Two Weeks of PEAK Summer Adventure

We are so excited to welcome you to Lander for the PEAK Summer Program!

Over the two weeks, we will introduce you to everything WCC has to offer. Get ready for two weeks of intellectual discovery and wilderness adventure.

This page will serve as an important resource in the months leading up to your arrival in Lander. Please check it regularly for updates regarding your schedule, packing requirements, and travel details.

If you have any questions as you prepare, please do not hesitate to reach out! 

Hayley Daly
Event Coordinator

hayley.daly@wyomingcatholic.edu
307-332-2930, x.2088

Countdown!


Days till Peak 1

June 7 – June 9: 
  • Morning: The program begins with Mass and community games on Sunday as well as an introduction to our horsemanship class. On Monday and Tuesday, mornings are dedicated to academic classes.
  • Mid-day: Lunch and Mass (either Roman or Byzantine Liturgy).
  • Afternoon Activities: Participants engage in various activities, including rock climbing, rappelling, boating, fishing, and dancing.
June 10 – June 14: Backpacking Trip
  • Preparation (June 10–11): Mornings continue with classes, but afternoons shift to intensive backpacking preparation, including gear checks and group meetings.
  • Backpacking (June 12–14): The group wakes up early on Friday to leave for the trailhead. 
June 15 – June 19: Classes, Ludi, and Departure
  • Return (June 15): The group completes the final leg of the backpacking trip and returns to campus for gear de-issue and debriefing sessions.
  • Campus Life (June 16–17): A return to the standard schedule of morning classes and afternoon activities, including a formal lecture.
  • Ludi and Closing (June 18): This day features the Ludi Mariales (Marian games), a formal dinner, and a closing dance.
  • Departure (June 19): Participants pack up their dorms and depart, marking the end of PEAK 1


Countdown Timer

Meet the Counselors

Andrew Egan

Ella Layfield

Lily Famolaro

Armâan Karimpour

Filomena Bertucci

Téa Bengoa

Christina St. Pierre

Adeline True

Catherine Alva

Edward Bolin

Damian Brown

Samuel Liebler

Patrick Morgan

Blaise DeMaster

Classes

Violence and Law on the American Frontier with Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos

John Ford’s 1962 Western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart), examines the transformation of a frontier town, terrorized by an outlaw gang, into a civilized and peaceful society. We will view and discuss the film as the great work of art it is, considering especially what it can teach us about the difference between license and liberty, the relation between violence and law, the relative appeals of vigilante justice and political order, the necessity of education and virtue for republican citizenship, and the role of heroism and myth in achieving and memorializing our political origins.

Beowulf: A Hero between Two Worlds with Dr. Adam Cooper

The early English poem Beowulf looks back with a newly baptized mind and imagination on a pagan world of honor-driven warriors, weird monsters, giant mead halls, blood feuds, peace-weaving wives, and gold-giving kings. Why does its poet want to recall the stories of his people’s past, their abandoned ways? How does his Christianity help him see more clearly not only the darkness of that past but also its greatness and light? What does he critique? What does he honor or praise? What does he lament? From what does he ask us to learn? Focusing on the heroic figure at the center of the poem, we will listen for Christian truth resonating within the human story, humbling, ennobling, fulfilling and redeeming, not abolishing. Our discussions will be filled out by other poems and documents of the period that, with Beowulf, speak to the English people’s reception of Christ: “The Wanderer,” “The Seafarer,” selections from Bede’s History of the Church in England, and “The Dream of the Rood.”

Roots of Moral Philosophy with Dr. Michael Bolin

In this short sequence, we will explore the underlying principles of one major branch of philosophy, ethics, with the help of Plato and of Judith Thomson’s famous and controversial article on the moral question of abortion. We’ll consider the practical question of how to reason well about moral questions and the theoretical question of what gives rise to objective moral facts in the first place and how they can be known. Texts will include Plato’s Euthyphro and Judith Jarvis Thomson’s “A Defense of Abortion”.

The Declaration of Independence at 250 with Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos

This year, Americans are celebrating the Semiquincentennial (250th Anniversary) of the United States Declaration of Independence. We all know something about the Declaration, if nothing else, its assertion “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” But what does this mean? Why was it said? And why did this people, in this time and place, regard such truths to be “self-evident”? In this course, we approach the Declaration of Independence under four aspects—culture, crisis, creed, and commemoration—to examine the culture that produced the Declaration; the events that precipitated it; the actual argument contained in the Declaration; and, finally, certain outstanding reflections back upon the Declaration of Independence and its enduring relevance to the American people.

Surrounded by the Past: Wyoming’s Fossil Record with Dr. Stanley Grove

This one-day course is built around an extended field trip that explores the marvelously exposed geological record in the vicinity of Lander. Strata spanning over a billion years, from before life existed on earth down to the most recent glacial age, are viewed and interpreted in the field as we observe their silent witness to tectonic upheaval, climatic and geographic extremes, and the rise (and extinction) of various life forms. We stop first at the famed Sinks Canyon and then proceed to a roadcut where small fossils can be collected. A brochure will have been provided in advance, containing relevant readings, maps and diagrams to assist us in the field.

Roots of Moral Philosophy with Dr. Michael Bolin

In this short sequence, we will explore the underlying principles of one major branch of philosophy, ethics, with the help of Plato and of Judith Thomson’s famous and controversial article on the moral question of abortion. We’ll consider the practical question of how to reason well about moral questions and the theoretical question of what gives rise to objective moral facts in the first place and how they can be known. Texts will include Plato’s Euthyphro and Judith Jarvis Thomson’s “A Defense of Abortion”.

Check-List

If you are planning to fly into Denver International Airport (DIA) or Riverton Regional Airport (RIW), the College will provide a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport.

PEAK 1 

Driving: Arrive in Lander by 5 pm on June 6th and plan to be picked up before noon on June 19th.
Flying:
  • Riverton Airport (RIW): Please book the flight that arrives in the afternoon on June 6th. The departure flight can be either the morning or afternoon flight on June 19th. There will be a shuttle for all flights.
  • Denver International Airport (DIA):
    • When flying to Denver on June 6th, be sure to book a flight that arrives before 11 am. Our complimentary shuttle will depart Denver at noon and arrive in Lander around 6pm.
    • When departing from Denver on June 19th, book a flight departing no earlier than 1:30 pm. Our complimentary shuttle will depart Lander at 5:30 am and arrive at the Denver Airport around 11:30 am.

 

PEAK 2: 

Driving: Arrive in Lander by 5 pm on June 20th and plan to be picked up before noon on July 3rd.
Flying:
  • Riverton Airport (RIW): Please book the flight that arrives in the afternoon on June 20th. The departure flight can be either the morning or the afternoon flight on July 3rd. There will be a shuttle for all flights.
  • Denver International Airport (DIA):
    • When flying to Denver on June 20th, be sure to book a flight that arrives before 11 am. Our complimentary shuttle will depart Denver at noon and arrive in Lander around 6pm.
    • When departing from Denver on July 3rd, book a flight departing no earlier than 1:30 pm. Our complimentary shuttle will depart Lander at 5:30 am and arrive at the Denver Airport around 11:30 am.

PEAK includes a wide range of activities—from classes and Mass to hiking, horseback riding, and a formal dinner—so students should come prepared with a mix of classroom, formal, casual, and outdoor clothing. The packing list linked below has a detailed list of items you will need for the session.

Key items you will need include appropriate attire for class and Mass, formalwear for Sunday, the closing dinner and the dance, sturdy hiking boots, warm layers, a rain jacket, and a backpack. Basic gear like a sleeping bag and pad will be provided, but students should bring personal items such as toiletries, a Nalgene water bottle, and simple eating utensils.

Personal electronics (including phones, laptops, and other devices) are not permitted during the program (secure storage will be available with the Admissions team). Students can expect an active, technology-free experience and should pack accordingly for both comfort and participation in all activities.

You can download the packing list here.

PEAK 2026 Packing List

 

Please note that all the backpacking-specific gear (tent, stoves, food, etc.) as well as personal backpacking gear (backpack, sleeping bag, etc.) can be checked out once you arrive (rental fee is covered in the PEAK tuition).

To secure your spot for PEAK, please make the $100 deposit on our fee payment page.

Please make your final payment no later than May 23rd on our fee payment page.

Complete the Risk Waiver

Complete the Horse Safety Form