Frequently Asked Questions
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Questions about High Peaks Adventure instructors
Trip activities questions: 
Is previous outdoor experience required?
No, you don't need any previous outdoor experience to participate in the High Peaks Adventure. On the High Peaks Adventure, you'll learn skills to camp and travel comfortably in the backcountry, mountain bike, climb, and raft. The majority of High Peaks Adventure participants have never gone backpacking before.
What activities will I participate in while on the High Peaks Adventure?
On the High Peaks Adventure you'll get the opportunity to go on an eight-day backpacking trip through Colorado's spectacular Rocky Mountains. While in the backcountry, you'll take time out to do a day of service work repairing the trails on one of Colorado's famous 14,000-foot peaks. At the end of your backpacking trip you'll return to campus and gear up for more adventure, tackling three of Colorado's best-known sports. You'll give climbing and mountain biking a try and finish with an exhilarating whitewater rafting trip. 
Where will I go while on the High Peaks Adventure?
The High Peaks Adventure is based out of the High Mountain Institute's campus in Leadville, CO. Leadville is in central Colorado near Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge. On your trip you'll go backpacking and climbing in the Sawatch Range near Leadville, go mountain biking in Vail, and go rafting on the famous Arkansas River.
How many miles a day will I hike while we're backpacking?
The number of miles you hike each day will vary from day to day as we traverse different terrain. On days when you're hiking on a smooth trail, you might hike as much as six miles. On days when you're navigating off trail, you might hike as few as two miles.
What will I learn about wilderness backpacking and camping?
A lot! Whether or not you have spent time in the outdoors before, we will teach and review a variety of skills associated with camping and traveling in the backcountry. We will teach you how to travel through the mountains of our backyard while leaving only your footprints. You will learn how to cook using a backcountry stove, set up shelters, stay warm when it's cold or raining, and navigate using a topographical map.
What is the weather like in Colorado during the summer?
Days during the summer in Colorado tend to be warm and sunny while nights are cool and dry. Colorado summers tend to make for perfect hiking weather! Most summer days in Colorado start off sunny and there can be thunderstorms in the afternoon. It doesn't usually rain much, but it's not unusual for it to rain a little bit every day. Occasionally, it can even snow!
Trip preparation:
What equipment do I need to participate in a High Peaks Adventure course?
You can see a full list of the equipment that you will need for your course by clicking on the tab "For accepted students" and then scrolling down to "Packing & Equipment List 2010." You can rent almost all of what you will need for your trip (for example, a sleeping bag, warm jacket, and backpack). The one exception is that you will need to bring your own hiking boots. We will provide all of the additional gear that you need to go mountain biking, climbing, and rafting.
Do I need to physically prepare for the High Peaks Adventure?
While you do not need to be an athlete to participate in the High Peaks Adventure, we strongly recommend that you be in good physical condition. In advance of your program, we recommend that you work on your cardiopulmonary fitness and hiking/walking strength, particularly if you are not already exercising regularly. The ideal is to go for fast paced hikes on trails carrying a daypack (with lots of water!) 2-3 times per week for 30-45 minutes. If trails are unavailable near your home, use a combination of roads and athletic fields. This is also an excellent way to break in your hiking boots! We recommend starting to prepare yourself physically for your trip at least six-weeks before the program starts. 
Eating & Sleeping:
Do we learn to cook while we're in the backcountry?
Yes, each tent group of 3-4 students cooks for themselves. In this way, you'll have lots of opportunities to practice different meals. Cooking in small groups also allows you to make things like pizza that you couldn't do while cooking for a dozen people. Learning to cook delicious meals is one of the highlights of the High Peaks Adventure. Don't worry if you've never cooked before (most haven't); your instructors will help you get started and guide you along the way.
What kind of food will we eat while in the backcountry?
One of the things we like to do at HMI is to eat good food (and lots of it!), especially while we're in the backcountry. You'll have lots of ingredients with you-pasta, rice, cheese, flour, bagels, sugar, spices-for you to use in making delicious meals. Typical breakfasts include pancakes, bagels, and oatmeal; you'll often eat rice and bean burritos, pasta with cheese and veggies, or pizza for dinner. Lunches tend to be lighter fare that you'll eat over the course of the hiking day.
Where will we sleep while on campus?
While on campus, you'll sleep in one of our wood-heated cabins. For each course there is a cabin for girls and a separate cabin for boys. Typically one instructor sleeps in each cabin with the students.
Where will we sleep while in the backcountry? .jpg)
While in the backcountry you'll sleep in a mega-mid tent with 2-4 of your peers. Mega-mids are great, lightweight, circular tents. Your instructors will show you how to set them up and how to pick out a good campsite. All tent groups are single-sex.
Can I come on the High Peaks Adventure if I have food allergies?
Probably. In the past we've been able to accommodate students with a wide-range of food allergies. Please call us to discuss.
Group:
How big will my group be?
High Peaks Adventure groups are small; there are never more than 12 students per group. This allows you to better get to know each and every person in your group and form a small, tight-knit and cohesive community.
Who are the other students and where do they come from?
High Peaks Adventure students come from all over the country to try new things, meet new people, and experience the beauty of Colorado's mountains. All groups are co-ed. High Peaks Adventure students should be enthusiastic, eager to live and play in a small group, and experience the great outdoors together.
Can friends come on the High Peaks Adventure together?
Yes, although we strongly encourage all students to come on their own. In our experience attending the High Peaks Adventure on your own allows you to immerse yourself more fully in the group and ultimately leads to a more powerful experience. If you are nonetheless interested in attending the High Peaks Adventure with a friend please call us to discuss. The majority of participants on the High Peaks Adventure do not know anybody else prior to the start of the program.
Instructors:
Who will my instructors be?
High Peaks Adventure instructors are talented wilderness instructors and teachers who are versed in wilderness travel and adolescent development. Our instructors often have several years of experience educating teenagers. Many are classroom teachers or High Mountain Institute alumni. They are role models and mentors who create a fun and welcoming environment rich in opportunities for personal growth. The average age of last year's High Peaks Adventure instructors was 27 and 100% had prior experience working for High Mountain Institute.
How many instructors do you have per group?
Typically there are two instructors and one instructor-in-training with a group of twelve students. The instructor-in-training is typically a college-aged High Mountain Institute alumnus who is an aspiring outdoor educator.
How do you train your instructors / what sort of certifications do they have?
High Peaks Adventure instructors come to High Mountain Institute with previous experience working in the outdoors with teenagers. Regardless of experience, all High Peaks Adventure instructors participate in a day and a half of training prior to the start of their program. Additionally, all new staff members participate in a training trip before leading their first High Mountain Institute program. All High Peaks Adventure instructors have wilderness medical training. 
Who leads the days of rafting, mountain biking and climbing?
On the High Peaks Adventure, we work with contracted, professional guides who are specialists in their field to lead our rafting and mountain biking sections. We work with CityWILD for our day of rafting and Vail Mountain Bike Camps for our day of mountain biking. During these days, the High Peaks Adventure instructors focus on individually coaching students as opposed to instructing the group. For our day of climbing, instruction is provided by High Mountain Institute staff who have experience both climbing themselves and instructing climbing to others.
Enrollment:
How do I apply for a High Peaks Adventure program?
To apply for the High Peaks Adventure fill out the High Mountain Institute Summer Programs application and answer the short question listed on the application. Please also give a Teacher Recommendation Form to one of your teachers to complete. Once we have received your application and recommendation form we will contact you for a phone interview. If you are applying for financial aid, please submit your application by March 1.
Do you have references for students who have done a High Peaks Adventure program previously?
Absolutely, please contact us and we will be happy to give you the names of a couple of recent alumni (or alumni parents) who you can contact as a reference.
How quickly do sessions fill up?
Each High Peaks Adventure session is filled on a rolling basis. The majority of applicants apply in between January and March. 
What if my first choice session is full?
If your first choice session is full, we'll call you to make sure that your second choice is acceptable before processing your application.
Does High Mountain Institute offer financial aid?
We recognize that the cost of an excellent program such as the High Peaks Adventure is significant. High Mountain Institute attempts to make the High Peaks Adventure affordable for all accepted students. In offering aid, we hope to attract students from a wide range of economic, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds. The amount of aid available each year is finite. To apply for financial aid please complete a High Mountain Institute Summer Programs Financial Aid application and submit it along with the supporting materials by March 1st.
Why don't you require a deposit?
We are committed to trying to ensure that each student is a good fit for the High Peaks Adventure and that the High Peaks Adventure is a good fit for each student before requiring students to pay a deposit. We review each student's application and recommendation form. We then interview each student to ask them a few questions and answer any questions that they might have before enrollment. Once a student has received all enrollment materials and has a full understanding of the nature of the High Peaks Adventure we ask students to put down a deposit for their program. In our experience, this helps to ensure that all students are enthusiastic participants, eager to live and play together in the outdoors.
When are payments due?
An $800 deposit is due two weeks after receipt of your enrollment packet. The balance is due by April 1. If you are accepted after April 1, your full tuition payment is due 2 weeks after receipt of your enrollment packet.
What is the High Mountain Institute's refund policy?
In the event that the High Mountain Institute cannot accommodate a student because of medical concerns, we will issue a refund of the deposit. If for any reason (whether voluntary or involuntary) a student leaves the program in progress, there will be no tuition refunded. High Mountain Institute will not refund or reduce tuition for late or non-arrival, early withdrawal, or participant cancellation for any cause. We encourage all families to purchase trip insurance to protect their investment. We will send you more information about trip insurance in your enrollment packet.
Parent concerns and questions:
How do you address safety and risk management on the High Peaks Adventure?
We are proud of the quality of our programs, our safety record, and our risk management practices. High Mountain Institute is fully accredited by the Association for Experiential Education and our faculty and staff have first aid training. We strive to develop creative and challenging programming and endeavor to responsibly manage risks, knowing we cannot eliminate those risks. High Mountain Institute program activities, including wilderness travel and campus life, involve inherent and other risks. For more information about High Mountain Institute's approach to safety and risk management please visit: http://www.hminet.org/about-hmi/risk-management.
How do I know if the High Peaks Adventure program is right for my child?
Ultimately your child knows best whether or not the High Peaks Adventure is right for him or not. We seek curious, motivated students who chose to attend the High Peaks Adventure because they want to experience a fun-outdoor experience and meet new people. The High Peaks Adventure is not a therapeutic wilderness program. If you are looking for a therapeutic wilderness program, please give us a call and we will be happy to give you some general suggestions.
What makes the High Peaks Adventure different from other summer trips?
Prospective families often ask how the High Peaks Adventure is different from other summer adventure programs in the West. We are a school that specializes in wilderness travel and adolescent development. High Peaks Adventure instructors employ the same high-level wilderness principles used to teach our high school students. At the same time, we have designed the course for middle school students and place a heavy emphasis on fun and personal growth. For more about what makes the High Mountain Institute, as an organization, unique please visit the tab on our summer homepage entitled "The HMI Difference."
Miscellaneous questions:
Can I stay in touch with home and friends while on the High Peaks Adventure?
You will call home when you first arrive in Denver for the start of the High Peaks Adventure to let your parents know you have arrived. While you're on campus, although there are computers and phones available, we encourage you to write postcards or letters to your friends and family. While you're in the backcountry, you will be able to receive and send out mail when we re-supply your group (typically half way through the backpacking trip). Approximately twice a week, we'll also send an email home to your parents to give them a quick update on how your trip is going.
Can I bring an iPod, MP3 player, cell phone, or other electronic device?
You are welcome to bring an iPod, MP3 player, or cell phone for use while you are traveling to/from the High Peaks Adventure. However, once the program has started your instructors will collect your cell phones for safe keeping for the duration of the program. You are welcome to continue to use your iPod or MP3 player at night in the cabins but we ask that you do not use it during the day on campus or take it with you into the backcountry. We place great emphasis on building a strong cohesive community and have found that the use of electronics detracts from our ability to "be present."