Rain, rain go away! That was the motto here at Apogee Headquarters in Brunswick, Maine, earlier today. And lo! Ask and ye shall receive! Our morning rain gave way to a pleasant afternoon and evening, much like, it seems, many of our groups experienced across the world.
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMC, CRMA, CRMB, CS, MCCE, MCP, DEXA, DEXB, VMA, VMB, CRLS, CRMC, CMCA, CMCB, AKMC, NWXA, NWXB, PCA, PCB, SH, AX, PMC, ECC1, ECC2 ACC
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
MCJ is really soaking up the Maine experience. They visited Acadia National Park and went on a beautiful day hike, summiting North and South Bubble Mountains! They also spent the afternoon visiting the idyllic town of Bar Harbor, a town that is named for the famous sandbar that connects close by Bar Island to the mainland at low tide.
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
After cruising the Cape for the last week, today it was time to say goodbye to our lovely CI students. Thanks for a great trip, and enjoy the rest of your summer!
New England Mountains & Coast (NEMC)
NEMC was not letting a little rain get in their way! Today they laced up their hiking boots and went for their first epic hike in the White Mountain National Park.
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains A (CRMA)
Today CRMA visited the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park. They went for a pretty tough hike this morning, but were troopers throughout the whole thing. Fun fact: Today they visited the Alpine Visitor Center which is the highest elevation Visitor Center in the ENTIRE National Park System. That’s pretty neat.
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains B (CRMB)
CRMB is also in Estes Park today and got the chance to soak in some pretty epic views while getting another hike under their boots. They also drove along Trail Ridge Road which is the highest continuously paved road in the country!
Caribbean Service (CS)
Their last day on Vieques? Say it ain’t so. Today CS made the most of their final day on this beautiful island by working with Sail Relief on disaster relief efforts. After giving back to their community, they had an afternoon to play (salsa dancing lessons!) and relax before doing a night kayak in Bio Bay to look at the bio luminescence under the stars. What an absolutely epic finale to a great stay on Vieques!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
Deep in the thick of their essays, these MCCE students are determined to make the most of their experience. There is some serious rain here in Maine, but these students are using this time to hunker down and be productive. Getting work done on a cozy, rainy day is no easy task, but luckily MCCE is capable of anything.
Maine Coast Photo (MCP)
With their cameras in tow (always!) MCP met and worked with their photography instructor for the first time today. Always ones to make the most of a quintessential foggy coastal day, they spent some time practicing nature shots at the iconic Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, below.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXA)
They are out of the woods! Welcome back to civilization, DEXA. After some wet weather, they were certainly excited to see their van waiting for them. After a well-deserved treat, they moseyed along Baxter State Park’s roads to their campsite for the next couple of days. They spent the remainder of their day relaxing and recharging before their Mt. Katahdin hike tomorrow.
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEXB)
DEXB paddled into the great ocean of Maine today via sea kayak. They were grateful for a break from their hiking boots and excited to get out on the water. They will be camping on a small island off of the coast for the next few nights. Have a blast!
Vermont to Montréal A (VMA)
They made it! With a huge day of biking behind them, Zach and Camille’s smiling troop arrived in Montréal. They had a bit of time for exploring tonight, and are very excited for the chance to sleep in real beds. Exploration day tomorrow!
Vermont to Montréal B (VMB)
Yahoo! What a crazy day. Bike paths and roads in French require some serious attention to detail in order to be done right. Luckily for VMB, Elliot and Grace have done this before! Goodbye tents, hello roof over their heads! They are looking forward to being off of their bikes tomorrow and are sure to take the city of Montréal by storm.
Costa Rica Language & Service (CRLS)
CRLS really follows their name again today with a morning of language and an afternoon of, you guessed it! Service. Have no fear, it is not all work! While they are having a blast learning and giving back to the community, they also spent some down time this evening just goofing around and bonding…it’s summer after all!
Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)
And they’re back! Leaving behind their eco lodge, CRMC ventured back to San Isidro. But, not for long! This afternoon they shuttled off to Bahia Ballena, an amazing coastal beach town on the Pacific. After a bit of exploration, these students were exhausted and off to bed early before snorkeling tomorrow!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCA)
CMCA hit the waves this morning to shred the gnar (surf). After a serious trek in the backcountry of Yosemite, they were excited to cool off in the ocean and try another type of adventure. After drying off and wiping the sand from in between their toes, they moved yet again to the Half Moon Bay area for a relaxing afternoon.
See below for a photo dump from CMCA’s time in the backcountry!!!
California Mountains & Coast (CMCB)
CMCB enjoyed a slow morning before meandering down to their surf lessons this afternoon. This surf company got two Apogee trips in one day, how lucky are they!? CMCB also moved to the Half Moon Bay area and are gearing up for service tomorrow morning! Here are some photos from the last few days!
Alaska Mountains & Coast (AKMC)
Remember those glaciers AKMC was supposed to see while kayaking yesterday? (Hint, see below) Well today, AKMC climbed them! Kayaking one day and ice climbing the next? What an absolutely epic adventure!
Getting goofy in the glaciers
Northwest Explorer (NWXA)
Lace up the boots, folks! NWXA had their first day hike today. Right off of the bat they are in Olympic National Park and will enjoy a few days of day hikes before their backcountry section. These practice hikes are all about making sure boots are broken in, packs are appropriately sized and that our students feel comfortable and confident. Way to go NWXA!
Northwest Explorer (NWXB)
Welcome to North Cascades National Park! After a busy arrival day yesterday, NWXB transported to the North Cascades for some day hiking! Much like NWXA, their exploration time is for sorting out issues, bonding and taking in the epic-ness of nature! 
Pacific Coast (PCA)
Thirty-one miles for their first day of riding? That sure is impressive. Today these excited PCA students hit the roads on their bikes for a full day of riding in Oregon. They practiced riding in pods, reviewed some bike safety and had a blast along the way! Happy riding!
“Daryl and Domi’s dabbing, daring and dashing dudes and dudettes!”
Pacific Coast (PCB)
PCB started off the day with an enormous hill! Surprise, surprise, they crushed it! This attitude on the first day of riding bodes well and sets a precedent for the rest of the trip. No mileage is too long, no hill is too steep; these students can do anything!
Scottish Highlands (SH)
Welcome to Edinburgh! Today SH trekked into Edinburgh, their final stop along this route! Though perhaps still a bit saturated from their adventures yesterday, this group is still sporting smiles. Something tells me the gorgeous greenery around them eased the pain of their wet boots a wee bit. And also that beautiful afternoon in Edinburgh!
Alps Explorer (AX)
Okay, is this a green screen? AX saw some truly jaw dropping views today as they explored Zermatt. They were surprised by the grade and challenge of the terrain, but some much needed photo stops definitely lightened the load. Toblerone chocolate? Snow covered peaks? Excited students? When is the next flight to the Alps?!
A very special birthday celebration last night!
Pyrenees Mountains & Coast (PMC)
PMC had themselves a relaxing morning by the beach in Hendaye, France before taking a train to Barcelona, Spain. They were more than happy to take a load off on the train, play some games, solve some riddles and bask in the glory of the hiking that they completed.
Europe Coast to Coast 1 (ECC1)
Feeling rejuvenated from their rest day yesterday, ECC rode 89km today. They enjoyed a quieter section on a bike path into the little town of Mattarello before digging deep and crushing some giant hills. Through city streets, along the river and through apple orchards, ECC encountered a wide variety of terrain today!
Europe Coast to Coast 2 (ECC2)
Rest day, rest day! We have a rest day! Nestled into the town of Bolzano, Italy ECC2 had the chance to wake up slow and simply take in the scenery. Often ECC is rolling on by so fast that they don’t get a chance to stop and smell the roses. Rest days are for doing just that! Enjoy!
America Coast to Coast (ACC)
With only a few turns today, ACC took a pretty straight shot all the way to Carrizozo. Ninety-two miles later and they arrived in this quaint southwest town fondly referred to as Zozo. Zozo has just shy of 1,000 people and is named for the abundance of reed grass that used to exist and fed cattle.
“New Mexico, we love you” -Leader Lorin