Athletics
Fitness & Wellness

Wilderness Program

Leave your cell phone at home

Immersive Outdoor Education

Imagine hiking through the rugged peaks of New England’s White Mountains or cutting through the waves of the Atlantic on a sea kayak during your mod break. Under the guidance of professionally trained leaders, students can experience the thrill and challenge of such adventures through our longstanding Wilderness Program. 

    • Wilderness Collage

      IMG_4129(1)

    • Wilderness Collage

      IMG_4984

Mod Break Trips

List of 3 items.

  • Fall Season

    Backpacking through the beautiful fall foliage of New Hampshire's White Mountains. 

  • Winter Season

    Cross country skiing, snow shoeing or ice climbing through New Hampshire's White Mountains. 

  • Spring Season

    Sea Kayaking in coastal Maine. 

Sign Up for the Fall Wilderness Trip

    • White Mountains, New Hampshire.

Participating students will be backpacking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. We will carry everything we need in our backpacks, and stay in tents or lean-to shelters on the trail. Much more information, including what to bring and what to expect, is provided to participants once the rosters are finalized.

Registration for these trips is on a first come first serve basis with trip rosters being reviewed by the Dean's Office and the Health Team. Students who were on the waitlist for the previous wilderness trip (last spring sea kayaking) will have priority for this trip (if you sign up).

There will be two trip groups, each with 8 students and 2 adult leaders:

-One group will take on an Intro to Backpacking focus, with more time spent learning about the fundamentals of going backpacking and an itinerary with fewer miles of hiking.

-The other group will be an Advanced Backpacking group for students with some experience in the outdoors or willingness to jump into a more intense trip. The advanced group should plan for more independence and longer days of hiking over more challenging terrain.

This year, the trip begins on the evening of Friday, October 10, and we will return in the afternoon of Monday, October 13.
By selecting "Only Intro" or "Only Advanced," you are only interested in participating in the Wilderness Trip in that particular group.

The trip cost per student is $150. The cost will be billed to student accounts at the end of the trip. Financial aid is available for students receiving aid through the school. Contact Kevin Smith (ksmith@csw.org) with any questions about financial aid for wilderness trips.

List of 1 items.

  • I have made connections that helped form me into an open-minded and adventurous person

    Over my four years at the Cambridge School of Weston, I attended every wilderness trip that was available to me and I have made connections that helped form me into an open-minded and adventurous person. I felt connected and valued by the program from our first hike up Mount Madison to my last tearful kayaking trip

    — Camila '23

Program Details

List of 4 items.

  • Athletic Credit

    Mod break trips earn participants 1/2 an athletic credit. 

    Completion of 2 day trips in a single school year earns the student 1/2 athletic credit.

  • Costs and Fees

    There is a cost associated with mod break trips. The cost varies depending on the trip. An estimated cost will be announced when trip registration begins. Financial aid is available for students receiving aid through the school.

    Day trips are free for all participants.

  • Equipment & Gear

    CSW should be able to provide all equipment and clothing necessary for participation in any of our trips (possible exception being bikes).

  • Health and Safety

    CSW is dedicated to the health and safety of trip participants and leaders. Pre-trip communications will include information about health and safety precautions and backup plans in place to protect trip participants. 
45 Georgian Road, Weston, MA 02493
Phone: (781) 642-8600
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.