Catalina Backpacking Trip 2020

WELCOME to the Catalina Island Backpacking Trip 2020!

Trip dates: 11am Sunday, March 15 - 5pm Friday, March 20.

This trip will be unforgettable - it always is! We have an amazing 6 days to look forward to: 2 days journey out and back to the island by boat, 3 incredible hiking days, 1 rejuvenating layover day, visits with the Nature Conservancy Guides, bison, Island Foxes, ravens, mine buckets, palm trees, pine trees, sandy beaches, crystal clear blue water, grassy fields…it will feel like we've landed and walked across Paradise! This trip is a golden opportunity to see a part of Catalina Island that hardly anyone ever gets to see. We are so happy to be able to share this adventure with SBMS students!

Please review all of the pages on this website as it contains all the information you will need to help prepare your child for a successful journey: details about the Friday Trip Prep classes, an equipment list, information on backpacking food and how to pack a backpack as well as important forms and waivers. Please familiarize yourself with this site and visit it often with your child to make sure you are well prepared.

Friday, January 10, we will have our first meeting. We will introduce our Catalina trip, go over our day-by-day plan and discuss tenting and cooking partners.

Please fill out the Trip Medication Consent (if needed) and return to the office asap. It can be found under the Waivers, Fees and Forms tab at the top of the page.

A separate email will be sent regarding the Friday Trip Prep/Trip Waiver/$65.00 trip fee. Please be sure to fill out the waiver asap.

Backpacking students must have sturdy hiking shoes with good tread. There is a selection of used hiking boots to borrow in the SBMS Warehouse, if anyone would like to see them and try them on. We also recommend bringing an additional pair of lightweight camp shoes. Slip on sandals that you can wear socks with is a good option. Backpacking students need to bring shoes they can hike in to every Friday trip prep class, preferably the shoes that they will be using for the Catalina trip. We will have multiple training hikes and the schedule may change due to rain. Students should bring their hiking shoes every week we can adjust the schedule as needed.

Volunteer drivers needed:

Sunday, March 15: 2 drivers needed to drive us to San Pedro in the SBMS vans, drop us off and then return the vans to school.

Friday, March 20: parent drivers able to pick us up at the Long Beach Catalina Express Terminal at 1pm and drive us back to SBMS. 18 passenger seats needed using parents' cars.

Please email Erin Finnegan at Erin@SBMS.org if you are able to help or if you have any questions.

Looking forward to the trip!

Erin, Jaeger, Big E, Elyse and Phoebe