In the weeks leading up to the eighth-grade trip, many classroom days are dedicated to learning backcountry skills and how to travel through the wilderness. Students rotate through a series of preparatory classes that include map reading, solo tarp set-up, trail health and safety, journal writing, proper equipment, and Wilderness Leave-No-Trace ethics.
The students also take a hike up Buttermilk Mountain to test out their boots and get the feel of hiking uphill. The hike offers the students an opportunity to get outside and get a taste of what is to come during their eighth-grade trip.
In the days before departure, patrol leaders begin to extensively check the gear for each student to make sure that all gear is present and appropriate for our trip. We really appreciate all the gear coming in on the first day of pack check, so please consider starting to collect the required gear BEFORE school even starts.
The students also take a hike up Buttermilk Mountain to test out their boots and get the feel of hiking uphill. The hike offers the students an opportunity to get outside and get a taste of what is to come during their eighth-grade trip.
In the days before departure, patrol leaders begin to extensively check the gear for each student to make sure that all gear is present and appropriate for our trip. We really appreciate all the gear coming in on the first day of pack check, so please consider starting to collect the required gear BEFORE school even starts.
How You Can Prepare
Getting out on hikes with family or friends, during the summer, is a great way to prepare for your eighth-grade trip. Breaking in new boots will make your feet much happier when you hit the trail.
Getting out on hikes with family or friends, during the summer, is a great way to prepare for your eighth-grade trip. Breaking in new boots will make your feet much happier when you hit the trail.