WildLink April 2026: Porterville High School
The second WildLink expedition of 2026 welcomed Porterville High School students. It was still early spring and Yosemite smiled when one of the last spring snow storms arrived along with the students. The group was thrilled by the sight of snow, as well as a bit worried about their upcoming four day expedition into the backcountry. Excitement was high as the group was greeted by one of their educators Sam and settled into the cabins after arriving, taking some time to play with the snow that had fallen. The morning of the second day the sun was out and the group made their way to Yosemite valley to meet their second educator Haley and gather all the gear they needed for the expedition. Accompanied by their amazing chaperones Kellyn Hardin and Lucas Cartagena the group gathered all the necessary equipment to stay warm and dry during the next four days. After preparing the equipment and learning how to pack it into a backpacking backpack the group took advantage of the extra time to explore Yosemite valley. As the evening approached the group made their way back to the National Environmental Science Center for dinner and one more night in cabins.
The morning of the expedition arrived and the group gathered all their gear making any last minute preparations and repacking. Once the cabins had been cleared the team loaded up into vehicles and set out to their trailhead, Rancheria Falls in Hetch Hetchy. When they got to the trailhead, wilderness ranger Colton was there waiting for them. Ranger Colton joined the group after introducing himself and they began hiking. The day was cloudy and the sky was full of drama with dark clouds and rain in the distance. The humid conditions and rain were welcomed as the heat of the day dissipated and made for better hiking temperatures. The rain was not only enjoyed by the WildLink group, everything plant and animal on the trail seemed to relish in the moisture. On their hike into Rancheria Falls the team encountered dozens of newts. As they hiked, rain came and went and the group got to the camp with clear skies and was able to set up their tents without rain coming down on them. Once camp was set up, ranger Colton displayed an experience move by having picked up dry kindling material from the trail before it began to rain. With this dry kindling the team was able to get a fire started and warm up after a long day of hiking. As the sun went down on the first night in the wilderness the team sat around their fire and ate dinner, sharing conversation and roasting smores in the campfire for dessert.
Everyone retired to their sleeping tents and in the morning woke to a beautiful bright morning full of sunlight. As they gathered for breakfast and wondered what the day would bring, ranger Colton prepared to lead the team in a restoration project of the camping area. Once everyone had eaten something for breakfast they sprung into action. Ranger Colton instructed the team on how to manage and remove camp fire rings and explained that it was one of his many duties as a wilderness ranger. The team was effective and energetic, making quick work of shoveling ashes into bags to later scatter, as well as disguising and restoring areas where illegal fire rings had existed. The morning went by as the group gave some much needed attention to the camping area giving back to the space that was becoming so special to them. Once the campsite was looking better the team gathered for lunch. After lunch, ranger Colton said goodbye to the group and wished them a great rest of the week. The group spent the rest of the day getting to know each other through games and activities, getting to know their park by exploring the area and getting to know themself by experiencing and experimenting in a new environment.
The day was bright, the sky was clear and rancheria creek was clear, fresh and cold. As they relaxed and played by the creek, a visitor on the other side came to say hi, a black bear roaming wild walked by as the group admired it from the other side of the river. Having enjoyed an awesome display of wildlife the rest of the evening involved dips in the cold creek, painting and journaling. That evening the group got a second fire going and gathered for a rice and beans dinner. As the sun went down on the second day and stars started to become brighter the team settled into their sleeping bags for the night.
Day three in the backcountry arrived and the team woke up ready for a day of exploration. After a quick breakfast, everyone gathered the essentials for a full day away from camp, water, layers, snacks. Once everyone was ready for an adventure the team set off deeper into the wilderness. After a few miles up and over a pass, the team reached the beautiful Till till Valley. A quiet and serene small valley flanked by aspen groves to the east and south. There the group enjoyed some solitude, ate some lunch and journaled. Once they were satisfied with their exploration the team turned back and began the journey back to the campsite. On the way back, the team veered off to go see Rancheria Falls and admired it from the bridge that crosses over it.
Once back in camp the group had more time for river dips, games, conversations, and activities, which made time feel both slow and fast. As dinner approached a beautiful sunset painted the sky orange and a rainbow glimmered in the clouds. Another fire was started and darkness settled in creating a bubble of life, where nothing else seemed to exist outside of that fire light. The group brought the night to an end sharing readings and conversation. Day four had come and gone and the group settled in for their last night in the wilderness.
The last day came and the team woke up early to pack up camp and get a move on. Camp was packed as efficiently as it was set up and the group began hiking back to the trailhead. Once they had moved out of camp, a trail breakfast of bagels and cream cheese was enjoyed. The day was sunny and bright and the trail back felt so different than it had on the first day. Hiking through Wapama falls one more time the team eventually reached the O’shaughnessy dam and was back to the trail head. Gear was sorted and hugs were given as the team said goodbye and retired home after an adventure of a lifetime. Happy Birthday Kellyn!
This trip has changed me in so many ways, it made me believe in myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. I think that from doing this trip I will continue to volunteer and sign up for more things like this in the future. I truly enjoyed this experience and will remember it forever. Thank you Sam and Hailey!!!Thessa Perez
Stories
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