New England Adventure

Overview

Please join us for a week of hiking, swimming, biking and rafting, as we explore the best of New England on our New England Adventure.

We’ll start in Williamstown, Massachusetts, with a short orientation to get to know each other before we travel by van to southern Vermont. While enjoying quintessential New England—white-steepled churches, red covered bridges, quaint villages, fields and farms—we’ll bike along the picturesque Battenkill River, and we’ll hike to a pristine waterfall in the Green Mountains. Our next stop is Hanover, New Hampshire, where we’ll bike on the Northern Rail Trail and hike along the famous Appalachian Trail. We’ll return to Williamstown to hike up Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, and we’ll spend a day rafting the exciting Deerfield River. In the evenings, we’ll play games, build campfires and make s’mores.

At trip’s end, we’ll celebrate all that we have accomplished and seen on our New England Adventure.

“It was a fantastic trip! I really liked all of the activities, and I returned home confident and independent." Jessie Kravet, Larchmont, New York

Highlights

• Hike the Berkshires
• Bike, hike & swim in Vermont & New Hampshire
• Climb Mount Greylock (3,491 feet)
• Raft the Deerfield River

Grade

For students who will finish grade 6 in June 2010. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

Challenge Level

1 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

Start and End Location

Starts and ends in Williamstown, Massachusetts

For students who drive to the start of the trip, we’ll meet on the Williams College campus. Students who fly to the trip start should fly into the Albany, New York airport where Overland staff will be on hand to meet you, help you collect your baggage and transport you by 15-passenger van the 42 miles to Williamstown.

At the end of the trip, students can either fly home from Albany or be picked up in Williamstown. Overland staff will be on hand to assist all students with flights or pick-ups.

Dates and Fees

1 Week

Sunday, June 27 to Saturday, July 3
Sunday, July 4 to Saturday, July 10
Sunday, July 11 to Saturday, July 17
Sunday, July 18 to Saturday, July 24
Sunday, July 25 to Saturday, July 31
Sunday, August 1 to Saturday, August 7

$1495 (airfare not included)

“Peter was challenged with new things, had a great time accomplishing them and made a lot of new friends.” Peter Ciporin, Greenwich, Connecticut

Itinerary

At The Start Of The Trip

New England Adventure begins in Williamstown, Massachusetts. For those who fly, we'll pick you up at the Albany International Airport in Albany, New York. For those who are dropped off, we'll meet on the Williams College campus.

Our First Day Together

On our first afternoon together, we'll focus on getting to know each other through playing fun games and taking a beautiful afternoon hike. Our group will include two leaders—always a male and a female—and up to 12 students (never more). Our small group makes for close friendships and fun as we enjoy our week together.

Southern Vermont

From Williamstown, we'll head north into Vermont and the quaint New England towns of Arlington and Manchester. We'll bike along the gentle Battenkill River and pedal through one of Vermont's famous covered bridges. Exploring the Green Mountains, we'll hike up to Prospect Rock, enjoying a stunning veiw of the valley below. Camping beside a peaceful lake, we'll enjoy afternoons swimming and playing games and in the evening we'll gather around a campfire to share stories of the day before climbing into our tents at night.

Hanover, New Hampshire

A quintessential New England college town, Hanover, New Hampshire, provides the perfect setting for out next adventure. We'll hop on our bikes and pedal along the Northern Rail Trail, passing pristine lakes and small villages. We'll hit the trail again, hiking along the famous Appalachian Trail to the top of Moose Mountain, the highest point in Hanover.

Exploring the Berkshires

The last section of our trip takes us back to Williamstown and the Berkshire Hills. We'll challenge ourselves with a hike up Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts (3,491 feet) and then reward our efforts with a day rafting on the Deerfield River. The Deerfield is perfect for us, with a fun mixture of rapids and flat water in a spectacular valley. Depending on the water level, we’ll raft or paddle inflatable kayaks; either way we’ll be in the safe hands of our rafting guides and enjoy a fun day on the river.

Trip End

On our last night together, we’ll celebrate our week of fun, discovery and adventure. All in all, this trip is the perfect introduction to Overland!

“Ben loved every minute of it and grew a lot in just a week.” Liz Berry, Boulder, Colorado

Trip Details

This is an introductory trip. The selected activities, their duration and intensity are designed for adventurous 6th graders. The challenge level is a 1 on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is easiest. While this is an introductory trip designed for some of our youngest students, it is essential that parents make a good choice for their child. Every Overland program requires independence,

“I think that we got the best leaders possible.  They were kind, upbeat, caring, fun to be with and hilarious.” Emma Eisner, Horseheads, New York

Photos

Click thumbnails below to enlarge

Videos

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Prepare & Pack

Preparing for the Hiking & Biking

Stay active in sports and get out for some walks and rides this spring. The more you prepare, the more you'll enjoy your program and the better able you'll be to hike and ride safely this summer.

Packing For Your Program

Our packing list is designed to keep you safe and comfortable while hiking, biking and camping 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 a duffel bag or your daypack. You should carry your sleeping bag 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. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office.

Clothing

• Sneakers or Low Top Hiking Shoes
  Comfortable shoes to wear around all day and on day hikes and bike rides.


• Sport Sandals
  With a heel strap for rafting, swimming and around camp. No flip-flops or Crocs as these will not be acceptable for rafting. If you do not have sport sandals, sneakers will work fine for rafting although they will get wet so you may want to bring sneakers for rafting in addition to those you'll use for daily hikes and bike rides.


• Waterproof Rain Jacket
  Your rain jacket must be waterproof (not just water and/or wind resistant). GoreTex is one of the better-known waterproof and breathable fabrics, but there are many of these fabrics to choose from.


• Fleece Jacket/Pullover or Warm Sweater/Sweatshirt
  One only. To wear in camp on cool evenings.


• Long Pants
  One pair only. To wear in camp on cool evenings.


• Shorts
  Two pairs of comfortable shorts to hike and bike in.


• Shirts
  Three short-sleeve shirts or tank tops; two long-sleeve shirts.


• Underwear
  Six pairs.


• Socks
  Six pairs.


• Hat
  With a visor—like a baseball cap—to keep the sun off your face.


• Pajamas
  One pair only.


• Bathing Suit
  One only.

Hiking, Biking & Camping Gear

• Backpack
  For everyday adventures and hikes. Your backpack should have two shoulder straps (i.e., not a satchel) and be big enough to carry your lunch, snacks, two water bottles and a rain jacket or extra warm layers. A regular school backpack will work fine.


• Bike Helmet
  Overland will provide bicycles.


• Sleeping Bag
  Any type is acceptable. Overland will provide sleeping pads.


• Pillow
  Optional. Many students will use their fleece or sweatshirt as a pillow.


• Flashlight or Headlamp
  So you can see in camp when it's dark outside.


• Utensils
  6" to 8" plastic dish or bowl with top; insulated plastic mug; spoon, fork and knife. These don't need to be special camping utensils. A Rubbermaid dish (or similar) and regular eating utensils are fine.


• Water Bottles
  Two of any varitey. One-liter bottles are a good size to aim for, but smaller sizes are okay as well if that is what you have.

Miscellaneous Gear

• Beach Towel


• Toiletries
  Travel size as more is available if needed.


• Sunglasses


• Sunscreen & Chapstick
  Minimum SPF 15.


• Camera/Batteries/Memory Card

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.

• Journal and/or Book
  Optional. Your group will collectively keep a group journal and you'll receive a copy of the journal after the trip. If you would like to keep a personal journal, you should bring one.


• Spending Monday
  $50 for souvenirs, gifts and necessities (like more sunscreen if you run out or envelopes to mail letters).

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.

Admissions

Below is the Admissions Material packet and other information for New England Adventure.

Admission Material 2010

Flight & Travel Information 2010

Program Start & End Information 2010

High Sierra Explorer Release Forms 2010

Apply

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.