ALPSS conquers Long Trail: Students and staff train to become guides

By Linwood Eichhorn

During the recent Easter break, thirteen students and staff members went on a backpacking trip for ALPSS on the Long Trail.

ALPSS stands for Adventure Leadership Program for Students and Staff, which trains members of the college community in backpacking, and team working skills.

This training allows them to become group leaders for some outdoor programs such as the wilderness challenge for incoming freshman. Five members of the group had never been backpacking before said Bruce Saxman who runs the Green Map office.

The groups left for the Long Trail on Friday after dinner and returned Tuesday evening.
When asked if it was a successful trip, Kellen Sams, who helped guide the trip, said "Every trip is a success if all of us come back uninjured, and we have a good time. So I would consider the trip successful."

The group was expecting some snow but were surprised when they had to trudge through several feet of new snow, which tested the team working skills that were being taught.

The thirteen people were divided into two groups; one starting on the long trail in Bennington and the other near the Massachusetts border. One group hiked north while the other hiked south. The two groups crossed paths on the middle of the trip.

If trips like this interest you, stop by the Green MAP office to see what is coming up.