When I first began thinking of things to do to occupy my time between graduating high school and starting college, going on a three-month backpacking trip did not even cross my mind. In fact, it ended up being a last-minute decision. Of all the things I could have done, never in a million years did I think being outside for an extended period of time would be an experience fit for me. Fast forward two months, I’ve come to realize accepting the challenge of participating in a program that wasn’t necessarily something I wanted to do was one of the most beneficial decisions I have ever made. Appreciating the natural spaces I occupied throughout time along with reaping the physiological and neurological benefits the environments provided changed my attitude.

This program was super fun and helped me learn how to climb outdoors and see the beauty in it. I met many great people and made friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. The climbing was great, and being able to climb in Patagonia is just insane. The staff are all mostly very helpful and kind. Being able to do so many different styles of climbing and meet so many cool people is a really unique and awesome experience. I would recommend this program even if you’re new to climbing, it’s a great way to get really into it.

High Mountain Institute Gap is an incredibly fun and transformative program that truly allows you to challenge yourself at whatever pace feels right. The instructors are exceptional—supportive, encouraging, and always creating the space you need for both personal and physical growth. You get the chance to climb in unbelievably beautiful locations and travel to new countries and experience different cultures. It’s an unforgettable opportunity for exploration, learning, and pushing your limits in the best way possible.

High Mountain Institute challenged me physically and mentally everyday. High Mountain Institute brought me to some insane places like one of the highest peaks in the lower 48, hundreds of feet down in Utah Canyons and frozen over alpine lakes and glaciers in Patagonia national park. I learned some valuable life skills like topographic map reading, living and cooking outside, spending 24 hours with just me my and I self, or living with a small group of my peers for an extended time period.

I was a bit apprehensive about spending 80 days sleeping outside but it was an amazing experience. I learned a lot of practical skills in rock climbing in a very safe environment. By the end students were running whole climbing days without instructors. Also learning to interact with complete strangers and then ending being really close with lots of students and instructors was very fun even through the up’s and downs. Also the places you go during the trip are incredible, from dropping a technical canyon in the desert to hiking in the high platues of Patagonia it was incredible.

HMIs Fall Rock Semester provides amazing resources to teach you how to rock climb, spend time outside, and build a community. The rock climbing curriculum is extensive. It starts with the very basics allowing those with no experience to participate. Over the course of the semester it builds up to more advanced skills. Some examples are multi pitch climbing, trad climbing, and lead climbing. HMI teaches you how to effectively live outside. You learn about ration shopping, cooking, sleeping systems, and gear management. The small community that HMI provides teaches you how to build a strong community. You get to know each person on the program and how to best work together.

Before HMI, I had no backpacking experience. However, you don’t need experience to have a great time with HMI. Throughout this semester, I have gained so much knowledge and confidence in backpacking by hiking through such amazing places like the canyons of utah and Chile Patagonia. What is unique about HMI is the emphasis they put towards building intentional and inclusive communities. The instructors are very passionate about what they do and go above and beyond for their students. Participating in an HMI gap program is an unforgettable experience.

I was born in Chile, but moved when I was 6. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience to come back to the place where I was born and reconnect, as well as turn 18 while sitting outside of my tent alone in the Patagonian hills during our 21 hour Solo Expedition. This course took us far into the backcountry of Patagonia National Park, letting us experience a completely new ecosystem and terrain. It felt like making the trek to Mordor. The extreme Patagonian weather reared it's ugly head at times, but even while huddling beneath a rock ontop of a ridge trying to hide from the wind and rain, we couldn't help smiling and laughing at how awesome this experience was. We also found that it would be calm at serine most of the time, especially when we camped in giant patches of short green grass that looked like it was taken from a golf course. It was such an incredible opportunity to explore this crazy landscape while also growing closer to my peers.