Stories from the Field

Alicia Bales, current Director of the Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club, didn’t grow up seeing herself as an outdoorsy person. Raised in Sacramento, CA, she thought of herself as a “city kid” who had spent little time in nature—until a school trip to NatureBridge Yosemite changed everything.

NatureBridge alum Kerri McAllister has built a career that spans classrooms, coastlines, and continents. Today, she serves on the faculty at Unity University in southern Maine and works as a naturalist, certified field educator, and undersea specialist with National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions. Her path was deeply shaped by over a decade of working at NatureBridge.

On May 7, over 350 friends, supporters, and alumni joined us at Fort Mason in San Francisco, CA for An Evening with NatureBridge. This annual gathering was a celebration of the transformative power of nature, the strength of our community, and our shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.

May came along and the weather continued to warm as summer approached. WildLink welcomed the third trip of the year: Woodlake high school. The Woodlake students gathered on a warm spring morning at their high school on the foothills of the central Sierra Nevada. Excited and ready for an adventure the group loaded up their vehicles and began their journey toward Yosemite National Park. It was a long and windy road but eventually the group made it to the National Environmental Science Center (NESC). Their NatureBridge Educator Sam greeted them. The group unloaded and settled into their cabins, gathering for dinner afterwards. A quick orientation and dinner was served. After dinner the group had a chance to come together, slow down and enjoy a relaxing evening getting to know each other.

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 WildLink 2026 season opened in early April with the new participating group Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School and the biggest rain storm of the Spring. The group arrived at the National Environmental Science Center (NESC) on a clear and sunny Monday afternoon. Staying the first two days at the NESC while preparing for their four day backpacking expedition into the Yosemite wilderness. Accompanied by their brave chaperone Sally and Juana and guided by amazing educators Kelly and Katie, the group was in good hands to make the best out of the expedition. The forecast can be fickle early in the season and the week ahead showed a slight chance of thunderstorms.