It’s a big day in the Apo-sphere. Today, Sunday, July 9, is one of two days of the entire Apogee summer where we have all 23 trips in the field. Of those 23 active trips, seven are saying their goodbyes and four are saying their hellos, which leaves 12 trips that are in the full swing of things. And since we’re preeeetty close to having 26 active trips (as close as we’ll get, anyways), that means it’s time for our annual Apogee A to Z post. Enjoy!

Skip to a Specific Trip: AKMCA, AKMCB, AXA, AXB, CCM, CI, CRM, CRMC, CS, DEXA, ECC1, ECC2, ECC3, IMC, MCCE, MCJ, MCP, NEMCA, NWX, PC, PMC, VMA, VMB

Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)

A: Arrivederci! After the initial batch of students flew out last night, Scout and Alex bid their last few students adieu this morning. Hope to see you all again next summer, AKMCA!

Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)

B: Bom dia! Continuing with the foreign languages theme, Jondall & Isabelle’s AKMCB team started their day bright early as they, too, said their final farewells at the Anchorage airport. Safe travels, AKMCB – until next time!

Alps Explorer A (AXA)

C: Col de la Seigne! After touring a local cheese shop, Megan and Faerin’s squad crossed another border today as they tackled Col de la Seigne at 2516m (8254’) and they made their way from France into Italy. After cruising into the Italian mountain town of Courmayeur, AXA rendezvoused with their sister trip, AXB! After six big days of the Tour du Mont Blanc, they’re eager for a few easier days based out of Courmayeur.

Alps Explorer B (AXB)

D: Delectable. Food is a huge part of the Tour du Mont Blanc experience, understandably, as our Alps team hikes through Switzerland, France, and Italy over the course of the two week, 110-mile journey. Today, the group day-hiked along the TMB just outside of Courmayeur, and in addition to the stunning views (fields of wildflowers, old stonework, horses, and, of course, snow-capped peaks), it’s also a particularly delectable day of dining. For lunch, they snacked on Italian mortadella, French cheeses, and olive spreads before nomming on a pizza dinner back at camp.

California’s Coastal Mountains (CCM)

E: Egress. As all good things must, CCM came to an end today, as students egressed back home (fingers crossed we’re using that word correctly – and if not, you get the idea). Suffice to say that Lena, Tess, and Zach are sad to say their goodbyes after two weeks of adventuring up and down the California coast!

Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)

F: Finally! Day One of our CI trip is finally here! Otto and Kendall are downright psyched to start their journey as they bike, ferry, and stand-up paddleboard their way through Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Provincetown, and Boston! Welcome, new CI families – be sure to check back each day for more updates and smiling pictures!

Caribbean Service (CS)

G: Great final beach day for CS! For the group’s last full day together in Puerto Rico, they started off bright and early to surf with Ramse. After perfecting their surfing technique, the group made their way to San Juan to explore the vibrant city. We heard that their last day together was a huge success!

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)

H: Hey, hi, how are ya?! It’s a day of introductions as Cat, Ryan, and Westen welcomed 11 students to their new Colorado crew. The next nine days will be jam-packed with beautiful day hikes, exciting whitewater rafting, blood-pumping rock climbing, and more! Check back in each evening for more updates and photos.

Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)

I: Ideal way to celebrate! This bunch had a very special quinceañera birthday to celebrate today, and dined out at a local Mexican restaurant for the occasion. The celebration included surprise sombreros and a cake with sparkler candles!

Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)

J: Jambon beurre: the very classic Parisian take on ham and cheese (except it’s just a ham and butter sandwich instead…). Whether or not Dana & Nellie’s crew actually consumed any jambon buerres remains to be seen, but we can confirm that they ate some very tasty-looking pizza under the Eiffel Tower during their Paris-exploration day. *Chef’s kiss*

Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)

K: (100) Kilometers. After a hot morning, some afternoon showers were a welcome sight for our ECC2 warriors. They made excellent time into camp after tackling 100 km (over 62 miles) and are psyched to spend the next two nights in Epernay, including a day trip to Paris tomorrow. 

Europe Coast to Coast 3 (ECC3)

L: Loaves! A dozen baguette loaves, to be exact. Mark & Grace’s ECC3 squad has decided that freshly baked baguettes make the best roadside snack in France! Despite some warm temps, ECC3, and we quote the leaders “crushed it”, en route to a 100 km day – they even walked through some Sunday markets!

Iceland Mountains & Coast (IMC)

M: Mount Kirkjufell! Iceland’s iconic mountain – google “Iceland photos” and it’s the first thing that pops up. And today, IMC got to check it out firsthand! Reports from leaders Hannah, Kit, and Will are that their campground is “the best” and that they explored a stellar waterfall today, too. 

Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)

N: Nice to meet ya! Eager to dive into their college essays and the beauty of the Maine coast, our MCCE group, led by the fearless Saul and Lily, kicked things off this afternoon. We’re excited for the week ahead as they write, edit, kayak, and explore their way across the coast!

Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)

O: Otter Cliffs! Our intrepid MCJ group kicks things off today, eager for the week ahead. In addition to kayaking the Maine coast, Floyd, Andrew, and Brianna’s crew will explore much of Acadia National Park in the coming days – and the famous Otter Cliffs will almost certainly make the list. And what better way to kick off the trip than with a big ol’ dinner of spaghetti and meatballs?!

Maine Coast Photo (MCP)

P: Photography! Okay, that was a nice coincidence for MCP to get the letter P. We can only assume that folks in the MCP group spontaneously shout, “Photography!” throughout each day. In more relevant news, Masha, Gabe, and Sophie’s crew was eager to meet up with their photography instructor for the week, Brian. After introducing the basics, Brian took the group on a hike to test out their new skills, including a stop at a pond for some cool reflection shots.

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)

Q: Quondam. Yes, this also doubles as your vocabulary word of the day. Quondam means “that once was; former”, as in, “After 13 days exploring the great state of Maine by foot and kayak, our now quondam DEX group went their separate ways this morning.” Goodbye (for now), DEX!

New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)

R: Ready to rock and roll! This group woke up ready to conquer their first hike in the White Mountains. They were rewarded with breathtaking views as they went, and got back to camp in time to play group games! They’re looking forward to further exploring the mountains around them in the days to come. Unfortunately, our NEMC team wasn’t able to get a photo to us before losing service for the night. We’ll hope for bonus pictures tomorrow!

Northwest Explorer (NWX)

S: Streams, waterfalls, and alpine lakes! This group’s day was full of views of the gorgeous water features the North Cascades is famous for. We’re looking forward to getting to see pictures of everything they’ve seen almost as much as their smiling faces!

Pacific Coast (PC)

T: Tremendous trees! This group had an unforgettable day riding through the “Avenue of the Giants,” one of the most famous stretches of ancient redwood forest in the world. Spirits were high as the group coasted into camp for the night, early enough to get in some group games!

Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)

U: Until next time! After two weeks of gallivanting through the Pyrenees, Ellie and Elle watched teary-eyed (we assume) as each of their PMC-ers boarded planes heading for home (or continued their European travels for a few lucky students). It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later!

Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)

V: Victory! Our VMA team, led by Alex, Catie, and Jocie, returns home victorious today, after completing their very impressive trek from central Vermont up to Montreal. Along the way, they ate miles for breakfast, wraps for lunch, and poutine for dinner. We’re wicked proud of you all, VMA!

Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)

W: Woot woot! After a celebratory night in Montreal, Jordan, Maura, and crew made their way back to the States to say their final adieus. They have so much to be proud of and accomplished so much over the last two weeks together – so at least two “woots” are in order. See you next summer, VM Bravo!