The High Mountain Institute, located in Leadville, CO, was founded in 1995 by Molly and Christopher Barnes in the spirit of combining best-of-class wilderness education with traditional academics. 

Working with teenagers is our specialty, and we have served over 1,000 of them in programs varying in length from two weeks to four months. Our signature program is the HMI Semester, a semester-long academic and wilderness program for successful high school juniors. The HMI Semester offers students the opportunity to focus on rigorous academics and leadership skills as part of our close-knit community both on campus and on three wilderness expeditions in the Rocky Mountains and Utah canyons.

We also offer a variety of summer programs, including the Summer Term. The Summer Term is an opportunity for students who have completed their 10th or 11th grade years to combine wilderness, community, and academic pursuits in a six-week summer program, giving students a taste of the semester school experience in a more condensed format.

Additionally, we offer wilderness medicine courses through the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS, and AIARE avalanche courses designed for outdoor educators interested in furthering their careers.