Newsletter Detail

For over thirty years, Hamilton College freshmen had the option of starting their year with a program called Adirondack Adventure, started by Geri Knortz ’74, when she worked in Student Life at Hamilton. The last day and night for some of these students was spent at Antlers and on the Camp Huntington ropes course.

Two years ago, Hamilton changed its policy and began to require that every incoming freshman take part in some sort of pre-campus orientation. This necessitated a change in scheduling that precluded the Adirondack Adventure students from coming to Antlers and a need to create many new programs to accommodate nearly 400 students. Due to an opening in our August calendar, Camp Huntington was able to host six sections of the newly formed Orientation Adventure group this year. Each one was based on one of the following themes: Serving the Environment, Adventure Hodgepodge, Art in the Adirondacks, Conserving the Adirondack Wilderness, Movement and Meditation in the Wilderness, and Philosophers’ Camp.

Hamilton’s trips are student led, with professional staff working behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. One of the trips – Serving the Environment – provided an opportunity for us to partner with the leaders and students by setting up three projects based here on Raquette Lake. On arrival day, SUNY Cortland graduate and Hamilton College track coach John Hartpence ’92 provided canoe instruction to the group that would be used later in the week. The next day, Pat Deyle, Raquette Lake invasive aquatics expert, provided training in how to identify variable leaf milfoil, and the crew paddled up the Marion River, carefully charting the existence of this invasive plant in the wetland. In addition, the incoming first-years assisted NYS DEC Ranger Gary Miller to install water bars to control trail erosion on West Mountain. They also provided service to Antlers by repairing storm water damage and removing nuisance plants from the property.

The students worked diligently and now have a much better idea of the kinds of conservation efforts that go on regularly in the Adirondack State Park. They have also formed some very close friendships that will serve them well in their first year at Hamilton. We were pleased to be able to support them and will continue to do so until our own Adirondack Trail Blazers reaches full capacity and needs the space.