Another
successful WildLink expedition is completed, as 10 students
from Turlock and Kingsburg High Schools and Jill Kinmont
Boothe School (Bishop) hiked a scenic 25 miles from Tenaya
Lake back into Yosemite Valley. This expedition was the
first of this year's Yosemite expeditions that will be co-led
by Kristin Malone of Yosemite Institute. Joining the students
as usual were WildLink Program Assistant Jocelyn Gretz and
WildLink Intern (and former participant) Umar Abdulah.
Upon
arrival the students spent one day in the valley, getting
acclimated to the elevation and the beauty that surrounded
them. Indian cultural interpreter Phil Johnson taught the
students about the culture and customs of the Awanechee
(Miwok) people in Yosemite. A few of the highlights included
his demonstration of their musical instruments and their
technique used to start fire. Students handled the obsidian
that projectile points were made from and passed around
the woven cradle baskets that they once used to carry their
babies.
We
left early Wednesday morning on a
bus for Tenaya Lake. Cutting off all communication from
the outside world, we embarked on our ambitious 25-mile
journey back into
the Valley. After a tough first day's hike we camped at
Sunrise Lakes, which gave us an incredible view of the setting
sun over the Sierras. After journaling about our challenges
that we had that day, we feasted on burritos and listened
to the first few chapters of the book The Education of Little
Tree. The next day we woke and planned our route on the
map, calculating our total mileage for the day.
Stopping
mid-morning to identify the trees in the area, we found
Jeffery and Lodgepole Pines in addition to Mountain Hemlock
and Red Fir. We lunched at the now-vacant Sunrise High Sierra
Camp where the students were happy to rest and pleased to
find pit toilets. Continuing on our journey, we camped along
Echo Creek, which turned out to be more like stagnant puddles
than a creek. Nonetheless, the water was sufficient and
we enjoyed ourselves around a candle-lit dinner, followed
with an extensive round of telling jokes.
We
started Friday off with a solo hike: Kristin led the line,
with each student staggered behind her by five minutes each.
This gave us all the time to reflect upon our surroundings
in a more personal way, and at the end a poem was constructed,
with each team member adding a line. At the end of the hike
we shared our personal thoughts about the hike and the poem
was read out loud.We continued our journey through the Merced
River Canyon, which Kristin, in her second year in Yosemite,
claimed was one of the most beautiful places she has seen
in Yosemite. It was the first time all of us had experienced
it - an incredible place to hike through and enjoy.
Our
fourth and final day started out at dusk, leaving the Little
Yosemite valley camp around 8:30 a.m. to get back to Curry
Village by noon. Along the steep Mist trail the team worked
together to get through some of the more daunting sections
to reach their final destination. After doing GLOBE water
sampling at Emerald Pool just upstream from the top of Vernal
Falls, the team continued on to their end point.
In
the final home stretch, each of us picked up pieces of granite
and started pumping them like weights, as the numerous Saturday
tourists stared at us in awe - no, the backpacks just weren't
enough for this team to carry! At our final circle in the
Curry Village parking lot we shared in discussion what things
we would do and things we wouldn't do after going on this
trip. For myself, I will definitely take the same route
again, and bring other people with me to enjoy the beautiful
Merced River Canyon.
Although
nature's beauty encountered along the way is unforgettable,
perhaps the most valuable aspect of the trip was the foundation
of friendships between former strangers. Our culturally
diverse bunch found friends in those least expected, and
learned how to cooperate for the betterment of the team.
Through 25 miles of backcountry hiking we stuck it out and
ended strong - way to go team!
Team
poem
The
sun kisses my face,
The wind whispers for me to listen with my heart.
I hear the birds calling my name,
Nature is all around me.
I hear wind blowing through my ears,
I see the wonderful signs of mountains.
And sounds of the winds you never would imagine.
Try to stand still and feel that wilderness.
Look at God's creation - it is all around you.
Be thankful he created it for you.
The mountains, the trees, nature is beautiful - it is surreal.
But chasin' tha' bear,
Without a single care
Living your life is sharing it.
Listen all around you.
It's the way that nature sounds.
And when you leave nature, the people who come after you
should never tell.
For this treasure called Yosemite belongs to all.
