Wilderness Rec Students Complete Winter Expedition

Jan. 21, 2022

SARANAC LAKE – Students at Paul Smith’s College recently completed an eight-day winter expedition in the Adirondack High Peaks led by instructors in North Country Community College’s Wilderness Recreation Leadership program.

The two colleges partnered to offer these students an experience in North Country’s Winter Practicum course, which includes instruction in snowshoeing, skiing, mountaineering and backcountry camping.

The expedition took place amid perfect winter conditions in the High Peaks in early-to-mid-January. During their travels in the wilderness, the students learned about backcountry skiing on the Adirondack Mountain Club’s ski slope at Heart Lake, and experienced winter mountaineering with ice axes and crampons in an ascent of nearby Mt. Jo.

This program is just one of many ways North Country and Paul Smith’s have partnered in recent years to expand opportunities for their students. Through a unique 2+2 program, North Country Community College graduates who enroll full-time at Paul Smith’s can pay state-level tuition rates, providing an affordable option to earn both an associate’s and bachelor’s degree while remaining in the Adirondacks. There are more than 20 pathways to choose from through the 2+2 program.

For more information, contact North Country’s admissions team at 888-TRY-NCCC or email admissions@nccc.edu, or contact the Paul Smith’s admissions office at 1-800-421-2605 or admissions@paulsmiths.edu.