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Every fall, Hamilton’s Outing Club (HOC) sends groups of students to the Adirondack Mountains where they attempt to summit each of the 46 high peaks in one weekend. This year, there were 25 trips and five overnight backpacking trips. Student participants included 40 HOC leaders, 20 shadow leaders (as part of HOC leader training), and 51 hikers for a grand total of 111. This year, Hamilton students summited 39 of the 46 peaks.

Last weekend, the Hamilton Outing Club sent 125 students into the Adirondack Mountains for its annual 46 Peaks Weekend. The tradition began in 1995 when the Outing Club officers at the time challenged the group to get one student on top of each of the Adirondack’s 46 high peaks — mountains over 4,000’ — in one weekend.

On the evening of Sept. 9, Hamilton’s Marathon Canoe Racing Team loaded up two vans and began their journey to Old Forge, N.Y., to compete in the Adirondack Canoe Classic, a.k.a. the 90-Miler.

One might not expect Caleb Phelan ’22, as a chemistry major, to spend a lot of time conducting academic research while camping in the mountains. But that’s exactly what he’s been doing this summer since part of his project is to measure and analyze the levels of two major pollutants in Adirondack water.

Nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks lies Blue Mountain, a 3750’ peak just east of a picturesque lake that bears the same name. It is at this scenic location, in the quiet town of Indian Lake, that Andrea Shipton ’22 and Jane Taylor ’22 are spending their summers interning as a summit steward and interpretive assistant, respectively.

Students in this fall’s Forever Wild: Cultural and Natural Histories of the Adirondack Park explored the social, political, and environmental issues and debates within the largest state park in the U.S. and presented their thoughts and findings online. Taught by Onno Oerlemans, the Elizabeth J. McCormack Professor of Literature, the course gave students a closer look at the geologic and conservation marvel that, in a non-pandemic semester, provides recreation and adventuring opportunities to many Hamilton students.

When classes ended for Fall Recess on Oct. 16, the eager members of the Hamilton community set out to maximize their short respite from classes. The Outing Club (HOC) sponsored several trips out into the wilderness for students looking to experience unique beauty and to push their limits.

Per annual tradition, the Outing Club sent out 18 trips in a bid to put at least one Hamilton community member on the summits of each of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks. The first weekend of October proved to be a fine weekend for this venture as fall foliage was in full glory. The mountains were pockmarked with brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges as complements to the vibrant green – a beautiful sight to see!

Members of the Adirondack seminar Forever Wild traveled to the Adirondack Park with their professor, Associate Dean of Faculty Onno Oerlemans, on a two-day field trip on Oct. 5 and 6.

The Hamilton Outing Club (HOC) recently welcomed a fresh batch of newly certified leaders to the community. Twenty-two students began their training on the morning of Sept.14 in the Glen House. This past weekend, many of these new leaders completed the second half of their certification with the completion of a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) class. After doing so, they are ready to get out into the wilderness and bring students from all over the community with them.