2017 Yosemite Alcoa Scholars: Backpacking in Yosemite
After spending the first half of the week in Crane Flat, our Alcoa Scholars headed to the backcountry of Yosemite to explore the wilderness. The 39 Scholars were broken up into three smaller “trail groups” who they’d be camping with for the six-day backpacking trip. Each group headed into a different portion of the vast park, getting the opportunity to see a unique feature of Yosemite. Read on to learn about each trail route and its respective explorers!
TRAIL GROUP 1 – Yosemite Creek to Tenaya Canyon #
NatureBridge Educators: Jenn & Avi
Scholars: Emily, Holly, Dayna, Bethanie, Nora, Ashlyn, Ozike, Xana, James, Alexi, Zalan, Dadi and Daniel
Jenn & Avi’s trail group started hiking downhill along Yosemite Creek, making their way to Yosemite Falls. Once there, the group camped above the falls where they had access to majestic views of the valley and high country. The group then passed North Dome, going past the Yosemite Valley and Indian Ridge, finishing up along the Snow Creek Switchbacks and Tenaya Canyon.
TRAIL GROUP 2 – Little Yosemite Valley to Backside of Half Dome #
NatureBridge Educators: Natasha & Lawrence
Scholars: Jordenne, Emma, Aoife-Ruby, Luca, Alvilde, Aida, Megane, Reegan, Riley, Thomas, Giovanni, David and Bjorgvin
Scholars in Natasha & Lawrence’s group started in Little Yosemite Valley, following along the Merced River and then going up the John Muir Trail to the backside of Half Dome. This trail group will have the opportunity to observe and explore burn areas from the 2013 Rim Fire, which burned 257,314 acres and lasted almost one year.
TRAIL GROUP 3 – Tuolumne Meadows to Clouds Rest #
NatureBridge Educators: Haley & Janaki
Scholars: Esther, Kaitlin, Nyah, Fatima, Virginie, Elvira, Andrea, Sara, Thomas, Scott, David, Adam and Daniel
The third trail group, led by Haley and Janaki, started in Tuolumne Meadows, hiking along the John Muir Trail through the High Sierra camp and into Yosemite Valley. The group took a day trip into Clouds Rest, a mountain whose proximity to the valley gives an impression of breathtaking elevation.
Tomorrow, our Scholars return from their backpacking expeditions. Stay tuned for our wrap-up blog and photos of their journey!
To view more pictures of what our Scholars have been up to, make sure to follow our Facebook page!
ABOUT ALCOA SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Alcoa Scholars program, hosted by NatureBridge and Alcoa Foundation, is an immersive, two-week environmental science program that allows high school students to learn and grow in some of the world’s most beautiful protected lands. 55 students from Alcoa communities around the world explore the wonders of the natural world in Yosemite National Park and Shenandoah National Park through backcountry exploration, hands-on science experiments and research, outdoor experiential learning and social emotional learning activities designed to connect Scholars to nature, sustainability, and each other. The Alcoa Scholars converge from different nations and backgrounds to form a community of environmental stewards that will explore environmental issues from a global community's perspective.
Stories
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.
An Incredible 10th Anniversary of Evening on the Lake
On October 25, the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle buzzed with celebratory energy as over 300 NatureBridge guests and supporters gathered for the 10th anniversary of "Evening on the Lake," our signature Pacific Northwest fundraising event for our Olympic campus.
"Science became fun" at NatureBridge for Alum Laura Lomeli Russert
Laura Lomeli Russert is a NatureBridge alum who grew up in Groveland, CA and now calls Washington, D.C. home. Laura’s journey with NatureBridge began when she attended the Golden Gate campus as a young student with her class from Tenaya Elementary. Laura credits NatureBridge with shaping not only her love for nature but also her passion for education and science. "Science became fun,” she recalls. “You weren’t learning from a textbook anymore, and it became so much more real." Her hands-on, scientific experiences at NatureBridge laid the foundation for her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D. in psychology. “I feel like I owe a lot to NatureBridge."