Five days and our first session of Apogee trips are really getting into the swing of things! From starting multiday expeditions to prepping for sea kayaking and digging into service projects, our students are immersed in their respective adventures. Smiling faces, scrumptious meals and spectacular views are some through lines across the trips. Keep reading to find out what our amazing Apogee students got up to today! As always, check out our Instagram @apogee.adventures to see even more memories in the making!
Skip to a Specific Trip: AKMC, AXA, AXB, CRM, CRMC, CSVI, DEX, DMCC, ECC, MCCE, MCJ, NEMC, NWMC, VM
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
Alaska Mountains and Coast had an awesome second day in the backcountry! The sun was shining as the group hiked eight (!!!) miles to their next campsite. They kept their eyes peeled for wildlife on the trail and in the sky. Once at camp, our Alaska explorers settled in beside a picturesque mountain lake for a delicious meal and a good night of sleep. Tomorrow, the group will finish their backcountry segment with a six mile hike followed by a celebratory excursion to a local restaurant! We’ll have to wait to find out if they chose burgers or pizza…or something else entirely!
Alps Explorer A (AXA)
AXA spent the day taking in more breathtaking views of the mountains and preparing to start the Tour du Mont Blanc tomorrow! The group packed up early and journeyed to their next campground with breakfast in tow, excited for the day ahead. After setting up camp, our fearless explorers headed into town to take care of the necessary chores (aka laundry and grocery shopping) before embarking on some much needed exploration. Tuckered out after a day of prep this crew dug into a scrumptious camp dinner before hitting the hay early. The TMB is sure to bring more spectacular views and high mountain games of hacky sack; we can’t wait to see what’s next for this crew!
Alps Explorer B (AXB)
After waking up to stunning weather in Switzerland, AXB went on a rainy morning hike from the snug village of St. Niklaus. In the afternoon they were rewarded with sun, they hopped on a cable car to catch some epic views of the mountains from a higher vantage point! Tomorrow, the crew will head to Martigny where they will complete their final preparation for the Tour du Mont Blanc and we can’t wait to see more of their awesome adventure! Meanwhile, we will be over here dreaming of these views!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
What’s that I hear? Rock climbing?! CRM woke up stoked to take on another awesome day of adventures. After a hearty breakfast, the group crushed a steep ascent to the base of the pitch and got started on their big day of rock climbing. Alongside their rockstar climbing guides, the group even crossed a small traverse section, conquering fears and reaching new heights at Lily Lake! Proud of their hard work, the crew trundled into Estes Park to do some exploring and grocery shopping before returning to their campsite for a night of dinner, games, and bonding activities! Today was filled with lots of gummy bears, peanut butter and jelly wraps, and a healthy amount of go-go squeezes (and, of course, tons of smiles)!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
The CRMC squad woke up early to eat a hearty breakfast and then embarked on a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. Inside the park, the group explored a stunning beach before heading back to their accommodation for lunch. Afterwards, the group journeyed to their next destination, taking in the view of Costa Rica’s tallest mountain, Chirripó! The crew spent their evening settling in, playing classic Apogee games, and preparing for a spectacular hike tomorrow.
Caribbean Service Virgin Islands (CSVI)
Now that the crew is settled into St. Croix, they spent the day getting started on two of their amazing service projects. In the morning they worked with a dog rehabilitation organization, introducing pups to tourists and helping them find homes! Then in the afternoon they worked with The Ocean Foundations project on sea turtle protection! The sun was shining and the vibes were high. This crew couldn’t be more excited to do service work at The Nature Conservancy tomorrow! For now, they are hunkered down fueling up for another day of magical adventures. Just look at all those cute dogs!
Dolomite Mountains & Croatian Coast (DMCC)
Today was the day! This team’s first day on the Alta Via 1 could not have been better. The group snagged a couple pictures at the stunning Lago di Braies before starting their 6 mile climb to their first Italian Rifugio. I mean, come on! Just look at these views! Their AV guide Chiara was epic and helped the crew cruise into camp. Though the afternoon was stormy, the group has never been more jolly cozied up inside playing games and devouring a delicious meal. Tomorrow they will continue on the AV exploring more of the fantastic views the Dolomites have to offer!
Europe Coast to Coast (ECC)
First day on the road! This crew got up early to go through safe baking drills before hitting the road. They took a moderate coastal route to shake off the jet lag and get their bike legs under them. The group navigated the many ‘fietspad’ (Dutch bike paths) on their first full day of riding. Clocking in at 55 km (34 miles), this crew was excited to set up camp early, play some games and settle into their routines for the next month of cross continent exploration. Tomorrow they will ride almost twice the distance, and we couldn’t be more stoked! Fist bumps alllll around for these beasts!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
MCCE started the day with another stellar breakfast in the Bowdoin dining hall before heading to today’s essay workshop with their amazing writing instructor. For a much-needed brain break, lunch today took the form of a picnic, and the group checked out a local swimming spot in the afternoon! This crew soaked up all the fresh sea breeze on this hot Maine day! Dinner was also outdoors anddd…. drumroll… the leaders surprised the group with a mini Iron Chef competition on Coleman stoves! We are so excited for our writers as they continue to get a taste for college life while crafting their essays and exploring Maine!
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
This crew woke up early, excited to get a head start on exploring Acadia National Park! Breakfast was a jovial affair, full of excitement for today’s hike, with lots of giddy chatter about the adventures ahead. The group headed up the trail in good spirits, taking in the stunning vistas of Acadia’s mountains and lakes and enjoying a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, they returned to camp to play some soccer and go swimming after a full day of exploring. Tomorrow the crew will challenge themselves with another hike in the park before exploring Bar Harbor in the afternoon.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
Our DEX crew bid farewell to Acadia and headed north to prepare for their backcountry section on the Appalachian Trail tomorrow! Everyone was stoked to check out some sweet swimming spots (much needed on a day like today!), do laundry, and shop for the backcountry. These epic leaders did a super fun demo on backcountry packing and the crew could not be more stoked about heading onto the trail tomorrow! Hands in the air for these awesome explorers!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC)
Can you say… Challenge Day!?! Our NEMC squad was up before the sun to get an early start on summiting Mt. Washington, the tallest peak in New England! With over 4000 feet of elevation gain to crush, this crew worked hard for the reward of panoramic views and pride beyond belief. On the summit, the group took celebratory pictures with the Mount Washington sign and spotted the Lakes of the Clouds hut in the valley below. After descending, they played plenty of trail games and enjoyed a well-deserved, delicious feast after their long day. Looking forward, this crew will enjoy one more day in the White Mountains before heading to the coast of Maine!
Northwest Mountains & Coast (NWMC)
Best road trip ever! Today the crew packed up and bid a bittersweet farewell to Olympic National Park. After loading up their magic van-bus, the group took the scenic route along the coast and ferried to Whidbey Island where they continued their journey to camp. The vibes were high after such an incredible boat ride! These explorers couldn’t be more excited to head out on their kayaking adventure tomorrow, so they ate a yummy camp meal and got all packed up before hitting the zzzzs!
Vermont to Montreal (VM)
Our bikers geared up early this morning for their longest day yet of 28 miles!!!! After crushing rolling hills with some notable climbs, they were so proud of the miles they accomplished and celebrated with ice creams all around. The group reached their campground in the afternoon and settled into goofy camp games and tasty dinner prep. The riders are looking forward to a half-day ride tomorrow and an afternoon of service working on land stewardship activities in Burlington, VT.
