We invite you to check out this new line-up of weekend trips for Upper School Colorado Academy students of all ages with activities ranging from fly fishing to rock and ice climbing, from hut trips to photography.
CA’s Outdoor Program offers students experiences that teach and improve outdoor skills—with an emphasis on teamwork, commitment, and tenacity. Learning outdoors is a hands-on way to study geology, history, geography, anthropology, natural history, and ways to steward the environment. Much of what CA students learn outdoors translates into the classroom and helps students succeed in all aspects of life. And did we mention, these trips are fun!
At CA, safety is our priority. Trips may be postponed or cancelled for a variety of safety-related reasons, including weather, staffing, and any other issue that would compromise student safety.
You can register online now. For students whose families receive financial aid for tuition, please inquire about trip assistance. Any questions? Contact Forbes Cone, Director of Experiential Education, forbes.cone@coloradoacademy.org, 303-986-1501, x. 2670.
Here are the exciting trips planned for Upper School students for 2018-2019:
South Platte Fly Fishing | Rifle Mountain Park | Change of Season and Night Photography | Eldorado Hut | Tundra Hut | Ouray Ice Climbing | North Platte Fly Fishing
See also 2018-2019 Lower School Outdoor Trips and Middle School Outdoor Trips.
South Platte River Fly Fishing
Date: Sunday, September 23, 2018
Location: Deckers, CO
Cost: $50
Level: No experience necessary | Easy/Beginner activity
This fishing trip is perfect for fledgling anglers, covering basic fishing techniques like baiting a hook, casting, and removing the hook once you have landed a fish. Please note: participants need to provide food, water, and personal items. Detailed gear list follows registration.
Price includes transportation, instruction, waders, and fly rods
Rifle Mountain Park
Dates: Saturday, September 29-Sunday, September 30, 2018 (departing on Friday, September 28 after school)
Location: Rifle, CO
Cost: $200
Level: Moderate/Intermediate activity
Simply put, Rifle Mountain Park offers the best limestone sport climbing in North America! Rifle is approximately three hours west of Denver, near the town of Rifle, Colo. On this trip, students receive instruction on technical skills, climb spectacular sport routes, camp, and cook meals together. No prior experience is necessary!
Price includes transportation, climbing equipment, instruction, food, and shelters
Change of Season and Night Photography
Dates: Friday, November 9-Sunday, November 11, 2018
Trip Leader: Jesse Myers
Location: Woodland Park, CO
Cost: $150
Level: Beginner/Easy activity
Students will spend the weekend exploring the outdoors through the lens of a camera near Woodland Park. Explore the changing foliage and experiment with night photography and light painting. There will be time for hikes and exploration. Each evening, students will view the day͛s photos. Note: We are working to provide a comparable trip in the spring. Please watch the website.
Price includes transportation, food, accommodation, and instruction
Eldorado Hut
Dates: Saturday, January 19, 2019-Sunday, January 20, 2019 (Martin Luther King Birthday weekend)
Trip Leader: TBD
Location: Leadville, CO
Cost: $150
Level: Difficult/Advanced activity
The Eldorado Hut is located five miles west of Turquoise Lake, near Leadville, Colo. The path into the hut winds through aspen forest for the first mile and gradually zigzags up a ridge on the north side of the lake. At the hut, view from the south window include a panorama of Bald Eagle Mountain and the 14,421-foot Mount Massive. Only one mile from the hut is fun glade skiing on Mushroom Mountain, and after returning from our tour, we͛ll fire up the wood burning sauna to finish off a great day in the Colorado backcountry! Thanks to David and Arléne Cole for their generous donation of this hut. Note: Backcountry telemark or AT gear is required and can be rented from Bentgate Mountaineering or Wilderness Exchange.
Price includes transportation, accommodation, avalanche safety equipment, food, and instruction
Tundra Hut
Dates: Friday, February 15, 2019-Sunday, February 17, 2019 (Presidents Day Weekend)
Trip Leader: TBD
Location: Georgetown, CO
Cost: $300
Level: Intermediate/Difficult activity
The Tundra Hut is located at 11,500 feet just below the Continental Divide, in a beautiful backcountry basin above Georgetown, Colo. Many large windows allow breathtaking view of ͚13ers and Argentine Pass to the south. It is a rustic getaway with no running water. Snow melt is used in the winter. This beautiful high alpine basin and lonely ghost town of Waldorf was once a major Colorado tourist destination. From the trailhead, the hut is 5.8 miles up the main road. A high degree of fitness is required. Note: Students will need to provide a backcountry ski set-up (skis, boots, and skins) or snowshoes.
Price includes transportation, accommodation, avalanche safety equipment, food, and instruction
Ice Climbing in Ouray
Dates: Friday, February 15, 2019-Monday, February 18, 2019 (Presidents Day weekend)
Trip Leader: TBD
Location: Ouray, CO
Cost: $300
Level: Beginner/Difficult activity
The Ouray Ice Park is a man-made ice climbing venue in a spectacular natural gorge within walking distance of Ouray, Colo. It is home to more than 200 ice and mixed climbs, most within a 15-minute walk of the park entrance. Over the last 20 years, the Ouray Ice Park has become one of the premier ice climbing venues in the world. Don͛t miss out! This trip is designed for beginners, and no prior climbing experience is necessary.
Price includes transportation, accommodation, food, and climbing instruction
North Platte River Fly Fishing
Dates: TBD
Trip Leader: TBD
Location: Georgetown, CO
Cost: $50
Level: Beginner/Easy activity
Explore the river from Clear Creek Canyon west to Georgetown, Colo. Students learn about watershed dynamics, fly fishing strategy, fly pattern selection, and fish behavior. Learn to cast a fly rod, manage a line, hook and land trout.
Price includes transportation, instruction, waders, and fly rods