Berkshire Adventure

for 5th graders

Overland welcomes our youngest students to join us for a week of exploration with a small, spirited group (no more than 12 students or fewer than 2 leaders) in the beautiful Berkshires, as we hike hills and mountains, cycle a quiet bike path and raft a fun river on our Berkshire Adventure!

Few settings could equal the Berkshires as a location for an introductory Overland program. Gentle hills become mountains, clear rivers flow past old farms and postcard-perfect towns spread out from manicured greens. With a wide range of fun outdoor activities—from hiking to biking to rafting to camping to building campfires to playing games—the Berkshire Hills are perfect for our 5th grade program. We’ll begin with easier hikes and bike rides, and later in the week we'll climb Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, and take on longer bike rides. On the Deerfield River, we’ll enjoy a day of rafting.

At trip’s end, we’ll celebrate all that we have accomplished and seen on our Berkshire Adventure—the perfect introduction to Overland and a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a single summer.

This is an introductory trip specially designed for our youngest students so that the challenges are always nicely balanced by lots of support, encouragement and fun. Equipment needs are minimal: a day pack, sleeping bag, bike helmet and suitable clothing packed in a duffel. Overland will provide a bicycle and any other specialized equipment.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike the Berkshires
• Bike the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
• Raft the Deerfield River
• Hike Mount Greylock

GRADE

For students who will finish grade 5 in June 2008.  This summer we will have 9 groups. Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

CHALLENGE LEVEL

This is an introductory trip. The selected activities, their duration and intensity are designed for adventurous 5th graders. The challenge level is a 1 on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is easiest. While this is an introductory trip designed for our youngest students, it is essential that parents make a good choice for their child. Every Overland program requires independence, age-appropriate maturity and good fitness.

START & END LOCATION

Starts and ends in Williamstown, Massachusetts

2008 DATES & FEES

1 Week

Sunday, June 22 to Saturday, June 28
Sunday, June 29 to Saturday, July 5
Sunday, July 6 to Saturday, July 12
Sunday, July 13 to Saturday, July 19
Sunday, July 20 to Saturday, July 26
Sunday, July 27 to Saturday, August 2

$1395 (airfare not included)

APPLY TODAY

Most groups fill in January & February. To download an application, click here.

“Thank you for ushering our daughter into her first overnight camp experience with such care and attention to detail and for living up to the confidence we placed in Overland.” Tricia and Norm Rosenthall, Hopewell, New Jersey

 

Itinerary

At The Start Of The Trip

The trip begins in Williamstown, Massachusetts. For those who fly, we'll pick you up at Albany International Airport in Albany, New York; for those who are dropped off, we'll meet on the Williams College campus.

Our First Day Together

On our first afternoon together, we'll focus on getting to know each other through playing fun games and taking a short, beautiful hike that provides a great view of Williamstown.  Our group will include two leaders—always a man and a woman—and up to 12 students (never more).  A small group makes for close friendships and fun as we enjoy our week together. 

Exploring the Berkshires

We'll spend our days doing day hikes and bike rides. We'll bike the Ashuwillticook bike trail and hike to a few of the beautiful vistas in and around Williamstown. Between hikes and rides, we'll enjoy Williamstown, taking a dip in one of the local swimming holes or playing group games. We'll spend one day rafting the Deerfield River with professional guides. The Deerfield is a perfect mixture of fun rapids and calmer water in the spectacular Zoar Gap. At trip's end, we'll challenge ourselves with a hike up Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts (3,491 feet).

Trip End

On our last night together, we’ll celebrate our week of fun and discovery. All in all, the perfect introduction to Overland!

What's It Like?

Traveling with Overland is fun as we seek to explore as a group, largely under our own power, in a supportive, wholesome environment. There is always lots of activity! We do everything together as a group; we make all of our meals together, we hike together, we bike together, we swim together and we explore together. With two caring leaders in charge, this makes for a great experience for everyone.

Our days start with a simple breakfast as a group (cereal, milk, juice, fruit and bagels) before we clean up and head out for the day's activities. We’ll usually have a picnic lunch (sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies) while out hiking, rafting or biking. By mid-afternoon we generally return to our campsite for some down time to read and relax. We’ll almost always head back out in the late afternoon for a walk, a swim or to play soccer or Frisbee before returning to camp to prepare dinner. Dinners are simple meals—like tacos or burritos, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti or hamburgers and hot dogs—accompanied by a green salad or fruit. Group members (with lots of help and supervision from the leaders) plan, shop for and prepare all of the meals. After dinner the group will take a walk in town, play a game or build a campfire. As the sun goes down, we come together as a group one last time to enjoy dessert together and discuss the day’s highs and lows. This last gathering of the day—called Dessert Circle—is an important Overland tradition and is the perfect way to unwind and reflect after a busy day.

Supervision & Safety

Overland’s two leaders, a man and a woman, provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week supervision of the highest standard. Our students feel safe and secure in our talented and conscientious leaders’ hands.

On an Overland trip the group stays together all day: biking and hiking together, playing games together, swimming together, and enjoying our evenings together as we prepare dinner and dessert and talk about the day’s adventures. We get up early (usually between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m.), have full, active days, and head to bed soon after dark (between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m.).

We set high expectations for each student’s behavior—we expect respect and consideration for others, a positive attitude, and an eagerness to help make the trip a success in every way possible.

 In every decision we make, safety comes first. We plan our trips carefully choosing hiking trails and bike routes that make sense for the age and abilities of each group. We hike and ride with care, with a leader at the front and a leader at the rear—and we take frequent rest stops. When biking, we only ride during the day; we always wear helmets, and we attach an orange safety flag to every bike. Since our first trips in 1985 our safety record has been superlative.

 For nearly 25 years our caring and competent leaders, our 24/7 supervision, our high expectations, and our commonsense approach to safety have made Overland the number one choice for summer trips.

“We always sign up for an Overland trip with complete confidence in the staff, planning, office support and trip program.” Martha Prozeller, Sudbury, Massachusetts

Overland Leaders

In a world where strong leadership skills make the difference between the average and the exceptional, Overland recruits and trains only the best to be our leaders. Not only do these remarkable people capably lead our groups, they also offer our students the kind of role modeling for which Overland has long been recognized.  Bright, charismatic and accomplished, our leaders ensure the safety and well-being of every Overland student, and then they provide much, much more, inspiring our students to reach for their potential in every way. 

You won’t find a more dynamic and talented group of people than Overland’s leaders. Most Overland leaders have played varsity sports and many have captained their teams; they have served as student government officers, volunteered as peer counselors and directed campus organizations. They are high achievers who come to Overland with a lifetime of leadership experience—but just as importantly, they are warm, wonderful people who are eager to work with Overland’s students.

Overland’s leaders prepare carefully for the summer. We know of no other program that requires certification in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving—every Overland leader has all of these plus our own 10-day training program that focuses on safety, supervision and leadership. All of our efforts prepare Overland’s caring and committed leaders to create safe, supportive and valuable programs where each of our students can flourish.

Meet some of our spectacular returning leaders.

How We Put Our Groups Together

 We have a number of important criteria for every group:

Size: Every Overland group is limited to 12 students.
Gender: Groups are coed; the male/female ratio is always carefully balanced (6:6, 7:5 or 8:4).
Friends: We allow two pairs of friends in a group (we never allow three or more friends to travel together). With a maximum of two pairs of friends there will always be space available for at least eight students to come on their own without a friend. Furthermore, if we enroll two pairs of friends in a group and both pairs are of one gender, we generally try to: (1) enroll three or four more students of that gender in that group, or (2) close the group to additional students of that gender.

Trip Details

Getting To & From The Trip

Students who fly to the trip fly into the Albany, New York, International Airport where Overland staff will be on hand to meet and assist all arriving students. Students who are dropped off should come to the Williams College Campus in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

At the end of the trip in Williamstown, students can either fly home from the Albany, New York, airport or be picked up in Williamstown. Overland staff will be on hand to assist all students with flights or pick-ups.

Clothing & Equipment

Please see the Preparing & Packing page for a complete clothing and equipment list. Note that the main pieces of equipment needed for this trip are a bicycle helmet, a day pack and a sleeping bag. Overland will supply a bicycle for all Berkshire Adventure students.

Additional Costs

Transportation to and from program start and end locations, spending money and personal gear are not included in the program fee.

“Overland’s leaders bring out the best in everyone.” Vicky Dehnert, Austin, Texas

 

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