HMI Summer Term

# HMI Summer Term The High Mountain Institute runs Summer Term from its campus in Leadville, Colorado, at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Over four weeks, students split their time between a residential campus program and extended backcountry expeditions, learning wilderness travel and expedition leadership alongside seminar-style academics. No prior outdoor experience is required to apply. ## What You'll Do - Live and study for four weeks on HMI's Leadville, Colorado campus at 10,000 feet - Take multi-day backpacking expeditions in the Colorado Rockies and Utah canyon country - Learn backcountry travel, Leave No Trace practice, risk management, and expedition leadership - Rotate through leader-of-the-day roles that put you in charge of route-finding and group decisions - Participate in seminar discussions on the natural world, ethics, and place ## Who Should Apply Summer Term is open to "rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders" from across the country, and HMI states that no prior outdoor experience is required. Applicants who need financial support submit a financial aid application through Clarity at the same time as the program application; roughly "40% of students receive need-based financial aid," and aid packages can include free gear rental and flight coverage. ## Outcomes Students finish with hard technical skills in backcountry travel and group leadership, sustained practice making decisions under real consequence, and a small-cohort peer network - background that also feeds directly into HMI's semester program for juniors.