Interim provides opportunities to get out of the classroom to learn by doing, through exposure to new ideas, experiences, and environments. Interim trips span the gamut from artistic pursuits to community engagement and wilderness expeditions. Immersion in a unifying trip concept broadens student’s skills, knowledge, and awareness.
Interim Goals:
- To practice physical and emotional resilience
- To cultivate student agency through trip planning and leadership
- To practice community values and service to others
- To learn via exploration and personal initiative
- To collaborate and problem solve
Here are the practical details parents should know:
All Upper School Interims will take place the week of May 26, 2019. Some Interims start on Sunday, some start on Monday (Memorial Day), and some start on Tuesday. Please note the date of each trip when selecting your preferences. Once students have reviewed trip descriptions, they should click on the registration link (student login required).
At this time, we do not need any of the trip-specific waivers signed. We will collect those after Interim placements have been completed.
Additional Information:
- Attendance on Interim is mandatory. Please do not schedule appointments during Interim.
- Interim registration is final, and changes are made only for medical emergencies.
- Take into account the general health of your child. Some medical conditions or poor fitness should lead you to place certain programs as a low choice. To participate in the canoeing Interim, students must be able to swim.
- Students should not repeat an Interim.
- The cost of Interim is included in tuition.
Thank you for reviewing all these materials and discussing possible options with your child. If you have any questions that I can be helpful with, please do not hesitate to email me at forbes.cone@coloradoacademy.org.
Available Trips:
To view trips, simply scroll down or click each trip for more information.
- 5280 Amazing Rally
- A Chip Off the Block
- A Guide to Denver’s Best Hikes and Eats
- Aerial Acrobatics
- Be an Archaeologist
- Blacksmithing and Beyond
- Camping, Canyoneering, Climbing, and Canoeing
- Canoe Labyrinth Canyon
- Denver Photo Road Trip
- Desolation Canyon Whitewater
- Exploring the Canyonlands
- Fly Fishing the Front Range
- Front Rangers: Mountain Biking in the Front Range
- Gourmet Heaven
- Hut-to-Hut Skiing
- Into the Woods…and Back
- Joe’s Valley Bouldering
- Kayaking the Western Slope
- Mud-Makers’ Boot Camp
- Raft the Colorado
- Reckless Renegades
- Rock On!
- Rock-Climbing 101: Peeps in Paradise
- Shoshoni Yoga Experience
- Ski Building
- So you want to meet the real Gus?
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Warriors
- The Wonderful World of Glassblowing
- Ukelele U
- Woodworking
5280 Amazing Rally
Trip Leader: Luis Terrazas
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing, and light walking)
Vendor: Angel Vigil
How well do you really know Denver? You can still see, hear, and even taste, the city’s rich history through its architecture, food, and infrastructure. Join us on a journey through Civic Center/Capital, Five Points, Auraria, Union Station, and Larimer Square, where we will delight in good food and uncover details of the city’s complex past. Each morning we meet at Union Station, where Angel Vigil, our guide, provides a series of challenges—all designed for fun and competition—that culminate with good food and prizes. Bring your devices, and CA will provide RTD passes. We’ll take care of the food.
A Chip Off the Block
Trip Leaders: Bob Clagett and Courtney Engle
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Marble, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendors: Beaver Lake Lodge and Cabins and Greg Tonozzi, Marble Sculptor
The tiny town of Marble, Colorado, located at the southern end of the Crystal River Valley that runs north to Carbondale, was once a bustling marble-mining community whose quarries produced much of the marble that was used in government buildings in Washington, D.C. and statues all over the world. More recently, Marble has become an active artists’ colony, with several marble sculptors designing works of art from the marble quarry. Under the instruction of a local sculptor (who has been described to us as “an eccentric mountain gnome”), we will learn the art of marble sculpture, along with the history of the valley and geology. There will also be some hiking opportunities in this gorgeous valley.
A Guide to Denver’s Best Hikes and Eats
Trip Leaders: Ross Holland and Miten Patel
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Tuesday, May 28-Saturday, June 1
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: N/A
It’s the quintessential Denver experience—a morning hike followed by a leisurely lunch—but visitors to the Mile High City often feel overwhelmed by the options. This Interim aims to fix that problem. Each day students go on a hike, dine at a local restaurant, and then evaluate their experience, ultimately producing an online guidebook, complete with reviews and photography.
Aerial Acrobatics
Trip Leaders: Kathleen Law and Emily Perez
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: Aerial Cirque Over Denver
At Aerial Cirque Over Denver, you will have the chance to work with aerial trapeze, lyra (hoops), silks, and slings in a safe, supportive environment, suited to beginners and advanced aerialists alike. In addition to developing aerial skills, you will have the opportunity to choreograph, direct, and perform in a piece on the last day of Interim. No experience is necessary, but if you are a climber or have enjoyed aerial work in circus camp, this Interim will play to your strengths.
Be an Archaeologist
Trip Leaders: Barry Simmons and Lisa Dean
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Cortez, Colorado
Trip Dates: Sunday, May 26- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Want to be an archaeologist? Imagine discovering a 700-year-old pottery shard while excavating, documenting its exact location, and carefully packaging it to be analyzed upon return to the lab. You will actively learn the basic techniques, concepts, and theories of archaeology in relation to Ancestral Puebloan cultures from professional archaeologists and excavate, recover, analyze, and interpret objects from the newest dig at Crow Canyon. We will sleep in hogans in our sleeping bags, shower daily, eat our meals in Crow Canyon’s dining hall, and spend our days in the field visiting and excavating sites inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans. We will not simply learn about archaeology. We will do it.
Blacksmithing & Beyond
Trip Leader: Jonathan Ender
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Pine, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: Dragon Forge LTD
Learn the age-old art of forging metal like the blacksmiths of ye olden days, along with learning the basics of welding. With these skills you’ll create your own works of art in addition to the planned projects of the week. You’ll work hard and see the rewards of your perseverance by using a set of skills that only some ever get to learn or try!
Each day you’ll drive up to the Dragon Forge studio, in Pine Junction, Colorado and work with owner and son, Craig and Rory May, who are first- and second-generation blacksmiths and one of Colorado’s top blacksmithing vendors. Forge your metal into tapers, twists, and intricate crooks to make functional pieces of art!
Camping, Canyoneering, Climbing, and Canoeing
Trip Leaders: Erin Gray and Peter Horsch
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Moab, Utah
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Moab Desert Adventures
Canyoneering through a rock maze with lots of scrambling, beautiful views, and several rappels. Climbing some of the most famous crack-climbing in North America. Hiking through parts of picturesque Arches National Park. Canoeing through canyons along the Colorado River. We’ll learn and practice Leave No Trace techniques camping near Moab. While no technical experience is required, participants should be excited to spend an active week outdoors and be able to swim.
Canoe Labyrinth Canyon
Trip Leaders: Mike Stanitski and Bill Hall
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Green River, Utah
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Centennial Canoe Outfitters Inc.
Students will canoe themselves down the historic Green River. John Wesley Powell explored the Green River, a main tributary of the Colorado River, in 1869 as the first part of his epic journey down the Colorado. The students will paddle 48 miles over 3 ½ days. We camp along the riverbanks each night under the stars.
Denver Photo Road Trip
Trip Leaders: Jesse Myers and Sara Purviance
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: N/A
Quick, grab your camera. Toss some extra batteries, memory cards, snacks, and a map into your backpack. Now pile into the van and hit the road. What lies ahead? Adventure. Inspiration. If you do not enjoy aimlessly wandering with your camera, this is probably not the Interim for you. Is there anything more fantastic than a photo road trip?
Desolation Canyon Whitewater
Trip Leader: Steven Hammer
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Desolation Canyon, Utah
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Sheri Griffith Expeditions
Spend a week camping in Desolation Canyon outside Moab. With our guides from Sheri Griffith Expeditions, we will travel in two-person inflatable kayaks down 84 miles of the Green River, experiencing fifty class I-III rapids. We will work as a team navigating the rapids, setting up and taking down camp every day, and exploring the canyon through various day hikes.
Exposed layers in towering canyon walls will give us a Grand Canyon experience. Additionally, we will see various wildlife: from day lizards sunning themselves, to eagles and hawks soaring in airstreams amidst the canyon walls, to deer and coyote moving along the river’s edge.
All students are welcome to register for this program; no kayak or whitewater experience is necessary. Be mindful that we will be outside in the elements twenty-four hours a day, and there will be regular rigorous physical activity. Therefore, the success of this Interim will be 90% dependent upon the positive attitude of the entire group. No single participant is successful unless the entire group is successful. Students who are gung-ho adrenaline junkies will make this trip spectacular!
Exploring the Canyonlands
Trip Leaders: Mike Davis and David Colodny
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Bears Ears National Monument, Utah
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Mike Davis Adventures!
This is a physically demanding Interim experience that will take you into the heart of wilderness in southeastern Utah. This involves scrambling and climbing over difficult terrain, as well as rappelling off of cliff faces. While Canyonlands and Moab are popular spots for exploring the Utah desert, far fewer hikers venture down to the contested Bears Ears National Monument, the location of our journey.
Just west of Blanding, Utah, Bears Ears is home to the greatest concentration of ruins of the Ancestral Puebloan peoples. Well-preserved rock art and structures abound. Students will learn important technical skills when traveling in canyon country, including navigation and survival skills. We will camp in the remote backcountry. This is a unique trip that is as inspiring as it is challenging.
Important Disclosure: Students who sign up for this trip cannot have a fear of heights, as we will navigate and climb numerous exposed cliff ledges and faces. Further, students should be prepared to hike up to 10 miles a day (with elevation gain) on land that does not have established trails.
The reward for your hard work is a one-of-a-kind experience to see archaeological sites that few have laid eyes upon. As Thoreau once said, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Fly Fishing the Front Range
Trip Leaders: Stuart Mills and Austin Harvey
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Florissant, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: N/A
On the Fly Fishing Interim we will introduce students to the skills of fly fishing, how to read and navigate rivers, and how to move safely around a river environment.
Front Rangers: Mountain Biking in the Front Range
Trip Leaders: Chris Roads and Aaron Thomas
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver Metro Area, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: N/A
In addition to attacking the wealth of single track within a short drive from campus and learning some of the basics of bike maintenance, we’re really excited about this year’s edition, as we will meet with the gang at both Yeti Cycles in Golden and Alchemy Bicycles right here in Denver. As this is, by design, an outdoor extravaganza, a certain degree of physical fitness is required of participants, as well as at least some experience riding a mountain bike on a surface other than asphalt or concrete. We’ll certainly take whoever wants to go, but experience has taught us that co-ed groups get the most out of this kind of time away from life in the big city.
Gourmet Heaven
Trip Leaders: Brigitte Debord and Julie Wei
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: The Seasoned Chef Cooking School
Indulge in a healthy and delicious culinary experience at the award-winning Seasoned Chef Cooking School. For five days you will experience the joy of cooking and eating a wide variety of impressive meals. Working in a modern home kitchen, you will be directed by an experienced and dynamic professional chef, Dan Witherspoon.
Hut-to-Hut Backcountry Skiing
Trip Leaders: Forbes Cone and Katy Hills
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Ashcroft, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion), Must be a black diamond skier
Vendor: N/A
On the Hut-to-Hut Skiing Interim, students will travel between Tagert/Green-Wilson and Friends huts in the Maroon Bells Wilderness. The route ascends over 5,500 ft. and covers twenty-five miles on alpine touring skis, all while carrying heavy packs, with five days of supplies. The ability to ski black diamond terrain, be an excellent team member, and push through adversity during the long trek between huts is required. Students will need to provide their own alpine touring set-up (rented or purchased). If you want ADVENTURE and to test your ENDURANCE, this is the Interim for YOU!
Into The Woods…and Back
Trip Leaders: Daniel Lopez and Jon Vogels
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver and Boulder, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: N/A
Over the course of the week, we will explore a variety of trails along the Front Range. Students will work in small groups to prepare, plan, and ultimately lead the hikes, that vary in length from 4-6 miles. This Interim allows students to get out and experience the wilderness that is literally in their backyard, as well as develop leadership skills. We will also spend one day volunteering for trail maintenance, in order to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship.
Joe’s Valley Bouldering
Trip Leaders: Alex Penny and Hagen Hall
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Joe’s Valley, Utah
Trip Dates: Tuesday, May 28- Saturday, June 1
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: N/A
Bouldering: climbing at lower heights without a rope. Joe’s Valley is one of the world’s premier bouldering destinations. The sandstone boulders that line the hillsides of central Utah are seemingly made for climbing: the rock is textured but skin-friendly, it’s featured yet strong, and the landings are fantastic. This bouldering Interim will test climbers’ strength, while camping under the stars and rejuvenating the spirit with alpine views.
Kayaking the Western Slope
Trip Leader: Sean Gallop
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Dotsero, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Renaissance Adventure Guides
This epic whitewater kayaking adventure will take you from zero to hero in five days. While descending through Deep Creek Canyon, students will navigate 37 miles of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers, camp under the stars, and explore side canyons along the way. Beyond adventure, students will learn about the area’s unique geology, how to preserve the fragile ecosystem of the canyon, and catch glimpses of rarely seen wildlife.
Mud-Makers Boot Camp
Trip Leaders: Alecia Maher and Kimberly Jans
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: Mandy Henebry Ceramics
Master ceramicist Mandy Henebry will join us for a 5-day dive into clay. She will share with us her stunning hand-building, wheel-throwing, and surface decoration techniques. Students will also leave campus to see the inner workings of a professional ceramics studio.
Raft the Colorado
Trip Leaders: Gabe Bernstein and David Frankel
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Fruita, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: Rimrock Adventures
If you’re looking for a mix of relaxation and adventure on the border of Colorado and Utah, then this river trip is for you! This rafting trip will be three relaxing days on the river in the Ruby and Horsethief Canyon sections, with stunning sandstone canyon walls, sandy beaches, and opportunities for short day hikes. We will be camping each night along the river with food provided by our Rimrock Adventures guides.
Reckless Renegades
Trip Leader: MacLain Looper
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Engage in daring and romantic adventures with ostentatious bravado or flamboyance. From Inigo Montoya and The Princess Bride, to Èowyn and Kylo Ren, these immortal fictionalized wielders of the sword are brought to life by actors skilled in the art of swashbuckling and versed in the techniques of stage combat. Join us for a weeklong foray into the world of the sword at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Rehearsal Studios.
Rock On!
Trip Leaders: Martha Smith and Paul Augustus
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver Metro Area, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Colorado Mountain Club
Come rock-climb with us! This trip will lead us up canyon walls in a search of our own perceived limits, as we seek to discover the best climbers within ourselves. You will be challenged physically and mentally, no matter your rock-climbing experience. Our Colorado Mountain Club guides will teach us not only techniques ranging from slab to crack climbing, but a bit about lead climbing and setting routes. Thursday of our week will be an extended day in which we will cook dinner together and watch a film at The American Mountaineering Center in Golden.
Rock-climbing 101: Peeps in Paradise
Trip Leaders: Dani Meyers and Cathy Nabbefeld
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Cañon City, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: Kent Mountain Adventure Center
When we left off last season, Ms. Meyers was scrambling (not eggs) and Cathy was using her short legs to stem a 5.8 chimney. Rejoin this paradise at Shelf Road, as we learn some gourmet outdoor cooking, read some romance novels around the campfire, learn the art of making s’mores with Easter peeps (because the locals tell us “marshmallows aren’t in season”) and yes, do some climbing in one of the climbing Meccas of Colorado. If goofy and groovy is your M.O., then this is your interim.
Shoshoni Yoga Experience
Trip Leaders: Sonia Sitja and Stephanie Turner
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Rollinsville, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: ShambhavaYoga Shoshoni
Shoshoni Yoga Retreat will broaden students’ awareness and mindfulness of themselves. Each day students will participate in three and one-half hours of Shambahava yoga/breathing and one to three hours of temple meditation and Sanskrit chanting. Other organized activities include an introduction to Hinduism and Buddhism, one hour of daily service (Seva), and an Ayurvedic (vegetarian) cooking class, sunrise and sunset meditation practices, and an ancient fire ceremony.
Ski Building
Trip Leader: Elizabeth Drazdowski
Trip Type: Away (Away from Denver for 5 days)
Location: Gunnison, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: Community Skis
Imagine this… You’re skiing in the backcountry or at the resort, and a stranger notices the custom design of your skis and asks, “Where did you get those?” and you respond, “I made these myself and designed the top sheet.” If you join the Ski Building Interim led by the amazing instructors, Michael and Kristin, from Community Skis, you’ll have those conversations with strangers and carve turns on skis you’ve manufactured with your own hands.
There are three main parts to the ski-making process: material prep, building the skis, and the finish process. At the end, it all comes together—your understanding of ski design and manufacturing, and having built something beautiful with your hands. You’ll check the flex, eye the camber/rocker profile, take a step back, and admire your creation.
So you want to meet the real Gus?
Trip Leaders: Lindsay Beatty and Elliot Chase
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Deer Trail, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: Medium intensity (moderate activity up to 3 hours per day)
Vendor: Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary and Training Center
On our interim, you will get the opportunity to meet and work with a thriving community of rescued wild horses. Over the course of the week, we will get to know the animals and help to assist in their rehabilitation by feeding, training, and spending the day with the horses and the trainers. We will take advantage of the beautiful sanctuary by taking part in a number of hikes and walks, as well as practicing yoga and other outdoor and wellness activities offered at the sanctuary. If you love horses, the idea of getting to work with horses, or just love animals and the outdoors, this will be an amazing experience, connecting with majestic animals in a beautiful, healing setting.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Warriors
Trip Leaders: Lisa Boes and Suzie Jekel
Trip Type: Local (Denver based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level: High Intensity (active 5+ hours per day, in the outdoors, with periods of intense exertion)
Vendor: N/A
Introduce yourself to the ancient and newly discovered Way of the Ninja. Students will attempt ninja obstacles, complete ninja courses, participate in ropes courses, and practice kickboxing. Participants should be prepared to push themselves physically as they see their ninja skills improve throughout the week.
The Wonderful World of Glassblowing
Trip Leaders: Andrea Eckler and Sonia Arora
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Trip Dates: Monday, (Memorial Day) May 27- Friday, May 31
Level:Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: The Furnace: a Glassworks
The art of glassblowing is a fun and challenging adventure in which students can shape objects to their desire, exploring various shapes and vibrant colors to make their visions come to life. Students will work one-on-one with professional glass blowers to learn to heat and shape molten glass, and to understand the intricacies that are involved in safely creating beautiful works of art. Glass blowing has been practiced for centuries by many cultures, from ancient Romans to modern times. Glass can take many forms, from functional objects like drinking glasses to complex sculptural pieces. Join us and add your artistic twist to history.
Ukulele U
Trip Leader: Holley McBroom
Trip Type: Local (Denver based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Tuesday, May 28- Saturday, June 1
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: Orthwest Studios
The mighty ukulele is one of the most versatile, portable, and fun instruments around. If you’ve ever wanted to learn to play this fun, take-anywhere instrument, or if you do know how to play it and want to learn more about how instruments work, this is your chance to build a wooden stringed instrument to call your own. We will work with an expert luthier (stringed instrument builder) on campus to complete a playable, concert-sized ukulele from both raw materials and some parts prepared in advance.
Woodworking and Design
Trip Leader: Meg Hill
Trip Type: Local (Denver-based all week; no overnight)
Location: Denver, Colorado
Trip Dates: Tuesday, May 28- Saturday, June 1
Level: Low intensity (sitting, standing and light walking)
Vendor: Daniel Hauer, Professional Woodworker
In this hands-on design and woodworking Interim, participants will explore the simplicity and elegance of modern furniture design. The idea of “less-is-more” will inform the creative process, from the selection of materials to the designing and building of a simple, yet elegant, stool and mill-edge floating shelf with a handcrafted planter. Participants will learn a variety of techniques, including specialty fasteners and joinery and various finishing techniques that can be applied well beyond this week-long experience.