Itinerary Overview and Travel Information: What you are doing and how to get there Colorado Rockies Mountaineering 15 & 22 days Course Description Welcome, you re in for the experience of a lifetime! Imagine hiking through rolling forests, sharing alpine meadows with mountain goats and scaling windswept peaks. Imagine setting up camp at the end of each day, high in a valley overlooking the Rocky Mountains, and settling down for the night under a thick blanket of shimmering stars. Each day you will be getting to know your newfound community better, learning about the area and yourself, laughing with your expedition mates, and exploring America s most famous mountain range. You don t need to have previous backpacking or climbing experience to fully embrace this extraordinary expedition, which combines beautiful environments and exciting activities with an emphasis on individual growth and community. In the mountains, you will learn both the basics and the finer points of living in the backcountry, as well as working in a team to achieve your goals. You will scale peaks high above treeline and stop often to admire awe-inspiring vistas. Your Instructors are highly qualified backpackers and dedicated educators. They will serve as teachers, trainers, and mentors as you learn the skills required for wilderness travel. Through daily discussions, they will also help you and your group to discover the larger meaning to be found in these activities. You will discover much about yourself: how you deal with uncertainty, stress and challenge; how you can better work with others; and your potential as a leader. Wilderness travel is demanding. This course may be the hardest thing you have ever done. You should be aware of what you re getting into and be excited about tackling the challenges. It can literally take every waking moment to get from point A to point B. From steep mountain hiking with a heavy pack to waking up well before the sun rises, traveling in the wilderness can be hard. Past students agree that arriving physically fit and mentally prepared to take on challenges will enhance your experience and ability to do well on your course, ultimately allowing you to take full advantage of your expedition. Itinerary and Course Activities Mountaineering and Backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Your course starts near a trailhead at the foot of the imposing, high summits of the Rocky Mountains. Above you lie rolling forests, steep rocky slopes and miles and miles of remote, alpine meadows and high mountain streams. Over 50 peaks push above 14,000 in Colorado, but countless craggy peaks and ridges Page 1 of 9
weave between valleys and basins as far as the eye can see. If the timing is right, the mountains will be full of vibrant wildflowers, from the delicate glacier lily that emerges just after the snow recedes to the famous blue and red columbines that brighten the trail. While in the mountains, each day is spent learning to live and travel comfortably in this beautiful but demanding environment. You and your companions will work to become a team, learning navigational skills and group decision-making. Rock climbing is a fun way to push your limits while building movement skills. Each day your Instructors will explain more to you, allowing you to develop the tools you need to live comfortably and have fun in the backcountry. Breaks throughout the day for lunch, snack or just to rest provide unparalleled views and allow you time to take pictures and soak in the views around you. Time on the trail is a great way to make friends and provide stories and laughter throughout the day, often starting right when you wake up! Your Instructors will introduce you to the most important elements of mountain life: environmental stewardship, outdoor cooking, first aid, communicating as a team, taking care of yourself and, of course, exploring the steep terrain of the high summits. After learning the basics of backcountry living, navigation and group communication you and your team will earn your stripes by graduating into the Main phase of course. You will build on your experience in the first Training phase of course by moving deeper into the mountains and spending more time off trail. The lessons and the travel will become more advanced as you push into more remote terrain. Camping high in a basin, the highest summits and ridges of Colorado will be just above you, ready for you to explore. Early one morning, you and your team will set out to attempt a nearby peak. The rope and movement skills you ve practiced on course will need to be combined with your new mountain travel experience as you attempt a steep, airy summit requiring your full effort and focus. If the weather allows, success will depend entirely on you and your group s efforts, planning and decisions. Toward the end of course, you and your team will have a chance to graduate into the Finals phase of your expedition. On Finals, you and your team will have to rely on all the skills you ve learned and practiced so far to get you through. Your Instructors will be there to make sure you are safe, but they will be looking to you to make the decisions. Your route will take you up thousands of feet over high mountain passes and down deep, dramatic, twisting valleys. Stepping up to the challenges of managing a time schedule, navigating through the mountains and dealing with communication issues that arise as the group makes the necessary decisions can all be intimidating, but you ve been given the experience and the tools to handle the challenges your Page 2 of 9
Instructors set before you. When you emerge from Finals you will understand a truth: there is more in you than you thought possible. Each Outward Bound Colorado course is based in one of these spectacular ranges of the Rocky Mountains listed below. No matter where your course takes place, there will be hiking, fantastic views and challenges. Sawatch Range This range contains the three highest peaks in Colorado Mt. Elbert (14,433), Mt. Massive (14,421) and Mt. Harvard (14,420) Two Wilderness areas in this range are the Collegiate Peaks and Mount Massive Wildernesses. Many of its more prominent peaks were named for the alma maters of early explorers and surveyors. Professor J. D. Whitney, who led one of the first and most famous survey parties through Central Colorado, named Mt. Harvard after the school that funded the expedition. Another peak became Mt. Princeton, named for the Princeton University Scientific Exploration survey teams. However, many first ascents in this range can be attributed to nameless miners searching for gold and silver, which were both abundant. The silver bust of 1893 caused many once booming cities to become ghost towns. Some courses may visit the northernmost part of the range, which includes Mount of the Holy Cross (14,051 ) in the Holy Cross Wilderness. Gore Range Jagged and snow-covered for much of the year, the Gore Mountains are isolated and have few signs of civilization. Located near Vail, the range contains technically demanding peaks and incredibly high passes. They were named after a wealthy Irish nobleman, Sir St. George Gore. His extensive party hunted in and around the area from 1855 through 1857. Far from roughing it, Gore traveled in a fully-stocked wagon, which included a complete selection of wines and a full-sized bathtub! San Juan Range Often compared to the Swiss Alps, this range contains more land above 10,000 feet than any other place in the United States. It has always presented a formidable challenge for explorers. The area is home to many abandoned mining towns whose rather checkered pasts lend credence to Colorado s Wild West reputation. The San Juan s are home to Cannibal Flats, where the infamous Alfred Packer performed his dastardly deed. Page 3 of 9
Elk Mountains The Elk Mountains are the home of the original base camp of the former Colorado Outward Bound School, near the town of Marble, Colorado 60 miles southwest of Aspen in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Course activities take place in the Snowmass/Maroon Bells Wilderness area, home of numerous thirteen- and fourteen-thousand foot peaks, including the Maroon Bells, two of the most widely photographed peaks in the world. The area is known for its deposits of pure white, close-grained marble, used in building the Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and state capitol buildings across the country. Course Activities You will start off by learning camping skills, do some rock climbing, and adapt to the high altitude. You will learn the basics of wilderness travel how to pack appropriately, cook in the backcountry, set up tarps, tie climbers knots and handle ropes, and navigate using a map and compass. Throughout the course, you will sleep under a tarp, cook your own food, and take responsibility for the well-being of yourself and your crewmates. Mountaineering Expedition - Mountaineering courses focus on preparing for and executing technical peak attempts requiring harnesses, ropes, and ice axes. Your instructors will train you to use all equipment necessary for technical mountaineering. Additionally, you will learn Leave No Trace skills and ethics, backcountry route finding, leadership, and teamwork. You will also learn about the area s natural history and environment as you go, including flora, fauna, geology, astronomy, and ecology. The expedition will consist of significant backpacking, approximately one to two days of rock climbing, one or two peak attempts, wilderness travel and initiatives. Expect to carry a backpack weighing approximately 40-50 pounds, dependent on your weight and fitness. During this course, you can expect to travel on and off trail over wooded and alpine terrain that can be rough, demanding, steep and exposed and may at times require the use of ropes and ice axes to traverse a slope or ascend a pass. Peak Attempt - During your mountaineering section, you will attempt to summit at least one peak. The peak may require the use of technical gear (ropes, harnesses etc.). Peak attempts, with or without the use of ropes and technical gear, are major enterprises and typically require early morning starts and take all day to complete. Weather or other factors including group dynamics and physical ability may preclude even an attempt to ascend a peak. Rock Climbing Rock climbing and rappelling are important parts of your course and are taught to aid in a possible technical peak ascent. You will spend one or two days learning and practicing the basic climbing techniques and safety systems during the course. Solo A one- to three-night solo provides an important break from the rigors of both the expedition and the distractions from everyday life. This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With sufficient food and equipment, you ll spend a few hours alone at your campsite to journal, rest, reflect on the past and look ahead to future goals. Your solo site will be close enough to the sites of others that you can get help Page 4 of 9
quickly in case of emergency, but far enough removed to assure your solitude. You will not travel during this time and your Instructors will check on you occasionally, but you will be alone. Many students are initially nervous about solo, but many also later recall solo as one of the highlights of their entire course. Service Service is an integral part of the Outward Bound curriculum. We encourage service to the environment in the form of leaving campsites cleaner than we find them and practicing Leave No Trace ethics throughout the course. We coordinate service projects with land managers (US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, State Parks and local land trusts, etc.) as well as with select social service agencies (nursing homes, hospitals, etc.). During your course, you may have the opportunity to participate in trail work or other service projects. Final Expedition - The Colorado Outward Bound School believes that an appropriate amount of independence is a powerful educational tool. In order to deliver that benefit, our instructors purposefully and gradually transfer certain leadership responsibilities to the students culminating with our Final Expedition. Near the end of course, if you and your group have demonstrated the necessary leadership, team problem solving and wilderness living skills, you may be given the opportunity to travel without your instructors immediately present. Students may travel without instructors immediately present (although they will be checking in periodically) for one to five days, depending on course length, student age, staff assessment of student s abilities and terrain. Many of our students feel this phase of the course was the most rewarding, as the group learns to work together, problem solve, and accomplish a goal independently, while utilizing all the skills they have acquired. Challenge Event There are no set in stone final challenges, as each challenge throughout course has been tailor fitted to the current conditions and participants, but it may take the form of a run or team challenge. This event is your challenge to finish successfully and with style, by embodying all the lessons you have learned during your Outward Bound course. You may be surprised by how far you have come during course and how far you can go. Page 5 of 9
Sample Itinerary The following is an example of what your itinerary may look like. Your actual course plan will vary according to weather, your group s skills and abilities, and your Instructors preferences. 15 Day Mountaineering Day 1 Course Start Day 2-6 Backpacking and Rock Climbing Basic navigation Basic first aid Backcountry navigation Rock climbing techniques Basic leadership Basic team decision making Group off-trail travel Outward Bound philosophy and history Day 7-13 Resupply, followed by solo and a technical peak attempt Advanced navigation Weather patterns Summit strategies Fixed line techniques Time management Peer leadership Conflict resolution Reflection Day 14 Challenge Event and Course End Day 15 Transportation home 22 Day Mountaineering Day 1 Course Start Day 2-6 Backpacking and Rock Climbing Basic navigation Basic first aid Backcountry living Rock climbing techniques Basic leadership Basic team decision making Group off-trail travel Outward Bound philosophy and history Day 7-15 Resupply, followed by solo and at least one technical peak attempt Advanced navigation Weather patterns Summit strategies Fixed line techniques Time management Peer leadership Conflict resolution Reflection Day 16-20 Resupply, followed by opportunities for the group to lead the expedition Advanced peer leadership Advanced group communication Advanced decision making Day 21 Challenge Event and Course End Day 22 Transportation home Page 6 of 9
Travel Information for these specific courses: Colorado Rockies Mountaineering 15 days CCXM-541 // 6.8.15 6.22.15 CCXM-542 // 7.8.15 7.22.15 Colorado Rockies Mountaineering 22 days CCXM-551 // 6.8.15 6.29.15 CCXM-552 // 6.16.15 7.7.15 CCXM-553 // 6.30.15 7.21.15 CCXM-554 // 7.8.15 7.29.15 CCXM-555 // 7.22.15 8.12.15 CCXM-556 // 7.29.15 8.19.15 MEETING PLACE: DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel 4040 Quebec St. Denver, CO 80216 (303) 321-6666 COURSE START: Courses will depart at 8:00 AM the morning of your course start date in the lobby of the DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel. Please be in the lobby at 7:30 AM. Please eat breakfast before getting on the bus. Check out must be taken care of prior to 8:00 AM. The bus will leave promptly at 8:00 AM. Participants not fully confirmed by their Course Advisor will not be allowed on the bus. Several different courses may be departing at any given time and heading for different course areas so please check with the driver prior to boarding any vehicle. COURSE END: Your course will end and the bus or van should arrive back at the DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel by the times indicated below. Arrival times at the Double Tree Stapleton North Hotel will vary depending on course area. Please confirm with your Course Advisor the course area of your course, and plan your travel accordingly: For courses in the Sawatch, Gore, Holy Cross and Rawahs: Arrival at the DoubleTree by 12:00pm, earliest flight departure out of Denver International Airport no earlier than 2:00pm CCXM-552 CCXM-556 For courses in the Elks or Sangres: Arrival at the DoubleTree by 2:00pm, earliest flight departure out of Denver International Airport no earlier than 4:00pm CCXM-541 CCXM-551 CCXM-553 CCXM-555 Page 7 of 9
For courses in the San Juans: Arrival at the DoubleTree by 3:00pm, earliest flight departure out of Denver International Airport no earlier than 5:00pm. CCXM-542 CCXM-554 PLEASE NOTE YOUR PROGRAM MAY BE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER COURSE AREA WITHOUT NOTICE HOWEVER YOUR DEPARTURE TIME WILL REMAIN THE SAME ** Many students opt to stay at the DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel and fly out the next morning. GETTING TO THE DOUBLETREE STAPLETON NORTH HOTEL: From Denver International Airport (DIA) Denver International Airport is the closest airport to the course start location. Ground transportation is available from Denver International Airport to the DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel via a complimentary hotel shuttle bus. To catch the shuttle, go to level 5 of the airport (same level as the baggage claim). The DoubleTree shuttle will pick up at DIA every 15 after and 45 after the hour. The shuttle service runs 7 days a week from 5:15am to 12:45am. Last pickup from the airport is at 12:45am. Passengers should proceed to the door marked 508 (West Terminal only). Go outside through the door and proceed to Island 3. You should look for a white DoubleTree Denver Van. You do not need reservations. Taxi service is also available to the hotel and costs between $20 and $30 one way. If you are driving to the hotel From I-70 Eastbound, take the Quebec Exit 278, turn right (south) onto Quebec. The DoubleTree Stapleton North Hotel is a block down on the left hand side of the road. If you want more specific directions from your location, please call the hotel. Accommodations: Since we pick you up at the DoubleTree, most students elect to stay there. There are multiple DoubleTree hotels in Denver, even on Quebec St. Please make sure that you book the 4040 Quebec St. location, the STAPLETON NORTH location. We prefer your first day to be a full one so we pick you up early in the morning (see above). The DoubleTree Stapleton North offers a discounted rate of $80 plus tax for a single room to Outward Bound participants. Please indicate that you are an Outward Bound student in order to receive the discount. The DoubleTree Stapleton North provides complimentary shuttle service to and from Denver International Airport. You are free to stay where you like please but remember the course transportation will depart only from the DoubleTree Stapleton North. For other accommodations contact a travel agent or the Denver Chamber of Commerce at (303) 534-8500. Travel Problems and Emergency Contact - If you encounter problems with your travel plans that will delay your arrival to Denver we can help troubleshoot solutions so that you can get to your course start. During office hours, call your course advisor for assistance. After hours, call our 24-hour voice mailbox at 720.381.6589 and follow the prompts for a travel delay on a Colorado program. The mail boxes are checked regularly and you will receive a call back as indicated by the outgoing message, please be sure to include the students name, course number and a return phone number. In the event of an emergency (such as a death in the family) where you need to reach a student who is on course call 720.381.6589 and follow the prompts for critical emergency for a student currently on a course. This will route to an on-call cell phone and you will get a prompt return call as indicated by the message. Page 8 of 9
Mail Please do not have mail sent to the Denver office. Your mail will be delivered to you at the end of your course. Your family and friends can send mail to you at the following address: For courses in the Elk or Gore Range: For courses in the San Juans: Your Name/Course # Your Name/Course # C/O Colorado Outward Bound School C/O Colorado Outward Bound School 1930 Hwy 300 General Delivery Leadville, CO 80461 Silverton, CO 81433 Page 9 of 9