Alaska Service

3 weeks

open to grades 9-12

Overview

Alaska is monumental with huge mountains, massive glaciers and giant rivers. On Alaska Service, we’ll spend three weeks in this spectacular outdoor setting: first on a backpacking trip, then working on a nine-day trail building project and finally sea kayaking the beautiful Alaskan coast.

We’ll spend our first three days backpacking the Tongass National Forest, a beautiful forest marked by narrow inlets carved by glaciers. These first few days will give us a chance to get to know one another and appreciate Alaska’s beauty before we begin our trail work. Next, we’ll volunteer for Alaska State Parks, improving trails in the Juneau area. At Point Bridget State Park, northwest of Juneau, our guides will teach us about the trail reconstruction process and work alongside us. After each hard day’s work, we’ll explore nearby trails and beaches and relax in our incredible surroundings. At the end of our project, we’ll hike out on our newly improved trail.

At program’s end, we’ll head out in sea kayaks to explore the Chilkat Inlet. We’ll enjoy magnificent views of nearby glaciers and look out for glimpses of humpback whales, sea lions and eagles as we explore and reflect upon our three weeks of service in our nation’s Last Frontier.

“The entire program is well run, but for Andy, the excellent leaders (their fun-loving attitude) and the beauty of Alaska are what made it the trip of a lifetime.” Bryn Beaulieu, Lexington, Massachusetts

Highlights

Backpack in Tongass National Forest
Rebuild & restore Juneau’s trails
Sea kayak the Alaskan coastline

Grade

For students completing grades 9-12 in June 2012

Multiple sections are grouped by grades

Call us (413-458-9672) to check on current availability

Challenge Level

6 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

Start and End Location

Starts and ends in Juneau, Alaska

Accommodations

19 nights total

All nights are spent in tents provided by Overland. Sleeping bags and sleeping pads are required.

7 nights spent in front-country campgrounds with showers, flush toilets and facilities.

12 nights spent in established backcountry campgrounds with no facilities available. Two of these nights are spent on islands and shorelines while sea kayaking with Alaska Mountain Guides.

Dates and Fees

3 Weeks

Sunday, June 24 to Friday, July 13
Sunday, July 15 to Friday, August 3

$4295 (airfare not included)

“Rebecca has grown so much through her Overland experiences. I am very proud of her accomplishments! Thank you so much for helping Rebecca have two amazing summers with Overland! I wish I could have joined her! I highly recommend Overland trips to everyone!” Diana Fay Harrison, Concord, New Hampshire

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip Start

We'll meet in the Juneau Airport and van to our campground where we'll do a full check over of our gear and cook our first meal together as a group.

Days 2 - 4 Backcountry Hike

We’ll spend our first three days on an easy backcountry trek through the Tongass National Forest, camping near the magnificent Eagle Glacier, where we'll adjust to the time difference and climate, get to know one another and prepare for our trail work in the Juneau area.

This institution is operated under special use permit with the USDA Forest Service. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Days 5 - 14 Trail work with Alaska State Parks

Our ten day trail project will be in conjunction with Alaska State Parks who work to preserve and create trails in the Juneau area. After a brief orientation, we’ll hike to our worksite in Point Bridget State Park, northwest of Juneau, where we'll work alongside our guides who will help teach us about the trail building process: removing the bark from logs, building a frame for the trail and then spreading gravel. Our nights will be spent camping near the beautiful Alaskan coastline. Although the work will be challenging and the days long, we’ll hike out at the end of our nine days on our newly built trail, a fitting reward for all of our efforts this summer.

Days 15 - 19 Sea Kayaking with Alaska Mountain Guides

At the end of the program, we’ll head out to sea kayak for three days with Alaska Mountain Guides. Following our experienced guides, we’ll paddle the rugged coastline of the Chilkat Inlet, camp on island beaches, enjoy views of Davidson Glacier and the surrounding snow-capped peaks and hope to catch glimpses of humpback whales, sea lions and eagles! Although kayaking can be challenging, our three days on the water will serve as a fun and fitting end to our three weeks together in Alaska.

Day 20 Trip End

After sea kayaking, we’ll return to Juneau for a final night to celebrate and reflect on our three weeks of exploration and service in the great Alaskan wilderness.

Trip Details

SERVICE HOURS

45 hours of service

Students: Is this trip right for you?

Alaska Service requires a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard as teen volunteers. Participants should be eager to take part in nine days of trail work and be ready for both the challenges and rewards that summer service work offers.

Keep in mind that your enjoyment of this trip will hinge on certain factors:

Your motivation. Service work is not always easy—you must be motivated!
Your commitment to teamwork. Overland trips require compromise, patience and selflessness. Support your trip leaders and your trip mates and you’ll find that you have a great experience!

We will spend some long days on the trail but by working together as a group and keeping a good attitude, trail work can be positive and rewarding. Expect to be tired at times, but also expect to have an incredible experience this summer with 11 of your peers in Alaska.

What's it like?

Here's how a recent leader described the unique Alaska Service experience:

“I really loved working in Alaska because we got to see Juneau in a way that most tourists can't appreciate. Each day we watched large cruise ships anchor in the harbor, and we avoided the crowds of people concerned mostly with shopping at the tourist traps. While they saw only about 10 square blocks of the Juneau area, we saw so much more. We came to love the views from our cabin in Cowee Meadow and enjoyed the area on our own with Alaskan trail workers who provided wonderful local color. The views from Cowee were amazing—fields of bright purple fireweed framed by mountains and ocean off in the distance. The jobs were rewarding, too; trailwork filled our days with challenging physical work. We slept like logs each night of our stay and at the end of the 10 days we saw tangible results. After building 170 feet of turnpike trail through the woods, we all felt we had earned a shower and a celebratory pizza dinner!”

“. . . the most incredible program of my life.” Jack Riordan, Baltimore, Maryland

Photos

Click thumbnails below to enlarge

Print View

Enrollment Forms

Enollment Forms 2012

Alaska Service Release Form 2012

Prepare & Pack

Preparing for Your Trip

As on any service program, Alaska Service requires a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard as volunteers. The trail crew projects on Alaska Service make the physical difficulty of this program higher than other service programs (with the exception of Rockies Service), as groups hike and work hard to build and restore trails daily. For these reasons Alaska Service is rated a challenge level of 6 (1-10, 1 is easiest).

Before Your Trip

Participants should be eager to take part in ten days of trail work and be ready for both the challenges and rewards that service work in Alaska offers.
Service requires dedication, selflessness and hard work. Begin your preparations for a great summer now by organizing your luggage, clothing and gear.
As the summer nears, stay active and fit through sports and exercise. The more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your program.
Then once your program starts, commit yourself wholeheartedly to your group and its service projects.

Pre-trip Training

The most important part of preparing for a hiking trip is breaking in your boots. We cannot emphasize enough how essential this is for a successful trip. There have been students who have had to leave their trips because of blisters from boots that were not well broken in.
Starting a month before your trip begins, wear your boots at home and go on several long walks or hikes in them.
You should go on at least one 5-mile hike in your boots with a backpack with some weight in it.

Packing for Your Program

Label the following items with your name, address and phone number.
Bring only what you need and pack everything in your backpack or daypack.
You can bring one additional set of travel clothes (e.g. jeans and a t-shirt) to wear on the plane. These will be left in the van.
If you are flying to your trip start, you should wear your hiking boots on the plane and carry your sleeping bag and sleeping pad on the plane with you in case your checked luggage fails to arrive on time.
You will have the chance to do laundry periodically so please stick to the packing list and bring only the clothes and items listed below.
Overland will rent or provide any specialized gear for any of our non-hiking activities (for example, rock climbing, rafting, mountaineering, or kayaking) and that gear is included in your trip fee.
Check out some of our favorite brands and retailers to purchase items on this list.
Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool like a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman tool.
If you have any questions, please contact our office at 413-458-9672

Clothing

Fleece Jacket or Pullover & Long Fleece Pants
The fleece should be medium to heavy weight and reasonably compact. Please don't bring jeans or sweatpants.

Synthetic Long Underwear Top & Bottom
Two or three tops and one bottom.

Winter Hat & Gloves/Mittens
For cool nights in camp. High Sierra Explorer students should bring a second pair of warm waterproof gloves for climbing on snow and ice.

Insulated vest
An insulated fleece, Thinsulate or down vest. High Sierra Explorer students should instead bring a lightweight and compressible down jacket.

Waterproof Rain Jacket and Rain Pants
Your rain gear must be waterproof (not just water resistant). Gore-Tex is one of the better-known waterproof, breathable fabric brands, but there are many to choose from. Ponchos are not acceptable.

Hiking Shorts
Two or three pairs. Synthetic only, not cotton.

Long Pants
Durable and able to get worn and dirty during trail work.

Leather Work Gloves
One pair.

T-Shirts
Three synthetic t-shirts.

Underwear
Five pairs.

Socks
Four pairs of thick wool or synthetic socks made for hiking. Sock liners are optional.

Sport Sandals
These must have a heel strap for kayaking

Sneakers or Tennis Shoes
A comfortable and lightweight alternative to your hiking boots. To be used on short day hikes and in camp when your hiking boots are not necessary. Sneakers are not allowed on Alpine Challenge or European Explorer.

Pajamas
Optional.

Bathing Suit
Optional.

Hiking & Camping Equipment

Hiking Boots
Waterproof hiking boots that are mid to high cut (recommended price range $100 to $175). Choose a comfortable boot that is designed for hiking with a medium weight pack.

Backpack
4,000-5,000 cubic inches. Before you purchase a backpack, find your backpack size by measuring your torso length and your hips. We recommend getting fitted at a store where you can try on a number of different packs.

Waterproof Pack Cover
If your backpack does not come with a cover, choose one that fits your pack well.

Day Pack
Your day pack can be used as a carry-on for your flight and will be necessary for day hikes. This can be a very basic backpack, maybe even just your school backpack. You should be able to carry it over both shoulders (i.e., NOT a satchel) and it should be big enough to hold your lunch, 2 water bottles, snacks and some extra warm layers and rain jacket.

Sleeping Bag and Stuff Sack
We recommend a lightweight, compact sleeping bag (synthetic or down) that is rated to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Your sleeping bag should compress into a stuff sack which can then be cinched down to 12-20” in length.

Sleeping Pad
A full or ¾ length mattress pad that is inflatable or made of closed-cell foam. It should be compact enough to either fit in your pack or be strapped to the outside.

Bowl, Mug & Utensils
For meals you will need a 6-8” plastic dish or bowl with a lid. The bowl can be a rigid Tupperware-like material or collapsible. A spoon is all you need but you can bring a spork or a set of lightweight silverware if you’d like. We also recommend a plastic insulated mug to be used for hot drinks.

Water Bottle
One 1-liter Nalgene (or similar) water bottle. Overland will provide you with a second water bottle on arrival. A Camelbak or similar water bladder is acceptable.

Headlamp & Extra Batteries
A small flashlight is OK but headlamps are great because your hands are freed up for other tasks.

Small Safety Whistle
Plastic or metal with a string or lanyard attached. This is for safety reasons in case a student is separated from the group.

Gaiters
One pair

Mosquito Head Net
Strongly advised.

Miscellaneous Gear

Towel
Optional. Synthetic camping towel only.

Plastic Bags
Ten large 1-gallon ziplock bags and four large trash bags. The ziplock bags are used to organize and waterproof your gear and small items. The trash bags are used to line your pack and to wrap your sleeping bag and pad.

Toiletries
All items should be travel size. If necessary, you will be able to restock en route.

Moleskin or Molefoam
One full package for blister protection.

Sunglasses & Hat with Visor

Sunscreen (SPF 15+) & Chapstick (with SPF protection)
Please bring ample amounts of sunscreen.

Insect Repellent
Please bring ample amounts of bug spray.

Personal Journal or Book
Optional.

Digital Camera & Extra Batteries
Great for documenting the trip. Make sure you bring a large enough memory card (1 to 4 GB).

Photo ID
All students who are flying home should have photo identification.

Spending Money
$25/week in cash or with a debit or ATM card. Students on international programs should note the exchange rate.

Cell Phones, Electronics and Personal Property

Please note the following important policies:

Our programs offer the opportunity to strengthen independence and self-reliance. To maximize these benefits, we do not permit phone calls to or from our students (except in the case of emergency).

If it is important for your son or daughter to be able to call you while en route to Overland, we recommend that you purchase an inexpensive phone card that your son or daughter can use at any airport pay phone.

If you feel that it is necessary to send your son or daughter with a phone, please do not send an expensive smart phone like an iPhone or BlackBerry. Send an inexpensive prepaid cell phone instead. On arrival we will collect all phones but we have found that safeguarding these phones is problematic given that our programs move from place to place. Despite our best efforts over $25,000 in phones have been lost, damaged or stolen in the last two years alone. We regret that due to the expense involved in replacing these items, we take absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for phones, electronics or personal property brought by students and we will not make any reimbursements for lost, damaged or stolen phones, electronics or personal property.

Communications

To maximize independence and self-reliance, we do not permit phone calls, emails or text messages to or from our students (except in the case of an emergency).
Your child will call home with our phones and assistance on arrival and departure if he/she flies to his/her program.
In the case of an emergency, we will make sure you are in touch with your child as soon as possible.

Cell Phones

Cell phone use is prohibited on all Overland programs.
Any phone brought by a student will be collected by us on arrival and returned at departure.
If you decide to bring a phone, do not bring an expensive smartphone (e.g., iPhone or BlackBerry); instead bring an inexpensive prepaid cell phone (better yet, bring an inexpensive prepaid calling card).

Personal Electronics

We do not permit personal electronics (e.g., iPods, Kindles or iPads) except for digital cameras.
We do not permit emergency response or GPS tracking electronics.
Any electronics brought by a student will be collected by us on arrival and mailed home or returned at departure.

Personal Property

Overland is not responsible for any student’s personal property—including but not limited to: phones, electronics, cameras, equipment, bicycles and clothing. Please schedule all expensive items on your homeowners insurance policy to ensure that your child/ward’s personal property and equipment is covered against loss, damage or theft.

No Reimbursements for Lost, Damaged or Stolen Phone, Electronics and Personal Property

Despite taking precautions, some phones, electronics and personal property brought by students (and collected by us) have been lost, damaged or stolen. We regret that due to the expense involved in replacing these items, we take absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for phones, electronics or personal property brought by students and we will not make any reimbursements for lost, damaged or stolen phones, electronics or personal property.

Questions or concerns? Please call us. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated.

Travel Information

Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from Juneau, Alaska. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at trip start and end.

DROP OFF: Juneau Intl Airport (JNU) Baggage Claim 3:00 p.m. Sunday
PICK UP: Juneau Intl Airport (JNU) at Alaska Airlines Check-In Area 8:00 a.m. Friday
FLIGHT ARRIVAL: Juneau Intl Airport (JNU) between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. Sunday
FLIGHT DEPARTURE: Juneau Intl Airport (JNU) between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Friday

Any other special cases, please call Overland to coordinate, if you have not done so already.

Flight & Travel Information 2012

Program Start & End Information 2012

Mail Stops

During the trip, students may receive mail sent to the below addresses.

Mail Notes:

1) On the lower left corner of the envelope, please write: "Please hold for Overland."
2) Mail can be very slow to reach Alaska; please allow 2 weeks for delivery from the continental U.S.

Alaska Service

Mail Stop #1 - must arrive before July 27

Student's Name, Overland/AS 2
c/o Alaska State Parks
PO Box 111071
Juneau, AK 99811-1071

Mail Stop #2 - must arrive before July 30

Student's Name, Overland/AS 2
c/o Alaska Mountain Guides
PO Box 1081
Haines, AK 99827

Helpful Reminders

Checklist and Reminders 2011

Apply Now

HOW TO APPLY

You have two choices. You can apply online with a credit card by clicking the link below.

Apply Online

Or you can download the 2012 Overland Application as a PDF (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Then mail your completed one-page application and $795 deposit check to:

Overland
P.O. Box 31
Williamstown, MA 01267

For overnight mail via UPS or FedEx, please use our street address:

Overland
63 Spring Street
Williamstown, MA 01267

Applications are reviewed in the order in which they arrive at our office and we cannot hold spots over the phone.

Learn about our admissions process.

Ramsey Meigs

Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts
School: Colby College
Leadership: Alaska Service, Northwest Explorer
More about Ramsey »

See More Overland Leaders