Our Apogee summer keeps on cruising full speed ahead! We’re rolling across borders left and right today! From crossing physical country borders to breaking through personal comfort zones by trying new things and meeting challenges head on, our students’ love for adventure knows no borders! Trip after trip has left us in awe as we hear what exciting things they’ve been up to today! So here’s a quick recap of what’s got us so jazzed. Today, we’ve had trips cross into France and into Canada! We’ve had more than a handful of trips ditch their packs and take to the seas in kayaks! And we’ve had groups head into and out of the backcountry all over the map! Here at the office we’re buzzing in our seats with anticipation of what great fun each trip will get into in the coming days!

Skip to a Specific Trip: CRM, CS, DEX, VMA, VMB, CRMC, CMCA, CMCB, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWX, PC, AXA, AXB, ECC1, ECC2, PMC

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)

Our CRM crew said many heartfelt goodbyes today as they all headed home. They gave hugs to dear friends who were strangers just a short nine days ago. They soaked up the last glimpses of those stunning mountains they’ve gotten to hike, climb, and camp in, and they celebrated the great success of the trip! While this group was sad to depart the wonderland of a world they’d been in for the past nine days, we’re certain families will be thrilled to reunite and hear the endless stories of summits, sunrises, and super sweet adventures… till next time, CRM!!

Caribbean Service (CS)

Today, the CS crew said goodbye to Cabo Rojo as they boarded a ferry to the beautiful island of Vieques. They’ll be spending the next three days exploring the island, doing local community service, and enjoying the last few days of their trip. We hear salsa is on the menu tonight, but not the food (although perhaps that, too) – the dance! This lucky group will be spending this evening in salsa dancing lessons. We can’t wait to see all the moves they’ve learned when they get back!

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)

Our DEX kiddos had a swell day – they headed out on day one of a three-day kayak trip! Here in the office, we were so jealous of this awesome adventure in Casco Bay that director Kevin Cashman decided to join in the fun (and yes, the rest of us are still jealous). Tonight they’ll be island camping – with the entire island to themselves! Highlights of the day included a tasty pancake breakfast, swimming, and trying new things! 

Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)

Bienvenue au Québec, VMA! Can you believe this group is already rolling into the Canadian countryside? This unstoppable squad had two major accomplishments today: a 36-mile ride (woohoo!), which is the longest they’ve biked so far, and a successful border crossing! Not many people can say they’ve crossed the border via bicycle, but the folks of VMA now have that fun fact for the rest of their lives. This stellar crew made the jaunt seem easy-breezy, despite the fact that there was in fact quite the challenging breeze working against them! Nothing they couldn’t handle, however, and they even made it to camp with plenty of time to play frisbee and make dinner!

Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)

After yesterday’s kayaking and ice cream adventures, VMB hit the road again today, guided by some truly pristine, picturesque Vermont summer weather. They biked the causeway across Lake Champlain, stopped at a farm for some friendly, furry visits with baby goats, and got maple creemees (a delicious maple soft serve) – my oh my does that sound like Vermont summer to me! This crew got to take a bike ferry over to Grand Isle State Park today, where they’ll get a good night’s sleep before they make their border crossing into Canada tomorrow!

Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)

Continuing on yesterday’s work-hard-play-hard mentality, CRMC had another busy day of service and fun! They continued on their hydroponic vegetable garden project at RACE in the morning and spent the afternoon relaxing and enjoying their last day in the Costa Rican rainforest. We can’t wait to see all the photos coming our way soon once they’re back in service!

California Mountains & Coast A (CMCA)

CMCA has completed its last full day of backcountry hiking in Yosemite! There’s only one word to describe this section of the trip: epic. Students and leaders alike are feeling proud and content after three days of incredible hiking. Not many places offer the chance to experience such powerful scenes in such solitude. The group is filled with awe and adventure, and ready to take on the front country tomorrow! We’re looking forward to a photo recap of their backcountry stint when they’re back with cell service soon!

California Mountains & Coast B (CMCB)

As they wrapped up their last full day of Yosemite backcountry hiking, CMCB savored the serenity of this special place. Oh, the memories they’ve made these past three days… we’re stoked to hear more about them soon as they’ll finally be back in cell service! We’ll do our best to load up the blog with CMC photos. This crew is looking forward to a bit of a drive tomorrow and some surfing in the near future! A big ol’ virtual high five for great success in the backcountry, CMCB!

Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)

AKMCA has been busy helping out the Seward community! So let’s catch you up. Yesterday, our rockin’ awesome crew was in the Kenai Watershed removing reed grass, which is an invasive species that threaten salmon survivability in Alaska’s pristine rivers. Today, they set off on a two-day kayak trip through the great Alaskan fjords! Holy moly, this trip just gets better and better. Word on the street is that the group might see whales on this stint of the trip (fingers crossed for pictures!). They’ll be camping glacier-side tonight… we’re hoping to see more blue lagoons and rocky ridges for tomorrow’s blog!

Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)

AKMCB had such fun in the backcountry on the first go-round, they headed out for round two today! They’ve set off on the Williwaw Lakes Loop, which is known to be challenging but oh-so-rewarding! We know this group is up for the challenge, and we hope they’re as excited as we are for them to be hiking just below the highest peak in the Front Range, Mount Williwaw. They’ll be following an alpine valley known for its brilliantly blue lakes and promise of incredible wildlife sightings. We won’t expect pictures from them as they’ll likely be out of cell service in the backcountry, but keep your eyes out for extra pics after this three-day stint!

Northwest Explorer (NWX)

NWX has put down their packs and taken to the water, and they were stoked to get in their kayaks for day one of a three-day paddling adventure! Looks like they’re happy to put their paddling arms to use and give their legs a break after the past few days of hiking – I mean, look at those grins! They ferried to their kayak launch point – and you better hold onto your hats, folks, because it looks like a windy ride to me! Tonight they’ll camp on an island and continue paddling tomorrow. We’re sending our best wishes for clear skies and smooth sailing!

Pacific Coast (PC)

Back on bikes! The PC crew has mastered the waves, and they’re ready to put in some miles and continue on their journey along the scenic west coast. The group is absolutely crushing it, completing a challenging 32 miles today as they biked through one of northern California’s hidden gems: Del Norte Redwoods State Park. Imagine summer fog rolling off of the ocean, sunbeams streaming through the trees, and dappling the ground – sounds pretty dreamy to me! Oh and hey, the PC squad passed by Mr. Paul Bunyan (who, legend has it, was born right here in Maine!) and his Blue Ox! This legendary statue was a friendly greeting to our cyclists as they rolled right on into the Redwoods (which are even bigger than advertised according to our PCers)! Tonight they’ll be staying at a campground known to have elk pass right through. Our campers have fingers crossed they’ll see some! These great big trees seem to cause some spotty cell service for our bikers, so we’ll just have to imagine how magnificent this place is until tomorrow when we can hopefully get some pics! 

Alps Explorer A (AXA)

AXA is absolutely crushing the third day of their Tour du Mont Blanc! With sunshine and blue skies, these students couldn’t help but smile as they headed into town to explore Chamonix, which is situated at the base of Mont Blanc. Today they got a chance to romp around the spot where the very first Winter Olympics were held in 1924! Known for its downhill skiing, the terrain of this countryside is no joke, and these students are gearing up for a challenging day tomorrow as they continue on their way through the picturesque countryside.

Alps Explorer B (AXB)

Our AXB team crossed into Italy via the beautiful Col de la Seigne path on their own two feet today – add that to our list of the many border crossings happening! They wrapped up another day of scenic hiking at another lovely TMB refuge. Since they didn’t have service yesterday, we’ll retroactively toss in some more great pics. Nothing says the Alps to me like tall cloud-covered mountains and cows grazing the yellow dotted hillside… I can practically hear the cowbells and feel the breeze!

Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)

Bonjour de France from the ECC1 crew! Today was another exciting day along their journey as they biked from Kluisbergen, Belgium, to Le Quesnoy, France. If you’ve been keeping a tally, that’s three border crossings for Apogee trips today! With a new environment also comes new challenges, but there’s nothing that this team can’t handle. They absolutely crushed their first significant stretch of non-bike path road riding, cruising their way to their next campsite for a well-deserved night of rest.

Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)

ECC2 had another beautiful day of riding alongside picturesque canals on their way into western Belgium today. The group completed 45 fantastic miles of biking from Bruges to Kluisbergen! Kluisbergen is known for its steep hills, and so these guys are getting geared up for a hilly ride tomorrow! We’ve been so impressed by this crew so far, we have no doubts they’ll keep on pedaling strong! The gang will cross into France on their ride tomorrow – these countries are just flying by!

Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)

The PMC crew had yet another rewarding day of hiking with breathtaking views of the rolling mountains and some alpine lakes scattered along the route. They arrived in Colomina today via old train tracks that once were used to transport equipment up to build the dams – how cool is that! They’re resting well tonight, situated at a little refuge right on the shores of a beautiful lake. We’ve heard the stoke level on PMC is pretty darn close to unmatched – but they’re kicking it up to a whole new level for a bit of a challenging day tomorrow!