Arrival Day

Arrival Day! We are so excited all of trip members made it to the Jackson Hole airport. As we waited for the last trip member to arrive, the students were blown away by the stunning views of the Teton Range. We explained to them that the Jackson Hole airport is the only airport in the country located in a National Park.

Our first camp was set at the Gros Ventre Campground in Grand Teton National Park just few miles from the airport. After unloading all of our gear, the students learned how to set up their tents. Our tents will be our home for the entire trip. Following a hearty spaghetti dinner, a few of us collected wood for a campfire for the group to enjoy. At our evening WV circle around the campfire, we discussed trip goals and played some funny name games.

Even though it is the first full day of the trip, we have already had some impressive wildlife sightings. The Teton bison herd was present as we pulled into our campground. Shortly before dinner, a couple of students saw a moose next the to the Gros Ventre river. After warm temperatures and lots of spring rain, the wildflowers are in full bloom throughout the Jackson Hole valley.

The weather during the first few days has been typical Rocky Mountain summer weather. Mornings have been clear and cool with afternoon clouds rolling in around 3:00 PM. The moutain weather forecast is calling for a continuation of high pressure through the weekend.

We are really excited about all of our trip members. It is going to be a really great group. Amy was the first to arrive since she was coming from the west coast. She made all of other participants feel right at home as people came into Jackson Hole. Everyone is really looking forward to our upcoming trip into the Spanish Peaks. On a side note, we have to drive through Ted Turner's Montana ranch to reach our trailhead for the wilderness area. Ted Turner is largest private land owner in the country. His ranch hands manage the largest herd of bison on private land in the country.
-Lillie, Trip Leader

Yellowstone's Boiling River

Today we went to Yellowstone. As we entered the park we saw a road sign that pointed to a swimming hole. To get to this place we had to follow a long, but beautiful trail. When we got there I jumped in as fast as I could. The water in some parts was hot, but in other places it was freezing. The current was amazingly strong! Overall the warm water and fun current made this part of the trip one of the best!
-Luke

Spanish Peaks Backpacking

There is only one word to describe the Spanish Peaks: "Awesome"! The Spanish Peaks Wildersness Area is an amazing alpine environment. We started off on a challenging hike with Clark, Andy, and Haley setting the pace. Along the way, we summited a peak above Upper Fall Creek Lake where Caroline perfected a unique form of glissading. We also saw Pioneer Falls, which was running huge with Spring runoff. Steve G. thoroughly enjoyed the this portion of the trip.

The cook crews are getting quite good at making meals in the backcountry. Ryan is the king of making hashbrowns and eggs. Phil is the fire starting expert, definitely keeping us nice and warm each night. We saw all kinds of wildflowers such as globe flowers and mountain lillies. We also saw a baby grouse near the trail on the hike out.

The weather was pretty good. It was partly sunny with some afternoon thunderstorms. We had some fog, which created a "Lord of the Rings" feel one evening.

Upon exiting the Spanish Peaks, we drove to Bozeman, Montana where we took showers, did laundry, and shopped. Amy has been a rockstar during our shopping, keeping the group in line and staying organized. While shopping, the kids spotted the actor Dennis Quaid. Clayton was pretty excited, getting an autograph the said "WV rocks!". The movie star sighting has been one of the highlights of the trip so far.

Chris, Jay, and Steve M. have been keeping us entertained with their stories and jokes, and Mary has been leading the singing on the trail and in the back of the van.

Tomorrow we raft the Gallatin river, then head for Yellowstone for the next backpacking trip. Things are going great, and the group is really bonding. We will give you another update after the next backpacking trip.
-Amy

Sea Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake

We had a fantastic time sea kayaking on Yellowstone Lake. Sea kayaking was a nice change of pace from the backpacking trips that we have done. It was great to enjoy our surroundings and view without packs and no trails.

We celebrated our first day on the water and the Fourth of July with smores. Chris was the most excited about the smores, devouring several of them. Jay managed to create a masterful marshmellow roasting stick.

We had some great days of paddling with a couple of days of cool, damp weather followed by some sunny days as well. We had spectacular views of the Absoraka Range. Clayton and Jay led the group, using the map and compass to point us in the right direction. We also enjoyed lounging in the sun on a sand bar after some of the cooler weather.

The group saw tons of wildlife. We watced bald eagles and osprey soar, saw otters, goldeneye ducks, and deer. In fact, Clark had a close encounter with an "angry" deer and climbed a tree to avoid it. Fortunately, Steve M. was there to protect Clark from the deer. Other wildlife sightings included mosquitos. The kids had a blast coming up with ways to protect themselves from the insects. And bugproofed herself with every piece of clothing at hand. Phil kept insects at bay with a bug repellent torch. Mary has developed a newfound love of bugs in her water.

The entertainment for the evenings always included a fire. Ryan is an excellent fire starter, although he manages to get covered in charcoal. Steve G. has been teaching everyone some new card games. Caroline has created new version of the song "I think I'm alone now." The group hasn't decided if this is a good or bad thing.

The fashion award for this portion of the trip went to Hailey for a matching ensemble of a rain suit, spray skirt, and kayak. Finally, Amy received the sympathy award for having to kayak with Lillie during the trip.

We are looking forward a fun time of rafting. Unfortunately, the trip is coming to an end. It has been amazing trip.
-Baker

Rafting the Snake

What a way to end our trip. Today we went rafting on the Snake River in Jackson Hole. It was a hot day, so the water was perfect for water fights. We got in a water fight with the other boat, and John fell in when he threw a bucket full of water. It was pretty funny. We all jumped in after John and swam in the cold water. The rapids were awesome! Lunch Counter was definitely the best. The waves were huge! We made it through like pros though. Too bad we leave tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone so much.
- Peter

A final thought

This has been a great experience for me because I'm usually not active enough. This adventure was challenging, but also a ton of fun! My personal favorite parts were the whitewater rafting, the peak of the mountain we climbed and the pizza! The peak was beautiful, the whitewater rafting was really fun and the pizza was delicious. Thanks to all the people who sent me here and to the leaders!
-Ellen