This is the view from outside the ranger station that has a fresca, a fire hydrant, a box and a road sign.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Nathan's photos
This is the view from outside the ranger station that has a fresca, a fire hydrant, a box and a road sign.
Nathan's bear photo
This is Gus; he is a bear - not just a bear, but also a bear with a hat. Not just any hat - but an awesome hat. He was found at the ranger station chilling next to the mailbox.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Utah Excursion!
Patrick Abrams- Insights about the Beehive State
Wow. That’s all I can say about our last expedition to Utah. As a group, we saw an amalgam of geologic features in a multitude of awesome places. We flew into Salt Lake City from Charlotte on a warm Sunday afternoon, and the adventures began. We went backpacking on our 2nd day through Capitol Reef National Park, which is a canyon that is shaped by a stream that runs through it. We had to cross the stream multiple times on our way to our first campsite, and our boots were soaked when we finally reached our destination.
We camped out at that campsite for two days and two nights, but before we left, we had an amazing climbing experience. Behind our campsite was a huge rock face that jutted out over the canyon, and we decided we’d hike-climb and see how far we could get up the rock. At certain points, it looked impossible to go any further, but with a little bit of creativity and upper-body strength, half of us were able to get to the very top of the rock face. From there, I could see pretty much the entire valley in all directions. It was an awe-inspiring sight.
We left our backpacking destination and drove south towards Bryce Canyon National Park, where we spent a day doing a hike of the famous winding valley that is almost a vertical walk. The rock formations in the Park ranged from beautifully shaped slopes to jagged finger-looking shapes that, at times, were comical. From Bryce Canyon, we traveled to St. George and Utah’s most visited National Park, Zion. Zion is a park that stretches through the entire spectrum of geologic features. For example, one minute, we were driving past huge rock structures that seemed to reach for the sky, and the next we were looking down a thousand feet into a narrow canyon that winds its way through the Park.
For more information on Zion, here’s a link to the Zion National Park Service website (http://www.nps.gov/zion). I would definitely go visit it to see some of the things that we experienced, since there are too many things for me to talk about.
I actually left this expedition two days early to go back to Atlanta for my sister’s Bat Mitzvah, which is a very special time in the life of a young Jewish woman. She was tov meod, which in Hebrew means “very good”. It was a lot of fun seeing all of my relatives coming together for a very special occasion in my family.
Well, next up, we are going back to Utah! We’ll be visiting, among other places, Arches National Park, the Moab region. We will also be going mountain biking, which is somewhat of a pastime of mine. It should be a very interesting and wonderful expedition. I look forward to writing about it when I get back!
++++++++++++++
Mitch's insights
During this excursion I read The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. It was nice to read during expedition, as reading was a way to take a break from the group. I also read Tom Clany’s Splinter Cell.
For history, I read about the Indian Subcontinent, the beginning of Hinduism and Buddhism and early Chinese civilizations.
It’s a little different to do class work in the wilderness because it gives you more time to absorb what you are reading or studying.
I also learned things about living in the wilderness. For instance, I learned how to build a fire. I also learned not jump over creeks because it’s too easy to fall into the creek, and the water is COLD!
+++++++++++++++++
Zion's Fall
During our last expedition there were many funny incidents that happened. One time we were backpacking and the trail crossed a small river at least 18 times, which is how many times we crossed it.
Every time we had to invent clever ways to get across since there were no bridges. One time everyone was taking a long time to cross so I wanted to be like superman and show everyone up by jumping across onto a wall of dirt. The idea was that I would jump across and dig my hands into the soil in order to pull myself up onto the opposite bank. So I ran and jumped…
I sailed through the air and landed with a THUD. As you probably expected I didn’t land as I had planned. I landed with one foot on the wall and one foot dangling toward the water. My body weight combined with the weight of my pack caused me to loosen my grip and land, kneeling in the rushing water. I WAS SOAKED!! From somewhere up ahead I heard Nate say “fail,” and I laughed. That was probably the funniest thing that happened to me the entire expedition. I can’t wait to see what happens while mountain biking, (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
Until next time when I write, have a good time and don’t fall!
Bye!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
More of Alex's narratives
On Sunday, October 26th, we flew into Salt Lake City international airport, and were immediately greeted by a musty sulfurous odor, wafting its way around the area. As I soon found out, that was the smell of the Great Salt Lake; something the area is famous for. As you might imagine my expectations for this expedition were not that high, especially after the majestic greatness that was Wyoming and Colorado expeditions. As you might well imagine, that all changed in the next couple of days, as I discovered that Utah had it’s own set of unique charms that distinguished it from the other places we have visited thus far.
Everything was red, which made it foreign, and everywhere I looked there was a cool erosion-caused sandstone structure, like in Bryce Canyon National Park, the second park that we visited. The park had huge sandstone spires that stuck out of the ground called hoodoos.
I highly recommend that you check out a picture of it - it’s very cool. Before we got to Bryce, we had been backpacking in Capitol Reef National Park along a little creek that was just deep and wide enough to provide a unique challenge every time we had to cross it, which happened dozens of times over the course of the trip. Everyone in the group except for Jeremy with his ski poles has a river-crossing story; you’ll probably read about them in the other blogs.
After we left Capital Reef it was off to some casual day hiking in Bryce Canyon, which I already mentioned. After that it was time to once again pile into the big black Ford van, and embarked upon the long drive to Zion National Park.
Utah is big; it seemed emptier than anywhere else we had visited. In a full day of driving we passed through a few tiny towns - the biggest, Loa Utah, had both a gas station and a restaurant which would be the extent of civilization we would encounter until we came into the over priced, touristy “villages” guarding the entrance to the Park. Zion, particularly near the entrance, was a bit crowded. The campgrounds for cars were noisy and crowded, and the ground was hard, not nearly as nice as the ones in Capitol Reef National Park.
However, they both had abundant populations of very friendly deer, for better or for worse. Despite it’s being excessively touristy, Zion had some cool stuff to offer. My personal favorite was a hike called ‘Angels Landing’. Picture a Popsicle sticking out of the ground. Now imagine a trail led by a chain going up the side of the Popsicle, with an enormous drop on both sides. It was great. After a few days of wandering around Zion it was time to go back to base. The two weeks had flown by as if they had only been a couple of days.
All in all, good times were had by all.
Soon we’ll be venturing on for round two. Next time we will be paying visits to Canyon Lands, Arches National Park and the Moab area.
+++++++++++++
EJ's perspective
Utah is such an amazing state that it’s hard to talk about what was the most exciting experience for me during the trip. Between the beautiful scenery and the fantastic weather Utah had to have been the greatest journey thus far. My first expectations of Utah weren’t that great, after seeing the beautiful state of Colorado in the wintertime. But I must say that Utah left me pleasantly surprised.
Utah was a great state to just take in the beautiful scenery and reflect on life. Doing our expedition with the backdrop of Utah’s beauty made our homework more enjoyable
Our campsites were amazing and some of the places we made camp were breathtaking!
The accomplishment I’m most proud of is conquering my fear of heights by climbing six different mountains within the span of two days! It was especially fulfilling because our group leader, Jeremy, had pushed me to face my fears and not give up on reaching the top even when I felt I could go no further. Much like finishing a Regatta during my days on crew, the feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating.
This past expedition in Utah taught me things that I never knew about myself; it showed me to push myself to my limits. I learned to not give up when the going gets tough and the road looks impossible to conquer. On our group’s next journey we’ll return to Utah yet again. This time we will be exploring Moab, Arches National Park, and the Canyon Lands. I hope to enjoy my second trip to Utah just as much as I enjoyed the first.
+++++++++++++++
Nathan's update
The backpacking part of the trip this time was much shorter and was very scenic. Our adventure took us through a winding canyon and involved many river crossings. The Backpacking trip was a lot shorter than I had expected, and sometimes I wanted to go farther.
When we finally settled into camp near the creek. I chose a large rock for my perch. Alex chose a flat spot in the cliff wall for his perch. My rock was a bit slanted so I had a wee bit of difficulty when it came to staying on my mattress.
After the return trip to the ranger station we drove down to water pocket fold. Then we drove to Esprante, UT. Because of the spirit of Halloween Jeremy and Beth decided that it would be fitting if we slept in the “Box Death Hollow Wilderness Area.” Box Death Hollow wasn’t that scary. The Hollow was crazy - it was a GIANT hole in the ground.
The next day we drove to St. George and hung out in Snow Canyon where a large thunderstorm rolled over just to the south of us. There we looked for a laundry mat and thankfully we found one and settled in.
While sitting there I struck up a conversation with a man by the name of John Niece. He was a man with a very interesting life. He ran away from home at the age of 15 and moved to Ft. Lauderdale. He then moved to Texas at 22 and inherited a lot of money. He later shared the wealth down to pocket change.. Talking to him made me realize how fortunate I am. Then we took off to camp and eat dinner. But I kept thinking about John Niece.
Wow. That’s all I can say about our last expedition to Utah. As a group, we saw an amalgam of geologic features in a multitude of awesome places. We flew into Salt Lake City from Charlotte on a warm Sunday afternoon, and the adventures began. We went backpacking on our 2nd day through Capitol Reef National Park, which is a canyon that is shaped by a stream that runs through it. We had to cross the stream multiple times on our way to our first campsite, and our boots were soaked when we finally reached our destination.
We camped out at that campsite for two days and two nights, but before we left, we had an amazing climbing experience. Behind our campsite was a huge rock face that jutted out over the canyon, and we decided we’d hike-climb and see how far we could get up the rock. At certain points, it looked impossible to go any further, but with a little bit of creativity and upper-body strength, half of us were able to get to the very top of the rock face. From there, I could see pretty much the entire valley in all directions. It was an awe-inspiring sight.
We left our backpacking destination and drove south towards Bryce Canyon National Park, where we spent a day doing a hike of the famous winding valley that is almost a vertical walk. The rock formations in the Park ranged from beautifully shaped slopes to jagged finger-looking shapes that, at times, were comical. From Bryce Canyon, we traveled to St. George and Utah’s most visited National Park, Zion. Zion is a park that stretches through the entire spectrum of geologic features. For example, one minute, we were driving past huge rock structures that seemed to reach for the sky, and the next we were looking down a thousand feet into a narrow canyon that winds its way through the Park.
For more information on Zion, here’s a link to the Zion National Park Service website (http://www.nps.gov/zion). I would definitely go visit it to see some of the things that we experienced, since there are too many things for me to talk about.
I actually left this expedition two days early to go back to Atlanta for my sister’s Bat Mitzvah, which is a very special time in the life of a young Jewish woman. She was tov meod, which in Hebrew means “very good”. It was a lot of fun seeing all of my relatives coming together for a very special occasion in my family.
Well, next up, we are going back to Utah! We’ll be visiting, among other places, Arches National Park, the Moab region. We will also be going mountain biking, which is somewhat of a pastime of mine. It should be a very interesting and wonderful expedition. I look forward to writing about it when I get back!
++++++++++++++
Mitch's insights
During this excursion I read The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. It was nice to read during expedition, as reading was a way to take a break from the group. I also read Tom Clany’s Splinter Cell.
For history, I read about the Indian Subcontinent, the beginning of Hinduism and Buddhism and early Chinese civilizations.
It’s a little different to do class work in the wilderness because it gives you more time to absorb what you are reading or studying.
I also learned things about living in the wilderness. For instance, I learned how to build a fire. I also learned not jump over creeks because it’s too easy to fall into the creek, and the water is COLD!
+++++++++++++++++
Zion's Fall
During our last expedition there were many funny incidents that happened. One time we were backpacking and the trail crossed a small river at least 18 times, which is how many times we crossed it.
Every time we had to invent clever ways to get across since there were no bridges. One time everyone was taking a long time to cross so I wanted to be like superman and show everyone up by jumping across onto a wall of dirt. The idea was that I would jump across and dig my hands into the soil in order to pull myself up onto the opposite bank. So I ran and jumped…
I sailed through the air and landed with a THUD. As you probably expected I didn’t land as I had planned. I landed with one foot on the wall and one foot dangling toward the water. My body weight combined with the weight of my pack caused me to loosen my grip and land, kneeling in the rushing water. I WAS SOAKED!! From somewhere up ahead I heard Nate say “fail,” and I laughed. That was probably the funniest thing that happened to me the entire expedition. I can’t wait to see what happens while mountain biking, (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
Until next time when I write, have a good time and don’t fall!
Bye!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
More of Alex's narratives
On Sunday, October 26th, we flew into Salt Lake City international airport, and were immediately greeted by a musty sulfurous odor, wafting its way around the area. As I soon found out, that was the smell of the Great Salt Lake; something the area is famous for. As you might imagine my expectations for this expedition were not that high, especially after the majestic greatness that was Wyoming and Colorado expeditions. As you might well imagine, that all changed in the next couple of days, as I discovered that Utah had it’s own set of unique charms that distinguished it from the other places we have visited thus far.
Everything was red, which made it foreign, and everywhere I looked there was a cool erosion-caused sandstone structure, like in Bryce Canyon National Park, the second park that we visited. The park had huge sandstone spires that stuck out of the ground called hoodoos.
I highly recommend that you check out a picture of it - it’s very cool. Before we got to Bryce, we had been backpacking in Capitol Reef National Park along a little creek that was just deep and wide enough to provide a unique challenge every time we had to cross it, which happened dozens of times over the course of the trip. Everyone in the group except for Jeremy with his ski poles has a river-crossing story; you’ll probably read about them in the other blogs.
After we left Capital Reef it was off to some casual day hiking in Bryce Canyon, which I already mentioned. After that it was time to once again pile into the big black Ford van, and embarked upon the long drive to Zion National Park.
Utah is big; it seemed emptier than anywhere else we had visited. In a full day of driving we passed through a few tiny towns - the biggest, Loa Utah, had both a gas station and a restaurant which would be the extent of civilization we would encounter until we came into the over priced, touristy “villages” guarding the entrance to the Park. Zion, particularly near the entrance, was a bit crowded. The campgrounds for cars were noisy and crowded, and the ground was hard, not nearly as nice as the ones in Capitol Reef National Park.
However, they both had abundant populations of very friendly deer, for better or for worse. Despite it’s being excessively touristy, Zion had some cool stuff to offer. My personal favorite was a hike called ‘Angels Landing’. Picture a Popsicle sticking out of the ground. Now imagine a trail led by a chain going up the side of the Popsicle, with an enormous drop on both sides. It was great. After a few days of wandering around Zion it was time to go back to base. The two weeks had flown by as if they had only been a couple of days.
All in all, good times were had by all.
Soon we’ll be venturing on for round two. Next time we will be paying visits to Canyon Lands, Arches National Park and the Moab area.
+++++++++++++
EJ's perspective
Utah is such an amazing state that it’s hard to talk about what was the most exciting experience for me during the trip. Between the beautiful scenery and the fantastic weather Utah had to have been the greatest journey thus far. My first expectations of Utah weren’t that great, after seeing the beautiful state of Colorado in the wintertime. But I must say that Utah left me pleasantly surprised.
Utah was a great state to just take in the beautiful scenery and reflect on life. Doing our expedition with the backdrop of Utah’s beauty made our homework more enjoyable
Our campsites were amazing and some of the places we made camp were breathtaking!
The accomplishment I’m most proud of is conquering my fear of heights by climbing six different mountains within the span of two days! It was especially fulfilling because our group leader, Jeremy, had pushed me to face my fears and not give up on reaching the top even when I felt I could go no further. Much like finishing a Regatta during my days on crew, the feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating.
This past expedition in Utah taught me things that I never knew about myself; it showed me to push myself to my limits. I learned to not give up when the going gets tough and the road looks impossible to conquer. On our group’s next journey we’ll return to Utah yet again. This time we will be exploring Moab, Arches National Park, and the Canyon Lands. I hope to enjoy my second trip to Utah just as much as I enjoyed the first.
+++++++++++++++
Nathan's update
The backpacking part of the trip this time was much shorter and was very scenic. Our adventure took us through a winding canyon and involved many river crossings. The Backpacking trip was a lot shorter than I had expected, and sometimes I wanted to go farther.
When we finally settled into camp near the creek. I chose a large rock for my perch. Alex chose a flat spot in the cliff wall for his perch. My rock was a bit slanted so I had a wee bit of difficulty when it came to staying on my mattress.
After the return trip to the ranger station we drove down to water pocket fold. Then we drove to Esprante, UT. Because of the spirit of Halloween Jeremy and Beth decided that it would be fitting if we slept in the “Box Death Hollow Wilderness Area.” Box Death Hollow wasn’t that scary. The Hollow was crazy - it was a GIANT hole in the ground.
The next day we drove to St. George and hung out in Snow Canyon where a large thunderstorm rolled over just to the south of us. There we looked for a laundry mat and thankfully we found one and settled in.
While sitting there I struck up a conversation with a man by the name of John Niece. He was a man with a very interesting life. He ran away from home at the age of 15 and moved to Ft. Lauderdale. He then moved to Texas at 22 and inherited a lot of money. He later shared the wealth down to pocket change.. Talking to him made me realize how fortunate I am. Then we took off to camp and eat dinner. But I kept thinking about John Niece.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Expedition to Colorado
Last expedition was one of the greatest adventures I’ve been on. While I was there I got to build my first real campfire all by myself as Godzilla. As a person who lives in the city and doesn’t go into the wilderness much, this was a big accomplishment. I never thought that trying to get it burning would be so intricate, and need to be so precise. I was so happy when I was able to do it on my own; I felt so happy.
Also, on our way down the mountain on the second to last day our group was almost blown away by the furious winds. They were blowing very fast and gusts of stinging snow were blown into our faces. It was all worth it though; once we got to the tree line it was easy walking.
This weekend we will be going on a funyac trip down the Nantahala. It promises to be a good time and a source enjoyment for all of us.
On our next expedition we are going to Zion National Park. Here we will be backpacking in the desert and rock climbing over cliffs. I’m really looking forward to going to yet another state to which I’ve never been.
Zion
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have decided in my segment of the newsletter to write about the craziest privy we have stumbled upon on our expeditions. (See my photos for clarification)
The taker of the cake is a privy we found on the side of Battle Mountain. This privy sports an open roof, toilet paper, and not-so solid walls! Yes, that’s right! This privy has the insane winds with it. Expect high winds during your stay!
E.J. got some good seat time with this particular, because it has toilet paper. Luckily for E.J. the winds kept the smell away. It was freezing out there.
Personally I wouldn’t use it, but for the view factor I give it a five. The view was amazing yet it has the disadvantage of no roof. So if it’s raining your on your own.
Nate
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Newsletter! Patrick Abrams!
Hello to all who care! We care back!
Well, things have been rather exciting here. Our group has traveled to many different and new places. We’ve been camping in Rocky Mountain National Park the last two weeks, and that was a site to behold. We went on our first backpacking trip for 5 days, and that was an experience. We were hiking maybe three-five miles a day with bulky backpacks on our backs. It was a fantastic workout, that’s for sure.
In the next two weeks, we will be doing many different and exciting things. Our next expedition is to Zion National Park in Utah! But before we do that, we will be going on a Fun Yak trip down the Nantahala River. The Nantahala is a river in Western North Carolina. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. I, personally, have been rafting down the Nantahala at least 15 times during my life. Every time, though, something is different. This will be the first time that I will be doing an entire trip in a small raft, which is very exciting.
On Sunday morning, we fly out from Charlotte to Utah! We will be in Zion National Park, which is Utah’s most visited national park. It’s a desert, but it has many different geological features, such as ponds, streams, plateaus, and many different places to rock climb. We should have plenty of things to do and places to explore.
Patrick
************************
I poke my head out of my toasty sleeping bag. The conditions outside are considerably less hospitable. “Get up!” I hear.
I decide to sit up in my bivy, a luxurious contraption that is essentially a tiny tent, and my head brushes the ceiling, unleashing a shower of accumulated ice on my face. I am successfully deterred from starting my day, and I retreat back into the warmth and comfort of my sleeping bag.
So goes a morning on our first real backpacking trip. The mornings are always the hardest part of the day. Eventually I found the willpower to crawl out of the sleeping bag and join the rest of the group in shivering in the fresh snow. We eat an exciting breakfast of lukewarm oatmeal and we’re off. After an extensive period of negotiation I manage to get my monstrosity of a pack to stay on my shoulders for an extended period of time.
Over the course of the next couple of days a deep appreciation was drilled into my mind. An appreciation for walking around at low altitudes without 75 pounds clawing at my shoulders was on my mind during the hike. It was getting better day by day. The hike on the first day would have been almost unachievable without stopping every 20 meters to hyperventilate like a fish out of water. I could sincerely say that there had been an improvement!
However, somewhere between the aching legs, back, shoulders and feet, the blistering winds and bitter cold, I caught a glimpse of something beautiful - a truth actually. Let me first point out that this truth is not something that I had previously been ignorant of. In fact, I had regarded it as common knowledge for most of my life. The beauty of simplicity and living as such. The thing is, like most “common knowledge” I have a tendency to distrust it and regard it quite literally, as something widely believed by the masses - hence my skepticism.
Another realization I stumbled upon is something I’ve been thinking of ever since my parents decided to enroll me in this program. I've gained an appreciation for the shallower pleasures of life. While this contradicts the other, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to take some things for granted ever again. Even little things like a cold soda, or a cushy sofa seem like a distant, unrealistic fantasy when you’re drinking river water and sleeping on cold dirt.
The reason that I mention these two things together is because when I eventually go home and settle back into the old routine, these lessons will mesh together in a way that could change the way I live my life, or at least see it. But what do I know is this: home is a long way away and I’m still here.
Alex
++++++++++++++++
I have an interesting story to tell about my last expedition to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. I build my first my first campfire. When we were hiking down the mountain the wind was crazy! The wind almost blew me over!
On Saturday we are going white water rafting and we are going to have pizza by the river and were the NANTAHALA. In Utah we are hiking with the dessert and more rock climbing and I’m going to send you a post card from Utah. Mitch
++++++++++++++++++
My group’s most recent adventure had us exploring the vast state of Colorado.
I must say, Colorado was quite the experience; the adversity of the elements hindered my group’s travels. As my group’s dynamics grew we began to learn more about ourselves, so that helped us succeed even more than in our last trip. When we arrived in Colorado I was amazed by the gorgeous landscapes as I have never seen nature so pristine as Colorado. The first few days after we arrived at our campsites it was relaxed. The group had some down time, which we used to complete homework assignments. After the first couple days in Colorado we began our backpacking journey.
At first, we had some tension within the group about the backpacking trip because not everyone in the group was confident about the trip; people we scared that they weren’t physically capable of the journey that would befall us. The first day of our trip started at the trailhead called “Boulder Creek." At first glance the hike seemed as if it would a walk in the park. Yet, after thorough inspection the group realized that the trail ahead would be more treacherous then we had expected.
The first day of our backpacking trip was a gloomy one and, to make matters worse, we had a five and a half mile trek uphill with 40-pound packs on our backs! Even with the gloominess of the weather affecting our ascent, the benefits of seeing our beautiful campsite in the end paid off. The next few days were better weather wise, so we had a more enjoyable trip trekking through the wilderness. Some of the benefits of this trip were that we came together more as a group as far as working together and listening to each others wants and needs.
I enjoyed Colorado more than I had with Wyoming because I felt as if Colorado had more to offer in terms of natural beauty. I also felt as if it was more civilized. The scenery my group and I had witnessed while in Colorado was absolutely amazing; I’m sure I’ll never see anything like a Denver night again for the rest of my life. On my group’s next journey we will be exploring the vast lands of Utah. I wonder how that will differ from our past two adventures. So far my time at SOAR has been interesting. I hope that after Utah I’ll have many stories to tell of my return home.
EJ
Last expedition was one of the greatest adventures I’ve been on. While I was there I got to build my first real campfire all by myself as Godzilla. As a person who lives in the city and doesn’t go into the wilderness much, this was a big accomplishment. I never thought that trying to get it burning would be so intricate, and need to be so precise. I was so happy when I was able to do it on my own; I felt so happy.
Also, on our way down the mountain on the second to last day our group was almost blown away by the furious winds. They were blowing very fast and gusts of stinging snow were blown into our faces. It was all worth it though; once we got to the tree line it was easy walking.
This weekend we will be going on a funyac trip down the Nantahala. It promises to be a good time and a source enjoyment for all of us.
On our next expedition we are going to Zion National Park. Here we will be backpacking in the desert and rock climbing over cliffs. I’m really looking forward to going to yet another state to which I’ve never been.
Zion
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have decided in my segment of the newsletter to write about the craziest privy we have stumbled upon on our expeditions. (See my photos for clarification)
The taker of the cake is a privy we found on the side of Battle Mountain. This privy sports an open roof, toilet paper, and not-so solid walls! Yes, that’s right! This privy has the insane winds with it. Expect high winds during your stay!
E.J. got some good seat time with this particular, because it has toilet paper. Luckily for E.J. the winds kept the smell away. It was freezing out there.
Personally I wouldn’t use it, but for the view factor I give it a five. The view was amazing yet it has the disadvantage of no roof. So if it’s raining your on your own.
Nate
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Newsletter! Patrick Abrams!
Hello to all who care! We care back!
Well, things have been rather exciting here. Our group has traveled to many different and new places. We’ve been camping in Rocky Mountain National Park the last two weeks, and that was a site to behold. We went on our first backpacking trip for 5 days, and that was an experience. We were hiking maybe three-five miles a day with bulky backpacks on our backs. It was a fantastic workout, that’s for sure.
In the next two weeks, we will be doing many different and exciting things. Our next expedition is to Zion National Park in Utah! But before we do that, we will be going on a Fun Yak trip down the Nantahala River. The Nantahala is a river in Western North Carolina. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. I, personally, have been rafting down the Nantahala at least 15 times during my life. Every time, though, something is different. This will be the first time that I will be doing an entire trip in a small raft, which is very exciting.
On Sunday morning, we fly out from Charlotte to Utah! We will be in Zion National Park, which is Utah’s most visited national park. It’s a desert, but it has many different geological features, such as ponds, streams, plateaus, and many different places to rock climb. We should have plenty of things to do and places to explore.
Patrick
************************
I poke my head out of my toasty sleeping bag. The conditions outside are considerably less hospitable. “Get up!” I hear.
I decide to sit up in my bivy, a luxurious contraption that is essentially a tiny tent, and my head brushes the ceiling, unleashing a shower of accumulated ice on my face. I am successfully deterred from starting my day, and I retreat back into the warmth and comfort of my sleeping bag.
So goes a morning on our first real backpacking trip. The mornings are always the hardest part of the day. Eventually I found the willpower to crawl out of the sleeping bag and join the rest of the group in shivering in the fresh snow. We eat an exciting breakfast of lukewarm oatmeal and we’re off. After an extensive period of negotiation I manage to get my monstrosity of a pack to stay on my shoulders for an extended period of time.
Over the course of the next couple of days a deep appreciation was drilled into my mind. An appreciation for walking around at low altitudes without 75 pounds clawing at my shoulders was on my mind during the hike. It was getting better day by day. The hike on the first day would have been almost unachievable without stopping every 20 meters to hyperventilate like a fish out of water. I could sincerely say that there had been an improvement!
However, somewhere between the aching legs, back, shoulders and feet, the blistering winds and bitter cold, I caught a glimpse of something beautiful - a truth actually. Let me first point out that this truth is not something that I had previously been ignorant of. In fact, I had regarded it as common knowledge for most of my life. The beauty of simplicity and living as such. The thing is, like most “common knowledge” I have a tendency to distrust it and regard it quite literally, as something widely believed by the masses - hence my skepticism.
Another realization I stumbled upon is something I’ve been thinking of ever since my parents decided to enroll me in this program. I've gained an appreciation for the shallower pleasures of life. While this contradicts the other, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to take some things for granted ever again. Even little things like a cold soda, or a cushy sofa seem like a distant, unrealistic fantasy when you’re drinking river water and sleeping on cold dirt.
The reason that I mention these two things together is because when I eventually go home and settle back into the old routine, these lessons will mesh together in a way that could change the way I live my life, or at least see it. But what do I know is this: home is a long way away and I’m still here.
Alex
++++++++++++++++
I have an interesting story to tell about my last expedition to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. I build my first my first campfire. When we were hiking down the mountain the wind was crazy! The wind almost blew me over!
On Saturday we are going white water rafting and we are going to have pizza by the river and were the NANTAHALA. In Utah we are hiking with the dessert and more rock climbing and I’m going to send you a post card from Utah. Mitch
++++++++++++++++++
My group’s most recent adventure had us exploring the vast state of Colorado.
I must say, Colorado was quite the experience; the adversity of the elements hindered my group’s travels. As my group’s dynamics grew we began to learn more about ourselves, so that helped us succeed even more than in our last trip. When we arrived in Colorado I was amazed by the gorgeous landscapes as I have never seen nature so pristine as Colorado. The first few days after we arrived at our campsites it was relaxed. The group had some down time, which we used to complete homework assignments. After the first couple days in Colorado we began our backpacking journey.
At first, we had some tension within the group about the backpacking trip because not everyone in the group was confident about the trip; people we scared that they weren’t physically capable of the journey that would befall us. The first day of our trip started at the trailhead called “Boulder Creek." At first glance the hike seemed as if it would a walk in the park. Yet, after thorough inspection the group realized that the trail ahead would be more treacherous then we had expected.
The first day of our backpacking trip was a gloomy one and, to make matters worse, we had a five and a half mile trek uphill with 40-pound packs on our backs! Even with the gloominess of the weather affecting our ascent, the benefits of seeing our beautiful campsite in the end paid off. The next few days were better weather wise, so we had a more enjoyable trip trekking through the wilderness. Some of the benefits of this trip were that we came together more as a group as far as working together and listening to each others wants and needs.
I enjoyed Colorado more than I had with Wyoming because I felt as if Colorado had more to offer in terms of natural beauty. I also felt as if it was more civilized. The scenery my group and I had witnessed while in Colorado was absolutely amazing; I’m sure I’ll never see anything like a Denver night again for the rest of my life. On my group’s next journey we will be exploring the vast lands of Utah. I wonder how that will differ from our past two adventures. So far my time at SOAR has been interesting. I hope that after Utah I’ll have many stories to tell of my return home.
EJ
Friday, October 24, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Yellowstone Expedition Newsletter (one)
On our last expedition, we visited parts of Wyoming, most notably Yellowstone National Park, as well as Grand Teton National Park and places around Dubois, Wyoming. For the first two days in Wyoming, we (the group) toured around Yellowstone and stayed in a campsite near Yellowstone Lake. I saw a lot of animals: elk, deer, bison, as well as different kinds of birds. We then got in our canoes and rowed across Shoshone Lake, the largest backcountry lake in the US, and stayed at various campsites for six days.
The campsites around the lake were.... shall we say.... different. First off, they were right off the tiny little rock beaches that lined the shores of the lake. We had to flip our canoes after we got to the beach, and then we'd take our stuff to wherever the campsite was, whether it was uphill or down the beach. At nighttime, after we'd eaten, we had to put all our food in boxes and raise the boxes up using "bear bags". We also had to set up a tarp over our eating area in case it was raining. I had not realized that places this remote still existed! I couldn't hear any cars, trucks, or any outside world annoyances! All I could hear were the natural noises of the woods around me.
Patrick
____________________
On my most recent expedition, my group traveled to Yellowstone National Park. I must admit, since I had in the past already traveled to Yellowstone my expectations were not that high for it. I was pleasantly surprised by my initial reaction when we arrived there.
The first place we visited was Shoshone Lake, which we canoed for six days. That was my favorite part of our trip because of the scenery and wildlife we encountered.
I’m usually a late riser, so the addition of a time difference was especially hard to adjust to. To make matters even more challenging, the mornings were freezing. I’m a physically active person so this didn’t bother me so much, but some of my campmates weren’t so happy about waking up so early. My campmates and I would stay in the wilderness where imminent danger could surely follow. My issue was not bringing the correct bevy sack.The weather was not to my group’s benefit. Since we didn’t pack the food correctly we had less to eat on certain days. It was an eye-opener though because it caused us to have a revelation. We came together stronger as a group to make the next food plan all the better. The wildlife we witnessed was incredible. We saw bison, coyotes, mountain sheep, elk, antelope and yellow-bellied marmots. I have never in my live seen so many creature in one place in their natural environment. Even though there were some troubled times, even a few quarrels here and there, the experience and adventure I had out there was enthralling. This was definitely one of my most challenging experiences I’ve had in my life so far. It’s possibly the last chance I’ll get to do something quite like this in my life., Maybe somewhere down the road, I’ll stumble across the chance to return to Wyoming. On our next trip we will be visiting the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Hopefully that excursion will be just as exhilarating as the last.
EJ
________________
My first expedition was an extremely interesting experience. I liked some parts of it and hated others. It felt like the canoe trip took forever but the Wyoming base camp was really nice. One time I had to get out of the boat and walk through about two feet of goose poop to get it unstuck. When I tried to get back in, my foot sank almost all the way down to the bottom and I almost flipped the canoe Nathan and I were using.
Another time EJ saw some buried treasure and got out into the hypothermic waters to get it. The water was about twelve feet deep and freezing. When we opened the box all that was in it was fishing gear. I’m not sure what we expected to find, but it was still exciting.
On a more uplifting note, our campsites were amazing. They were all different in some way. One was up on a hill and had a very low bear bag tree. The second had a low bear bag tree but was high up and set back from the lake somewhat. And the third was right on the beach and had the highest bear bag tree. The bear bags are a very crucial part of camping. They are the way that you keep animals from going through your food at night or when you’re not eating.
In between the last two campsites we ran into some trouble with a storm and had a layover for at least two hours. The group all had to huddle under a tarp and hope that we could get to our next campsite before the real thing came. It was aggravating but the hard working team ended up prevailing.
We also visited the fallowing places: Dubois, Yellowstone National Park, and Shoshone Lake. You can see more about these areas here:
http://www.wyomingtourism.org/
http://www.lat-long.com/ShowDetail-21785-Wyoming-Shoshone_Lake.html
http://www.duboiswyoming.org/
Zion
_____________
On the group first expedition we went to Wyoming. In Wyoming we visited Yellowstone National Park. I found the weather to be cold in the night. We went canoeing and I found it hard to paddle in the cold water. However, towards the end I really enjoyed canoeing. Paddling was a good way to see the different sites.
We swam in the waterfall. Zion tells me I came out red as apple.
It was cold but I like the sensation of being cold.
We saw some buffalo and some elk. We went to Jeremy’s house to have dinner and meet his two dogs. We went to see some mountain ranges and to see a waterfall. We went to the rifle range to shoot and went to the cowboy café for dinner. We also went rock climbing and which was fun as well as challenging.
Mitch
_______________________________________________
I glanced out the window. Unsurprisingly, the view was just as majestic and surreal as it had been two minutes ago. A deep arid gorge cut into the mountainous landscape with a serene, at least from the air, creek, acting as a centerpiece of sorts. It was so beautifully captivating; I could scarcely keep my eyes off of it. A steward’s voice snapped me out of my daydream. He told us of our imminent descent into the Jackson Hole airport. Our plane touched down, smoothly, but with little room to spare on the minuscule landing strip.
When the plane turned toward the “terminal” I noticed that we had come to a stop with less than 50 feet to spare. We got off the plane the cool way (stairs, no wimpy covered ramp) and stepped into the charming, but modern Jackson Hole airport. Apparently there is a law in Wyoming that all man made structures must look like a log cabin, complete with elk horns and stone fireplace. I can’t really complain though, as I found it rather charming. Once we gathered our bags we were greeted by a thickly bearded, Grizzly Adams looking gent who identified himself as Jeremy.
One thing that struck me immediately about Wyoming was the vast height contrast. The airport juxtaposed in front of the mammoth Tetons appeared minuscule. Even the log cabin ‘Quiznos’ had a monstrosity of 500 or more feet directly behind it, reducing it to toy scale, due to contrast. It was rather dizzying.
This was one thing I took into account as I cruised along one of the few paved roads in the area. The other was just that, only the roads thought to be the most crucial saw even an ounce of asphalt. I liked that too though, as it gave everything a much more rural vibe, not phony at all, unlike many tourist attractions in the northeast. Out here the spaces were truly wide open, from a high point, on top of one of the plentiful and conveniently located mountains, one was given a true picture of the emptiness of Wyoming. Yes, there was a highway and a downtown, but the wilderness was all encompassing in its grandeur. In most of the country, it feels like every little patch of forest is an oasis in a cement wasteland, but here, a paved surface is a cozy little commercial outpost in a sea of nothingness, or so it seems, to a city kid like myself.
These were my thoughts as our van bumped along, canoe trailer in toe.
Jeremy pointed out a large abode, sitting pretty on a fenced in hill, identifying it as Harrison Ford’s house. It is common knowledge that this area is a sort of Mecca for the famous and the fabulously wealthy to build “summer cottages”, and now, I can see why. At the risk of sounding like a tourist brochure, this sense of isolation is something to be cherished. It’s very rare, fleeting even, in this world.
I stepped out of the van and breathed in the crisp mountain air. Off in the distance, but still very imposing were the majestic Tetons. I wandered off and stretched my sore legs, other members of the group ran off into the surrounding forest to relieve them. In the meantime, I evaded the responsibility of unloading the van, and gazed off into the vast wilderness that lay before me. And for the first time since I came here I felt at peace with my situation. It was a fleeting sensation, leaving me as soon as I became aware of its presence.
I soon again became aware that I was over a thousand miles away from everyone I love and care about, and would continue to be so for another three months or so. However, this sacred land made my whiny, stubborn self forget about all that. And even if it was just for a moment, that was something special.
Alex
___________________________________________
Welcome to Wyoming - the land of beauty and wonder. Yep, Wyoming… Did I mention that Yellowstone was pretty? I wasn’t really expecting much, but when we got there it was B-E-A-U-TIFUL.
We see dark clouds on the horizon; little do we know that it would trap us on a small beach for over an hour, with the rain unloading on our heads. I got quite a few pictures of the epic storm.
We had decided to put a tarp up so we weren’t going to be sitting in the rain. We were glad we did as it must have rained for an hour. The weather cleared enough for us to scramble to our campsite to hunker down for the next storm. We got trapped at that campsite for an extra day which left us with a 10+ mile stint to get back to the van.
We woke up at 5am to cross a one-mile stretch of open water; afterwards we knocked out the miles, - mile after mile. We got to the “channel o’ death” where we all had to get out and walk up stream. We cruised down river - white water rafting style. It was amazing. We were glad to get out of the backcountry.
After rejoining society we went shooting at the range, where I then out-shot everyone. We fumbled around town, got to eat at a café and went back to base. The next day the group drove out to a place called Sinks Canyon, where the river flows underground a ¼ mile down across the road and surfaces on the other side. We went rock climbing around the area then traveled back towards base and towards NC base.
We visited the following places during this expedition:
· Antelope flats
· Lewis lake
· Shoshone lake
· Grant village
· Dubois, WY
· Lander, WY
· Sinks canyon
Nathan
The campsites around the lake were.... shall we say.... different. First off, they were right off the tiny little rock beaches that lined the shores of the lake. We had to flip our canoes after we got to the beach, and then we'd take our stuff to wherever the campsite was, whether it was uphill or down the beach. At nighttime, after we'd eaten, we had to put all our food in boxes and raise the boxes up using "bear bags". We also had to set up a tarp over our eating area in case it was raining. I had not realized that places this remote still existed! I couldn't hear any cars, trucks, or any outside world annoyances! All I could hear were the natural noises of the woods around me.
Patrick
____________________
On my most recent expedition, my group traveled to Yellowstone National Park. I must admit, since I had in the past already traveled to Yellowstone my expectations were not that high for it. I was pleasantly surprised by my initial reaction when we arrived there.
The first place we visited was Shoshone Lake, which we canoed for six days. That was my favorite part of our trip because of the scenery and wildlife we encountered.
I’m usually a late riser, so the addition of a time difference was especially hard to adjust to. To make matters even more challenging, the mornings were freezing. I’m a physically active person so this didn’t bother me so much, but some of my campmates weren’t so happy about waking up so early. My campmates and I would stay in the wilderness where imminent danger could surely follow. My issue was not bringing the correct bevy sack.The weather was not to my group’s benefit. Since we didn’t pack the food correctly we had less to eat on certain days. It was an eye-opener though because it caused us to have a revelation. We came together stronger as a group to make the next food plan all the better. The wildlife we witnessed was incredible. We saw bison, coyotes, mountain sheep, elk, antelope and yellow-bellied marmots. I have never in my live seen so many creature in one place in their natural environment. Even though there were some troubled times, even a few quarrels here and there, the experience and adventure I had out there was enthralling. This was definitely one of my most challenging experiences I’ve had in my life so far. It’s possibly the last chance I’ll get to do something quite like this in my life., Maybe somewhere down the road, I’ll stumble across the chance to return to Wyoming. On our next trip we will be visiting the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Hopefully that excursion will be just as exhilarating as the last.
EJ
________________
My first expedition was an extremely interesting experience. I liked some parts of it and hated others. It felt like the canoe trip took forever but the Wyoming base camp was really nice. One time I had to get out of the boat and walk through about two feet of goose poop to get it unstuck. When I tried to get back in, my foot sank almost all the way down to the bottom and I almost flipped the canoe Nathan and I were using.
Another time EJ saw some buried treasure and got out into the hypothermic waters to get it. The water was about twelve feet deep and freezing. When we opened the box all that was in it was fishing gear. I’m not sure what we expected to find, but it was still exciting.
On a more uplifting note, our campsites were amazing. They were all different in some way. One was up on a hill and had a very low bear bag tree. The second had a low bear bag tree but was high up and set back from the lake somewhat. And the third was right on the beach and had the highest bear bag tree. The bear bags are a very crucial part of camping. They are the way that you keep animals from going through your food at night or when you’re not eating.
In between the last two campsites we ran into some trouble with a storm and had a layover for at least two hours. The group all had to huddle under a tarp and hope that we could get to our next campsite before the real thing came. It was aggravating but the hard working team ended up prevailing.
We also visited the fallowing places: Dubois, Yellowstone National Park, and Shoshone Lake. You can see more about these areas here:
http://www.wyomingtourism.org/
http://www.lat-long.com/ShowDetail-21785-Wyoming-Shoshone_Lake.html
http://www.duboiswyoming.org/
Zion
_____________
On the group first expedition we went to Wyoming. In Wyoming we visited Yellowstone National Park. I found the weather to be cold in the night. We went canoeing and I found it hard to paddle in the cold water. However, towards the end I really enjoyed canoeing. Paddling was a good way to see the different sites.
We swam in the waterfall. Zion tells me I came out red as apple.
It was cold but I like the sensation of being cold.
We saw some buffalo and some elk. We went to Jeremy’s house to have dinner and meet his two dogs. We went to see some mountain ranges and to see a waterfall. We went to the rifle range to shoot and went to the cowboy café for dinner. We also went rock climbing and which was fun as well as challenging.
Mitch
_______________________________________________
I glanced out the window. Unsurprisingly, the view was just as majestic and surreal as it had been two minutes ago. A deep arid gorge cut into the mountainous landscape with a serene, at least from the air, creek, acting as a centerpiece of sorts. It was so beautifully captivating; I could scarcely keep my eyes off of it. A steward’s voice snapped me out of my daydream. He told us of our imminent descent into the Jackson Hole airport. Our plane touched down, smoothly, but with little room to spare on the minuscule landing strip.
When the plane turned toward the “terminal” I noticed that we had come to a stop with less than 50 feet to spare. We got off the plane the cool way (stairs, no wimpy covered ramp) and stepped into the charming, but modern Jackson Hole airport. Apparently there is a law in Wyoming that all man made structures must look like a log cabin, complete with elk horns and stone fireplace. I can’t really complain though, as I found it rather charming. Once we gathered our bags we were greeted by a thickly bearded, Grizzly Adams looking gent who identified himself as Jeremy.
One thing that struck me immediately about Wyoming was the vast height contrast. The airport juxtaposed in front of the mammoth Tetons appeared minuscule. Even the log cabin ‘Quiznos’ had a monstrosity of 500 or more feet directly behind it, reducing it to toy scale, due to contrast. It was rather dizzying.
This was one thing I took into account as I cruised along one of the few paved roads in the area. The other was just that, only the roads thought to be the most crucial saw even an ounce of asphalt. I liked that too though, as it gave everything a much more rural vibe, not phony at all, unlike many tourist attractions in the northeast. Out here the spaces were truly wide open, from a high point, on top of one of the plentiful and conveniently located mountains, one was given a true picture of the emptiness of Wyoming. Yes, there was a highway and a downtown, but the wilderness was all encompassing in its grandeur. In most of the country, it feels like every little patch of forest is an oasis in a cement wasteland, but here, a paved surface is a cozy little commercial outpost in a sea of nothingness, or so it seems, to a city kid like myself.
These were my thoughts as our van bumped along, canoe trailer in toe.
Jeremy pointed out a large abode, sitting pretty on a fenced in hill, identifying it as Harrison Ford’s house. It is common knowledge that this area is a sort of Mecca for the famous and the fabulously wealthy to build “summer cottages”, and now, I can see why. At the risk of sounding like a tourist brochure, this sense of isolation is something to be cherished. It’s very rare, fleeting even, in this world.
I stepped out of the van and breathed in the crisp mountain air. Off in the distance, but still very imposing were the majestic Tetons. I wandered off and stretched my sore legs, other members of the group ran off into the surrounding forest to relieve them. In the meantime, I evaded the responsibility of unloading the van, and gazed off into the vast wilderness that lay before me. And for the first time since I came here I felt at peace with my situation. It was a fleeting sensation, leaving me as soon as I became aware of its presence.
I soon again became aware that I was over a thousand miles away from everyone I love and care about, and would continue to be so for another three months or so. However, this sacred land made my whiny, stubborn self forget about all that. And even if it was just for a moment, that was something special.
Alex
___________________________________________
Welcome to Wyoming - the land of beauty and wonder. Yep, Wyoming… Did I mention that Yellowstone was pretty? I wasn’t really expecting much, but when we got there it was B-E-A-U-TIFUL.
We see dark clouds on the horizon; little do we know that it would trap us on a small beach for over an hour, with the rain unloading on our heads. I got quite a few pictures of the epic storm.
We had decided to put a tarp up so we weren’t going to be sitting in the rain. We were glad we did as it must have rained for an hour. The weather cleared enough for us to scramble to our campsite to hunker down for the next storm. We got trapped at that campsite for an extra day which left us with a 10+ mile stint to get back to the van.
We woke up at 5am to cross a one-mile stretch of open water; afterwards we knocked out the miles, - mile after mile. We got to the “channel o’ death” where we all had to get out and walk up stream. We cruised down river - white water rafting style. It was amazing. We were glad to get out of the backcountry.
After rejoining society we went shooting at the range, where I then out-shot everyone. We fumbled around town, got to eat at a café and went back to base. The next day the group drove out to a place called Sinks Canyon, where the river flows underground a ¼ mile down across the road and surfaces on the other side. We went rock climbing around the area then traveled back towards base and towards NC base.
We visited the following places during this expedition:
· Antelope flats
· Lewis lake
· Shoshone lake
· Grant village
· Dubois, WY
· Lander, WY
· Sinks canyon
Nathan
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