Pre-Orientation Wilderness trips (POWer)

Welcome to Franklin Pierce University! We’re thrilled to have you on a Power Trip this summer. Your week in the woods is a fantastic opportunity to hone your wilderness skills in New Hampshire’s most beautiful places and form bonds with other students entering Franklin Pierce this fall. The information in this packet will help prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

Arrival and Dorm Move-in
           
Week One – Arrive on campus on Sunday, August 17th at 3:30 p.m. for check-in and to meet your trip leaders.  All participants should go to the Lakeside Center, at the waterfront as you enter on University Drive.  Backpackers will later go to the Outing Hut to organize their gear, while kayakers stay at the Lakeside Center.  The Outing Hut is up the hill, through the intersection, the wooden hut on the right with skis.  Your trips will return to campus by midday Thursday.  After lunch and some time to de-issue and clean equipment, you will be ready to go home by about 2:00 p.m.

Week Two – Arrive on campus on Tuesday, August 26th at 3:30 p.m. for check-in at the Lakeside Center.  After your week in the wilderness, you will return to campus on Saturday, Aug 30th, which is freshman move-in day.  We will be done with our activities by about 1:00 p.m.  Then, there will be a flood of other activities on the campus quad for new students.

We will spend the first night on campus, in our tents or the dorms.  Following breakfast in the Dining Commons and some final packing, each trip will depart for their trail or river access points.  Secure parking will be available for students driving to campus.  There will be locked storage space for a couple bags each, but the Power Team is unable to store all of your dorm belongings while you are with us.

Travel Plans

Directions to campus can be found on the Franklin Pierce website. http://www.fpc.edu/pages/Admission/directions.html
As you drive into campus on University Drive, Pearly Pond is on the left. The Lakeside Center sits alongside the pond at the north end.   

For students flying to us, plan to land in Manchester Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, NH.  All students flying should be on the week two trips.  Therefore, The Power Team will run a shuttle from the airport to campus on Tuesday, Aug 26th at approximately 2:00 p.m.  If you have flight arrangements that will not fit this schedule, call or email Doug Connelly to arrange alternatives.

What to Expect
           
Expect to have fun, get dirty, make new friends and challenge yourself. These trips were designed to familiarize you with your new home and also to create experiences that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment. Wilderness travel is incredibly rewarding but not without its challenges. Weather can change quickly and hours of hiking or paddling will leave you tired and sometimes sore. Prepare yourself physically by getting outside regularly on a bike, a hike, a swim or a run. Mentally prepare yourself by coming to Franklin Pierce ready for new experiences and excited to learn.

Food
           
While on your trip you will be eating mostly a vegetarian diet, since we don’t camp with coolers. If you’re used to meat with every meal, don’t worry. There will plenty of food (including protein) to rebuild your muscles and keep you energized throughout the trip. Examples of meals are – pasta with cheese or marinara; rice and beans; chili and burritos; granola or oats.  You’re welcome to bring vitamins, special snacks, tea or coffee but remember, your trip will leave with plenty of food for the week and you will be asked to carry anything extra that you have brought along.  If you have special dietary needs outside of vegetarianism, be sure to communicate those with the program staff.

Gear
           
The gear list included in this packet includes everything you need to stay dry and warm. Sleeping bags, sleeping pads, boats, tents, stoves and backpacks will be provided by Franklin Pierce. If you have questions about your gear, feel free to call us. Eastern Mountain Sports, nearby in Peterborough can be a helpful place if you choose retail items.  But, remember that much of what you need can be borrowed or found at second-hand shops for a much more affordable price.  Function, not fashion, is always most important in the outdoors, and that old, ratty wool sweater will still keep you warm.
Backpackers – Make sure you have appropriate boots that provide ankle support, lacing above the ankle bone.

Medical Matters

Because there is possibility of injury or illness while in the backcountry, it is essential that all participants have been cleared for participation by the Health Center.  They ask for your medical records by August 1st, and these are necessary for participation.  The Power Team members have been trained as Wilderness First Responders, and each trip has student leaders with certificates in Wilderness First Aid and CPR.  On arrival, if you have any allergies or injuries that we should know about, please share these during participant check-in.

Please Do Not Bring
           
You will be unable to take cell phones, ipods, computers or Discmans on your trip. The leaders will carry cell phones for emergencies. Do not bring any alcohol or illegal drugs. The discovery of either will instigate an immediate dismissal from the trip and will entail an evacuation from the course.

            We’re excited to welcome you to campus and send you off on a fantastic adventure!   See you soon,

The Power Team

Doug Connelly    
Power Trip Coordinator          

Liz Palchak                                  
Faculty, Environmental Science

Doug Carty         
Director, Campus Recreation

connellyd@franklinpierce.edu
603.899.1057