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High Mountain Institute Gap Semesters

by: High Mountain Institute

10 (17)

HMI Gap is designed to be a unique and refreshing break from our busy world – an uninterrupted journey of adventure, self-discovery, and growth. These are for high school graduates and current college students, ages 17-22. With rock climbing and wilderness travel-focused programs in Patagonia and the American West, participants spend 3 months traveling to some of the world’s wildest places, gain i...

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Program Highlights

Backpack through Colorado’s highest peaks, expansive Arizona deserts, the canyons of Utah, and awe-inspiring glacial valleys in Patagonia.

Develop and practice skills in sport, traditional, and multi-pitch climbing at world-class destinations.

Learn to comfortably live, travel, and rock climb in the wilderness and international destinations.

Investigate pressing conservation issues while working with service partners to protect and restore these wild places.

Explore the distinct culture of Patagonia, learning Spanish while working and traveling through local communities.

Quick Details

Locations
  • Rural Areas, Chile
  • Arizona, United States
  • Utah, United States
  • Colorado, United States
Availability
Year(s) Offered2024, 2025, 2026Gap Year Timing:
  • Post High School
  • During College
Age Requirement:Varies
Types & Subjects:
  • Adventure Travel
  • Experiential Learning
  • Self-Discovery
  • Spanish
  • Volunteering
  • See more
Guidelines:
  • American
  • All Nationalities
See all program details

Awards

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

10

Total Reviews

17

Rekindling my love for learning!

by: AriProgram: High Mountain Institute Gap Semesters
10

I learn much better in an outdoor environment. My love of learning absolutely flourished as I got excited about learning the ins and outs of the environments I was getting to live in and be a part of. For instance I was so excited about learning about the geology of the canyons and felt my curiosity about the world expand.

The internship consisted of various other dives

by: Shirin KueblerProgram: High Mountain Institute Gap Semesters
10

I completed an Erasmus+ internship at Alice and Beltran's diving school (as part of my biology studies) and would like to share my entirely positive experience here: As I had never been diving before my internship, I arrived a little earlier to get my diving license in the days before. I was able to do this directly at the diving school where I also did my internship afterwards. To get my diving license, I had to pass a theoretical test and complete five practice dives. From the very beginning, I noticed how much importance the owners of the diving school placed on safety - both for the divers themselves and for the marine life under water. I was very happy and grateful about this, as I had unfortunately already heard about various negative experiences at other diving schools. Then the internship began, which was roughly divided into a practical and a theoretical part, with the practical part clearly predominating, especially in the second month. The owner of the diving school, Alice, is herself a marine biologist. She informed us about the classification of various animal phyla that can be found in the Atlantic, as well as the structure of the sea as a habitat. I was able to build on my previous zoological knowledge from my basic module at the FU Berlin and deepen this knowledge, especially underwater, when we were supposed to actively identify the individual organisms. We also exchanged ideas about writing a scientific paper and about common statistical methods for data analysis in ecology. This also enabled me to supplement my existing basic knowledge. My boss's main research focus was the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa, which is particularly important for various species of sea turtles, as they use it as their primary food source. We mainly measured the density of seagrass per square meter in a defined area in order to be able to better characterize the species. For these dives we always went to the Abades Reserve, an area protected from boats and anglers in the southeast of the island, about 25 minutes by car from Los Cristianos. During these dives we often saw turtles frolicking on the seagrass meadows to feed. The internship consisted of various other dives: we went diving twice at night to observe nocturnal organisms. We also collected garbage from the ocean on so-called "Dives against Debris", which we then documented on the PADI Aware website and disposed of separately. I really enjoyed that, even though it is always sad to see the underwater world so polluted. We also went on a trip on land to one of the many natural pools on Tenerife to get to know the coastal ecosystem better. Here too, our theoretical knowledge played a major role. Alice also organized a lecture with a scientist from the north of Tenerife who reported on his research on the shark species that live there. My internship mostly consisted of a four-day week with an average of six to seven hours per day. After the dives, tidying up and cleaning the equipment was part of the daily tasks. Since we often had two dives in one day, we made sure to take long enough breaks. Our boss always provided snacks and drinks, which made for a very relaxed and almost familial working atmosphere. I also quickly became friends with the other interns and we went on many trips together outside of the internship. All in all, I would recommend this internship to anyone who is interested in marine biology, as it offers a great balance to the university environment of the course. I am very grateful to have gained additional experience in the field of marine biology through this opportunity. I hope I can come back soon to complete my PADI Advanced Open Water Diver. :-)

An experience of a lifetime with HMI Gap!

by: EvelynProgram: High Mountain Institute Gap Semesters
10

I chose to embark on the fall trek 2023 program. I went backpacking in Colorado mountains, Utah canyons, and Patagonian valleys. I had tons of fun getting to know my group on trail and making special moments together. We grew so much as a community and learned a lot about the environment which strengthened our connection with nature. Baking in the field has been a really cool thing to learn. During our trip in the canyons, we decided we wanted to learn how to bake delicious food. Alex one of our instructors taught me and a friend how to make cinnamon rolls! After long, intensive (but fun) work prepping the dough and baking the rolls, we bit into the delicious pastries. And they were so worth the effort and time.

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Rural Areas, Chile
  • Arizona, United States

Types and Subjects

  • Types
  • Adventure Travel
  • Experiential Learning
  • Self-Discovery

Availability

Years Offered: 2024, 2025, 2026

Gap Year Timing:
  • Post High School
  • During College

Age Requirement

Age Requirement Varies

Guidelines

  • American
  • All Nationalities

Program Cost Includes

  • Tuition & Fees

Accommodation Options

  • Group living
  • Other

Qualifications & Experience

  • High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (for example: GED)

Application Procedures

  • Online Application
  • Other
  • Phone/Video Interview

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