High Mountain Institute

When I arrived at the airport in Denver, Colorado, I could not even guess the order of events that were about to take place. I knew I would be surprised, but I was unsure of how many times this would occur and how much of it I could handle. Over time I began to realize the beauty in surprises, that sometimes they made our trip better and more meaningful. The beauty in the places we were fortunate and privileged enough to hike through was also valuable. With every destination: Colorado, Utah, and Patagonia, I was truly shocked at what my eyes were seeing and smiled at the idea that maybe paradise does exist on earth. What made it more memorable was being surrounded by my new friends. I enjoyed every moment of my gap semester. I am taking away the core values of what it means to live outdoors, which I plan on applying to each aspect of my life once I return home.

I loved HMI Gap. I saw unprecedented growth in so many areas I wanted improvement in before going to college. I got that wanted progress and so much more. I helped build a close-knit community with so many hilarious inside jokes only the twelve of us will ever understand. I learned to be a leader and had many thoughtful discussions about environmental studies. The instructors were superb. The supported us in every way we needed but also let us do our own thing when the situation necessitated that. They taught us numerous lessons on a wide variety of topics. All in all, I learned more about myself and the environment by being intentional in the backcountry than I did in all thirteen years of traditional school teaching me grammar and equations. 10/10 would recommend because I am so pleased I took this gap course.

I was drawn into this program immediately, as climbing is a huge part of my life. I learned so much about the technical skills involved in outdoor climbing, and am leaving the course with the skills I need to be a self sufficient climber in the future. More importantly, though, I learned how to live in a small community for weeks at a time, working closely to cook, sleep, and climb with ten other students. This course taught me so much about leadership, teamwork, and resilience. As a student interested in pursuing environmental studies in college, this program was also the perfect opportunity to prepare for college while still taking a much needed break from the classroom structure. I would absolutely recommend this program - the friendships, skills, and experience I’ve gained are going to stay with me throughout my life.

Wonderful views, excellent instructors, smelly students: whats not to love? One or two things but not that many things. The hiking, backpacking, and canyoneering aspects were simply splendid. All the locations we traveled to were beautiful and there were diverse outdoor challenges in each of them. The instructors were-- for the most part--respectful, knowledgeable, professional, and intelligent. There was much to learn about living in the back country and we were taught it well. I could've used a little more autonomy. I felt slightly like a small child again, but that was nice considering I was far from my parents loving arms. I also might've enjoyed more town time and/or cultural immersion during the abroad portion of the course. If you are looking for a challenging and fun introduction to backpacking and long back country expeditions with a little bit of sometimes boring learning worked in, this is the program for you.

Before HMI I had never hiked with a full pack, had only car camped a few times with my family, and never had spent more than a day or two in the backcountry. Now I can carry everything I'll need to live comfortably for over a week rain, shine, cold, or warm all in my backpack. The community that we've built over this semester has been one of the strongest and most supportive spaces that I have ever been a part of. I've learned about environmental science and the ethics surrounding it as well as more than I ever thought I would about myself and my own goals. If you are interested in the outdoors, leadership, environmental studies, traveling, and experiencing new things then you should really really really really sign up for the next HMI semester.