North Country Adventure

Overview

Please join us for two weeks of hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting and swimming, as we explore the best of New York’s Adirondacks and Vermont’s Green Mountains on our North Country Adventure.

Soon after meeting up in Williamstown, Massachusetts, we’ll head to picturesque Arlington, Vermont, for day hikes and bike rides; nearby we’ll kayak the peaceful Battenkill River. Next, we’ll travel west to camp along the shores of beautiful Lake George. We’ll raft the exciting Hudson River Gorge and summit Cascade Mountain, one of the famous Adirondack High Peaks. Returning to Vermont, we’ll bike along Lake Champlain and visit bustling Burlington and classic Middlebury. Our final hike will take us along the famed Long Trail to the top of Camel’s Hump, where we’ll have spectacular views from the summit.

At trip’s end, we’ll return to Williamstown and celebrate the friendships, fun and accomplishments of our North Country Adventure.

"Fabulous leaders!" Vivian Epstein, Ridgefield, Connecticut

Highlights

• Hike, bike & swim at Lake George
• Kayak on the Battenkill River
• Raft the Hudson River Gorge
• Bike along Lake Champlain
• Hike the Green Mountains

Grade

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

Challenge Level

2 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

Start and End Location

Starts and ends in Williamstown, Massachusetts

For students who drive to the start of the program, we’ll meet on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown. Students who fly to the program 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 in Williamstown, students can either fly home from Albany, New York ariport or be picked up in Williamstown. Overland staff will be on hand to assist all students with flights or pick-ups.

Dates and Fees

2 weeks

Sunday, June 27 to Friday, July 9
Sunday, July 11 to Friday, July 23
Sunday, July 25 to Friday, August 6

$2795 (airfare not included)

Itinerary

At The Start Of The Trip

North Country Adventure begins in Williamstown, Massachusetts. For those who fly we'll pick you up at Albany, NY Airport; for those who are dropped off, we'll meet on the Williams College campus.

Our First Day Together

On our first afternoon together, our short orientation will focus on getting to know each other. 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 during our time together. We'll spend a day in Williamstown to get acquainted and go on some short hikes and bike rides to prepare for the adventures to come.

Southern Vermont

For the first few days, our base will be the quaint town of Arlington, Vermont, just north of Williamstown, Massachusetts. We'll camp next to a beautiful mountainside lake and explore the area by foot, bike and kayak. We'll ride our bikes through one of Vermont's famous covered bridges and hike to a pristine waterfall, hidden in the Green Mountain wilderness. In kayaks, we'll paddle down the Battenkill River, taking in the beauty of the area from the calm waters.

Lake George & the Adirondacks

We'll travel by van to Lake George—one of the most beautiful lakes in the northeast. We'll take a morning bike ride along a well-maintained rail trail and spend the afternoon swimming at the Lake George beach. A hike to the summit of Black Mountain will show us beautiful views overlooking Lake George and the Adirondacks. As we travel north through the Adirondack park, we'll stop to spend a day rafting the exciting Hudson River Gorge before reaching Lake Placid. Now in the heart of the Adirondacks, we'll hike to the top of Cascade Mountain, one of the famous Adirondack High Peaks.

Lake Champlain & the Long Trail

For our next adventure, we'll head back east into Vermont, where we'll spend a few days on the shores of Lake Champlain. We'll visit bustling Burlington, Vermont, and explore the surrounding area by bicycle. Back on the trail, we'll hike along the famous Long Trail to the top of Camel's Hump, one of Vermont's highest peaks. From the summit, we'll enjoy fabulous views of New England.

Trip End

We'll travel south, stopping to visit Middlebury, Vermont on our way. Back in Williamstown we'll spend our last night celebrating our two weeks of fun and discovery. All in all the perfect introduction to Overland!

"As in the past, Overland provided a top quality, well-run program." Lindsey Forden, Princeton, New Jersey

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 2 on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is easiest. While this is an introductory trip designed for some of our younger students, it is essential that parents make a good choice for their child. Every Overland program requires independence, age-appropriate maturity and good fitness.

Photos

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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, kayaking, swimming and around camp. No flip-flops or Crocs as these will not be acceptable for rafting and kayaking. If you don't have sport sandals, sneakers will work fine for rafting and kayaking although they will get wet so you may want to bring sneakers for rafting and kayaking in addition to those you'll wear 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.
• Winter Hat & Gloves/Mittens To stay warm in camp on cool nights.
• Hat With a visor—like a baseball cap—to keep the sun off your face.
• Long Pants One pair. To wear in camp on cool evenings.
• Shorts Three 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.
• 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 it should 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.
• Sleeping Pad Any type is acceptable. A thin roll-up or fold-up foam pad or a self-inflating pad (like Thermarest) can be found at most outdoor stores.
• 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 variety. 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

• Towel
• Toiletries Travel size as there is availability on our route.
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen & Chapstick Minimum of 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 your trip. If you would like to keep a personal journal, you should bring one.
• Spending Monday $50 per week 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 Materials packet and other information for North Country Adventure.

Admissions Materials 2010

Flight & Travel Information 2010

Program Start & End Information 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.