Currently in its twenty-fifth year, FOOT offers a unique wilderness experience to approximately 400 Yale freshmen each year. In late August, trained upperclassmen will lead backpacking trips in eight scenic locations throughout the Northeast. The trips return to Yale's campus on freshman move-in day, allowing students to move in with the rest of their classmates.

FOOT is for everyone! The trips are designed for all levels of experience; complete novices as well as skilled mountaineers will find the trips rewarding. The primary goal of each and every FOOT trip is to ease the transition to life at Yale for freshmen. Not only do trip leaders have extensive training in keeping FOOTies safe and healthy in the backcountry; they are experienced counselors and offer a wealth of support, advice, and friendship. The competitive nature of the application process (one applicant in three is accepted) ensures that FOOT leaders have the best to offer incoming freshmen.

To learn more about FOOT, please browse through the pages in this section. If you have any questions - about hiking, Yale, moving in, whatever - we would love to hear from you!