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!