WildLink October 2024: Venture Academy

The next morning the group awoke to meet educator Mikayla and head over to Yosemite Village to get together their gear for the week. One piece at a time, they filled their backpacks with things to keep warm during the upcoming cold October nights in the backcountry. Finally packed and ready for lunch, the first bear sighting from the picnic tables! Only to realize it’s educator Katie with a bear pelt–not a winning hand for the prize. Disappointed, the group journeyed over to find the Merced River once again, splashing around the bank and enjoying the views of the valley walls they would be hiking up the next day. Monday came to a close with many of the students’ first ever taste of s’mores around a campfire, where everyone expressed their hopes and fears for the coming days.

Tuesday dawned full of promise and dèja vu. One final check for gear and the group was off, hiking straight out of Curry Village to the John Muir Trail! The group was strong and encouraging, cheering each other on the whole way and bringing smiles to the faces of other hikers as well. The strong and determined students carried their heavy backpacks all the way up past two waterfalls, arriving at a campsite in Little Yosemite Valley just before the sun set. Legs were tired but stoke was high as they learned to set up tents and organize a “gearage.” After overcoming such a physical challenge that day, a cozy fire encouraged everyone to share more with each other about other challenges in their lives.

Quickly becoming a trail team and not just a trail group, Wednesday provided the opportunity to help care for the place they were exploring. NPS Wilderness Ranger Colton taught the group about what wilderness is and how it relates to the places we live. Next, they got to try being Wilderness Rangers as Colton taught them how to remove undesignated fire rings and care for the designated ones. Preventing unsafe fire usage while throwing rocks in the river; a real win-win! While looking for more undesignated fire rings, a couple of students got to see a large brown furry creature! A bear? Oh, it’s a deer. The search continues. The afternoon brought a chance to spend time reflecting and relaxing by the river after completing some fun team-building games, which this now tight-knit group excelled at. After a quick return to camp for dinner, the group came back to the river to stargaze in the soft sand. Many shooting stars (and at least a few planes) were spotted, wishes were made, and the hope to see more celestial happenings inspired all of the students to sleep outside their tents together.

Thursday involved a beautiful hike into the Lost Valley, where they walked amongst golden quaking aspens and continued to follow their guide for the week, the Merced River, through burn scars and to their lunch spot at Bunnell Cascades. This day provided ample opportunities for reflection as they spent time journaling and doing a spaced out walk. Their final night in the wilderness included another crackling fire, lots of educational “fun facts,” games to keep everyone laughing, and a beautiful reading of Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. To maximize shooting star views, all of the students slept outside the mids once again–and this time, even teacher Ms. Dustin was convinced to join. 

With the moon still shining overhead the following dawn, the students packed up their gear and said goodbye to their home in Little Yosemite Valley. They followed the Merced as it dropped 2,000 feet back to the valley floor. This time, the backpacks were lighter from all of the meals they had enjoyed in camp. However, hearts were heavier knowing their time in Yosemite’s backcountry was coming to an end. While no bears were seen and no bets were won, hopefully this experience is bear-ly the beginning for the new friendships, realized dreams, and sense of peace the students and teachers did find.