Sam Hoar teaches map and compass skills.

Ready to paddle to Alderdice Lean-to

Junior Program participants

War Canoe fully loaded with 14 paddlers

ATIS Awards in the boathouse

ATIS Junior Program

You can download our:
2022 Junior Program Calendar and Trip Information

Sign-Up System: After last year’s very positive experience with an online system for signing up for Junior Program trips, we will use the same system for 2022.  As was the case last summer, the bulk of sign ups for ATIS trips will take place via a Google Form, which will be available on the ATIS website.  That form will be released on Wednesday for the following week’s trips; we ask that families complete that form by 8:00 am on Saturday mornings (for example, to sign up for trips the week of July 4-8, the form will be released on Wednesday, June 29 and families should fill out the form by Saturday, July 2).  We will then place participants on trips and confirm via email places on trips by Sunday morning.  In the case that a trip is overenrolled, we will randomly select who will be on the trip and who will be on the waitlist.  Those who end up waitlisted for a Monday trip, for instance, will be given priority for any trip later in the week. For more detailed information, visit the Signups page of our website.
​
Operating with the new AMR Hiker Reservation System:  To date, ATIS has been assured by the AMR that we will be able to operate pretty much as we always have when accessing trails on the AMR. We may be required to provide some identification for those arriving to join trips, but that is still two months away.

In any event, watch for any additional information on how we will operate this summer.  

The Adirondack Trail Improvement Society's Junior Program was inaugurated in 1935 when Alice (Jo) Johannsen served as the first "Trail Hostess". Jo's sister Peggy joined her sister in 1937 with one or the other serving most years until 1946. After that, the title was changed to "Trail Counselor". Since then the program has grown in both numbers of counselors and participants to encompass a wide range of activities.

The current staff consists of a head counselor, senior counselors, junior counselors, and counselors-in-training (CITs) who all work together to lead trips. Counselors are chosen for their wilderness expertise, leadership ability, and ability to work with children.

The season starts with High Peaks Camp, which was inaugurated in 1965 and has been extremely popular ever since. Then during July  and August up to six activities are offered each weekday, including day and overnight hikes and canoe trips, as well as swimming, rock climbing, nature exploration, and orienteering excursions. An introductory "Discovery" hiking program is offered for 4-7 year olds, as well. Two other highlights of the program are "Capture the Flag" on Monday evenings, and the two ATIS Picnics at the Lower Lake in the middle of July and August.

Sam Hoar is our Junior Program Director and he can be reached at sam@atistrail.org.

Download our list of common trips, arranged by category (i.e. "A","AA","B","C", "Canoe", "Overnight", etc.):
TRIP LIST

Download our list of Driving Directions for ATIS Parents (thank you for all who drive!):
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO ATIS TRIPS

Map and Compass exercise before bushwhack to Elizabethtown #4.

2020 masked campers on Pyramid Peak. Emmelina Bales photo.

Group on the summit of Dix, 8/6/20. Julia Brown photo.

Nature Activities group

Rock Climbing gets creative on a rainy day

---

Adirondack Trail Improvement Society
PO Box 565
Keene Valley, NY 12943
(518) 576-9157 (ATIS Hut - summer season only)
(518) 946-7322 (Executive Director, Ben Runyon)​
atis@atistrail.org
The above email is not always checked daily. In season, call the ATIS Hut phone for more immediate trip and sign-up information.