A poem about the waters of a backpacking trip in the Three Sisters

It is the stream which fascinates me.

the sheer journey of every,

rippling drop.

the confluence of two rivers which brings nature,

Force

to me.

it is the,

Golden sheen

Cast upon still water in the setting hours.

it is the,

Crystal clear spaces

in-between two

Ripples

and the

Temptation

of a fly cast. It is the sound of that

Babbling brook

adorned by wild orchids

That is what draws me to the mountains-

That is what calls me-

The stream.

-Neil

A new confidence on the Deschutes River...

This has been the most challenging AND fun part of the trip for me. We have laughed so much at our guides, each other and well...especially when Kary dropped our freshly Dutch-oven-baked brownies in the sand...now we can laugh. Who would have guessed you can bake brownies out in the wilderness anyway? Many things are possible with rafts that I never thought about before. I was never on the swim team and I was very nervous about all this rushing water. What if I fell out? What if I dropped my paddle?
So many questions. But, now that I have successfully completed the trip, I feel like it was a piece of cake, and really fun as well! I feel like I am not so afraid of things anymore. There is a part of me that knows I can paddle a raft through rapids, read water, sleep in the sand and cook on the beaches. Learning to drive a car should be a cinch after this!

-Theresa

The challenge of Smith Rock...

This can be a very challenging portion of the trip for a lot of the students. We have climb school which entails a lot of concentration and attention to detail for both the students and us leaders. Meanwhile the views are incredible and the adrenaline of learning to climb in such a spectacular area runs thick. Some students are naturally more flexible and prone to be great climbers. Others just have a fun time trying and getting better. Either way, this group has had a great time! They are so wonderful about helping each other out and supporting everyone no matter what their climbing level. We practiced knots last night at circle. I am amazed at how many they remember and their uses. I guess it was important enough information that they HAD to remember. I hope these guys climb again sometime at home. Our instructors said this group had a lot of potential. Gotta love that. I am like a proud parent.

-Theo

Room with a View

Today we had a chance to hike up to the top of the South Sister. It was an amazing climb. Breathtaking - in more ways than one - but well worth the journey. We all stood on top for about a half of an hour, snapping pictures and admiring the seemingly endless view of the snowy Cascade Mountains. This will be a "Golden Nugget" memory that I will take back with me to Chicago. I will have to remember this day as I sit in a classroom on a gray November day. It wasn't just the climb, or the view, but the teamwork as we climbed this peak. I think about migrating birds. As they fly they form a "V" - the leaders in the front navigating and creating a draft for those in the back. Those in the back, cheering those in the front onward. All taking turns in the front and the back. That was our group today! What an amazing feeling.

-Kylie

A word about friends...

"A friend is someone we turn to when our spirits need a lift. A friend is someone we treasure, for our friendship is a gift. A friend is someone who fills our lives with beauty, joy and grace, and makes the world we live in a better and happier place."
- Jean McManus

Most nights before we eat someone shares a quote with the group at circle. This was one of the quotes shared last week. I love it because friendship is something I have learned a lot about on this trip. I have spent the last 24 hours a day with these 12 people and now, we have this special bond. I feel like I can say or do anything with them. I feel like I can totally be myself. I feel like I will go home a new person. It has been a blast and an experience I couldn't replace with anything else. I am sad to leave and excited to share all of this with my family and friends at home.

- Olivia