WildLink Expedition III Brings in the Spring at Hite Cove

Our third expedition of the year brought students from Los Angeles and as far away as New York to Yosemite’s springtime wonderland. Students from Crenshaw High School and Southeast Los Angeles High School joined four students from New York on a beautiful trip along a section of the South fork of the Merced River known as Hite Cove. Despite being from geographically different areas and having a wide range of backpacking experience, this group developed into an excellent team, built friendships, overcame some challenging hiking conditions, and became backcountry leaders.

The flora during the start of the expedition was beautiful beyond description. California poppies carpeted the slopes dropping into the South Fork. We also examined Popcorn flowers, Blue dicks, Shooting stars, Baby blue eyes, Fiddlenecks and many others. Jack Jack showed his considerations for the group, stopping frequently to check on everyone. After a late lunch, Damel took the lead. We continued up the trail, stopping frequently to check on the maps and to investigate the industrial refuse of Hite’s mining operation. With much relief we arrived at our camp spot for the night around 4pm. We set up camp and then Sarah led a discussion on challenge and comfort zones while dinner was being prepared. We all had plenty to eat and went to sleep after Sarah led a brief astronomy walk.

Our team became unified and strong on our second day at Hite Cove! It was a wild day in more than just one way. We saw no other human beings that day, which made for a peaceful and solitary day in the wilderness. We also got off of a maintained trail and into a jungle of brush, so the afternoon became unexpectedly wild. We made it to the top of the ridge before noon, and the view was spectacular. We could look down to the Merced River to our north and down to the south fork of the Merced River to the south. Besides being able to see all the tall peaks of the Yosemite foothills, we could also see the Devil’s Dance Floor and Reeds Pinnacle in Yosemite Valley. It was then that the real fun began! We decided to see how much farther we could go before 2:30, but at top of the ridge the trail became completely unmaintained. Our hiking quickly turned to bushwacking, crawling, and scrambling as we experienced a full-on wilderness adventure. Our team thrived under that challenge! Several additional leaders stepped up to help everyone through the difficult sections and despite hundreds of scratches from the brush on everyone’s arms and legs, we had a ton of fun! We also got great views as we continued up and back down Pinoche Ridge, including being able to see our tents almost 2,000 feet below us.

Our last day in the backcountry the students were totally in charge-Graham and Sarah took a far back seat and the students thrived. Everyone was out of bed before 7am and packed up before breakfast. Shaqeal and Marquisha were great leaders, motivating the team to be ready and LNT. Damel found a California newt (salamander), which was very cold and stiff from the cold morning. The group was ready to go with their packs on by 8:45am, an impressive departure time considering that camp had to be completely packed up and it was the students’ first day leading on their own initiative. Graham then left slightly earlier than the rest of us to prepare the trail with inspirational quotes for the “Walk with Solitude”. With the first rays of sunshine entering the canyon along with our students, it was a glorious time to be hiking. The solitude walk concluded with journaling and a snack on top of twisted and marbled metamorphic rock. The last two miles felt easy after the challenges of the past two days, and we made it to the trailhead by lunchtime. The greatest accomplishment of this group was that we became one unified and strong team—we all set aside and even embraced our differences and we developed strong friendships. We were pushed outside of our comfort zones and experienced some tough surprises, but we stuck together and created new friendships in the process.

To read students' journals from the expedition click here.

WildLink Alumni Attend
Bay Area Environmental Youth Quest
at Headlands Institute

Two vans carrying 20 Delta VISTA Academy students set off for the San Francisco Bay Area in early March for the Headlands Institute and TEAM (Teen Environmental Action Mentorship)-sponsored Youth Quest Conference. The annual student-led conference provides leadership and environmental education by and for high school students.

The Headlands Institute destination marked the first trip outside Stockton for many Delta VISTA students, set along the coastal foothills of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Moreover, it was an opportunity for them to learn from student leaders about various environmental issues, skills, activism and career paths. Over 270 students from across California attended the weekend program.

Delta VISTA Eco Club students hosted a workshop entitled “Eco-Clubbing: The How’s, Why’s and Strategies.” The workshop informed participants how to begin, describe and promote high school Eco Clubs.

Delta VISTA senior Patrick led the workshop through interactive discussion and a sharing of ideas on the Eco Club experiment at his school. Teachers Christina Fugazi and Jim Anderson also helped to facilitate dialogue.

“It seemed like most of the discussion was pretty strong and, I hope, helpful,” said Patrick after the workshop. “The Eco-Club is pretty new, and no one’s an expert. I felt a little pressure to organize it well. But I think it came off OK.”Patrick, a WildLink Ambassador (2007), would like to enlist his many interests – movie-making/editing, sports, environmental science, the Navy – into a leadership role in Stockton. He plans to finalize his decision to join college over the summer.

Other topics covered at Youth Quest included Environmental Racism, Toxic Household Products, Eco-Consumerism, Environmental Journalism, Marine Mammal Exploration,Organizing Youth, Trash Crafts and Solar Communities.

“Youth Quest is a great getaway for kids to be kids, away from high school and classrooms,” said Jim Anderson. “It’s also a special opportunity for the families to take pride in their son or daughter.”

The evening was marked with a talent show, dance and dinner. Sunday morning all 270 students participated in a stewardship project, in conjunction with the National Park Service and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

To learn more about Youthquest, click here.

To learn more about Headlands Institute, click here.

WildLink Expedition IV Enjoys a Snowy Adventure

We headed out into the snow on Tuesday morning, March 18th. Starting at Badger Pass, Darren, Christian, and Jasveen led us to a beautiful view up on Old Badger Summit. (This was a slight detour, but well worth it, and we soon got back on track). We tromped down to Summit Meadow, had a leisurely lunch, and continued on to McGurk Meadow where we found the most direct way possible into the meadow (i.e. straight downhill). The sleds came careening down the hill after us, but we totally beasted it. At 2:30pm we set up camp, and everyone spent the next few hours building snow structures. We went on a water mission, and Christian found water with his foot in a ten foot deep hole. We later jerry-rigged a pot to lower down and retrieve water. No more melting snow! We had a burrito dinner under the almost-full moon, and headed early to bed.

Up at 7am, before the sun hit the tents, and our frozen boots. We ate breakfast and thawed in the sun for the next two hours. Brian, Joaquin, and Chui led us out of camp to begin our day trip to Dewey Point. We took the roads and the trails there, and had lunch on the point as the clouds rolled in and threatened to unleash their fury. After some journaling—and once we were all sufficiently cold—we began the journey back. We made it safely to Circle Meadow, where Chui, Joaquin, and Andy decided to lead us on a bushwhack through the woods back to McGurk Meadow. We had a lot of fun sliding down hills through the snow, and eventually meeting back up with the skiers on the road before actually getting to our meadow. After a great pasta dinner, we headed to our hangout tent to play the dessert game, and make our RAD plan for the next day. We were in bed by 10pm.

Up again at 7am, we began the process of breaking down a frozen camp. By 9:30am we were packed and ready to go, and Junnida, Christian, and Darren led us up the steep hill out of camp, through Summit Meadow, and down the hill to Badger Pass. Back in civilization, we returned snowshoes, ate a relaxing lunch on the ski deck while watching snowboarders eat it, and finished with some journaling and a closing circle. All in all, we totally annihilated it.

To read students' journals from the trip, click here.

Delta Vista Academy Works it Out in Pixie Woods

On a sunny morning at a public recreation area called Pixie Woods, 12 students from Delta VISTA Academy in Stockton met to clean up the fallen organic debris and trash. With this simple but highly visible project, coordinated through Stockton Parks & Rec, the students inaugurated the Delta VISTA Eco Club.

So far over 25 students have shown interest in a school-wide Eco Club, which is interested in providing service and outreach not only within the school district, but also the community. Guided by Delta VISTA teacher and founder Christina Fugazi, the Eco Club has been establishing itself with a Mission Statement, Activity List and Long-range Goals.

“It was important to the students to do a project in the community, and not just inside school grounds,” said Fugazi. “This is a place where people come to enjoy and relax with their families. There’s a direct relation with the way a place looks to how people feel.”

Fugazi said there was a fatal shooting in broad daylight at Pixie Woods one week prior to the cleanup. That didn’t deter the Eco Club from working there.

Every spring, the City of Stockton will clean tree debris around the pond at Pixie Woods. Fugazi arranged the students’ cleanup with the city Parks & Rec Department.

Eco Club members are working on a long-term strategy that will keep it vibrant and sustained for years to come. Just by showing up and having fun, Fugazi says the students will begin to take the lead on organization and recruiting which will bolster support for projects around Stockton.