Overnight/Expedition Programs We currently offer courses ranging in length from 3 to 14 days. Great Hollow designs courses that will accommodate the needs and goals of your particular program. The Hike The main element of our programming is an extended wilderness expedition. Students hike in groups of 10-12 with two or three instructors for two to eleven days, depending on the contracting program. Cell phones, MP3 players, and unnecessary items are left behind as students pack their backpacks and leave base for the Appalachian Trail. After an initial training phase, students take on more and more responsibility. Morning starts early with a short run followed by a dip in a brook or stream. While some students cook breakfast for the crew, others will break down the campsite, and get ready for the day. After washing dishes and disposing of waste, the crew hits the trail, following the instructions of the leader of the day. Depending on the terrain and student ability, a day of hiking could cover two to eight miles. Students dictate the pace of the hike and number of breaks. Although most of the students have never hiked before, with some hard work, it is not long before the crew becomes more comfortable in their new environment and can actually enjoy what was once unimaginable. The day ends with a facilitated discussion focused on the processes that the group went through, and how they could be improved for the next day. Solo Solo is a time in the course when students are placed at a designated site for a time period ranging from an afternoon to 72 hours. Although they are periodically monitored by staff, students are, for all intents and purposes, alone. This is a time when students can reflect back on their course and look forward to the upcoming summer. For many students, this is the most challenging part of the course. In this world, it is rare to find oneself without someone to talk to, some screen to watch, or music to listen to. Devoid of these distractions, students can really concentrate on their goals and obstacles they must overcome to achieve those goals. High Adventure Elements Additional course elements can include rock climbing, participating in our high challenge courses or climbing tower, and caving. These components, though slightly different in nature, have the same basic characteristics. They are challenges that the student must face as an individual. Their personal fears and trepidations must be overcome in order to succeed. The connections between these challenges and the issues they face at home are tangible, and the skills the student uses to triumph over the challenges at Great Hollow can readily transfer back to their homes, schools and communities. Final Expedition One of the last challenges that the group has to face is the Final Expedition, which last one to two days. Using many of the skills that they have learned on the trail, the crew is presented with a series of challenges that they must face together. At this point in the course, the instructors have taken the backseat, present only to ensure student safety. The group elects two leaders who are then briefed on the parameters of the challenge. Some components of past expeditions have included orienteering over a mile of hilly terrain, and building a fire that can be started with one match and boil a pot of water. As was the case on the trail, students facilitate an evening meeting to discuss the low points and shining moments of the day, and how they can work more effectively together. Marathon/Graduation At the end of the course, students are presented with a challenging 6-mile trail run. It is the final individual challenge and serves as a bridge from the wilderness expedition to the summer academic program. Many programs invite the friends and family of the students to be present at the finish line, to welcome the student and show their support. The majority of the invitees bring some of the students’ favorite foods, and the atmosphere is festive and celebratory. A graduation ceremony of sorts follows, which often includes an element called The Wall. A thirteen-foot high smooth structure, it requires all group members working together to enable every member to reach the goal of climbing over the top. It serves as both a final group challenge and a metaphor for the obstacles that the student will face in the “real world”. For more information on rates and booking a trip, contact Great Hollow by email at mdebride@regionalymca.org or via telephone at 203-746-5852.