Brrrr — we’re smack in the middle of February, and the cold has us bundling up and dreaming of all things warm. Here at HQ, we’ve been leaning into the little comforts that help carry us through the chilliest months. At the very top of that list? Quality, cozy time with good friends. There’s nothing quite like connection to bring warmth when the outside temperatures drop. This month, we’re excited to share that same snug, feel-good energy with our readers. Follow along as we explore the lasting impact of friendships through Apogee, celebrate meaningful reunions with co-leaders, and take a peek at what our office has been up to.
We’re looking for alumni submissions for our next edition of Peak News! Did your Apogee student’s basketball team just qualify for the state tournament? Did they just finish performing as the lead role in their winter play? Whatever it is, we want to know about it! Please send in a blurb and photo to lucia@apogeeadventures.com.
Student Feature
Close Friends Made Through Apogee
Anna (on the left) and Maggie (on the right) on Pyrenees Mountains and Coast last summer
Seeing the friendships that grow out of our Apogee trips is truly one of the best parts of our jobs. At Apogee, we work hard to ensure that each group feels like a family, and watching students go from complete strangers to the best of friends never gets old. Even more special is seeing those friendships continue long after the summer ends, sometimes even bringing students back to join the same Apogee trip together in future summers. Maggie Bluestein and Anna Meek are a wonderful example of this!
Maggie has been attending Apogee trips since 2023, participating in Maine’s Downeast Explorer, Iceland Mountains and Coast, and most recently, our Pyrenees Mountains and Coast trip. Anna has also been with us since 2023, traveling on our Vermont to Montreal, Pacific Coast, and Pyrenees Mountains and Coast trips.
While Maggie and Anna were both two-time alums, their paths hadn’t crossed until they met last year on the second session of our Pyrenees trip. Together with their group, they tackled miles of trail, explored mountain towns, and slept among some of the most beautiful mountains around (in our opinion!). Along the way, they formed the kind of magical bonds we see grow through shared adventure and quality time sans cell phones! The trip was full of special moments: laughter around tables, taking in the stunning views of the high Pyrenees, and feeling the accomplishment of finishing a European trekking circuit!
In reflecting on the trip, Maggie remembers that feeling of accomplishment well: “One Apogee Anna and I shared was walking around the little town (Espot, Spain) after our last day of backpacking, it was a very eventful day!” Celebrating the victories of an Apogee trip with friends you made along the way is what makes these experiences so special.
Since the trip, the group has stayed connected through group chats and individual check-ins. Maggie shares, “I talk to Anna probably every other day.” When asked what makes Apogee friendships different from other friendships, both Maggie and Anna had plenty to say. Maggie explained how unplugging plays a huge role: “Apogee friendships are made so much quicker than normal ones because we don’t have our phones, which forces us to just talk and talk.” Anna agreed, adding, “Not having phones forces us to entertain ourselves in our free time by talking and playing card games. During an Apogee trip, it takes about three days to achieve a closeness that would take three months to form anywhere else.” Having the time and space to be fully present with one another is the foundation of a long-lasting friendship.
Beyond that, Maggie noted, “We also have the opportunity to bond over amazing experiences and views, which is something I don’t share with anyone but family and friends from Apogee.” Anna added, “The biggest thing that makes Apogee friendships different is how quickly you feel comfortable around each other. Because you are always together, sleeping, cooking, eating, and of course hiking, it doesn’t take long for bonds to form.” After three years with Apogee, Maggie and Anna are pros at understanding the power of connection and community that comes from our trips.
And the adventure continues! Maggie and Anna will be setting off on their next Apogee journey together, this time to the Alps on our Alps Explorer trip. When asked what they’re most excited about, a few things came to mind. Being together is a big one, and Maggie shared that she’s especially excited to “meet new people and experience the beauty of the Alps!” Another summer means another opportunity for adventure, new friendships, breathtaking views, and, or course, some delicious treats straight from the Alps.
Photos of Anna, Maggie, and their group on the Carros De Foc trekking circuit in Spain
Staff Feature:
Winter Staff Reunion!
Seth, Lila, and Henry (from L to R in the first row) with their Pacific Coast group in 2025
Lila Gilmer, Henry Hamilton, and Seth Grauer led our Pacific Coast (PC) bike trip together last summer, traveling down the West Coast from Eugene, Oregon, to San Francisco, California, with a crew of amazing students. Throughout the epic journey, the three leaders formed a tight-knit friendship. After the summer ended, they stayed connected across state lines and three different time zones! As they all agree, “We’ve been super lucky to maintain our friendship afterwards.” They stay connected in a number of ways, including some favorites like “FaceTimes, sending ridiculous photos, and cold calls.” While time spent together in person is best, having the ability to check in through phone calls and photos helps them stay close even when they are states apart.
Still, even better than a phone call or text is some good old-fashioned quality time. As they put it, “It’s too long to not see each other for an entire year! We love each other and missed each other!” The PC crew was eager to reunite after several months apart, so Henry and Seth flew to Colorado to visit Lila, who is a senior at Colorado College. Along with Lila, there are five other past Apogee staff living in the area, making the reunion a big one.
While in Colorado, they packed in plenty of adventures. Highlights included exploring Garden of the Gods, a striking geological site in Colorado Springs, cooking a meal with the full Colorado Apogee crew, and hosting a karaoke night with Lila’s college cross-country teammates. In between these epic moments, the three of them had plenty of time to catch up. One of Lila’s favorite parts of the trip was “the small moments where we got to laugh about little things.” Nothing beats quality time with the people you love.
Henry, Seth, Lila and some more of the Colorado Apogee crew!
We asked the PC crew what makes their friendship, and Apogee friendships more broadly, so special. They all agreed that shared experience is a huge part of the foundation. As Lila, Seth, and Henry put it, “We’ve had unique experiences that we haven’t had with anybody else; nobody else gets it, and it makes it special.” Getting together means reliving the miles, memories, and moments shared only by them and their students. Above all else, what makes their friendship so meaningful is that “We’ve seen each other at our highs and lows and love each other for it.” Reuniting, and being joined by so many other Apogee friends allows them to feel that love and support all over again.
We love seeing reunions like this, it makes us even more excited to bring the full 2026 Apogee Staff together for Leader Training in just a few short months. Until then, we’ll stay connected the same way: hopping on phone calls, FaceTimes, and maybe sending a blog pic or two to the group chats.
Photos from the Colorado leader reunion, featuring Apogee leaders in their natural habitat… a tent!
Office Happenings:
Tiny Mic Thursday
If you follow us on social media, you may have noticed a new recurring segment on our page. And if you don’t follow us on social media… you’re missing out! This fall, we launched a new series called Tiny Mic Thursday, where we go around the office answering a question of the week. We’ve loved getting creative with our questions and giving you a fun, behind-the-scenes look at life here at HQ. Be sure to check out our latest Tiny Mic Thursday, and keep an eye out for more fun episodes coming soon!
