SophX 2011 is complete!

Thanks to everyone who made the trip possible - the teachers, professional instructors, student leaders, volunteers, administrators, dorm duty coverers, exam proctors and many many more folks who made it all possible.

And not to forget the Sophomores, 

without you there would be no SophX!

The Elusive Lincoln Woods Group

Just got a text message from the pick up driver on the Lincoln Woods group.  This group was last seen on Sunday hiking into the woods!

They are doing great and arriving at the trailhead as we speak.  They should be back on campus in around an hour.

Welcome back!

Pick up drivers are heading out!

Our pickup drivers have checked in to collect driving directions, welcome back paperwork for the instructor teams and goodies for the kids.

Expect groups to be arriving back on campus between 10-11.

After the kids get back they have a few final tasks to complete before their well deserved showers:

• Empty their packs
• Locate borrowed 'loaner' items and group gear
• Throw away left over food & trash
• Clean out & dry tents
• Return sleeping bags & soft goods to the laundry for cleaning
• Put away group gear in the equipment room
• Collect personal belongings stored since course start

We'll be seeing them soon!

That's a First

I've hiked into the woods to visit groups for all kinds of reasons: wet socks, lost cooking pots, sick campers, and sometimes just to say hello.  Sometimes I bring kids home to get better, sometimes I bring gear in to give the group a boost, once I brought in ice cream.

Only three times I've ever been worried about my instructor teams: twice I had staff go into the field feeling sick (both were able to rally early in the course), and one who is very allergic to poison ivy thought he was about to get a major outbreak (luckily it was a false alarm).

This year is a first: I've had to bring an instructor team out of the field early.  I hesitated to even write about this because I didn't want anyone to worry but I felt I owed it to you, the parents, to let you know the story.

First of all let me say that everyone is fine!  The instructors aren't injured and the kids in the field are doing great and are in good hands!

A close family friend of Mr. Elkins and Mr. Gaudio on the Reel Brook group passed away in Connecticut after a protracted battle with cancer.  I learned of this on Sunday after everyone had departed but I was able to communicate to the Reel Brook group leaders via Clay the photographer.  Later I learned that the memorial service is early tomorrow in Connecticut.

So... to make a long story short here's what we've done:

• Two experienced SophX instructors, Ms. McMahon and Mr. Joslin, have volunteered to hike into the group and stay with them tonight (I had to turn down several others who were willing to go!)
• Mr. Elkins and Mr. Gaudio have come out so they can attend the memorial service
• The group will come out (under new leadership) as planned tomorrow and come back to campus

Again, everyone is fine, the group is doing great and we have made sure that two good people can take care of their family in this time of loss.

More Pictures!

Clay the intrepid photographer visited the Reel Brook group again today and took some amazing pictures!

Heading down Mt. Flume

Atop Mt. Flume, Mt. Liberty (where they came from) in background

The group made it to the top of Mt. Liberty by 9am this morning

Descending the stairs on the Osseo Trail 

Looking east, the middle ridge is the Bondcliffs

What's next?

At the moment (3:30pm) most groups are probably still pushing toward their final camp site but the course is definitely winding down in their minds.  The goal today is to get close enough to the pickup trailhead that they can reach it easily in the morning.

Many groups also complete their teaching and celebrate the upcoming end of the course.  Here are a few things that groups might be doing tonight:

• Writing a letter to themselves, we collect these letters and send them back to the students when they are in college
• Revisiting their group flag and talking about the values and behaviors that made them successful on trail
• Awarding end of course certificates that we send out on trail with the instructors
• Eating a big celebration dinner!

It's pretty quiet her by the phone as I write up the driving directions for the pick up drivers tomorrow.  We'll see everyone soon!

No really... no news is good news!

I know right?  I've set everyone up to 'follow along' on the blog and Twitter and then what do I do... I tell you if you don't hear anything on the blog about your child's group then that's good!

We have four layers of safety and communication built into the program that gives me confidence that if we don't hear from a group then that's by choice.

• Solid instructors take great care of our kids based on written procedures and policies that we review annually
• Instructors carry cell phones (although we ask students to leave theirs behind) for the areas that have service
• For areas where cell service isn't available (most of the White Mountains) we pack satelite phones out with our groups.  These things are cool - you can call home from the middle of the Sahara Desert!
• Say both phones fall into a river or something - then what?  For every day on trail we pre-plan communication and evac points so instructors don't have to figure it out in the moment.  Typical communication points include private homes along roads, ranger stations, high mountain huts maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and campgrounds.

Remember, we don't have a planned check ins on purpose - self reliance, lack of dependence on technology and discipline are core values of the program!

One year I asked you if you thought we should send more technology out on course and you can read what folks had to say here.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

A beautiful morning in the mountains

Mt. Liberty & Mt. Flume

Kinsman & Franconia Ridge

Today looks to be a beautiful day in the mountains!  The Appalachian Mountain Club says this about the weather:

"Summits today mostly in the clear under mostly sunny skies.  Temperatures in the upper 40's with winds from the WNW at 10-25 miles per hour."

What a nice break from the clouds, drizzle and rain we've had the last few days.  This comes at an especially nice time since on Day 4 spirits are normally very good as the end is in sight!

At about 5am I got a text message from one of the instructors which technically they aren't supposed to be doing and which made me jump out of bed in fright when I heard my phone going off.  The message just read 'Good morning' and there were two beautiful pictures attached of sunrise over the Kinsman Ridge.  If I can figure out my phone I'll get them posted here!

Update: I figured it out!  You can see the pictures at the top of the post!

Amazing views

I heard from Gordon Pond and Reel Brook today (still no word from Lincoln Woods... sorry!) and both groups independently mentioned two things that I thought were kind of cool.

First of all Mr. Brummer and Mr. Elkins both commented on the great views they were getting tonight.  Rather funny considering how foggy and cloudy it was on campus today.

Second they both mentioned that there was some creative cooking going on tonight for dinner.  It sounded like the kids were being creative and mixing some peperoni from lunch into the curried rice and veggies, or turning pizza quesadillas into pizza scrambles.

Both groups report they are tired, a little sore, but doing very well.

As I write this it's 9pm and I'll bet you everyone is already in their sleeping bags and fast asleep!

Reel Brook Day 2 Pictures

Clay just sent me some pictures of Lincoln Woods yesterday!

Rodrigo on trail!

Who knew rock could be so comfy!

Fearless leaders!

Group picture on top of Mt. Kinsman

Photos by: Clay Dingman for Barkingcat Productions Communications Design

Disconnect

The mountains are powerful - they can teach us things about ourselves, about our friends and about the earth we live on.  Last night as I was talking with the Beaver Brook group they told me about hiking through the clouds and wind on the summit of Mt. Moosilauke and how small they felt in the face of this powerful planet that we live on!

In our daily lives we're sometimes disconnected from the power of the earth... until a natural disaster reminds us.  But sometimes the reminder is much more gentle.  Take for example this series of pictures all taken within one hour of each other.

The view outside my office this morning - tent going up for graduation.

Web cam looking at Mt. Washington.

Web cam on the summit of Mt. Washington.

I believe that if we can remind ourselves more frequently of the power, beauty and value of the natural world we can live more centered lives.  What do you think?

Good Morning on Day 3

Here's a recap of what I know about the various groups.  If I haven't heard from someone the information below is based on their written route plan:

• Bondcliff - Saw them yesterday morning, should have crossed the Bonds yesterday and will be enjoying a rest day today possibly with a day hike.
• Beaver Brook - Saw them last night, they have a short day today to a camp site by a nice pond, cool and dry last night with no bugs
• Pemi-Baker - Heard from them last night, they have a long paddle planned today, big event of the day should be when Baker joins Pemi River and the end of any strainers in the water.
• Gilman's Corner - They should have a short day as well, they might cross paths with the Beaver Brook crew, they are gearing up for their big day tomorrow over Mt. Moosilauke
• Lincoln Woods - Haven't heard anything from this crew which means they are probably on track for their big day today down into Franconia Notch and back up to Kinsman Pond... big day.
• Reel Brook - Spotted yesterday by our photographer Clay, should be on track to do the same hike as Lincoln Woods but in the opposite direction, down from Kinsman Pond and back up the other side of the valley.
• Gordon Pond - Camped low last night so today they will face the steep climb up out of Kinsman Notch fresh and (hopefully) in relatively good weather.  I'm not sure if they will call that a day, or if they will day hike after that?  Time will tell!

Hope everyone is having a good morning back at home!  Thanks to a parent for the quote of the day in the left sidebar.  If anyone else has a good quote please leave it in the comments or send it along by email!

Pemi-Baker & Reel Brook Checking In

I heard from two other groups today and haven't had time to mention it until now so here goes.

The Pemi-Baker group had a big first day of paddling after canoe training yesterday.  Right out of the campground however the river was too low and rocky to paddle so rather than portage they lined their canoes downstream until the water was deep enough to get in the boats.  Apparently this took longer than expected and also required some concerted teamwork to move the boats around (and in some cases over) the obstacles in their path.  Finally they hit open water however and were able to paddle a solid 10 miles down to their camp.  As I was driving by the river on my way to visit the Beaver Brook group I spied their boats pulled up on shore.

Everyone in their group was fit and doing well with no capsizes!

From the Reel Brook route I have only a brief update from Clay a fantastic friend of the school and photographer who has volunteered the last few years to hike into the field and take photos of our students.

He writes:

"I'm back from Kinsman Ridge and your group is doing fine.  Conditions up top were pretty cloud socked."

Thanks for that update, Clay - and send us the pictures when you get them!

Ups and Downs

I just got back from checking in with the Beaver Brook group.  They had a great day with a number of big ups and big downs... here's how their day went:

They woke up early after a chilly night and crossed Moosilauke summit into howling wind and clouds.  As Bri put it, "We were biting the clouds!"  Not sure exactly what that means - but I like it.

Then the descended the Glencliff Trail which was surprisingly icy at the end of May!  Their camp site has a big shelter and fire ring where they cooked pepperoni pizzas and s'mores.  Rachel was the chief fire maker and was doing a very nice job keeping the fire going with some backup from Steve.

Caroline discovered a slight malfunction with one of her boots!  Luckily I had heard about this in advance and I brought in some heavy duty epoxy, glue and duct tape.  Hopefully that will help.

Unfortunately the biggest low came when I had to bring two students out of the field from their group.  Two boys were struggling with health related issues that were not very serious at the moment but had the potential to become more serious if left unresolved.  In that kind of case I tend to be more conservative.  They are both recovering with their families.

It was great to see this group and I was very pleased to see how they were doing with all the ups and downs that the trail was sending their way.

Let's save that for the morning...

Just got a good call from Mr. Brummer with the Gordon Pond group.  They had a muddy slog yesterday up the Gordon Pond Trail which they report was not well maintained with all the rain we've been getting.

They are making a great call tonight based on weather, tiredness levels & their planned route and won't be advancing to their planned camp site.  Many students struggle with 'not staying on schedule,' but experienced instructors know that there is no such thing as a schedule in the woods!

Mr. Brummer and his instructor team assessed the miles the group has come and the relatively short by very steep section of trail ahead of them.  Why face a mile and a half of very steep terrain now at three in the afternoon to a high camp site that will make for a chilly night?  Wouldn't it be better to camp early, climb into sleeping bags, eat a huge dinner and face the steep climb in the morning fresh and ready for the challenge?  No question!

Although I don't have any pictures of the Gordon Pond group at the moment here is a picture from Mr. Brummer's group in 2009 at a shelter very much like the one they will now be heading for tomorrow.

Quote from a parent

I just got an email from a parent who writes:

Here is a quote for the students:


"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.  The fears are paper tigers.  You can do anything you decide to do." - Ambrose Bierce

This resonates for me because I observe so much nervousness running up to the trip - once students hit the trail they thrive!

How do I follow along?

Many parents and students are asking me, "How are they doing up there?"  The truth is that no news is good news.  In other words I will always hear from a group if something is not going well but if everything is going along as normal then I might not hear from them until we pick them up!

But there are many ways to get information about the trip and this blog is one of them.  Keep checking back here for updates, pictures and weather reports.

If you are into Twitter you can also follow me for the most up to date info.  For example if I am hiking in the field then I will tweet a message as soon as I reach the trailhead but I won't be able to post to the blog until I'm back on campus.  If you don't do Twitter, no worries - I've collected my tweets (and those of other folks talking about the trip) in the right hand sidebar.

Another great way to stay connected is through past posts and comments.  Just scroll down to hear more about past years.

One thing might be a little confusing - I always refer to the groups by their group name.  We choose the group name based on the trailhead the group starts at or a major feature of their route.  For example the Lincoln Woods group starts at the ranger station of the same name whereas the Pemi-Baker group is named for the two major river systems they will be paddling down.

How do you figure out what group your child is in?  Go back to this post to see the group list and name, then you'll be able to follow along with your child's group... and with all the others!

As always if you have any questions just click on the 'comments' link at the end of this post.

Visited Bondcliff This Morning

I had the chance to bring a student into the Bondcliff group this morning so I was up in Franconia Notch and on the trail!  This was a planned late arrival of Maggie who was competing in a regional equestrian meet representing New Hampton School yesterday and who thus could only go out on trail today.

We met up with Mr. Freeman and Owen about two miles from the trailhead and then I dropped off Maggie and the three of them continued on to camp and breakfast.  Weather in the notch was cloudy but not rainy and the AMC weather report calls for summits in and out of the clouds and a chance of rain.

Mr. Freeman reported that all was well with the group - they had enjoyed a spicy Thai noodle dish last night for dinner called Gado Gado and were all in bed early.  Apparently they experienced some rain after midnight but by then of course everyone was long since buttoned up in their tents for the night.

Like many groups Bondcliff has a conservative plan for the day.  If weather holds they plan on crossing the Bonds - a lovely hike - to a shelter called Guyot Campsite.  If all goes well the group will enjoy a rest day tomorrow at Guyot with a light day hike to a lookout.  If the group can't make this section today then they can sit tight, eat and try again tomorrow.

On a side note if you see Mr. Freeman's water bottle apparently it's somewhere up the Lincoln Woods Trail... he lost it some time yesterday or today!  Lucky I had a spare with me and could lend it to him for the week :)

Ring Out!

It's a tradition that sophomores have one last stop before they head to the bus with their packs to start SophX... they go to the old school bell outside the dining hall and ring it (usually loudly and vigorously) to let campus know they are heading out into the woods.

It was a great course start - lots of teaching going on, many pack adjustments being made and a big NHS brunch before Ring Out.

I'm starting to post pictures over at the NHS web site where you can download them or see them as a slideshow.  Keep an eye on that photo gallery as i'll add to it as the course goes on.

Duffle Shuffle

It sounds funny but once we get started we're not in a rush to hit the trail.  For many of the students this is the most anxious part of the trip... getting started, so we take our time and make sure everyone is ready.

In just a few hours students will arrive and here's a run down of what we'll be doing this morning.  Taken all together we call it the 'duffle shuffle' because students transition from their duffle bag to their back pack.

• First up is clothing check, we've already started this but now it gets down to nitty gritty, if a student is missing something we might send them back to the dorm, or pull from our supply of loaners
• Next groups are introduced to group gear and food, everyone gets some of this so it's important to learn how to pack it
• Which brings us to the next part: making it all fit.  Packing a backpack is really more of an art than a science... heavy things go on the bottom, things you need handy on top.  Everything gets bagged in plastic so it will stay dry (we provide the bags).  The canoe trip packs in 'dry bags' to protect their gear in case they capsize or drop a bag in the water.
• Now it's time for some lessons... we often teach the top three lessons before we even get out of the gym.  Three things you want to know how to do in the woods: how not get lost (and what to do if it happens), what to do in a thunder and lightning storm, and how to pitch a tent.  (Note - to download a section of our trip safety protocols visit the parents tab above)
• Brunch!  At New Hampton School brunch has to be the best meal of the week and you can't head out on the trail without a proper breakfast!

After some time for last checks (full water bottles everyone?) teacher volunteers drive our groups into the field for the start of SophX 2011!

Do you have questions about the start of SophX?  Have you been on a long hike and have words of wisdom to share?  Maybe you want to give words of encouragement to the sophomores?  Just click the 'comment' button below!

Rain adjustments

It's going to be a rainy expedition this year.  Although we've been lucky to have great weather the past few years this year looks to be a wet one. The weather reports to the right of the page can give you a great sense of the conditions in the mountains.

We're making a few adjustments this year to account for the heavy rainfall we've already seen this year and to prepare for rain on course:

• We've been checking student clothing very closely to make sure we have good rain layers
• I picked up extra 'loaner' rain layers just in case students still aren't as prepared as we think they might be
• We've been thinking about alternate routes in the case of cold and wet weather that avoid long exposed ridges
• Good food is always important when it's wet, I've been tripple checking all the food and adding items where I think it might be necessary to boost calories

After all this prep it will probably be sunny after all... but it pays to be prepared!  Are you or your sophomores concerned about the weather?  Let me know in the comments!

Final Preparations!

It's just a few more days to SophX 2011!  Gear is packed, food is ready and the students have met with their group leaders several times.

At this point students are wrapping up the school year and will soon be able to focus on the trail!

Welcome to the blog - this is where I'll be posting pictures, updates and links that may be of use to all the folks back at home who are wondering how everyone is doing on the trail.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, shout outs or just want to say hi - please go right ahead and click on the 'comment' link at the end of every post.

SophX 2011 Group List

Hello everyone and welcome to the SophX web site!  While you are here taking a look at the group list take a moment to poke around at some of the other content here.  You'll find photos and video from past years as well as updates from the trip and comments from parents and other well-wishers.

As promised everyone has at least one person that they requested and many of you have two or even three people from your list in your group!

Staff and student leaders are italicized.

Click the list below to see it full size (updated 5/22):

The Adventure Continues...

In many ways the adventure of the Sophomore Expedition continues the day students get off the bus back on campus.

The challenges might not be so clear as a steep trail or a cold sleeping bag, but challenges remain just the same. High school, parents, peers, summer jobs, college - these challenges are bigger, tougher and less straight forward in many ways than those students face on expedition.

Hopefully lessons learned in the wilderness can translate to these different challenges.

At graduation this year, just a few days after the expedition, I ran into an alum who I hadn't seen in many years. He reported with excitement that he had just completed a NOLS course in New Zealand.

Not only was he beginning to master life's challenges, but he had also found something in the wilderness that he couldn't live without.

It was deeply satisfying to see him, hear his stories and to see his pictures. Here's one I thought was particularly beautiful. You can click the image below to see it larger.
Thanks for sharing your pictures and stories!

What about our sophomores? How is it going now that the expedition and school is over? Let us know in the comments!

Photos

I've posted some photos from course prep and start of course on the New Hampton School web site. Photos that come back from trail will be posted there as well and then I'll take the best of the best and make a slide show for the blog.

You can head over here to see the pictures in a slide show, or go here to download them.

Wrapping out day 4

Well so far (knock wood) day four is looking to be pretty quiet. Here at home base we're starting to prepare for students to return tomorrow. That means getting bus keys, printing directions to trail heads and moving gear around to make room in the equipment room.

I've heard from two groups today. Remember how Lincoln Woods was working with the student who had a bruised foot? The student is doing fine, decreased pain and swelling rules out a break but he is still sore. So the group has opted to stay another night at Kinsman Pond and do some day hiking today. Tomorrow, rather than crossing Kinsman Ridge, they will descend to the valley by their ascent route.

Gilman's Corner also checked in. They found a good solution to a tricky problem. Part of their group was motivated to keep hiking, while another part of the group was feeling pretty sore and tired. Since this group has a three person instructor team they could very easily divide the group and take two day hikes today. The more challenging south peak of Moosilauke and the less difficult but quite lovely Blueberry Mountain.

All around good safe choices that balance learning, challenge, group ability and trail conditions.

One last night in the mountains and then we are home tomorrow!

Good instructors + good protocols = safe course

I posted to twitter last night that I had heard from the Lincoln Woods crew and they were working with a student with a bruised foot. This is a great example of how great instructor teams following well written protocols results in a safe, high quality experience for students.

Here is what happened. The student bruised his foot so the professional instructor on the course gave it an examination and found no swelling but some tenderness. It was understandably difficult to hike with a bruised foot so the instructor team reduced the student's pack weight and decided to hike a shorter distance yesterday. The student reported decreasing amounts of pain but continued tenderness.

That evening they called in to let me know what was going on. We discussed a treatment plan for the student and several alternate route options for today and tomorrow.

We decided that if I don't hear from the group that means they are able to adequately treat the bruise in the field, and they will continue with their route as planned to their original pick up tomorrow. This means they will need to make up some miles today and tomorrow that they lost yesterday. But that is quite doable - in fact the last time I hiked this route with students we were able to combine the last two days into one long hike.

On the other hand if things don't improve they will call back. In that case they will either bring me in to help the student return to campus, or request a new pick up location tomorrow.

Either way it is a great example of solid instructors following our written safety guidelines to create a very safe and high quality experience in the field. Nice job, folks!

Bondcliff Group Spotted!

Clay is an amazing guy. Not only is he a skilled photographer and talented graphic artist, but he is also a nuts hiker! The last two years he has volunteered to hike in and find groups so he can get high res photos of students on dramatic peaks.

A few months ago he mentioned that he would once again like to try to get some photos of students crossing the Bonds in the Pemi Wilderness. Sounds good right? One small detail: it takes our students two days to hike to the Bonds, and Clay wanted to get in there, take pictures and get out in a single day!

The remarkable thing is that he not only managed to pull it off, but he even was able to talk a friend into going with him :)

Here is one of the pictures he took yesterday.
Many thanks, Clay! Next time you are on campus please let me know... I have something for you!

If you'd like to see more of Clay's pictures and read his hilarious account of his hike head on over here!

No news is good news

I've mentioned before that sometimes not hearing anything is the best possible situation. Although it's difficult to be here on campus, or far away at home and not know what is going on this is actually a very good situation.

The weather is good, the instructor teams are strong and students are well in the groove by day three!

To help you pass the time I thought I would post one of the activities the groups will do during the trip. We build a day into every route that has a short amount of miles. That gives groups a chance to rest and also be more reflective. This activity is perfect for that kind of day:

Letter to Self
The things we think about, experience and realize about ourselves and others on course can be powerful. Sometimes as we return to our everyday lives we can forget these lessons as we slip back into familiar patterns and roles. The goal of this activity is to have students create a tangible reminder of expedition that will come back to them in the future.

Warm up
Ask students to reflect on what they have experienced, thought about and maybe realized about themselves and others during the expedition. Was the program different than they expected? Did they experience things they didn’t expect?

Let students know they will have the opportunity to create a time capsule. They will be writing a letter that will incorporate these reflections as well as anything else they would like to record. We will deliver their letter back to them in the future so they may be reminded of this experience and time in their life.

Activity
Distribute paper and envelopes. Provide some time to write, perhaps in conjunction with the SOLO activity. When students are done they should seal their letter and address it to themselves at their home address.

Encourage students to capture reflections, learning or advice to their future selves. The more students can enter into this activity the more meaningful it can be. There is nothing worse than getting a letter from the past that doesn’t contain anything interesting and wishing you had taken it more seriously.

Cool Down
If students would like they may share something about what they wrote or what the experience was like for them.

Tell students we’ll be saving the letters and sending them back to them at some point in the future.

At the end of course we collect these letters and hold onto them for three years before we mail them back to students during their first year of college.

Our thoughts are with them!

I just got the best email from a parent who lives far from New Hampshire:

"It is great to follow along. Even though we are 3000 miles away, we feel close. I hope all parents and the students realize what they have this week - an unforgettable experience of a lifetime!"

Yesterday I told the Kinsman Notch group how proud I was of them, and how much everyone back home is thinking of them. Even though they had just had their biggest day of the whole trip and they were tired and hungry I saw them smile and stand a little straighter.

It makes such a difference to the students in the field when they know we have them in our thoughts!

"It's totally a mental thing..."

I went in to see one group this morning as I've already mentioned and managed to make it back in time to give my final exam. Unfortunately I left my camera in the car for this trip, but after I got back to the car I did snap this picture of the white blaze of the Appalachian Trail.
I also planned on another visit today... this time with the Gilman's Corner group.

When I met up with them it was hot and buggy and group leader Jon reported that his crew was tired but already in camp. One of the girls started talking about how actually the hiking and backpacking wasn't that physically difficult... rather it was the mental effort to keep going, to keep working, to figure out how to do everything and to stay positive.
It was great to hear the students starting to reflect on their experience already!

As I was getting back into the car to come home I realized that I wasn't very far from the Kinsman Notch group so I drove around a bit and hiked into two different places to try and find them. On my second try I managed to locate the group. This group was all smiles, they had just crossed the summit of Mt. Moosilauke - a beautiful peak - and had spent more than an hour on top! Although they were tired they were in good spirits. When I asked, "What should I tell folks back home?" they instantly replied, "All good stuff - we are doing great!"
A couple of students did stage a good natured escape attempt until they realized that waiting for a car to come by in the little town of Orford, NH might take a long, long time!
After that I thought I was done seeing groups. But on the drive home the road runs parallel to the river where the Pemi Baker group is paddling, so I was keeping my eye out on the off chance I could see the group. I had to drive back and forth a couple of times to make sure it was them, but sure enough I found them!
They were pretty happy to see me, not only because they were having a good time, but also because one of their canoes had sprung a leak. So I made a quick trip out to a hardware store for some epoxy.

All in all it was a great day. The groups I saw where on schedule, in great spirits and having a ton of fun.

I hope to get reports from the Bondcliff group tonight or tomorrow as Clay the photographer was planning to see them this morning. That just leaves Reel Brook and Lincoln Woods... I'll let you know if I hear anything!

Where are they now?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions during course... so I'll take a stab at it now. I should say this isn't based on communication with the groups (we only do that in an emergency) but rather with their written route plan that maps out each day's route. Can't figure out which group your child is in? Click here to see the group list which also lists the name of each crew based on their starting trail.

Bondcliff: The most spectacular day for this group, up and over a long ridge above tree line. We had lots of plans for what to do if weather was bad today... looks like we won't need them!

Gilman's Corner: Long build up is the name of the game for this group heading to their big summit bid in a couple of days. Rolling hills on the Appalachian Trail and looking forward to a camp site on a lovely pond.

Gordon Pond: Short day today, but steep! This was the group I visited this morning. They will drop down into Kinsman Notch and then after lunch attempt the very steep Beaver Brook Trail. Their reward is two fold: a nice shelter and an easy summit day tomorrow.

Kinsman Notch: Ended the day yesterday high on their route, today they should be enjoying a hike over the summit of Mt. Moosilauke, one of the gems of the western Franconia Range.

Lincoln Woods: Camped off trail yesterday and today will be crossing Mt. Flume a lovely jagged peak on the eastern side of Franconia Notch. Big views and dramatic photo opportunities today.

Pemi Baker: The canoe trip put boats in the water today! First task will be canoe training before a short paddle to their camp ground.

Reel Brook: Camped last night at at the Reel Brook shelter and today will be crossing a short but steep peak before descending to one of my favorite high mountain ponds for the night.

Day 2: Morning Update

I went in to see the Gordon Pond group this morning. This was a planned meeting with two purposes. First of all I was bringing in a student who couldn't make course start yesterday due to a long standing commitment. We had planned on this for a couple of months so it went smoothly, and also allowed me a chance to check in on the group.

As an added bonus there was a student int eh group who had borrowed boots from her grandmother (apparently quite a hiker: go grandma!). Unfortunately the trail was very muddy and the student put her boot into the mud and pulled it out but part of the sole wanted to stay behind and peeled off the bottom of the boot! It turns out the boots were a little past there prime!

So I was able to get some boots thanks to help from twitter and various other folks on campus. I felt a little like a traveling salesman as I laid out three different boot options for the instructor team when we met up this morning! They selected a pair they liked, the student joined the group and everyone is off and running!

How are you all doing? What questions do you have? Let me know in the comments... I'll bet if you ask a question someone else was wondering that same thing!

Downshifting From Ludicrous Speed

Do you remember that scene from Space Balls where they put their ship into ludicrous speed? The first day on expedition is kind of the opposite of that.

Our daily lives aren't just media rich and over stimulated... sometimes it can be a little ludicrous! We ask a lot of students and ourselves. We go from family or dorm to class, from class to lunch and meetings, from there to afternoon activities (don't forget play practice, extra help, dinner and time to relax), then off to study hall, evening duty and the all important after study hall video games.

*phew* how exhausting!

So when we get out on trail we really change the pace. After walking for an hour (maybe playing the geography game, or a minute mystery) it's time to take off your sweater... and that might be the highlight for that hour! We have everything we need with us... even the idea of getting somewhere is a flexible concept based on weather, the group and our ambition.

How cool is that?! Let's downshift right from ludicrous to authentic, mellow, in tune and well rested! That and a double helping of mac and cheese will help our students sleep well tonight.

Course Start 2010

The gym is empty and silent - another course start is complete and all groups are out on the trail!

The morning started with some final staff preparations and words of wisdom. We took a moment to snap this group staff shot before the sophomores arrived.

Once the students were here Mr. Menke said a few words to help the students focus in and get excited.
Then it was on to 'duffle shuffle' as we call it - the last clothing check before heading out on course. This is a chance to carefully look at every last piece of gear, borrow anything that is still needed and leave behind that shampoo and deodorant or whatever else might have seemed like a good idea in the morning.
I should mention that we don't rush out on course today, there is ample time for teaching the finer points of packing a backpack, important safety lessons or just a fun moment together as a crew.
After all that, it's time to ring the bell (letting campus know the group is heading out on course) and off to the bus.

Sophomores - best of luck, we know you will do a great job... learn... laugh... struggle... and overcome. We celebrate your efforts!

Course Prep

Today the staff arrive to prepare for the expedition. At 6:00am Paul, Marcus and I started schlepping all the gear out of the equipment room and down to the lower gym.
Then staff arrived and started to prepare everything for course start tomorrow. A couple of students even turned up to say hi, and see what was going on!

Let us know what you think!

Not only is it fun to follow along on the web site to see what is going on during the expedition, but you can also let us know what you think! Many parents will ask questions and cheer on the sophomores right here!

There are many ways to interact with us during the trip:

• If you have a question or comment about a post on the site, just click the 'leave a comment' link and type your message.
• If you are on twitter you can send a tweet (make sure to type #NHSSophx at the end of your tweet so we can see it), all SophX tweets show up in the right column there.
• If all this commenting and tweeting business is not your style just send me an email: hmundahl@newhampton.org and I'll answer your question!

The sophomores are about to become part of a 10 year tradition at New Hampton School, I can't wait to see where their trails will lead!

Weather!

I am frequently asked how the weather is up on course, so I've collected the best weather links I can find over at the top of the right side bar.

My personal favorite is the daily report from the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) which separates the weather for peaks and valleys and refrains from forecasting more than a couple of days out!

Are you or your children worried about the weather? Let us know in the comments!

Clothing Checks

I had a great question today from a parent who was asking about how we confirm that students have the correct clothing on course.

It turns out we're kind of obsessed by this! Of course we publish the clothing list, mail it home, and give it to students a couple of times. But it's during the weeks leading up to the trip that we really start to dig into this.

A couple of weeks before course we have a class meeting where we look at the most essential items of gear to make sure everything looks good. That includes sleeping bag, boots, long underwear and rain gear.

Next we have several weekend shopping trips to EMS and L.L. Bean, and even Walmart for the bargain hunters.

Sleeping bags can be expensive, so we rent those to students who don't want to buy one.

Finally right before the trip on Sunday morning, we spend about two hours going through all the clothing, checking and double checking. We have a stash of last minute loaner gear on this day. Unfortunately we can't completely outfit every student, but if someone thought cotton socks were okay, we can help in a pinch.

I believe that when students are (relatively) warm, dry, and well fed, then the magic of the SophX can happen. Checking clothing is a great first step to make this happen!

Welcome to SophX 2010

Hi folks - many of you may be checking into the SophX blog for the first time as we get close to the expedition! Welcome. I'm Hans Mundahl and I'll be helping the sophomores and their trip leaders have a successful trip.

During the trip I'll post info, pictures, updates and stories as I hear them from the field.

Two questions I am frequently asked:

• Q: Don't you go on the expedition? A: Not any more... I did for the early years, but now my role is different. If a group needs something it's my job to take care of them. In the past I've brought injured students out of the field (rare, but it happens), or brought supplies in (like the group that lost their cooking pot the first night when it was dropped into a brook and wasn't recovered).
• Q: How do you know what is going on out there? A: The short answer is I don't, although we pack sat phones out with every group, we don't use them except in an emergency. But from time to time a group will call in, or I will visit a group, or a photographer will hike in, and I'll get an update. Remember, in general no news is good news!

Check out the resources we have on the blog here, like the weather reports in the side bar (the AMC one is the best), the page just for parents, pictures from trainings and past years and many other resources.

If you still have questions, give me a shout: my phone number is (603) 677-3546 or my email is hmundahl@newhampton.org.

We look forward to taking the sophomores on expedition this year!

Leaders meeting for some logistical prep

Here we have Ms. Megan Frame and Brain Kilcoyne meeting up at Chase Street Market in Plymouth, NH to do some planning for their sophomore's awesome adventure!

Senior Leadership Development

Hi folks,

I am the spring Intern of Experiential Learning at NHS. This year I have accomplished many tasks leading up to the SophX including working with the senior leaders to prepare them for the expedition. Here are some pictures of them in the gear room and doing an activity that helped them better understand their role as a leader.

Enjoy,

Taylor Huntley

Gear Room is Filling Up

Round about this time of year the SophX gear room starts to fill up with food, sleeping bags, backpacks, stoves and all sorts of other gear.

A big thanks this year to our Plymouth State University intern Taylor who made this little video for us of his work getting gear into shape for the trip. Enjoy!

Pre Trip Meetings

Well - things are really heating up around here... but not in the sun screen, shorts and ball cap kind of a way. Actually what I mean is the expedition is really getting close to starting!

With just a few weeks from course start and we've seen every kind of weather New England can throw at us. We've had rain, snow (yes snow!), wind, sun, and bugs. All the more reason to carefully check through that gear list and pick up everything you need.

We've been busily packing gear, working over food lists, and counting spoons, whistles and packs. We've also been connecting with students and working through some basic and important information:

• Do we have everything we need?
• Where will we be sleeping on the trip?
• What will we be eating on the trip?
• Where are we going?

We have one more meeting coming up before we start out - so stay tuned!

Group List Announced

Update 5/4: Due to a couple of evolving medical issues the groups have been slightly revised. Please see below for the most up to date list.

Click the list to see it full size.
Note that except in rare cases this list is final. If you are concerned about a pre-existing medical condition and you haven't yet spoken with Mr. Mundahl please do so right away. Thanks!

Gear List & Other Thoughts

Hi folks, many of you are coming over to the SophX blog for the first time - welcome! We are very excited to be starting planning for the 10th year of our cooperative learning expedition.

We'll have lots of opportunities to talk more about the program, but first you'll need to start collecting your gear.

Here is the gear list - click the image to see it full size and you can print it out.
Have a question about what kind of gear to bring? Let me know in the comments and I'll reply right away!

Pictures Are In!

Enjoy the pictures from the SophX 2009!

All pictures can also be downloaded over on Flickr or you can watch a full screen slide show.

Update 5/22: Photo gallery now includes all disposable cameras from each group as well as digital pics from Mr. Brummer, Mr. Taylor, Ms. McClure & several pictures sent in by parents from course end.

Trail Magic

There was a couple of cool cases of trail magic this year. Trail magic takes many forms. The original meaning was treats or cold sodas left on the Appalachian Trail by locals for the enjoyment of through hikers.

But we had our own versions of trail magic. Our photographer Clay met a group and encouraged them to summit. There were a couple of interesting and inspiring hikers we shared shelters with (like the 33 year old retired Wall Street trader who was traveling around the world hiking and cycling).

Probably the most mysterious was this sign found on the trail head by the Reel Brook group. How did it get there, who put it there, nobody knows.

But the sentiment was clear - go for it, it's worth it.

Cycles

The Gilmans Corner Group taking a rest.

As the course ends and students head off to their dorms and parents I'm reminded of how student stories go through cycles.

Right now is perhaps the most pure and honest version of the story in all it's rawness. Was it hard, terrible, beautiful, challenging, tearful, awesome? You'll probably hear about it!

After a few hours and days the story starts to change. Blisters grow larger, miles longer, weather tougher. As students return to campus in the fall our (now junior) students will begin training up the new sophomores in the SophX mystique.

The remarkable thing is that by the time our students become seniors they want to return to the expedition! It seems the hardships and bruises have faded from memory and the friends, laughs, victories and good memories are all that remain.

Some times stories go in cycles. This year I've had the pleasure of working with Ted (8th year on the trip), Russ (5th year on the trip), Megan (second year on the trip after doing it as a student in 2002), and many senior student leaders. What are their stories?

I hope the stories you hear are wonderful, I'll bet they will involve hardship and triumph. And they will continue to grow and change and go through cycles.

PS: When I have pictures I'll put them on flickr for download and put a slides how here!

The foremost task of education

"I regard it as the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of these qualities:

an enterprising curiosity,
an undefeatable spirit,
tenacity in pursuit,
readiness for sensible self denial,
and above all, compassion."
- Kurt Hahn