Apo-verse folks, it’s time. For Day 23 of the Apogee summer, we’re running back a tried and true tradition: the Harry Potter blog. Grab your broomsticks, study up on your Defense Against the Dark Arts, and practice your swish and flick, because it’s time to dive into the magical world of Apogee!

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

Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)

After taking yesterday to pack their trunks and fasten their cloaks, our magical AKMCA group is off on their second backcountry section! This team for the ages hit Chugach State Park for the second time today, this time tackling the Forbidden Forest Williwaw Lakes Loop. They won’t have much service on this three-day loop, but they’ll be sure to send us a couple of owls with photos once they’re back. In the meantime, they sent us this galleon before they left service!

Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)

You’d think our AKMCBers were bewitching their kayaks, the way they flew through the water today! This intrepid crew spent the morning paddling their way back across Resurrection Bay (maybe named after the resurrection stone?!) to Seward before hitting the dry land for showers and a grocery shop. After stocking up on pumpkin pasties and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, they hit the hay early to prepare for their magical day of ice climbing tomorrow.

Alps Explorer A (AXA)

That’s a wrap on AXA! After 20 epic days of adventure in the mountains, it was time for this golden crew to hit Terminal 9 ¾ for flights back home to their loved ones. When you’ve got memories like these, who needs a Pensieve? Farewell, AXA – we’ll miss you!

Alps Explorer B (AXB)

Accio AXB! After an incredible trip and celebration in Geneva last night, it was time to summon AXB back home today. Some of this crew didn’t need a Time-Turner to get extra hours together, though – per leader Maeve, “Canceled flights are more fun!” Fingers crossed for a smooth journey home soon, AXB!

California’s Coastal Mountains (CCM)

Our CCM team swish-and-flicked their paddles all the way back to Point Reyes this morning after an enchanting night of evening kayaking and beach camping! Once they returned to their home base, the crew took to their local Diagon Alley to stock up on groceries for the next few days. Tomorrow, they start their three-day backcountry adventure – an outing surely fit for a group of Gryffindors!

Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)

While they easily could have flown by thestral across Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay, our CI team decided to go the Muggle way from Provincetown to Boston – by ferry, of course! After their last short leg of riding to the ferry this morning, our fantastical crew of bikers boarded a ferry to Boston for an afternoon of celebrating their trip and exploring the city. After a dinner rivaling a Hogwarts feast, the group called it a night before saying their goodbyes tomorrow.

Caribbean Service (CS)

Hang loose, CS! Our Caribbean crew of witches and wizards levitated on the waves today as they hit the beach for a magical morning of surfing – turns out they’re just as talented on the water as they are on the Quidditch pitch! After catching some waves, the gang ate lunch and packed up to head on over to Utuado, where they’ll call home for the next few days. Tomorrow, they’ll get started on a new service project!

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)

It’s come time to say goodbye to our CRM group! After a trip for the books, this crew went their separate ways today as they returned home with awesome memories, new friends, and an acute fondness for Colorado’s magical Rocky Mountains. In the spirit of this blog’s theme, we’ll say goodbye with a famous last line: All was well.

Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)

Can you think of anything that sounds more enchanting than Cloudbridge Natural Preserve? Neither can I! And neither can this CRMC crew, apparently, with the way they soaked up every second of their six-mile day hike through the rainforest today. They cruised through every mile of their hike today, taking in views of magical waterfalls. Tomorrow, they’ll head back into the preserve for another epic day hike.

Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)

It might not be the Forbidden Forest, but ECC1 is being treated to some pretty magical woods today: Germany’s famous Black Forest! After crushing their initial climb out of camp, this gang of Gryffindors hit the bike paths for a smooth ride through some epic scenery – and found a dragon egg along the way?! If they can bike across Europe, I guess raising a dragon would be a breeze for this crew! Tomorrow, they’ll cross the border into Austria and cross one more country off their list!

Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)

You’d think our ECC2 crew took some Felix Felicis this morning with how lucky they were to have such an amazing rest day! After sleeping in in their (unfortunately not charmed) tents, the group awoke to some delicious baked goods for breakfast today and then hit the town (we’re talking Schiltach, not Hogsmeade!) for some relaxation and exploration. In between all the fun, they also got a chance to take showers, do some laundry, and tune their bikes up for their next stretch of riding – all before welcoming their friends from ECC3 into camp!

Europe Coast to Coast 3 (ECC3)

Our remarkable crew of ECC3 witches and wizards left behind the land of Beauxbatons Academy today and crossed the border into the next country on their list – Germany! This team cruised through 52 miles of riding today so smoothly you would’ve thought they were on broomsticks instead of bikes! They made great time as they flew into the lovely town of Schiltach, where they were welcomed with open arms by their friends on ECC2. They might as well take a Sleeping Draught tonight, as they’ll get to rest their eyes and legs on their rest day tomorrow!

Iceland Mountains & Coast (IMC)

“There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.” – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

While our IMC crew may not have knocked out any mountain trolls today, they certainly could have encountered one on their hike! This crew hiked on up to see Iceland’s famous mountain huts today, and let’s just say they’re certainly not not enchanted. On top of that, they also got to take in some pretty sweet waterfall views on the way! At this point, I’m not entirely convinced there’s not a wizarding school hiding up in those mountains as well. Tomorrow, however, the gang will leave the mountains behind as they head to Reykjavik. I guess we’ll never know!

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)

Where can you find majestic views, brave students, and no tech in sight? It’s not Hogwarts – it’s Acadia National Park! Our DEX team made the most of their full day in Acadia today by waking up early to head out on an epic day hike in the park. Who’s to say if they spotted any magical creatures, but they certainly had a magical hike! Reports from the field say they’re planning a sunrise hike of Cadillac Mountain for tomorrow morning – hopefully they can work some vanishing spells to make it a cloudless view!

Northwest Explorer (NWX)

All great stories must eventually come to an end, and it’s almost that time for our extraordinary NWXers. However, in advance of saying their goodbyes tomorrow, they spent today soaking up their final hours together! The crew used their Marauder’s Maps to navigate their way around Seattle today in a day of exploration and celebration of their incredible accomplishments. After doing plenty of sightseeing, the crew sat down for a final dinner for the ages!

Pacific Coast (PC)

Bravo, PC! This courageous crew of cyclists certainly earned their day of celebration in San Francisco today after pedaling over the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday. Today, they explored the city on foot and magicked their way through their last full day as a team. Tonight, they’ll treat themselves to a final dinner of pumpkin juice, chocolate frogs, and fizzing whizbees (more likely some local San Francisco delicacies, but wouldn’t that be fun?) before heading to bed to rest up for departure day tomorrow.

Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)

For their last day on the magical Mediterranean coast, our PMC team crushed an awesome day hike along the water. After getting their hike on, the crew cooled off by the water with some much-deserved beach time – rock skipping included! Tomorrow, they’ll Apparate over to their new home base in Espot, where they’ll begin preparing in full for their epic stint on the Carros de Foc.

Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)

It was VMA’s first full day on their bikes today, and they absolutely crushed their 17 miles through the beautiful Vermont countryside! Reports from the field say they enjoyed views of some pretty awesome cornfields and had a discussion about alien lifeforms over breakfast. I don’t know about aliens, but I certainly see some witches and wizards in their midst! After cruising into Middlebury, the team cast some tent-pitching spells and settled in for the night to rest up for their 28-miler tomorrow.

Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)

Our VMB crew pedaled their way through 10 miles of the Vermont countryside today! All of these students should ace their Care of Magical Creatures exams with the number of horses (unicorns?) and cows they saw along the way today. After mile 10, it was support staffer Henry to the rescue for a planned shuttle across some previously flooded roads. They shared lunch with Henry, then the group got settled in at their campsite with lots of watermelon and some afternoon lake exploration! Tomorrow, they’ll hit the road again to magic themselves to Middlebury.