Sleeping Under the Big Sky

Coming from New York City, I have never slept outside before. I never thought I would want to, but now I’m going to miss it when I go home. It is so cool to be able to listen to the wind, rain, and animals and be safe inside your sleeping bag and tent. I really like sleeping outside the tent, too. Then, I feel like I am part of the woods. I like falling asleep counting shooting stars, and how you can see the silhouette of the mountains in the moonlight. Tonight we had an evening circle and we learned about the American Wilderness and what it means to each one of us. People had some really insightful things to say. I feel so thankful that I am here seeing and doing everything that I am.
- Linda

Sunrise Paddle

This morning we got up at 4 am so that we could do a sunrise paddle on the lake. Everyone was moving slow and were a little cranky so early in the morning. It was well worth the effort though. The sunrise over the lake was incredible. It was cool to see the rays cutting through the mist. I am so happy that we did this. We also say two Bald Eagles flying over the lake. They are so huge! This was definitely my favorite part of the trip. I feel so lucky to be able to experience such things.
-Alex

From a Leader's Perspective

Well, here we are, our first trip in the backcountry with this group. We are trekking through the Wind River Range in the Bridger Wilderness, one of my personal favorites. The mountains here are so dramatic and vast, the rivers so abundant and clear. The group seems to be working together really well. It is fun to see new groups of students get to know each other and learn all the things we do to make ourselves comfortable in the wilderness. I was quite impressed with the first dinner this group cooked out here. Learning to use the stoves, the right amount of water and the right amount of food is something they need to get used to and usually get better at quickly. I love getting to know about each one of the kids, where they are from, and what their families and friends are like. One of my favorite parts of leading these trips is seeing kids overcoming fears, taking on responsibility, and supporting each other. It is really inspirational and keeps me going the rest of the year.
-Audrey

Learning Lots on the Mountain

In order to prepare for our climb of the Grand Teton, we had two days of climb school with Exum mountain guides. The first day we learned how to tie all of the necessary knots and how to move around on the rock. The second day, we actually got to do some climbing. The coolest part was the rappel at the end of the day. At first I was kind of scared, but once the guides showed me how to do it, I felt more comfortable and can’t wait to show my parents the pictures that Reggie took of me rappelling. Today we hiked up to the saddle between the Grand and the Middle Teton. The peak we are about to climb watched over us all day, inviting us to its top. So, they say we will wake up early tomorrow morning, eat some oatmeal, dress and begin our climb. It usually takes 4 hours to get to the top. I will be pretty secure since we will be tied to three or four other people to make a rope team. They said we might catch the sunrise on the peak. I hope we do. It is amazing how much you can see from up here! I can't imagine what the view will be like from the top!
-John

Running the Rapids on the Snake River

After two backpacking trips and a dramatic climb of the Grand, it was fun to take a short but sweet trip down the Snake River Canyon. We all got to be in the same raft. It was so hot that the guide let us jump out and have lots of water fights. But we all had to hold on tight as we went through the biggest rapid called Lunch Counter. Everyone got soaked! There were photographers there taking everyone’s picture as they came through the rapids. I can only imagine the faces that we were all making. We’re going to look at the pictures later today when we get to walk around Jackson.
-Tom