Overland : summer & semester programs for 10-19 year olds
open to grades 8-12 Yellowstone’s two million acres stretch across a landscape as varied and magnificent as any on the planet, boasting mountains, lakes, waterfalls, geysers and abundant wildlife. During our three weeks together, we’ll explore Yellowstone’s beauty while backpacking, rock climbing and kayaking.
We’ll meet in Jackson, Wyoming, and then head north into the vast Yellowstone backcountry for two backpacking trips. A spectacular mountain environment, Yellowstone is home to bears, wolves, moose and herds of wild bison and elk. Our hiking in Yellowstone will give us ample time to discover the wildlife and natural beauty of America’s most celebrated national park.
After our backcountry hikes, we’ll take a break from the trail to spend two days rock climbing in Grand Teton National Park with world-renowned Exum Mountain Guides, learning to belay, rappel and tie climbing knots. We’ll also spend four days at kayaking school on the Snake River, just south of Yellowstone. With instruction from professional guides, we’ll learn to paddle hard-shell kayaks and navigate the rapids of this exciting and scenic river. Our trip will end with smiles in Jackson, as we proudly look back on three exciting weeks exploring the best of Yellowstone and the Tetons.
"Our leaders were the two most positive, supportive and fun people I have ever met."Atleigh Forden, Princeton, New Jersey
For students who will finish grades 8-12 in June 2010.
Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
6 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
Starts and ends in Jackson, Wyoming.
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from Jackson, Wyoming. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at trip start and end.
Sunday, June 27 to Friday, July 16 (for students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2010)
Sunday, July 18 to Friday, August 6 (for students who will finish grades 8 & 9 in June 2010)
$4095 (airfare not included).
“My leaders helped me to have the best Overland experience ever. They made every day fun." Ranjit Inamdar, Houston, Texas
We'll meet in Jackson and spend our first day together checking over our gear, learning how to pack our backpacks and getting to know one another before heading out on our first hike.
Our backcountry hikes will take us to the beautiful lands of Yellowstone National Park (www.nps.gov/yell/), the world’s oldest national park. Both backcountry hikes will be five days in length, our first averaging 5-6 miles per day and our second averaging 7-8 miles per day on the trail. We'll carry all of our gear, learn about Leave No Trace principles and work together to enhance our backpacking skills. Each morning we'll rise early, pack up camp and get out on the trail in hopes of tackling most of our mileage before the mid-day heat and arriving at camp in time to relax, play games or swim before dinner. Along the way we'll hope to glimpse some of Yellowstone's spectacular wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, coyotes, bison and elk.
Taking a break from the trail, we'll spend four days at kayaking school on the Snake River just south of Jackson. We’ll work with Jackson-based Snake River Kayak and Canoe (www.snakeriverkayak.com) as we learn to paddle hard-shell kayaks and navigate the river. We’ll start out in a flat-water lake or pool to go over safety procedures, adjust to our equipment and learn some basic kayaking strokes. We’ll then head out on a calm section of the Snake to learn to read and navigate the river—negotiating peel-outs, eddy turns and ferries. Building on our skills, we’ll progress from flat water to moving water, and by day four, we'll have the option to tackle some Class II and III rapids. No previous kayaking experience is required—just a sense of adventure and a willingness to learn.
We’ll also spend two days rock climbing in Grand Teton National Park with world-renowned Exum Mountain Guides (www.exumguides.com). Exum has been guiding climbing trips for over 80 years and is well known for its superior guides and safety record. Our first day will be spent learning the basics of rock climbing: tying knots, anchoring, belaying, basic rappelling and top-roping. We'll expand on this knowledge our second day, spending more time climbing, rappelling and working on our new skills. Like kayaking, no previous climbing experience is required—just a sense of adventure and a willingness to learn.
At the end of our three weeks together, we’ll head back to Jackson for an evening out to celebrate our adventures together in Wyoming on Yellowstone Teton Explorer, a life experience with value and resonance that extend far beyond the boundaries of a single summer!
“A perfect trip!"Lacey Serletti, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Here's what a former Yellowstone Teton Explorer leader had to say about the trip:
“Yellowstone and the Jackson area are two of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever seen. I think that I spent most of the three weeks in as much awe as the kids! For instance, one night we were sitting in camp eating dinner when a moose family strolled by on their evening walk – we couldn’t believe it! Every time I thought the views couldn’t get any more stunning, we’d crest a hill or round a bend in the river and I’d be proven wrong. The best part was that the entire group was seeing the area for the first time so people were constantly laughing and taking pictures in order to capture as many moments as possible – what a great trip!”
“Ann had a wonderful trip. It was challenging, but it forced her to grow in positive ways. She really bonded with her group and leaders.” Lynn Whalen, Worcester, Massachusetts
Yellowstone Teton Explorer is rated 6 on a scale of 1-10 (1 is the easiest). This rating places Yellowstone Teton Explorer in a moderate category and means participants must be prepared for some long days on the trail (groups average 6-7 miles per day on backcountry sections over varied and sometimes challenging terrain).
Your trip will be significantly more enjoyable if you have a basic level of fitness and well-broken-in boots. We cannot overemphasize the importance of well-broken-in boots. There have been students who have had to leave their trips because of blisters from boots that were not broken in. The training guidelines below are designed to help you properly break in your boots and develop a solid fitness base.
Five weeks before your trip: Wear your boots for 15-30 minutes a day to walk around your house or neighborhood so your boots will begin to conform to your feet.
Four weeks before your trip: Take three 30-minute hikes or walks in your boots.
Three weeks before your trip: Take three 60-minute hikes or walks in your boots.
Two weeks before your trip: Take three 1-hour hikes or walks in your boots with a backpack loaded with 10% of your body weight.
One week before your trip start: Take two 2-hour hikes or walks in your boots with a backpack loaded with 15-20% of your body weight.
Yellowstone Teton Explorer is considered to be an intermediate level trip and experience among participants will vary. No previous experience is required for either our kayaking or climbing sections—just a sense of adventure and a willingness to learn.
Your enjoyment of this trip will hinge on several factors:
Our packing list is designed to keep you safe and comfortable while hiking and camping this summer. Nighttime temperatures are much cooler when you are at high elevation than they tend to be in the regions most of us are from. The warm clothing and layers listed may seem unnecessary now, but we guarantee you'll appreciate them this summer! Keep in mind, however, that there are a wide range of products available in terms of clothing and equipment. Overland programs are relatively short, and although you want your clothing and equipment to be durable, this does not mean it has to be top of the line. Oftentimes more basic and less expensive options perform just as well. Some of our favorite brands in terms of quality of product for a reasonable price include REI, EMS and L.L.Bean.
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 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.
Please bring only the clothes listed below. Do not wear an extra set of clothes for the flight. By layering you will stay cool on warm days, dry on rainy days and warm on cool nights. You will have the chance to do laundry periodically. You will be able to leave some extra items in our van while we are on the trail, but please stick to the packing list. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office.
Overland will rent specialized gear for any of our non-hiking activities. (e.g., climbing and kayaking) and this is included in your trip fee.
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).
We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (e.g., cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.
Below is the Admissions Material packet and other information for Yellowstone Teton Explorer.
Flight & Travel Information 2010
We welcome your interest in joining Overland this summer!
To apply, please complete and sign the application on page 47 of the Overland catalog or download an application. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the application).
Please refer to page 46 of our catalog for important information you should know before signing the application.
Send your application and $795 deposit 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
Sorry, we are unable to accept applications by fax, and we do not take credit cards. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they arrive at our office and we cannot hold spots over the phone.
To learn about our admissions process, please click here.
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Overland Programs offers more than 40 different trips including New England summer camps and hiking adventures for tweens (5th graders and 6th graders), hiking trips for teens, teen bike trips in Europe and America, and teen summer service programs. Whether you're looking for a language immersion program, summer programs abroad or service programs abroad, summer writing programs, environmental studies programs, teen adventure travel trips, a field studies program, or even a gap year semester in Spain, you're sure to find a program here which will create lasting memories, capture the imagination, and strengthen physical, emotional and social skills. Overland is not simply a summer or semester-long experience—it's a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a young person's time with us.
Overland leaders are students and recent alumni from top colleges and universities, including many schools in the Ivy League and NESCAC as well as other elite schools across the country. Overland leaders are campus leaders, varsity athletes, sports captains, peer counselors, outdoor guides, and honors students. All leaders are First Aid, CPR, and lifeguard certified.
Overland Programs, also known as Overland Summers and even as Overland Adventures, is proud to have ACA accredited summer programs, teen summer camps, teen summer adventures, teen travel, teen summer programs, teenage camps, teen adventure programs, teen adventure trips, summer camp programs, summer programs abroad, language immersion courses abroad, teen bike trips, teen bicycle tours, teen summer service programs and New England camps which are held to the highest safety standards.
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