The Upper School embarked on its first outdoor education trip of the school year, summiting two mountains in Massachusetts and New Hampshire over two days.

On the first day, students led by Outdoor Education Director Ted Barker-Hook hiked 5.5 miles to the top of Mt. Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. After stopping for lunch on the Appalachian Trail, students drove to the base of Monadnock in New Hampshire, where they enjoyed chicken fajitas and s’mores around a campfire.

The next morning, students prepared scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and hot chocolate. Several students walked around the pond at the base, while the rest of the group enjoyed a 5-6 mile hike and saw the Boston skyline from the summit.

“It’s interesting when you get to a mountaintop and you can see for miles and miles and miles,” said Barker-Hook. “Kids will say, ‘What are those black spots on the hills?’ And I say, ‘Those are shadows of clouds… and they’re blown away. It’s such a simple thing but people haven’t noticed that before because they haven’t seen the world from the top of a mountain.”

Students learned leadership skills working together to pitch tents, build campfires, make food, and navigate trails.  When asked about her favorite part of the trip, Olivia Griffin ’18, who isn’t one to spend much time in front of a stove, replied, “Probably cooking fajitas.”

For Bella Lepore ’18, one of her favorite moments included “car vibing to music” and hanging with peers she wouldn’t normally get the chance to see.

Barker-Hook plans to offer several more outdoor adventures this year.