Alaska Leadership Course

for 10th-12th graders

Overland's Alaska Leadership Course offers demanding wilderness backpacking with on-the-trail instruction in backcountry skills.  In a small, spirited group (no more than 10 students or fewer than 2 leaders), we'll participate in ice-climbing and Wilderness First Aid courses, while learning Leave No Trace practices and effective leadership.

Over the course of four weeks, our students will acquire the skills necessary to be successful outdoor leaders, while enjoying the remote Alaskan landscape. At trip’s start, we’ll head into the Chugach Mountains for the first of our two backpacking trips. We’ll hike across the Alaskan tundra and camp by remote lakes. This portion of the trip will focus on acquiring the hard skills necessary for leadership: backcountry safety, navigation and Leave No Trace practices. We’ll then head north to Talkeetna for our Wilderness First Aid course. Under the guidance of a Wilderness Medical Associates instructor, we’ll spend two days becoming certified to manage first aid emergencies in the backcountry.

From Talkeetna, we’ll head north to Denali National Park for a day of hiking and wildlife viewing before starting our second backpacking trip in the rugged Talkeetna Mountains. On this hike, over more challenging terrain, we’ll focus on learning how to lead a group and how to work with a co-leader. Each student will co-lead the group for a day, putting planning, navigation, glacier travel and leadership skills to the test, all while under the careful supervision of their Overland leaders. Following this second hike, we’ll spend three days with guides learning to ice-climb on the Matanuska Glacier. At trip’s end, we’ll head to Anchorage to celebrate our month of leadership training and adventure in the great Alaskan wilderness.

Overland’s Alaska Leadership Course offers demanding wilderness backpacking with on-the-trail instruction in backcountry skills. We’ll participate in ice-climbing and Wilderness First Aid courses, while learning Leave No Trace practices and effective team leadership.

"... an amazing trip!" Mette Anderson, Vedbaek, Denmark

  HIGHLIGHTS

• Backpack the Chugach Mountains
• Study backcountry navigation & safety
• Earn WFA certification
• Visit Denali National Park
• Backpack the rugged Talkeetna Mountains
• Learn to ice-climb

GRADE

For students who will finish grades 10-12 in June 2008.  This summer we will have 1 group.  Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

CHALLENGE LEVEL

9 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

START & END LOCATIONS

Starts and ends in Anchorage

2008 DATES & FEES

4 Weeks

Saturday, June 28 to Thursday, July 24

$4395 (airfare not included)

APPLY TODAY

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

"I had an amazing time--great group, great leaders and great activities!" Nick Tyler, Sacramento, California 

ITINERARY

Trip Start

We'll meet in Anchorage and spend our first couple of days getting to know one another and preparing for our backcountry hiking. We’ll check over our gear, learn how to pack our backpacks, shop for food and explore the majestic Chugach Mountains on day hikes.

Backpacking the Chugach Mountains

From Anchorage we’ll head into the Chugach Mountains for the first of two backpacking trips. We’ll hike through valleys and over passes across the Alaskan tundra and camp at remote lakes. This portion of the trip will focus on acquiring the hard and soft skills necessary for leadership as Overland's leaders guide students through interactive seminars . We’ll learn Leave No Trace ethics, bear safety, map and compass skills and other essential backcountry skills. Although we’ll only average five to six miles per day on the trail, our days will be long and full as we learn and practice new skills.

Wilderness First Aid Course

After our first backcountry, we’ll head north to Talkeetna, a small town that will serve as our base for our Wilderness First Aid course. Under the guidance of a Wilderness Medical Associates instructor (http://www.wildmed.com/), we’ll spend two days learning how to manage first aid emergencies in the backcountry. During this 16-hour course, we’ll learn first aid techniques imperative for backcountry travel and work through scenarios to help us implement what we have learned in the classroom. Upon successful completion of the course, we'll each receive Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification from Wilderness Medical Associates.

Visiting Denali National Park

From Talkeetna we’ll spend a day in Denali National Park (www.denalinationalpark.com) to experience one of our nation’s greatest national parks. Denali offers over six million acres of wilderness and we’ll explore the park by bus and foot, hoping to catch a glimpse of moose, caribou, wolves, dall sheep and grizzly bears. In the midst of the glacier-draped Alaska Range, we’ll hike across tundra and braided riverbeds, enjoying the lightness of our daypacks and our spectacular setting.

Hiking the Talkeetna Mountains

From Denali we’ll head to the rugged Talkeetna Mountains to take on a seven-day backcountry hike, over more challenging terrain. Averaging ten miles per day, we'll hike up braided riverbeds, over passes, along ridges covered with soft tundra and through fields of blueberry bushes and fireweed. We'll once again dedicate time each day to learning new skills--this time we’ll focus on some of the subtler aspects of leading: how to develop a personal leadership style, cultivate successful group dynamics and foster a good co-leader relationship. For the last few days of this backcountry section, each student will co-lead the group for a day, putting planning, navigation and leadership skills to the test all while under the careful supervision of their Overland leaders. This is a great opportunity to see what it's like to lead a group within a comfortable, supportive atmosphere; you will see different leadership styles in action and learn not only from your Overland leaders, but also from your peers.

Ice-Climbing & Glacier Safety Course

Following our final backcountry, we’ll spend three days ice-climbing and learning about glacier safety on the beautiful Matanuska Glacier. Our Alaska Mountaineering School instructors (www.climbalaska.org) will guide us as we learn how to travel across glaciers; we’ll don helmets, crampons and ice axes, as we develop the techniques needed to walk in a rope team and read a glacier. In addition to basic ice-climbing skills, we'll learn to tie knots and belay on the glacier.

Trip End

At trip's end, we’ll head back to Anchorage to celebrate our month of leadership training and adventure in the great Alaskan wilderness--a trip 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: hiking and exploring as a group by day, 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, backcountry routes and specialized coursework that makes sense for our Alaska Leadership Course students. 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; the Alaska Leadership Course is limited to ten students.
Gender: Groups are coed; the male/female ratio is always carefully balanced (5:5, 6:4 or 7:3).
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 six 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 two or three more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.

“Amy enjoyed every aspect of her trip this summer. She loved her leaders and loved the experiences she had, pushing herself to do her best and having a wonderful time with the other students!” Ellen Gilbert, Evanston, Illinois

WHAT'S IT LIKE?

Here is a description of Alaska Leadership Course from one of Overland’s Logistics Directors:

“Alaska is like no other place in the lower 48. When you arrive in Anchorage and see the Chugach Mountains just outside of the city, rising 5,000 feet directly from the ocean, you know that you are entering a backpacker’s dream. At times, you’ll be only a few miles from the main road, but as you look up at glacier-draped peaks, jagged ridges, valleys of tundra and fireweed…you’ll feel like you’re the first person to ever lay eyes on this magnificent terrain. Alaska is the perfect location for a leadership training course; the variety of terrain and the challenges you’ll face throughout your month together will prepare you for almost anything. Your days will be spent on the trail, practicing new skills and working with your group to learn how to work within and lead a successful group. Days will be long and challenging, but you will come away with an array of new skills and an unforgettable month of hiking in the most amazing and pristine wilderness you’ll ever set foot in.”

“My leaders were amazing! I grew to respect them so much over the three weeks we spent together. They were both unique and intelligent people!” Rachel Glover, Williamstown, MA

TRIP DETAILS

Getting To & From The Trip

Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from Anchorage. 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, hiking boots, sleeping bag and sleeping pad.

Additional Costs

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

“This was Kevin’s second summer with Overland. He didn’t think anything could top last year’s trip but this trip did!” Mary Foley Smith, Westfield, New Jersey

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