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

What's next?

So the SophX is slowly coming to a close. Easy for me to say, but it's true: the students have one more night out and then a quick hike or paddle out to the pick up.

Most everyone has a very brief day tomorrow, breaking camp and a couple of miles out to the trail head or boat launch.

After that it will be a whirlwind of driving, cleaning, unpacking, de-issuing and then... at long last... the blessed shower! I think the reservoir in New Hampton dips about six inches when the sophomores get back into town.

Pretty quickly your children will be back with you, the stories will come out and the pictures will come back.

This year I've been really impressed by three things in particular:

• The sophomores have been one of the most energized and upbeat classes in a very long time
• The remarkable staff who have delivered a safe and high quality program
  
• The fantastic engagement and excitement from you, the parents, families and fans
  

So the great students I know what to do with: I get to work with them next year in the classroom and also outside of the classroom on the Junior Urban Adventure also I hope many of them return to the SophX for their Senior Leadership Project.

The staff are my valued colleagues who I work with every day, so no problem staying in touch with them.

But my big question is how do I stay in touch with this impressive and energized group of parents, families and fans? You obviously care a great deal about the experiences of your children, you are web and tech savvy, you value this kind of learning... how do I keep you involved?

I would love your thoughts in the comments!

One route change so far

So far I've only connected with one group regarding a planned change in their route. The Gilman's Corner group will be climbing Mt. Moosilauke today with light packs and returning to camp for pick up near camp rather than crossing the mountain with full packs for pick up on the far side.

This is pretty remarkable, but I'm not quite convinced. My sense is I'll get a few more calls this afternoon and evening with requests for revised pickups. That would mean that groups have been adjusting their route to fit the needs of the group, everything is going well and they just need me to be someplace slightly different tomorrow morning.

I'll keep you posted as I hear more going into the afternoon.

Hey! Where are the pictures?!

I've heard from some parents who are just now finding the blog and are looking for the pictures from course start which are now bumped quite a ways down the blog.

Click here, or here or here to see pictures from course start, Sunday evening and Monday morning.

Engagement

This year I have feel like the Sophomores have been way more excited, fired up, and cautiously optimistic about the trip than in years past. On the one hand I attribute this to a great instructor group and some of the fun activities we've been doing with the students leading up to the trip.

Really though I think this class is exceptionally positive, supportive and ready for anything!

The interesting thing is that you've also been much more engaged - the parents, friends and family of our dear hikers! There are more than a dozen of you following the trip on Twitter and more than double the number of folks are visiting the blog than last year.

Blue = number of blog visitors this year. Green = visitors last year in same time period. Click for full size.

That's just awesome! It means that you are following along with the trip - you want to hear what is going on - and you'll be well prepared to hear the stories when the students return.

A few posts ago I asked if we should send some sort of technology onto the course so we could get updates out and you responded with a firm 'no thanks'. New question: should we set up a system where you can send messages into the course?

For example, we could have parents write letters to their children and we could have students open them at a certain time on course, such as during a solo experience?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Big Day Coming Up

We've been doing the expedition for the last 9 years and every so often somebody asks if we could do the trip in four days rather than five.

In many ways tomorrow is the most important day of the trip. It takes this long for a group to really get to the heart of working together. Anybody can deal with being wet or tired for a day or two, but by day four you see people's true nature come through.

It's remarkable to see quiet students come forward as leaders, folks who have been complaining for a day or two shift their perspective, or struggling hikers shoulder a heavy load.

Two hikers struggle with fatigue in this picture from SophX 2004.

The last time I was in the field I remember my group was pretty close to meltdown on a tough uphill climb late in the course. One student turned to his peers and shouted, "This sucks!" I was about to chide him for his outburst when my wiser co-instructor indicated I should let the moment play out. The student expressed his frustration at the group for their struggles and encouraged them to come together and complete the uphill. He dropped a few 'colorful' words, but his message was clear: we're better than this bickering, let's get it done.

To my delight the group totally came through the moment and went on to finish the day and the course really strong.

If I had to guess there will be some moments of struggle and triumph tomorrow that couldn't happen if the course were wrapping up already.

One more day - one more big day....

By way of explanation

I realized today that there are lots of people following the expedition that might not have a handle on the different roles on the trip.

Students: The heart and soul of the program. We are all here to help them learn, grow and develop as people.

Teacher Leaders: Talented educators at NHS who also love teaching outside the traditional classroom. These folks absolutely blow my mind - they teach, coach, dorm parent, have families and still make room in the busy end of the year to head out on expedition with students! I am renewed and energized working with these folks as my colleagues.

Professional Outdoor Educators: These guys and gals bring a passion for teaching in the outdoors, they all have Wilderness First Responder certification or better. All have at least 20 days of instructing young people in the back country. Some of our own NHS teachers are qualified to fill this role. This is how I started my career and I enjoy working with them as I see much of myself in them.

Student Leaders: This year we have seven juniors and seniors who are going out on the expedition as their Senior Leadership Project. These are students who love the outdoors, love the SophX and want to share that experience with others. A couple of the student leaders this year actually were very challenged last year on the expedition and came to appreciate what they learned so much they wanted to help others in this same situation.

Course Director: That's me, I stay home and coordinate the program. If someone is injured, or needs help I will go into the field and offer assistance. In the past this has looked like:

• Bringing dry socks to a wet group
• Hiking in a student who is joining the group late
  
• Evacuating students with turned ankles
• Helping counsel students who were struggling
• Bringing in a cooking pot to a group who lost it
• And managing lots of itinerary changes and pick up location changes

A couple people have asked if I'm tweeting and blogging from the woods or from basecamp. The truth is it's both, if I'm in the woods and can get cell reception I'll tweet from there and once I'm back I'll follow up with more details.

Teachable Moments

View of West Bond, photo from Flickr.

Experiential Learning is not only about planned experiences but also making the most of unplanned moments. I've heard these unplanned moments called 'Teachable Moments' and I think today was full of them for several groups.

First we had Gilmans Corner making a good call to slow down, now I hear from another group that is pouring on the speed!

Clay is a great guy who is a hiker and does a lot of graphic design work for the school. He is a very skilled photographer as well and has been trying for a few years to get good pictures from the SophX. This year he hiked in at the crack of dawn to catch up to the Wilderness group and take pictures of them crossing the Bonds.

It turns out (even though he started at 5am and hiked very quickly with no pack) that the Wilderness group had been up and out early, and stayed ahead of him the whole day and as a result he never ran into them! This is pretty remarkable as getting up and out with a group of students can sometimes be pretty challenging.

This means the group is functioning well, probably progressing into the Main or Final phase already!

Luckily the Zealand group was also coming over the Bonds from the other direction. So Clay was able to get some pictures and check in with this group as well. They were looking good he reports, though a little tired in the early afternoon.

The mountains can teach us many things: an early start and quick feet mean rest in camp, sometimes the mountains are bigger than we can handle and we need to readjust our plans, often if we listen to the wild we can learn what it has to teach.

These are just some of the teachable moments that I think came up today.

A little bumped and bruised

Archival footage of a group on the summit of Moosilauke from 2005

I just heard from Lindsay - the professional wilderness instructor out on the trail with the Gilman's Corner group. It sounds like the crew is a little bumped and bruised from the first three days of the expedition but doing okay. They are currently in a lean-to shelter at the base of Moosilauke and preparing dinner.

They were calling to check in and let me know that they are planning to modify their route for a different pick up location. The funny thing about this for me is that I did that exact same thing in 2001 from that exact same location when I was out with a group on the very first SophX.

The challenge of ascending the peak with full packs to a camp on the far side is looking like a bad call, so the group will make the peak with light packs instead and return to their shelter for a second night.

This call lets me know the group is doing exactly the right thing - they are dialing in the challenge to the right level to set the group up for success. Will it be hard? Yes. Will it be within their grasp if they come together and make it happen? You bet.

On another note the group said they saw the Kinsman Notch group today heading south to their pick up in two days. That means this group is on track and has the summit of Moosilauke under their belt!

Hmmm, still no news...

I know this might be frustrating for many of the folks following along but actually not hearing anything is probably the best news of all.

That means the crews are learning, hiking, reflecting, being challenged, overcoming obstacles and generally doing all the awesome things that SophX is all about.

I've always tried to strike a balance between reporting and intruding. I've thought about sending out video cameras, audio recorders or even cell phones on the trip but every year I've stopped short of doing any of those things.

For me it is such a precious part of the experience to be cut off, to be away, to tell the stories when you get home that I haven't been able to do it.

Maybe one day I'll cave in... what do you think? Would it enhance the experience for our students, or intrude? Leave your thoughts by clicking 'comment' at the end of this post.

PS - I'm going to try and get an update from the photographer when he gets back home sometime tonight. He must have had a great day today getting some pictures!

So...what, do they just hike?

I've had a couple of questions along these lines and a couple of Twitter requests for this so I thought I would write a little about the curriculum of the expedition.

From a big picture point of view our goal is to teach students about leadership, responsibility, conflict resolution and overcoming obstacles that at first seem insurmountable. While backpacking is a tool we can use to do this, not everyone is physically able to go backpacking. Thus the activity we do, hiking, canoeing or whatever, is just the medium we use to teach.

Students practice map reading before leading the group themselves in the 'Final' phase of the trip.

The real heart of the trip is the curriculum. That begins with a framework we call Training / Main / Final.

Training is the first phase of the trip where students are re-learning how to do everything. They must learn how to walk, keep themselves warm, even eat in a different way (not to mention using the bathroom!). Students in this phase of the expedition are learning key skills to take care of themselves and others in the outdoors.

Main is the part of the trip where higher level teaching happens. We have activities on leadership, decision making, conflict resolution and the connection of freedom to responsibility. Students are starting to take over parts of running their trip like deciding when to stop for a break, where to set up camp and what is for dinner.

During Final the instructors step back and let the students run the show. While they will always be on hand to monitor safety, many key choices like which trail is the correct one, how to cook dinner and when to break camp are up to the group. At times students may find they have made an error during this phase of the trip and have hiked out of their way, or may spoil dinner. How the students, with instructor facilitation, overcome these errors is one of the most interesting parts of the trip.

This progression from learner to competent hiker is quite possible in five intense days, but really the program isn't about creating outdoorsy people. These lessons apply not only to backpacking but also to school, family and life.

Safely overcoming a river crossing presents a good opportunity to hone leadership skills transferable far beyond the expedition.

As adolescents our students are actively negotiating the Training / Main / Final progression. At times in our work (and in your families perhaps!) this can be a challenge. As sophomores get their drivers permit they are taking a big step toward 'Final' yet they may need the support and care of 'Training' in school and family to overcome other challenges.

The skills they learn and practice on expedition (hikers and non-hikers alike) are directly transferable to the challenges and obstacles they will face as juniors and as young adults.

Interested in finding out more about the specific activities we might teach on course? In the 'For Parents' section of the right side bar there is a link to download a sample of our lessons.

Heading into Day 3

Day three is the toughest day mentally of the trip. It can be a time when tempers flare, energy wanes and the end of the course seems really far away. For many groups it is also the best day - many groups will be crossing their big summits or making big miles.

Here's what I know or can guess about the various groups. Remember that although groups carry satellite phones they are only for emergency use. 'No news is good news' is our motto. The information below is based on our pre-planned routes and the fact that I haven't heard from any groups so far!

• Gilmans Corner: This crew has had a long mellow start to their course as they traverse a beautiful part of the Appalachian Trail. Tonight they are probably camped near a mountain pond and tomorrow will have a short day for some reflective time. They'll need the break because Wednesday is their big summit push over Mt. Moosilauke.

• Reel Brook: Tonight this group is at one of my favorite camp sites in the Franconia Range: Kinsman Pond. This high mountain pond has a really remote and mysterious feeling. Tomorrow the group will drop down into Franconia Notch and climb back up out of the valley. This greulling day is rewarded by a beautiful high mountian campsite at Liberty Spring.

• Kinsman Notch: This is the group I hiked in to yesterday with Ross. They hiked up and over Mt. Moosilauke today and must have had a windy, cold summit with big views. Tonight they are down low in the valley and will have a shorter day tomorrow with reflecting, writing and resting on the agenda.

• Gordon Pond: Although the Gordon Pond and Kinsman Notch crews are on very similar routes they probably won't see each other. The Gordon Pond group is preparing for a summit bid on Moosilauke tomorrow! This group was making all kinds of plans to extend their mileage when we met at course prep. They were asking great questions like, "If we do the first and second days all together, then how much further south on the AT could we get?"

• Zealand: This group had a somewhat shorter day yesterday and is currently most likely camped at a high mountain tent site near the Bondcliffs. This remote route will not see or cross a road for five days! Tomorrow is their big summit day as well, crossing over the infamous Mt. Bond along to The Cliffs and then down into the valley.

• Mayhew: This crew arrived on the island today and settled in. They were going hike the island, do some teaching, and tomorrow they begin preparations for their canoe expedition. This probably means they will be getting wet practicing flipping canoes and that kind of thing. Brrr!

• Lincoln Woods: These folks are hiking the same route as Reel Brook from the other direction. That means they are also preparing for the big drop out of the valley and back up the other side. They are heading for Kinsman Pond.

• Wilderness Trail: Like their companions in the Zealand group, the Wilderness crew is preparing to cross the Bonds heading north. They had a short day today resting up and honing their camp craft today so they would be ready for a big alpine start in the morning.
  

Well that's what I know right now - I'll keep you posted as I know more.

Just now as I was writing this post the cell phone rang and I just about jumped out of my skin. I was thinking everyone was probably in camp and done with dinner - why would they call?!

It turns out it was Clay, the photographer I mentioned in one of my tweets earlier. We made a plan to check in tonight before he headed out tomorrow to meet the Wilderness and Zealand groups for some pictures on top of the Bonds. Our pre-arranged signal with the groups in the field was that if I didn't hear anything then that meant they were on track and ready to be photographed!

Stay warm everyone - and safe hiking in the morning.

Group List

As I was getting ready to make a post about who is going where I realized I had never posted the group list to the blog! I usually do that weeks ago but I forgot - and I was assuming everyone reading the blog knew what group their child was in. That might not be true so here is the group list. I've removed last names for internet safety purposes so if you're having a hard time figuring out where your child is please just email me hmundahl@newhampton.org.
Click the image to see it full size.

Each group is given a name based on the trail head they start at but many groups make up their own names (like Team Super Awesome below).

So now I can start talking about where various groups are and everyone knows where their child is!

Frost Advisory

The National Weather Service reports today that:

A FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM
EDT TUESDAY.

AN UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR MASS OVER NEW ENGLAND COMBINED WITH A MAINLY CLEAR AND CALM NIGHT...WILL ALLOW FROST TO FORM IN MANY SPOTS FROM THE FOOTHILLS ALL THE WAY TO THE COAST. SOME OF THE NORMALLY COLDER SPOTS COULD FALL BELOW FREEZING... BUT A HARD FREEZE IS NOT EXPECTED.

Looks like it will be cold but calm. There were many students who looked at me like I was crazy when I told them they needed a hat and mittens, five pairs of socks and 2-3 fleece layers for a hike in May.

Tonight they'll be wearing all that and be nice and warm!

Team Super Awesome

So I was helping the non-hiking group get started this morning and I asked the crew off hand what their group name was. Clay shot back, "It's 'Team Super Awesome'!" Right away people started laughing and disagreeing, apparently they hadn't actually called themselves that yet. As I snapped a few pictures and then waved them off they were still chuckling about this.

Sometimes a group name just chooses a group and I wonder if they will all be calling themselves this when they return!

The non-hikers are an often misunderstood group. We ask all sophomores to go on the expedition even folks who have injuries or ailments, so we need to have a group that has different challenges than a traditional backpacking program. This group will be on Mayhew Island in Newfound lake and then do a two day canoeing expedition.

Challenges that fit the group and the same curriculum of activities, discussions, and reflections as the hiking groups make the two experiences very similar.

Good luck, Team Super Awesome!

Gado Gado

I've had a few requests for this so I thought I'd post it. One of the most popular meals on the trip is the spicy Thai peanut sauce called Gado Gado. Here's what you do:

Before you go camping make Gado Gado mix:

1.5 cups vinegar
1.5 cups oil
1.5 cups brown sugar
1.5 cups soy sauce
1.5 cups peanut butter
1 jar Mrs. Dash spice mix

Put it all in a couple of water bottles or solid screw top plastic bottles. Put it in a backpack and hike a few miles to mix thoroughly.

At supper time cook a quarter pound of pasta per person. Drain well. Mix the Gado Gado with the pasta. Serves 12.

Update 3:30pm: This meal is an adaptation of one that NOLS uses, if you'd like to see the meal in the original context (for 2-3 people) check out their 'cookery' Web site.

Beautiful Clear Night

I just got back from bringing Ross into his group. Ross is one of our student leaders and an EMT. His brother graduated from college this morning and of course Ross wanted to be there so he and I made a plan to bring him into his group tonight. Senior leaders are such an important part of the program, they help teach, mentor and lead our students much like proctors do in the dorm.

We were very fast up the Beaver Brook Trail tonight. This trail (part of the AT) is very steep as it ascends the north flank of Mt. Moosilauke. When I say steep, I mean steep! There are foot holds and grips cut into the stone in a couple of places - really lovely and fun. Here is the view from the trail looking north east to Lafayette, Liberty and Flume. These are peaks that other SophX groups will be crossing in the coming days.
As we got within about 1/4 mile of the group's camp site we found snow packed on the trail. Just as we were wondering how much further it was to camp we met Mr. Anderson and Winslow (and Mr. Anderson's dog Cutter) hiking down the trail to meet us!
Very cool to see them. We chatted about the hike a bit and then I passed Ross along to them and I headed back. I was back in the parking lot at 7:00pm, well ahead of the setting sun.

Ross and I talked about what lessons he was going to teach to the younger students and we agreed he would probably do a first aid lesson with his background in medicine. Very cool that he is out with his group with no problems.

Tomorrow the group plans to cross Moosilauke and continue south on the Appalacian Trail.

Earth is Good to Us

When I ask Mr. Menke (head of school) to send off our students for the expedition with some words of wisdom I have to admit I never quite know what I'm going to get. Will he lie on the floor? Whisper? Clap three times?

Today Mr. Menke sang us a song - a lovely song I knew from my camp days:

The earth is good to us.
And so we thank the earth.
For giving us the things we need:
The sun, the rain and the apple tree.
The earth is good to us.

Well I couldn't agree more - and we had both a little sun and rain today. The earth is good to us, and that is one of the things I hope our students will discover this week: an appreciation for the power and beauty of nature.

Here are some pictures I took as folks were getting ready and heading out.


I'm heading into the woods tonight to connect with a group and bring a student leader into their group late due to a pre-planned family engagement. More tonight!

Where will their path lead?

When I first encountered New Hampton School I was a young Outward Bound instructor more focused on climbing and paddling than working. A friend of a friend new about a school that was hiring professional instructors for a five day backpacking course, was I interested?

The chance to hike for a week with young people and get paid for it was irresistible and I jumped at the chance. After the course I wanted to find out more about the school and it's teachers and students.

For me, the path I walked with the SophX back in 2001 led directly to a career at NHS that has lasted until this day. I wonder what paths our students will walk this week, and what changes, opportunities and revelations will come as a result?


I showed this movie in School Meeting this week to get folks fired up. All the quotes are taken directly from the past eight years of student reflection and feedback after the course.

Many sophomores have walked this path before, and many will follow. But for each student the experience is uniquely personal and fresh, as if it were the first time we ever did the trip.

Welcome to SophX 2009!

Welcome to the Sophomore Cooperative Learning Expedition 2009! This blog is the place to be for updates, pictures, links and resources relating to the New Hampton School's 5 day backpacking expedition known as the SophX.

During the expedition I'll be posting daily updates and pictures. I'll also be embedding my Twitter stream here so I can text in updates when I'm up in the mountains. To get these updates you can visit this page often or follow me on Twitter.

While we are busy preparing for the trip you can check out the links and resources for students and parents on the right side of the page. Also look at previous posts from the past few years to get an idea about what the expedition is like.

Still have questions? Give me a shout:

Hans Mundahl
(603) 677-3546
hmundahl@newhampton.org

I look forward to hearing from you!

Pictures are coming in!

I've posted the first pictures back from our disposable cameras on course. See the small slide show at the top right. Click any picture to see the full version, download it, blog it or whatever!

If you have pictures of your own from your digital camera please email them to me or post them somewhere that I can download them and I'll use them for the official slide show!

Update 6/6 - I added pictures from the Wilderness Trail group who dubbed themselves 'Escape from Narnia.' See the pictures in slide show as well as on Ms. Saxe's Facebook album.

You can also see all the pictures at once here and check out the staff training pictures while you are at it!

Closing the gear room door

Well we closed up the gear room door so the expedition must have come to a close! Everyone is back, everything is put away and we're shifting gears to prepare for graduation.

It was a great trip this year, with suffering and joy in the right proportions. I'll post pictures from today as soon as I'm able.

I'll put together all the course pictures into a slide show and share that here as well.

Congratulations Sophomores!

SophX almost wrapping up

Today has been pretty quiet and that's been my experience over the years. The biggest days are the middle ones, when five days seems like an impossibly long time and the pack doesn't seem to be getting any lighter.

Around this time students and staff start to put things into perspective. They might become more reflective and thoughtful as the course is coming to a close. Or they might just be getting more hungry for that cheese burger or pizza!

I'll post pictures and everything from course end later tomorrow but I'll be posting mobile updates all throughout the morning.

If you are looking to see your child tomorrow you can welcome them back at the upper gym around 11:00am. But they will have a few hours of work to do to wrap up, clean their gear and put it all away. Kids can be expecting to be heading to lunch, showers or home by around noon.

Over the hump

Today will feel like a corner has been turned for many of the hikers. Not only is it sunny and warm in the mountains this morning, but tomorrow is also pick up day!

We had some rain this evening on campus that amounted to little more than a sprinkle in the mountains. One group told me they had all their sleeping bags and layers hung out to dry when the rain came in. In a flash the students pulled their sleeping bags, set up the tents and had everything bombproof within 10 minutes! Looks like this group has mastered some soft and hard skills here!

I got second hand news from the Reel Brook group. They were sighted yesterday on track with their planned route ascending to Liberty Spring tent platforms. Assuming all is continuing to go well with them that means they will climb over Mt. Flume today and get big views.

Groups will be meeting pick up drivers tomorrow morning and returning to campus. By noon they should be done with unpacking and cleaning their equipment. Pretty exciting!

No news is good news

So far I haven't heard at all from a couple of groups. Remember - if I don't hear from them that's actually good news right!

Gordon Pond - Probably crossed Moosilauke today, it must have been an amazing day with big views.

Gilman's Corner - Should be at the base of Moosilauke heading in the other direction, might have seen the Gordon Pond crew on their way by.

Reel Brook - If they are on track they would have crossed the Franconia Notch today, their biggest mental and physical day, and are camped at Liberty Spring tent platforms for a chilly third night.

Oh, I almost forgot I also did hear from the Mayhew group today. They had a good hike today and are gearing up for their overnight canoe trip tomorrow.

Blizzard causes hikers to retreat

I just got back from checking in with the Wilderness Trail group. They were crossing the Bonds yesterday when a sudden snow squall hit them in the late afternoon. They were forced to retreat from the bare exposed summit (good call) and hunker down for what turned out to be a cold, wet night. As one member of the group put it, "I never would have expected a blizzard in May!"

Actually snow isn't that rare on the expedition. Most years we at least see snow on the trail and about every other year we have some fall during the course. They reported about 3"-4" fell during the night.

What is more rare is the large bull moose that they saw today! I've been hiking for years in the White Mountains and I've never seen a moose on the trails. They saw a big one today and were able to snap a few pictures before it lumbered off into the woods.

I spoke with the group this morning when they were pretty beat and needed some rest. By the time I caught up with them at camp they were much more rested and drying out. I dropped off some socks and sleeping bags I had brought and that cheered them up even more!

Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures of them. Right now they are figuring out how to modify their route for the next few days and playing cards.

Some students return, others able to stay out

I just got back from visiting the Lincoln Woods group. They are doing well but a few students needed to come back to campus due to medical concerns. Here is the group when we met on the trail.

Their spirits were good. Jeff let me know he was having a great time and was thrilled about the summits they had crossed yesterday.

It was sad to bring the three girls out, but I'm glad that we did. They each had medical concerns that we needed to have looked at before they became more significant issues.

On the drive back we stopped and got out to take this picture of the peak they had climbed yesterday. Mt. Flume is the pointed one just above Stephanie. Some clouds were coming in as we were heading back to campus but the day was mostly sunny and warm.

To hear them talk on the ride home they are proud and relieved to be getting the care they need to stay healthy. I'd like to tell them that they did a great job and they should be proud of what they achieved!

During the day I also heard from the Zealand Group and although they modified their route to avoid some snow they are doing well. They had a student with a twisted knee yesterday that they have rested and treated and don't need any assistance. Nice job!

The Wilderness Trail group had an exciting night last night in a sudden blizzard and retreated today to a campground to wisely get some rest and warm up. I'm planning on visiting them tonight to bring them some dry sleeping bags.

Visiting some groups today

I'm going to be visiting some groups today to help folks recover from the cold and wet night they spent last night. The good news is several groups readjusted their routes to accommodate local conditions. If a trail was too snowy or the group too wet, they opted to stay at a lower elevation or not hike as far. Decision making, leadership and conflict resolution are key parts of the curriculum and these are the kinds of conditions that bring out the best teachable moments.

That being said I also know we have a few bumps and bruises that I need to take a look at. I think there will be a few folks coming out of the woods today and I'll keep you posted on that as I know more.

When students return early from expedition they often experienced mixed emotions. They may be glad to no longer in the field, but sad to have left their group. They may be upset at being injured or sick, but happy to be getting the care they need. Often students feel an attachment to their group and their friends and find it hard to go.

Day 2 Update

So I saw one group today and heard from another. I thought I would give you an update on how those groups are doing as well as speculate about the others. In general I'm referring to the groups by trail name so if you're wondering what group your child is in please see the group list.

I touched base with the Kinsman Notch group today. They had just come across Mt. Moosilauke and reported driving snow and high winds. They were already down in the valley by 3:30pm though and into an early camp at a nice shelter. I helped assess a student with an ankle strain and after consulting with the student's parent and the athletic trainer here at NHS we agreed the student could remain in the field.

I snapped this picture of Owl's Head right after leaving the group. It gives you a sense of how green and wet everything is right now.

The Zealand group called in a few hours ago to report a change in route due to snow. They said they were 'cold and wet' but had started supper and were glad to have redirected their route away from the higher peaks for the moment.

Gilman's Corner had a nice rolling hills kind of a day, they are camping off trail tonight near the lovely Wachipuka Pond. They will be heading over Moosilauke soon so hopefully the weather is better for them than it was for the Kinsman Notch group.

Reel Brook must have had an exciting day today as well as they crossed the Kinsman Ridge, probably in some snow. Tonight they are bedded down at my favorite spot in the White Mountains - a high mountain pond with a dramatic peak rising up from its shores.

Lincoln Woods crossed Flume today, a dramatic peak with great views that was probably socked in with clouds. They are at the coldest camp of their route at Liberty Springs tent platform. They are now on the Appalachian Trail - if we don't pick up their group on Thursday they will be able to keep hiking all the way to Springer Mountain, Georgia!

Mayhew was on the island today, getting settled in and practicing canoe skills for their overnight canoe trip the day after tomorrow.

Gordon Pond had a moderate day today, short on miles but steep as they ascended to the Beaver Brook tent platform. Tomorrow they will cross Moosilauke.

Wilderness Trail - I haven't heard from so I'm thinking they are cozied up next to the Bondcliffs and are hoping tomorrow to cross that awesome ridge.

That's what I know so far or can reasonably guess. I was talking to the mother of one student today and expressed the idea that because we have instant communication from anywhere on the trail (with our sat-phones) if we don't hear anything that's actually really good news.

Frequently Asked Questions During Course

Hey Mr. Mundahl - I thought you went hiking with the Sophomores?
I know, I know - everyone thinks I'm going hiking this week. I went for years in the early days of the program and gave up going out to organize the trip. So now I coordinate and communicate and most importantly assist groups if they need help or have to remove a student from the field. I've written about this every year - it's hard for me not to go, but I enjoy facilitating the adventures of others as much as taking the adventures my self!

Have you seen the group my friend/son/daughter/teacher is in?
Maybe. I typically see a few groups during the week but only if something is wrong or if there is a planned contact. Every year there is a few groups I don't see or hear from during the whole week and that's a good thing! If I do see a group though - I'll post an update from the group and pictures if I can get them.

So what happens if they need to get in contact with you?
Back in the day we had to hike out and then knock on doors to use the phone to get a message back to campus. When cell phones came out this got a little easier but the coverage in the mountains isn't great. Now that satellite phones are cheap enough to rent we send one out with every group. They keep them off until they are needed but they have greatly improved our communications.

Can you take a message to my friend/son/daughter/teacher?
Probably not. Since I don't know who I'm going to see when it makes it hard to deliver messages. In fact the great thing about being in the woods is that we are separate from others and have time to be with just ourselves and a small group of people. You can leave a comment on this post though if you want and students can see that when they get back!

Are they doing okay?
You bet! Right now (1:30pm on Day 2) the groups are hiking, making miles, teaching curriculum and making the magic happen. If I don't hear anything that's good news. If I do hear something you'll hear about it asap!

Mayhew Group Departs

The Mayhew Group is packed and heading out this morning. This group is a little unique in that they didn't choose to be together but due to a variety of circumstances they can't hike on the expedition. Since the SophX is a required part of the New Hampton curriculum we have a good schedule planned for 'non-hikers.'

The group is heading to Camp Mayhew where they will face challenges and experiences that are very similar to the hikers in a context that is safe for their needs. Last year this group really came together even giving themselves a rather unique team name. Best of luck Mayhew Crew!

Requests?

Several parents have emailed me to ask if I might send them a map of their child's route.  I used to post these maps online and then some parents hiked in and found their child's group on the trail!  While it was nice for the student to see their parents it was a little disruptive to the group :)  So I'm going to email maps to anyone who asks with the understanding that this is for informational purposes only!

Also check out a little video I made from last year that flies the viewer through the Reel Brook route.

But that led me to wonder if there was other content you all would be interested in seeing on this site?  I'll always post pictures as I have them from the groups when I'm in the mountains of course.  But are there other things you are interested in seeing?

Just click on the "comment" link below or email me and I'll be happy to provide what I can here!

First Night

I just got back from checking in on the Gordon Pond group. We had a student who, as planned, was entering the field this afternoon rather than this morning. I drove him up and hiked him into his group in a light drizzle. The trail was dry and the bugs weren't out at all. We connected up with his group and after checking in with Mr. Stiles I headed back home.

Tonight most groups reached their campsite a few hours before dark and had time to set up camp, figure out stoves and tents and sleeping arrangements. Everyone heard a few core safety lessons already, possibly before even leaving campus. These include what to do if you are lost or separated from the group and what to do in a thunder and lightning storm.

For many students the trip seems pretty long and Thursday pretty far away. If you would like to add a comment to this post you can share your thoughts and hopes for our students by clicking the 'comment' link at the end of this post.

Hikers Depart for the Mountains

After months of planning and anticipation the day has finally arrived for our students to head into the woods. We all met in the gym and Mr. Menke started us off with a warm up activity in which we did a 'victory lap' around the gym chanting and whooping it up.


He then shared some words of wisdom and his thoughts on the expedition. It was great that he could take the time to visit with the Sophomores and see them off on their adventure.

Camping must be in the air. On my way over to the gym to get started I ran into two juniors who had camped out on the lower field. A nice night out, until the sprinklers had come on!

Two of our instructors were goofing around this morning. They have a small group so they don't need to take out our new big tents. I'm sure they don't want to carry the large tents, but it looks like they are a little sad anyway.

All the groups are out in the field except the Mayhew Crew which will depart tomorrow morning. Looks like a good start so far!

Prep Day Complete

Prep day was a great success. We had tents being checked, food being packed and instructor teams discussing how they were going to deliver curriculum.

My favorite quote from the morning was one instructor who said, "Wow, this is all really organized - thank you!"

Overall it feels good to have the crews packed out and ready to go. This is one of my favorite pictures from the day - our student leader Zac packing up.

Packed and ready

I was just up in the gear room checking everything out one last time before we head out. I'm very pleased with the great work Matt, Ilana and all of our staff have done to get us ready for the expedition. Here is a shot of our sleeping bags ready to go into the hands of our students.

Each group gets their gear packed in one bin and their food packed in another. Of course they will repackage everything into their backpacks prior to departure.

Even our signs got spruced up this year.

Just a few days now!

Here We Go

So the SophX is just days away now and I have to say we're all a little excited, overwhelmed and loving the beautiful weather at the moment.

Students are finalizing last gear checks, reviewing hiking routes and thinking about what they will learn and experience on the expedition.

I've added some new resources on the right hand sidebar for parents and visitors to the site.

Stay tuned for updates to the blog during the trip and pictures as I can get them. I'm also adding a new feed that I can update from my cell phone for the most up to date info. Check out the 'Mobile Updates' on the top right for the most up to date happenings from the expedition!

First Group Meeting

Today groups had their first meeting to discuss their fears & joys as well as go over the clothing list.

Some of the fears included: going to the bathroom in the woods, being the slowest person, not showering, being dirty, being the messiest person, people who complain, being away from campus, not getting along with people in my group and sleeping on the ground.

Some of the joys included: not taking final exams, people in my group, having fun, trying something new and working together.

Hopefully as we get closer to the trip we will have less fears and more joys.

And the groups are...

See below for the SophX group list. Please click the image to see it full size.

Updated 5/17.

Why you need to break in your boots

This summer when I was on NOLS there was a girl on my course who didn't get a chance to really break in her boots. After a few days she had a blister we named "Ivan the Terrible." Even after we returned from the field, her foot still wasn't the same. We don't want to see any "Ivan the Terrbiles" on this trip, so even if you don't like the way your boots look, WEAR THEM ANYWAYS!

Group Selection

Today during advisee meeting students selected who they would like to be in a group with for the expedition. Next week during class meeting will be the first time groups get together with their teachers and go over the gear list as well as their concerns about the trip.

Staff and students prepare for the expedition

Over the last few days there have been some important preparations underway to help make sure both our teachers and our students are ready for the expedition.

Over the weekend we took most of the SophX teachers out for an overnight backpacking training.

On the training we taught both 'hard' skills like stove use, tent set up and building dining rooms from snow, as well as the 'soft' elements of our curriculum such as the activities and teaching points students will experience on the trip. We also had amazing weather and we think we saw the International Space Station fly by overhead at one point.

As you can see there was lots of snow which will be an issue we will deal with during the expedition in the end of May. We are already starting to modify the program for safety reasons to accommodate the big snow we've had this year. For example we'll be changing the routes we hike to avoid large (or even medium sized) stream crossings which will be very dangerous this spring.

Today in Class Meeting we did an exercise with the Sophomores to help them understand their own leadership style and strengths in a group.

We also discussed the leadership styles that complimented and conflicted with a student's own.

From now to the trip we'll be meeting with Sophomores in class meetings to help them prepare for the expedition. To see more pictures from the trip click the slide show on the top right. If you have questions, comments or concerns please let us know!

Here we go!

Greetings sophomores, parents, faculty and other interested folks! We're starting to think about our annual five day backpacking expedition for our sophomore class!

Since 2001 we've been taking our sophomores to the back country to teach core elements of cooperative learning in a hands on environment in which students own both their successes and their setbacks. The theme of the Sophomore Expedition is "There is more in us than we know," after a quote by educator Kurt Hahn.

Today at class meeting I'm going to roll out the program, talk about why we do the trip, and answer questions. We will also distribute the clothing list so folks can start thinking about what to bring back from the spring break. Parents: we're also sending all this information to you at home.

I find that if students worry about the expedition without anything to do then they will be stressed out rather than prepared for the trip. So here are some ways we can all prepare for the trip and make the run up a little less stressful.

To start with check out the slide show from last year!


A good next step might be to read the frequently asked questions.

Want more? Great! You can check out our notes on clothing and good equipment to bring on expedition. Remember the gear list is coming home both by mail and with your child. Or you can view it online.

For now - let's get psyched! Spring is coming and we're going camping together!

What do you think?

Before you know it we'll be back out in the White Mountains discovering that "there is more in us than we know." To kick off SophX this year, we have two survey questions on the right side bar.

Please complete these surveys during adviser meeting on Thursday February 8th.

Thanks!
ms. saxe

And the winner is . . . .

At the start of the expedition we announced a photo contest to take the best picture of our new packs. I'm happy to let you know that we have a winner. This picture, taken by Ms. Saxe, Mr. Mathison and Travis's group appealed to us the most.
Congratulations - I'll be contacting the instructor team to figure out who took - or set up - this shot to give them the good news!

Slide Show!

Here is the 2007 Sophomore Cooperative Learning Expedition slide show - first seen last week.

Once again - great job Sophomores!

Wrapping It Up

Well folks, that's the SophX 2007! Soon your children will be returning to you, many in fact already are.

You'll hear stories, boasts, tales, or maybe even nothing at all. Don't worry, all the details will come out. For now it might be a little overwhelming coming back to the 'real world.'

After we're through the hectic days of last classes, exams, graduation and all that fun stuff I'll get back to work on the blog. I have the slide show that we saw this morning to get online as well as the video of everyone getting off the buses to edit.

Stay tuned for that! For now - congratulations Sophomores!