From April 13-18, 2003 ten students from Bakersfield West, Reseda and Crenshaw High Schools came for WildLink’s 6th Expedition for the 2002-03 school year. The students, all on their spring breaks, arrived to the park during a snowstorm. Monday was spent in Yosemite Valley, where the group completed a difficult “Acid River” group challenge and received thet packing list. Early the next morning, the group boarded the bud heading for the Hite’s Cove trailhead.

Although the weather for much of the week was rainy, students kept their spirits high, as Pinkie, Jocelyn, Giorgio and Jose led the group for a 4.5 mile hike into Hite’s Cove.

The walk to Hite’s Cove was filled with a variety of blooming wildflowers and small waterfalls and a lot of poison oak. In addition to the rushing of the South Fork of the Merced River sounds, the call of “Poison oak, on your right!” filled the air. After settling into camp, the students conducted GLOBE water quality tests on the river, testing the pH, conductivity, nitrate and dissolved oxygen content in the water. In addition to water monitoring, the students helped with an archeological photo monitoring project run by the Forest Service. Students gathered 8 photos from 5 sites that will help keep track of the artifacts found at Hite’s Cove.After hiking out on another rainy day on Thursday, students went back to Curry Village for the night.

A warm sun on Friday morning greeted the group, as they completed their last challenge together – the Spider Caves. The students led each other by verbal and tactile clues through the dark cave, each in charge of safely leading the person behind them. As usual, the team’s effort was a success and the group completed the challenge. Students will go back to their schools and become ambassadors for wilderness, sharing their time in the Sierra National Forest.

Definately a spring break they won’t forget anytime soon!