Catalog

Outings Catalog Fall 2006

Why go outside?

With the level of comfort and convenience we have achieved indoors and with so much going on online and in the virtual world today, there isn't an obvious answer. Who among us doesn't enjoy being warm, sedentary, and entertained? And yet with each new technology-dependent experience the comes within reach the need to go outside diminishes, and so it becomes more important to find a satisfying answer.

One thing is that our species grew up outdoors. Our brains evolved in response to outdoor challenges and we developed the ability to make meaning in natural settings. Nature makes sense to us.

And the inverse is also true. We make sense to ourselves in nature. Nature doesn't lie to us. It doesn't sugar coat the truth and it doesn't respond one way or the other to the stories we tell it about ourselves. It's neither impressed with our successes, nor is it disappointed with our failures. Nature is impervious to charm and wit and spin and elocution. And yet, it speaks to us. Every time we grow hungry, thirsty, sleepy, weary, or cold our true selves are in dialogue with nature. It reminds us in the language of our native tongue of the rules we must live by, the boundaries of our existence, and the limitations of our physical being.

We go outside because there like no where else we are able to confront our simplest selves. The fundamental structures of our being are exposed and bare, not costumed, masked, or made up. We go outside because it is there that we come eventually to know ourselves as we really are, not as a screen name or an avatar or a face book persona. Nature evokes us as we really are.

So, I invite you to take advantage of MA's Outings Program. We have 26 good trips planned for the spring semester offered for a variety of durations, skill levels and comfort zones. Try something you have never done before. With MA Outings you can ski, dive, hike on Tam, backpack, rock climb, night hike, snow camp, photograph, cave, bike, and surf. Enjoy this Spring 2008 Catalog of self-knowledge opportunities.

Nosce te ipsum, MA, and get outside.

Peter Poutiatine
Director of Outings
ppoutiatine@ma.org

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CATALOG OF OUTINGS

26-27 JANUARY 2008

Saturday and Sunday
SCUBA CERTIFICATION #1 - Classroom and Pool Training
John and Tom Hicks

If you would like to learn how to SCUBA dive this is the outing for you. John Hicks, MA science teacher and certified SCUBA instructor, will be teaching the PADI Open Water Diver class. This first weekend is spent at the Pinnacles Dive Center in Novato conducting the classroom and pool sessions needed for you to learn how to SCUBA dive. Loaner books, wetsuits, and SCUBA equipment are supplied for this portion of the class. Students are responsible for transportation to and from Novato, and they must supply their own swimsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, and booties. This equipment can be rented or purchased through Pinnacles Dive Center. Class meets from 9AM to 6PM on Saturday and 9AM to 5 PM on Sunday.

After successful completion of academics and water skills the first weekend, students are eligible to participate in the open water sessions conducted in Monterey the following weekend (see description below). To become a certified Open Water Divers, students must complete both weekends.
10 students
Total cost for both certification weekends: $480
PE credit available

Friday-Sunday
NORTHSTAR SNOWBOARD/SKI
Hideko Akashi

Now open to all students, this trip began as a snow trip for students in Hideko's Japanese classes. We'll leave on Friday at 3p from the circle, drive to a cabin in Tahoe, ski all day Saturday at Northstar, and return on Sunday about 3p. All meals and transportation are included in the cost. Skiers and snowboarders are welcome. Join us for this one-day, two-night winter downhill extravaganza.
11 students
Cost: $120

Adventure is worthwhile in itself.
Amelia Earhart

2-3 FEBRUARY 2008

Sunday
MT TAM WATERFALLS
James Shipman and Peter Poutiatine

Join us for a special one-day hike across the gorgeous slopes of Mt. Tam to enjoy the seasonal waterfalls and the fine art of stream crossing. Many trails and routes are possible so we will wait to decide our exact route in response to the whims of the moment. Wherever we wander we will wend our way in and out of redwood forests and share a lunch in a moss-covered rock garden. This is an excellent way to get to know the magical peak that perpetually overlooks MA. We'll go rain or shine, unless there's a full-on deluge.

You need to be in reasonable shape for this, but you don't have to have much 'hiking' experience. Be prepared to make an offering and to bring a little extra food to share. You will also need clothes appropriate for the weather, good hiking shoes, a daypack (with lunch, water and snacks), and your good energy.
14 students
No cost

9-10 FEBRUARY 2008
No Homework Weekend

Thursday-Saturday
SCUBA CERTIFICATION #2 - Open Water Training
John and Tom Hicks

This outing is the second half of the SCUBA certification program and is required to compete the Open Water Diver certification. However, room permitting, students who are already certified are also eligible to participate on this outing. We will leave for Monterey on Thursday after school using school vans and camp at Veteran's Memorial Campground. Students will take four dives at San Carlos Beach in Monterey Bay to complete the skills portion of the certification. During the dives we will see fish, starfish, kelp forests, and maybe even seal lions and sea otters if we are lucky in this extraordinary underwater world. Students must supply swimsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, and booties. SCUBA equipment and wetsuits are included in the price.
10 students
Total cost for both certification weekends: $480
Already certified: $40
PE credit available

Thursday-Sunday
HIKING THE COASTAL REDWOODS - A Car-Camping Experience
Ken Lanik and Lucky Hall '04

There are few places on Earth more beautiful or serene than the coastal redwood forests and windswept beaches of the Northern California Coast. And to be there in the winter, when the cascades are raucous and the tourists are sitting at home by the fire, is truly sublime. Join Ken and MA alum Lucky Hall for a spectacular weekend of hiking and car camping in the Great North Woods. Our goal is to get folks "lost" along the Lost Coast and amidst some of the World's last remaining stands of Big Trees. Rain or shine, this is a great opportunity to get out of town and enjoy the peace and beauty of the Pacific Coast!

This trip leaves school at 8:00 am on Friday, February 8.
6 students
Cost: $65

Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.
Henry David Thoreau

Friday-Saturday
BEGINNER'S BACKPACKING IN BEAUTY - Point Reyes
Patrick Ford ('02)

Do you enjoy hiking, but don't know that much about backpacking? Do you want to sleep outside miles away from cars, noise, and pollution? Do you want to experience the beauty of Pt. Reyes National Seashore, which was one of the first designated protected lands in the nation for its natural beauty? Then this outing is for you! We'll have the chance to see Alamere Falls as it tumbles water right that falls into the ocean, sit on top of Arch Rock - a spectacular natural rock formation cropping out into the sea, and enjoy vast vistas of enormous cliffs overlooking miles of ocean. We'll leave early Friday morning and be back around dinner time on Saturday night. This outing is perfect for any beginning backpackers or anyone who wants to visit the wonder in our backyard: Pt. Reyes!
6 students
Cost: $30
PE credit available

Saturday
BEGINNING SNOWBOARDING
Glenn Stanfield and Sarah Olverson

The early winter storms have covered the Sierras with several feet of beautiful snow. So let's go take advantage of the perfect conditions. Glenn and Sarah are offering this one-day outing to students who consider themselves "beginners". We will depart from MA at 6:00 A.M. and drive up to the Boreal Ridge resort. Once there we will be fitted for our boots and boards. All students on the trip are enrolled in a morning lesson. After honing our skills, we'll have lunch together and psych up for an afternoon of putting those new skills to work. Afterwards, we head back to the Bay Area, stopping at the popular Ikeda's for an on-the-road dinner. We'll be back to MA around 8:00 P.M. Join us! It'll be fun and, hey, there's no homework.

The trip fee includes transportation, equipment rental, a beginning lesson, and a full-day lift ticket at Boreal Ridge. You will need to supply appropriate clothing (MA Outings has clothing to borrow) and some pocket money (about $20 for lunch and dinner. Don't forget your healthy sense of adventure and a good alarm clock so you can be at MA for an early departure.
6 students
Cost: $95

Sunday
TAHOE TELEMARK CLINIC
Scott Ebke and Peter Poutiatine

Free your heels and your mind will follow. This is a one-day, alpine backcountry, lift-serve, hot shot extravaganza intended for free-heel skiers and Randonee enthusiasts but, truth be told, all are welcome. You can improve your telemark linkage with the personalized instruction of Scott Ebke or just practice your Randonee technique. We will drive early (5am sharp) to Sugar Bowl (or Kirkwood depending on snow and road conditions) and return to MA about 9 pm after eating pizza at Zelda's in Sacramento.
8 students
Cost: $30 + lift ticket and lunch

TELEMARK: an elegant kind and backcountry skiing in which one's heel is free but one's toe is locked down. Also, a town in Norway in which the Telemark turn was developed.
RANDONEE: a kind of ski and binding that modifies the telemark ideal by giving the skier the ability to lock down his/her heel in order to use parallel technique downhill. Editor.

16-17 FEBRUARY 2008

Friday-Monday
BACKCOUNTRY SNOW SKILLS #1
Jasper Billings

Do you like fresh powder? Would you like to spend your only four-day weekend of the year getting in as many fresh turns as possible? By day will learn all the basic skills necessary to stay safe in the backcountry. We will spend our afternoons finding untracked powder and our evenings in a rustic cabin in Tahoe cooking warm meals, thawing our feet by the fire, and drinking hot cocoa. We will depart from MA early Friday morning and drive to Tahoe where we will spend some time going over backcountry basics, and we will make it to one of the local ski resorts for an afternoon on the mountain. Saturday we will spend the morning learning more about snow pack, safe travel, and the use of avalanche beacons and then head to the resorts again in the afternoon. Sunday we will spend the day at some of the greatest backcountry destinations in the area. Monday morning will be a quick jaunt up a hill for a little more fresh powder before heading back to the bay.

Students must be intermediate to advanced skiers or snowboarders and be in good shape. Everyone will be responsible for purchasing their own lift tickets. Snowboarders will need to rent snowshoes and skiers will need to rent Randonee gear or be proficient at telemark skiing.
6 students
Cost: $120
PE credit available

Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he plays.
Friedrick von Schiller

Saturday
MT TAM ROCK CLIMBING
Peter Poutiatine

Mt Tam, the always vigilant peak that watches over Marin Academy, has several interesting crags on its summit. Though many people overlook them as viable climbing sites, I don't. In fact, the top of Tam is where I learned to climb, and I spent many days in my first youth top roping its faces and cracks. It is a gorgeous location with wide vistas, soaring hawks, and some fun and challenging lines up the rock. Come find out what is available right in your back yard. You won't look at The Mountain the same way again. We will drive to the top, climb all day, and stop at M&G in Fairfax (just down the street from The Scoop) on the way home. You will be back by dinner.
6 students
Cost: $15
PE credit available

I see the usefulness of climbing not in the further development of technique, rather in the development of the instinct and proficiency of man to extend himself.
Reinhold Messner

8-9 MARCH 2008

Friday-Sunday
BACKCOUNTRY SNOW SKILLS #2
Jasper Billings

Fresh pow! Light, fluffy, and pristine. Let's seek out that heavenly, weightless feeling you get as you float down the mountainside. Since the resorts are often tracked up within minutes of fresh snowfall, we are going to places where you can get fresh turns all season. We will depart MA very early Friday morning, get in some turns before lunch time, spend the afternoon going over some back country skills and information, and stay at a rustic cabin in Tahoe. In addition to finding some of the best untracked lines in the Sierra we may choose (depending on conditions) to hike a little further out on Saturday to do some snow camping. You must be an intermediate to advanced skier or snowboarder and be in good hiking shape. Backcountry Snow Skills #1 or some backcountry experience is necessary.
6 students
Cost: $90
PE credit available

Saturday
ST HELENA ROCK CLIMBING
Peter Poutiatine

From the flanks of Mount St. Helena, in Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial State Park, near Calistoga, you can see the entire Napa Valley dramatically laid out before you, lush and fertile. I mean, if you like that sort of thing. If not, you can climb. St Helena offers an assortment of moderate to hard sport routes on several different crags. It is a beautiful drive, a pleasant walk, and a painfully aesthetic climbing experience. We will leave MA Saturday morning, climb all day, and return to campus in the evening, after gaining sustenance at the burger joint in Napa. So, pack a lunch and bring a little pocket change for a milkshake. No experience or personal gear is necessary; we will teach you everything you need to know and lend you all the gear to enjoy this gateway sport safely. In case of rain, we will have to cancel - humans just can't climb in the rain.
6 students
No cost
PE credit available

You cannot stay on the summit forever,
You have to come down again....
So why bother in the first place?
Just this: what is above knows what is below
But what is below does not know what is above.
One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer.
But one has seen.
There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up.
Rene Dumal

15-16 MARCH 2008

Friday-Saturday
SANTA CRUZ SURFING
Jasper Billings

Two days at Northern California's premier surfing destination. Learn the ins and outs of some of the best waves in Santa Cruz. Leave from MA early Friday morning and get to the beach in time for a dawn patrol session. Stay at a campground right on the beach, surf all day and hang out fireside all night. Marshmallows, hot cocoa, friends, and good waves; what more could you want from a couple days away from home? Saturday we will surf sunrise to sunset, get dinner at a local restaurant, and be back at MA in time for SNL.
6 students
Cost: $60

22-23 MARCH 2008

Friday Night
EQUINOX FULL MOON NIGHT HIKE
Peter Poutiatine and James Shipman

The spring equinox is special for many reasons. The sun is half way along its northward journey from the dark of winter to the heat of summer. The day is more or less the same length as the night (well, not really but.) Spring officially begins. An egg can be balanced on its end. And the signal quality of many orbiting communication satellites is temporarily degraded due to the sun's peculiar orientation.

It is also the night James and Peter will take a walk on Tam under the full worm moon. Bring a coat, a headlamp, and your sense of adventure for his unusual hike. We are likely to see and hear owls, coyotes, and other nocturnal beasties - but only if we are quiet. We will leave MA about 5pm and return before 11p. Would that you would join us.
6 students
No cost

29-30 MARCH 2008

Saturday-Sunday
BEGINNING BACKPACKING - Point Reyes
Robin Wolthausen ('03)

If you have never been backpacking and you want to know what all the fuss is about this is the trip for you. You will learn everything you need to know and we will start from scratch. We are interested in true outdoor novices who want an easy introduction to hiking, backpacking, cooking on a stove, sleeping in a tent, and being comfortable outside. No 10-mile death marches, no 80-pound packs, and no eating gruel from a bowl. We will help you gather the gear you need and we will start with the basics - how to pack your pack, how to lace your boots, how to eat well, and how to stay warm outdoors. If you have ever had the slightest inkling that backpacking might be for you, this is your chance to try it in an easy, friendly, low stress and low stakes way. You won't regret it.
6 students
Cost: $30
PE credit available

Friday-Sunday
SYKES HOT SPRINGS BACKPACKING
Patrick Ford '02

Anyone who has ever been to Big Sur and the Ventana wilderness has made plans to come back again, and there's a very good reason for this: IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Whether it's the natural hot springs, the gorgeous beaches, the enormous forests, the stunning canyons, the various wildlife, the rushing rivers, or your awe-inspired traveling companions, you'll be amazed. Everyone is.

We'll drive from MA to the trailhead, pack up our gear, and walk approximately 7 miles to our campsite that is situated alongside a stream in a Redwood grove. On Saturday we hike to the Hot Springs with daypacks and bathe in the pools and pristine Big Sur River. On Sunday we hike out to have you home in time for dinner.

The entire distance of this adventure is approximately 24 miles (over 3 days). The hiking is moderate and partly strenuous at times. The experience is unforgettable. This is a traditional MA trip and fills up quickly. Make sure to have the permission slip in on time.
6 students
Cost: $60
PE credit available

SPRING BREAK

Monday-Thursday
LOST COAST SURFING AND BACKPACK
Jasper Billings and Adam Moss

Hike deep into the Lost Coast to discover a mystical place with mountains that tower right out of the ocean, steep valleys carved by rushing rivers, giant trees, and a lush valley filled with life. In addition to being surrounded by all of this beauty there is a great surfing wave for those who choose to hike in their surfboards. We will also make use of the ample logs, sticks, and rocks and build a hut with any other available materials that we can either sleep in or turn into a sweat lodge. No backpacking experience necessary but, you must be in decent shape and be prepared for a rigorous hike. If you plan to surf, some surfing experience is required.
6 students
Cost: $90
PE credit available

Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open roads
Healthy and free, the world before me.
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good fortune,
I myself am good fortune.
Postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms.
Strong and content I travel the open road.
Walt Whitman

19-20 APRIL 2008

Thursday-Saturday
BOAT DIVING: SCUBA In Monterey
John Hicks, Tom Hicks, and Sarah Olverson

Come see why California is one of the richest marine environments on earth. If you are a certified SCUBA diver, you can join us to explore the incredible kelp ecosystems of the Monterey Coast. We will leave Thursday after school for Monterey where we will tent camp at Veteran's Memorial Campground and return to MA Saturday night by 7 PM. We will have a 2-tank boat dive on Friday. Other possible dive sites include the reefs off the aquarium, Hopkins Marine Lab, or even a night dive at San Carlos Beach. You won't forget this otherworldly experience. Students must supply their own mask, snorkel, booties and fins. The trip fee includes the charter, SCUBA equipment, wetsuits, and all outings costs.
12 students
Cost: $200
PE credit available

Friday-Sunday
PHOTO EXPEDITION IN YOSEMITE
Randi Martin and Jenny Rosenberg

Join us for an awesome trip to enjoy and photograph the exquisite natural beauty of Yosemite. There will be an endless array of photo opportunities combined with mellow to moderate hikes. Our accommodations at the Yosemite Bug hostel will keep us warm, comfy and well fed, with plenty of time for story swapping, game playing, charades, and much more fun! We will leave school at 8am on Friday and return Sunday afternoon.

No experience necessary. Beginning photographers to advanced shutterbugs are all welcome. Spaces will go quickly, so get your permission slips in soon!
6 students
Cost: $150

To see is to forget the name of the thing one sees.
Paul Valery

Friday-Saturday
CALAVERAS CAVING
Peter Poutiatine

There are cracks and holes in the limestone in the Sierra foothills that have over the years been slowly eroded and widened by flowing water. These widening fissures create subterranean odd spaces of curious beauty and wonder. Guided by experienced cavers from the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the National Speleological Society, we will explore some of these dark and dripping caverns.

Caves are also exceptionally fragile environments, so you should be prepared to be careful and to learn something about cave conservation. No experience is necessary and we will supply you with all of the caving gear you will need. We will leave MA early on Friday morning, we will camp one night at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park near Jackson, and we will return Saturday evening just past dinner.
6 students
Cost: $90
PE credit available

Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.
Text of an ad allegedly placed by Sir Ernest Shackleton in preparation for his ill-fated 1914 Antarctic expedition.

26-27 APRIL 2008

Sunday
WEST MARIN ROAD BIKING
Randi Martin, Scott Ebke, and Glenn Stanfield

Come ride 50 moderately paced miles with some hills, plenty of flats, and at least one awesome bakery. Experienced riders Randi, Scott, and Glenn will give tips and instruction on distance riding, safety, cadence, wind resistance, drafting, pace lines, friction, mechanics, hydration, and nutrition. Exact route to be determined but more than likely we will depart from Woodacre at 8am, ride into Point Reyes Station for water and pastry replenishment, and be back by 2pm. Other options are possible. Extensive experience is not a must, but you do need a road bike. Bring pocket change for the bakery.
12 students
No cost

Friday-Sunday
MEDITATION AND ADVENTURE IN THE LOST COAST
Patrick Ford '02 and Adam Moss '02

There is nowhere more beautiful than the Lost Coast. The scenery is dramatic - thousand foot cliffs overlooking expanses of redwoods, black-sand beaches, and the endless pacific ocean. We'll camp at a cove which pirates once used as a hide-out, make a campfire from drift-wood, and attempt to meet up with seals and elk. We'll leave early Friday morning, drive up to the lost coast, and start out Friday afternoon and reach our campsite by nightfall (and then delicious dinner and campfire). We'll do an amazing day hike on Saturday to try to find an abandoned mining settlement (Patrick has heard tell, but couldn't find it last time he went), sleep under the stars, and head back on Sunday (we'll get back around 8-9pm). Patrick and Adam both teach meditation and yoga and hope to share these experiences with their lucky trail companions. We'll start out mornings and end our days with meditation and yoga, listening to the crash of waves. 6 students
Cost: $60
PE credit available

The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.
Zeno

3-4 MAY 2008

Thursday-Saturday
PINNACLES ROCK CLIMBING
Peter Poutiatine and Robin Wolthausen '03

Pinnacles National Monument is a stunning and craggy wilderness of cobbled conglomerate peaks, ridges, and spires that offer some of Northern California's best climbing. The park presents astounding natural beauty and a vast assortment of climbs of all levels. Many of the pioneers of the sport of rock climbing cut their teeth (not literally) in this rock jock's playground. You could, too.

We'll leave MA at 3pm on the 14th and drive the 2-3 hours to the east side Pinnacles campground. We will climb all day on Friday and most of Saturday before high-tailing it back to MA on Saturday afternoon.
6 students
Cost: $50
PE credit available

17-18 MAY 2008

Thursday-Sunday
BACKPACKING THE TRINITY ALPS
Ken Lanik and Robin Wolthausen '03

This trip leaves campus at 8:00 am on Thursday, May 15

Hidden in the Northern California wilderness between the rugged coastline and the magnificent splendor of Mt. Shasta rests a striking but seldom-explored range of snow capped peaks and tranquil lakes known as the Trinity Alps. This outing is a four-day, three-night opportunity to disappear into the mountains before the summer crowds begin to interrupt the quiet of the alpine valleys. Plan on a total of 12-16 miles of backpacking with plenty of opportunities for down time and reflection.
6 students
Cost: $75
PE credit available

24-25 MAY 2008

Thursday-Monday
MT SHASTA PEAK ATTEMPT
Peter Poutiatine, Scott Ebke, and Robin Wolthausen

Mt Shasta rises 14,179 feet into the atmosphere and we are going to try to stand on top. Why? As renowned alpinist George Mallory famously said, "Because it is there." This trip constitutes a serious endeavor and only students in reasonable shape and possessing at least some backpacking experience are eligible. Our ascent will involve steep hiking on snow and ice, crampons, ice axes, roped glacier travel, and instruction in self arrest. Additionally, there is no guarantee of success. If alpine starts and thin, cold air interest you, talk to Peter about getting on this outing.
5 students
Cost: $75
PE credit available

Paying very close attention to your intuition is perhaps the most important rule of all. If I am distracted by doubt or fear, I don't do it.
Lynn Hill

31 MAY - 1 JUNE 2008

Saturday
BEGINNER'S SURF SESH!
Sarah Olverson and Glenn Stanfield

One beautiful day of surfing our local break at Bolinas. Even though this session is intended for beginners - those who have always wanted to be propelled by the power of the ocean, but who do not have experience with the thrill carving up A-frames - we also welcome those of you who may have tried surfing a couple of times, but have not yet mastered catching or dropping in on sweet little sliders. You must be a proficient swimmer for this particular adventure. Wetsuits and surfboards will be provided.
12 students
Cost: $75

I can't remember a single time that I was prevented from doing what I wanted because I was a female, either on the rock or in the mountains.
Annie Whitehouse

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

SIGN UPS AND PERMISSION SLIPS
MA outings are open to everyone, but each outing has a maximum number of students it can accommodate safely. To sign up, obtain a permission slip from the Outings webpage, the Outings bulletin board in the cafe, or the Outings office door. Fill it out completely, get it signed by a parent or guardian, and return it to Peter as soon as you can.

TRIP FEES
Once you turn in your permission slip, your place on the trip is secured, and your commitment to going on the trip is assumed. At that time you will be charged for the outing through your incidental account.
BE SURE YOU ARE AVAILABLE AND COMMITTED TO GOING ON THE OUTING BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR PERMISSION SLIP. EXCEPT IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL BE CHARGED WHETHER YOU GO OR NOT. FOR REAL.
If the entire trip is cancelled for whatever reason, you will not charged. Financial aid is available for aided students through the Admissions Office and Dan Babior, Director of Admissions.

CANCELLATION
In the event of truly unavoidable circumstances that preclude a student's participation on an outing, a full refund will be issued. These circumstances include illness, injury, death in the family, and other truly unforeseeable events. A change of mind, poor planning, or lack of foresight is NOT an acceptable reason to cancel going on an outing and will NOT result in a refund. SO, before you submit your permission slip, be certain that you are sure that you know that you can and want to go.

MISSING CLASSES
Students are responsible for prearranging their absences with their teachers. There is a prearranged absence form available from the attendance office that must be signed by teachers and submitted to Lynne Hansen, Dean of Students. Going on an outing is not an excuse for not completing one's homework or assignments. Talk to your teachers.

GEAR FOR LEND
The Outings Program maintains a collection of clean and quality gear available to students to borrow. Not owning the gear should not preclude a student from going on an outing. Talk to Peter about what you need and he'll do his darnedest.