High Sierra Explorer

for 8th-12th graders

High and remote, the Sierras sparkle in the California sunshine, inviting the backpacker into steep-walled valleys and over rocky crowns. For three weeks in a small, spirited group (no more than 12 students or fewer than 2 leaders), we’ll explore this fabled wilderness on an extended hike across snow fields and past alpine lakes, raft an exciting river and challenge ourselves with an ascent of Mount Shasta, one of the world’s most impressive mountains.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Backpack the High Sierra
• Summit Mount Shasta (14,162 feet)
• Learn basic mountaineering skills
• Raft the exciting American River

GRADE

For students who will finish grades 8-12 in June 2008.  We plan on 1 group with 8th & 9th graders and 1 group with 9th-12th graders. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

CHALLENGE LEVEL

7 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

START & END LOCATION

Starts and ends in San Francisco, California

2008 DATES & FEES

3 Weeks

Sunday, June 22 to Friday, July 11 (for students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2008)
Sunday, July 13 to Friday, August 1 (for students who will finish grades 8-9 in June 2008)

$3995 (airfare is not included)

APPLY TODAY

Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.

"I had an amazing time pushing myself and bonding with a bunch of fun kids who were all psyched to be in the great outdoors!" Haley Greenberg, Rye Brook, New York 

Itinerary

Trip Start

We'll meet in San Francisco then drive east to the Sierras. The first couple of days will be spent getting to know one another and preparing for our backcountry hike. We’ll check over our gear, learn how to pack our backpacks, shop for food and warm up with an overnight backpacking trip.

Backpacking the Sierras

Our extended backcountry hike will take us into the heart of the Sierra high country for one of Overland’s longest backcountry sections. Over the course of eight days, we'll hike 60+ miles over rocky passes, through valleys, past alpine lakes, along grassy meadows and across snowfields. Averaging six to ten miles a day at altitudes between 6,000 and 11,000 feet, we'll carry all of our gear, learn about Leave No Trace principles and work together to enhance our backpacking skills. We’ll get into a good daily routine: rising early, packing up camp and getting out on the trail in hopes of arriving at our next destination in time for a refreshing swim in an alpine lake or a relaxing afternoon in our incredible surroundings. Every day on the trail will sharpen our backcountry skills, improve our fitness and bring us closer together.

Rafting the American River

We'll take a break from the trail for two days of white water rafting on the lively Class III rapids of the American River with ARTA rafting guides (www.arta.org). ARTA has guided rafting trips for over 40 years and Overland groups have rafted with ARTA for more than 15 summers. Our experienced guides will negotiate us down the river as we paddle for two days through both calm and exciting water, spending a peaceful night along the banks of the river.

Climbing Mount Shasta

Rising from a nearly-flat plain, Shasta’s snow-capped peak reaches up to over 14,000 feet. We’ll pick up our mountaineering gear (boots, crampons, helmets and ice axes) and then meet Shasta Mountain Guides (www.shastaguides.com) who will lead us through snow school and guide us on our summit bid. We’ll hike up to base camp at 8,000 feet and practice using our crampons, traveling in a rope team and self arresting. Rising early the following morning, we’ll tackle the challenging climb to Shasta's summit at 14,162 feet, where our efforts will be rewarded with views of the California wilderness in the early morning sun. We’ll soon head down, hiking and glissading (controlled sledding), arriving back at basecamp in the late afternoon.

Please note: Mount Shasta is an ideal climb for our Overland groups; no previous climbing experience is necessary and our Shasta Mountain Guides always do a great job of teaching us the basics that we need to enjoy our time on the mountain.

Trip End

At the end of our three weeks together, we’ll head back to San Francisco to celebrate our adventures on High Sierra Explorer, a life experience with value and resonance that extend far beyond the boundaries of a single summer.

Supervision & Safety

Overland’s two leaders, a man and a woman, provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision of the highest standard. Our leaders, while loving the outdoors and being experienced hikers, are dedicated, first and foremost, to making each student's experience with us a safe and enjoyable one. By creating a supportive and wholesome environment, our leaders help each student to feel comfortable and at home. In this kind of setting, friendships flourish and teamwork grows; challenges are welcomed and accomplishments are celebrated. For nearly 25 years, Overland's students have felt safe and secure in our talented and conscientious leaders’ hands.

On an Overland trip the group stays together all day: hiking together, playing games together, swimming together, and enjoying our evenings together. We get up early (usually before 7:00 a.m.), have full, active days, and head to bed soon after dark (typically between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m.).

We set high expectations for each student’s behavior—we expect respect and consideration for others, a positive attitude, and an eagerness to help make the trip a success in every way possible.

In every decision we make, safety comes first. We plan our trips carefully choosing hiking trails that make sense for the age and abilities of each group. We hike with care, with a leader at the front and a leader at the rear—and we take frequent rest stops. Since our first trips in 1985 our safety record has been superlative; it's no wonder, then, that Overland is one of the few organizations of its kind to earn accreditation by the American Camp Association.

For nearly 25 years our caring and competent leaders, our superlative supervision, our high expectations, and our commonsense approach to safety have made Overland the number one choice for summer trips.

Overland Leaders

In a world where strong leadership skills make the difference between the average and the exceptional, Overland recruits and trains only the best to be our leaders. Not only do these remarkable people capably lead our groups, they also offer our students the kind of role modeling for which Overland has long been recognized.  Bright, charismatic and accomplished, our leaders ensure the safety and well-being of every Overland student, and then they provide much, much more, inspiring our students to reach for their potential in every way. 

You won’t find a more dynamic and talented group of people than Overland’s leaders. Most Overland leaders have played varsity sports and many have captained their teams; they have served as student government officers, volunteered as peer counselors and directed campus organizations. They are high achievers who come to Overland with a lifetime of leadership experience—but just as importantly, they are warm, wonderful people who are eager to work with Overland’s students.

Overland’s leaders prepare carefully for the summer. We know of no other program that requires certification in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving—every Overland leader has all of these plus our own 10-day training program that focuses on safety, supervision and leadership. All of our efforts prepare Overland’s caring and committed leaders to create safe, supportive and valuable programs where each of our students can flourish.

Meet some of our spectacular returning leaders.

How We Put Our Groups Together

We have a number of important criteria for every group:

Size: Every Overland group is limited to 12 students.
Gender: Groups are coed; the male/female ratio is always carefully balanced (6:6, 7:5 or 8:4).
Friends: We allow two pairs of friends in a group (we never allow three or more friends to travel together). With a maximum of two pairs of friends there will always be space available for at least eight students to come on their own without a friend. Furthermore, if we enroll two pairs of friends in a group and both pairs are of one gender, we generally try to: (1) enroll three or four more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.

“My leaders were so easy to talk to and energetic – I could not have asked for better leaders!” Henry Carr, Carlisle, Massachusetts

Trip Details

Getting To & From The Trip

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

Preparing & Important Equipment

Please see the Preparing & Packing page for a complete equipment list. Note that the main pieces of equipment needed for this trip are: a backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and hiking boots.

Additional Costs

Transportation to and from program start/end location, spending money and personal gear are not included in the program fee. Overland provides group gear including tents and stoves and specialized mountaineering gear (e.g., crampons, ice axes, helmets); students provide all personal equipment (e.g., backpacks, boots, sleeping bags).

“David was excited leaving for the trip and returned even more so. He felt challenged but not overwhelmed. The trip was well planned with a good mix of challenges and fun.” Susan White, Wellesley, Massachusetts

What's it like?

A former High Sierra Explorer leader had the following to say about this trip:

"How many people can say that they climbed over snow and ice to get to the top of Mount Shasta; and to train for it, they backpacked for over a week in the most beautiful places in the west? Waking up to the cool crisp morning air, hitting the trail in the early hours of the day, hiking over stunning passes, across beautiful mountain streams, swimming in cold but refreshing alpine lakes, and falling asleep after having eaten the best dinner ever...exhausted from your day of hiking, but loving every minute of it because of the amazing people you’re with. It's an unbelievable accomplishment, a lot of hard work, and yet we were all laughing and having a great time the whole trip. I'll never forget it."

“I felt secure in knowing that the trip was thoroughly thought out.” Janet Giangiulio, Simsbury, Connecticut

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