This is a weekend-long trip, with a mandatory pre-trip meeting Tuesday evening (7:00 p.m., Hybrid with Zoom and at the MITOC Office). There will likely be trip specific pre-trip meetings on Thursday. Please only sign-up if you can commit to the Tuesday and Thursday pre-trip meetings and the full weekend. Please don't sign up unless you're sure you won't have to drop after the lottery runs, late drops make logistics difficult and take spots away from people who otherwise could have attended

The lottery will run on Monday, March 25 at 6pm and we will notify those on trip and waitlisted. Spaces often open up for those on the waitlist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's a winter circus?

Have you been wanting to get outside since winter school? Want to come hang out with some awesome people? Then join us for an open cabin weekend at Camelot from Saturday, March 30th through Sunday, March 31st for two days of hiking, climbing, skiing, and fun! (Given the weather, we will likely ONLY have hiking, no skiing or climbing. We don't currently have anyone who is able to lead above treeline so trips will likely be below treeline only)

Winter Circus works different from a summer circus. Trips are all planed in advance and most logistics will be trip specific. However, everyone will sleep at the cabin Saturday night, and we'll have a group dinner and a chance to hang out and see friends! Everyone will either help cook or clean, and we'll have plenty of time to hangout, meet new people, and enjoy the Camelot cabin.

Although spring will have officially begun, we'll be out in winter conditions and following all our normal winter condition rules. Trips will be determined on at a MANDATORY pre-trip meeting, Tuesday evening March 26th. You will know both your trips before you leave for the weekend and will be able to plan gear accordingly.

Logistics

The number of participants will be determined based on the number of leaders but we expect it to be small, somewhere around 20-30 people. All participants must have attended the two mandatory lectures of Jan. 2024 Winter School, and ideally at least one winter school trip. Leaders will decide what trips they want to run and then everyone will be able to self sort into trips at the pre-trip meeting.

Rideshare

We'll coordinate a rideshare, you'll most likely drive up with your Saturday trip and down with your Sunday trip. Most trips will choose to leave from Boston Saturday morning. Depending on the timing and location of your Saturday trip others may choose to drive up Friday night and start from Camelot.

Costs

Trip fees are as follows:

• Undergrads: $10
• Grad Students: $20
• MIT-Affiliate: $30
• Non-Affiliate: $40
• (Drivers and leaders, subtract $15)

The fee helps to cover: group gear, personal gear rentals, breakfast food and dinner on Saturday, cabin upkeep, and White Mountain National Forest permits.

Note: All gear rental is included in your trip fee, as long as you return the gear during office hours the week after circus. You will still need deposit checks to rent anything.

*There are no refunds, so paying is a commitment to join the trip. Don't pay your trip fee until you are guaranteed a spot! *

Please also budget $20-30 each way ($40-60) total to split between your drivers, to reimburse for gas, toll fees, maintenance, etc. If you are an MIT undergrad, we now have the ability to help with gas costs, please reach out if you’d like to take advantage of this assistance.

Please do not let cost be a reason not to attend. MITOC is committed to making the outdoors equally available to all our members and has waivers for the trip and membership fees. Contact the Circus chairs if you would like to request a fee waiver.

Camelot

Camelot is a rustic cabin near Rumney, NH. It has limited electricity, a wood stove for heating, and no running water. Please bring plenty of water - we recommend at least 5-6 L for the weekend.

Sleeping

Camelot can sleep about 20 people in the heated portion of the cabin (it gets very warm) a few folks can fit in the unheated kitchen, and there is plenty of room to camp outside if you'd like to try out your winter sleep system.

We may have someone organize a "learn to sleep outside in winter" crew if there is enough interest.

Questions

If you have any questions or comments email Janey and Mike at circus-chair@mit.edu