OP, here’s a link to Hamilton’s Outing Club so that you can see what they have to offer with close access to 46 4000’ Adirondack peaks! https://www.hamilton.edu/hoc
I am sure there are many similar outdoor programs and lots of great college choices. Enjoy the journey!
Sewanee: The University of the South. “The Domain” is over 380 acres and they have a huge outdoor culture.
@twoinanddone, yes that’s why I mentioned Hamilton’s 1,900 acre arboretum campus.
OP, feel free to PM if you would like more insight as to what Hamilton has to offer, but the negative vibe has become a bummer…
A lot of Nescacs have been mentioned and most of those do provide excellent aid.
As for the safety/match/reach designation, with the OP having a 34 ACT, with the exception of Midd and Williams being reaches for most everybody, most of the schools mentioned are going to be matches. Not saying that means acceptance, but the 34 puts the OP in the top 25% of enrolled students for a lot of these schools which means chances are higher than avg. For instance Hamilton posts data, that says for those with a 34+ ACT, the admit rate was 63%, far greater than the avg admit rate.
@Chembiodad
not trying to be argumentative, just on a fact finding mission as we are visiting Hamilton in the upcoming months for D2. Website says 1,350 acres. Still plenty big, but that number surprised me, because when we looked at Hamilton for D1 the campus did not feel that big. Is some of the acreage forest type land and not really available for student use? Or does that include land they own that’s not directly attached to campus?
^Hamilton has the Root Glen, a whole nature area directly attached to the rest of the campus. I understand it is used a lot by students. Hamilton has a large campus for a LAC.
Yes, they do own lots of land outside of the 1350 acre campus in adjacent farm land and glens. The 1350 acres in itself is 3-4x most of its NESCAC peers, so plenty of room to roam for those who value that.
Hope everyone finds a school that feels right; for my DD’s they were fortunate to have the ability to pick amongst a bunch of great schools, and they both picked Hamilton - all good.
No one has yet mentioned Brandeis, but it may be a great fit. It definitely would be a match academically, and the students are quite intellectual and curious. The school was founded on the principles of social justice, with an active and left-leaning student body of about 3,500. Great for LGBTQ, and no official Greek life (there are a few non sanctioned frats and sororities off campus, and they don’t play a big part). There’s also a mountain club, which focuses on hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, etc.
re #6:
Firstly, Cornell is most definitely not an LAC.
It definitely has programs that relate to “social justice” type issues.
For one thing, I know they have a great program working in the prisons.
http://government.cornell.edu/crime-prisons-education-and-justice-minor
http://cpep.cornell.edu/get-involved
A lot of the people most in tune with such issues will likely be studying in its “contract colleges”. Labor economics in ILR, development economics & sociology in CALS, policy studies in CHE. The courses and resources at these various colleges will be available to a CAS (its liberal arts college) student as well
As for the “culture”, as a school’s size increases, mono-syllabic tags about “culture” become increasingly less meaningful.The student body is diverse, with diverse interests.
There will be students who share your concern for social justice, etc.
.Others who just want to land a job on Wall Street (where they will be joined by a decent cohort from Williams, et al, FWIW).
And everything in between.
While most students do not join fraternities there are plenty who do (30-40%).
It is guaranteed there will be some people there who don’t fully share your values, and people who you hate.
After freshman year you don’t have to live with them, but they will still be in your classes (depending on what you take, of course) and around campus.
You will find your group of fellow travelers, and in sufficient size. But not everyone on the whole campus will be singing kumbaya with you at your social justice hootenanny. If you need everyone on campus to be singing along with you, do not attend a university.
Too bad your feeling about Ithaca, because you would probably feel more at home in Ithaca proper than you would at Cornell itself. In the last presidential elections, Ithaca was the “bluest” city in New York State. (It’s also the most highly educated). There are undoubtedly a lot of people in Ithaca who care deeply about social justice. And they likely have activities one can get involved in, quite apart from Cornell. Though I have not looked into this.
Monosyllabic tags about “happiness” are probably also not meaningful. Years ago, I studied science and engineering there, and I was miserable. Because I was not smart enough. Much more recently, my daughter graduated as a Humanities major, she loved it there. In general I think science and engineering majors tend to have it relatively tough, everywhere. There ae relatively a lot of such majors at Cornell. [Which is not to suggest Humanities majors do not also work hard there].
The 372 acre Thorncrag Bird sanctuary is literally blocks from the Bates campus.
http://stantonbirdclub.org/thorncrag-sanctuary/
A little further afield is Bates’ Morse Mountain Conservation area.
http://www.morseriver.com
http://www.bates.edu/bates-morse-mountain-shortridge/bates-morse-mountain-conservation-area-and-shortridge-field-research/
Bates has one of the oldest Outing Clubs in the nation and it is entirely student-run. It runs outdoor trips (called AESOP’s) before the start of school for incoming freshman which most of the class attends, as well as hiking, skiing, canoeing and other trips throughout the year. They also have rental gear available to all students. Every member of the college is automatically a member of the BOC.
I know you didn’t ask about being trans at these schools but this video might give you some insight into being gender nonconforming at Bates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUp7xfyItAk
Here’s the Bates office of Intercultural Education:
http://www.bates.edu/oie/lgbtq-bates/#lgbtq-terminology
Social justice at Bates:
http://www.bates.edu/diversity-inclusion/social-justice-speaker-series/
https://www.bates.edu/diversity-inclusion/inclusive-communities-mini-grant/
https://www.bates.edu/harward/
Of the Bates, Bowdoin, Colby trio Bates is usually considered the least preppy.
Some misinformation here . . . Hamilton is warmer during January mornings than all of the Maine LACs (ocean moderation is a minor factor where westerly winds predominate); their 1350 acre campus, all contiguous, is the largest in NESCAC; Root Glen, one of three campus glens, is a regional attraction and includes a national champion Norway Spruce; x-country skiing is available right from the residence halls on the south side of campus (coinciding with a running/walking loop); lastly, a scenic train from Utica runs into the western heart of the iconic Adirondacks (the only major expanse of old growth forest in the entire Northeast).
@college_query @gardenstategal thanks, I’ll definitely look into St. Lawrence.
@RecusantSam thank you, but I am not really interested in schools in the South. 
@wisteria100 are those figures (63% for 34 ACT)/the designation of some of these schools as “matches” relevant to RD applicants? I would be applying to all of these schools for Regular Decision (maybe ED II, depending on my Harvard SCEA results LOL) and I understand there is a pretty substantial difference between early and regular decision chances/acceptance rates.
@Chembiodad will PM you later. Thanks for all of the help.
@merc81 thanks for the clarifications & extra info!!
@monydad Thanks. I spent a bit of time at Cornell and in Ithaca and honestly didn’t feel it, but thanks for your insight, it’s really helpful. I did appreciate the social justice-y vibe on campus (at least within the departments I visited) and among the student body, but again, there were certain things that didn’t click for me (the size of the school, Ithaca, greek life, it felt a bit depressing, etc). I also spoke with some faculty members within departments I’m interested in and was uneasy about what I heard. But thanks, again!
@lauriejgs thank you!!
@Sue22 Thank you so much!! I am really liking Bates and will probably submit my app soon, lol.
Look up Middlebury’s Center for Social Impact Learning (CSIL) or their Center for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE). Social Justice is kind of a big deal there. It’s in the middle of Vermont (MIDDLEbury). The outdoors are a major part of their culture. I would think it would be an obvious choice.
I agree with the Middlebury suggestion. I would also recommend looking at Colby. Amazing outdoors programs, and there are some cool social justice things as well. (This includes a year long “purposeful life” housing community.) Not sure, given your first choice, how you are prioritizing your preferences, but looking at these may help.
These 2 come to mind as the outdoorsiest of the NESCACs. While you have great stats, neither would be a sure thing. I think you have a few others that would be! Keep us posted!
@gardenstategal Thanks! I actually read about the HoPE housing community before. But idk. There are so many options!! It’s hard to choose between 'em.
By first choice, are you referring to Harvard? Lol. I’m willing to compromise for Harvard, I mean, it’s a dream …but for other schools, mid-low reaches or matches, where I have a slightly larger chance of getting in, I’m prioritizing my preferences 
Will you have a car available?
I am trying to think outside the box here. Have you considered Pitzer. It is outside of LA. One of my kids graduated from a Claremont College and she used to go camping etc quite a bit.
@“Snowball City” Short answer to the car question: yeah, if I deem it necessary? I am sort of up in the air about whether or not I want to bring it to college with me or just pass it onto my younger siblings.
And I have looked into the Claremont Colleges but I’m not too interested in going to college in California, so still have mixed feelings about it.
Actually I don’t think anyone has mentioned Hampshire.
Full disclosure: I am married to one of the scientists who is a notable alumni and who is tops in his field worldwide bc of the training he received at Hampshire; I know several people who attended all 5 colleges of teh consortium and learned so so much; I know someone who worked to do research with someone at one of the 5 cols, not Hampshire, although a Hampshire student, and published research as an undergrad, and went to a top Ivy for grad school; and I know someone who was tops in one fo the more competitive high schools in the big city south of Boston and North of Philly who got lots and lots of FA for being a top scholar and she found herself at Hampshire in the most amazing way.
Hampshire is not for everyone but it’s wonderful for someone who is directed and wants to change the world.
Best of luck.
Surprised no one has mentioned Lewis & Clark or University of Puget Sound for solid likely admits. Very outdoorsy schools even though they have close access to cities. L&C especially for politically active students. And of course its neighbor Reed which is more of a high match low reach for you.
@valkyries, very welcome - always here to help!