one moment stands out: hiking into the quaint Italian town of Courmayeur. It was a chilly day with a big mountain pass, but he and his group “summited peaks and came out stronger,“ ending the day in a new town where they were able to explore, relax, and celebrate their accomplishments!
Mason has now completed two summers with Apogee, Iceland Mountains and Coast in 2024 and Alps Explorer in 2025. Next summer, he’s trading his hiking boots for a bicycle as he takes on our Europe Coast to Coast trip!
His advice for anyone considering an Apogee trip? Mason says it best:
“Do it! I’ve been on two Apogee trips, Iceland Mountains and Coast and Alps Explorer. On both, I made unforgettable memories, and I’m still in touch with friends from both adventures.”
We here at HQ love hearing stories like Mason’s and seeing snapshots from so many epic Apogee summers. They make us even more excited to celebrate Apogee’s 25th anniversary this summer and for all the Apogee stories yet unwritten. Please join us in congratulating Mason on his fantastic winning photo!
Staff Feature:
Mandy Smith & Tidewater Fleece Co
Mandy leading our Alaska Mountains and Coast trip in 2021
It’s been almost five years since Mandy Smith led an Apogee trip (Alaska Mountains and Coast in 2021), but she still looks back on her Apogee summer fondly, remembering endless laughter in beautiful places with amazing people. But her time at Apogee brought her more than just a rewarding summer job with great people (though what more could you ask for?). It brought her to the place she now calls home, Alaska.
After her summer with Apogee, Mandy returned to Seward, Alaska (one of the locations our Alaska Mountains & Coast trips visits) the following summer. She had fallen in love with the area during her summer with Apogee and hoped to continue to explore that special place. She found work with the outfitting companies she had met while leading Apogee trips the year before. There, she became a kayaking guide, exploring the Kenai Fjords and the area’s stunning tidewater glaciers. Surrounded by chunks of ice in the water and experiencing the region’s signature chill, Mandy and a friend came up with a creative solution: fleece skirts to keep warm and make cold days a little more fun. She shared how the idea took off: “We bought a sewing machine, word spread around town, and with a lot of love, sweat, and sometimes tears, Tidewater Fleece Co. was born and raised at our house’s kitchen table.”
Since then, Mandy has grown Tidewater Fleece Co. into a thriving small business. One of her favorite parts of the journey has been the connections she’s made along the way. She expressed that she is “so grateful for the numerous community members and small business owners who have taught me so much as I’ve built my business from scratch, with no prior experience.” It takes a village, and Tidewater Fleece Co. has a big one!
Mandy has also had the chance to work on some incredible projects. One that stands out is a set of custom hats she designed for a team that took them to the summit of Mount Everest. “This project really feels like the epitome of what I’m trying to do with Tidewater Fleece Co,” Mandy said of the Everest collaboration, “help people get excited to get outside, even in less-than-comfy environments. Fun clothing that helps you express yourself can be a huge motivator and confidence boost. Sometimes it can even be the extra push you need to take the first step.”
Whether you’re summiting Everest or taking a walk in the woods near your house, Mandy hopes her company inspires folks to be excited to be outside — a mission all of us here at Apogee can get behind! We’re proud of Mandy and can’t wait to see Tidewater Fleece Co. grow!
Office Happenings:
25th Anniversary Apparel
Here at the office we’ve got exciting news: our very own Holiday Apparel Store is officially open for business!
To celebrate 25 years of Apogee Adventures, we’re rolling out a special crew-neck sweatshirt featuring a limited-edition anniversary logo on the back. And for a dash of nostalgia, we are also bringing back our classic ringer tee with the original 2001 logo.
You can also head on over to our YouTube to see the a fun video of the crew-neck in action (and see the creative work of our Assistant Directors Lucia and Olivia!).
