Written by: Santi and Jasper During the third section of our gap trip, we traveled to Indian Creek, Utah. With downcast eyes and heavy hearts we parted ways with the trek students. Gloomy weather and wet sandstone greeted us. Our first day was spent driving around Bears Ears National monument. We stopped at the Bears […]
By Art Couture and JD Wilson As we first arrived at HMI, feelings of being in an unfamiliar place arose in all of us. As our first days on campus went by, we began to learn some of the skills needed to have a comfortable time being outdoors for an extended time. Our first days
Gap Spring Trek Written by: Sofia and Sara Sofia: Dear Mamma Patagonia, Thank you for the past 79 days. Thank you for bringing me to these wonderful people. Thank you for the sun kissed cheeks and noses, the frozen boots, starlit nights, moonrises, sunrises over your snow covered peaks, evening meetings under the stars, early
Gap Spring Trek ’24 Written by: Rowan I found childlike joy in the NPI! In between glaciology classes, I was really into rocks. Like in the way my five year old nephew is obsessed with Paw Patrol and racing cars, I’m obsessed with rocks. Before and after our bountiful river crossings, at the proglacial lake,
Gap Spring Trek ’24 Written by: Sara Dear Cerro Castillo National Park, Somewhere in Chilean Patagonia while I was backpacking and camping with my friends, you taught me things. The type of knowledge that goes beyond academics made me grow as a student, leader, and human. Between all the ineffable landscapes and long days of hiking,
Spring Trek 2024 Written by: Arman There are two ways to ‘be’ in Spanish: ‘Ser’ and ‘Estar’. They represent the permanence and the impermanence of the states of being. As someone who has been afraid of so many things, Spanish (the language) and Chilean culture made my fears seem transient; whether it be it of
Fall Trek ’24 Written by: Diana Near the Carraterra de Austral, which is the highway through Chilean Patagonia, we set our camp after long, long hiking day through the Chacabuco Valley. We came out from the private 4-wheeler road winding not far away from Laguna de Guagua, our last night’s camp spot. We are staying
Fall Trek ’23 After cowboy camping under the Patagonian sky, we had to head out at six to arrive at our final destination. The night before, we ate our last dinner, had our last circle, and set up our last tent. We unzipped our sleeping bags, turned our heads, and looked out into the blooming
Fall Gap Rock 2023 Written by: Madeleine Berkowitz Well, the desert sun couldn’t last forever. In the northern hemisphere, F-Rock actually had some pretty good luck, weather-wise. So really, we were due for some storming. And after all, what’s even the point of a formative wilderness gap year experience without at least a little cold, wet
Gap Fall Trek 2023 Written by: Camilla and Stella A 3 hour van ride down the edge of Lago General Carrera. A boat ride across Lago Bertrand into Lago Plomo, past waterfalls and teal-colored water. Meeting our guides for the next week on their rocky beach: John Hauf, Liam, and Gretty. Hiking up towards John
