| Big Wild log (2003-07-14 -> 2003-08-03)
Leaders: Lindsay Nohl & Drew Voyles
Students: Wil Slatery, Lindsey Dorman, Henry Kay, Edward Kenna, Meredith Carter, Logan Roberts, Harrison Dawkins
Update 7/16
The leaders checked in briefly to let us know things were going well and they were all looking forward to hitting the river. The group, although not together long, looks very strong. We will hear from them at the end of the river section and get all the details.
Rafting Update, 7/20/03
Lindsay called to check in this morning as the group was in transit from the rafting section to Yellowstone. She said the rafting section on the Salmon and Snake was awesome and the group is really bonding. The group successfully floated 2 class IV rapids- "Snow Bowl and China." There wasn't a cloud in the sky for the entire float and everyone slept under the stars every night. With the temperature at around 110 degrees the whole time, there was plenty of swimming. They had a great day hike to the rim of the canyon and got in lots of fishing. The group saw Great Blue Herons, Golden Eagles, Deer and Big Horn Sheep. Henry provided the group with plenty of laughs. He helped lead the group to the summit of the day hike and has a keen eye for wildlife. Wil was a great help in the kitchen and an excellent leader. Logan is the dedicated fisherman of the group and displayed his skills in an afternoon game of beach volleyball. "Edward Paddle Hands" may be a future raft guide. Always there to help the group, he was a "stud" in the ducky. Harrison is a natural leader and is said to be a role model of the group. Lindsey saw her first shooting star out there and swam a big rapid much to everyone's surprise. Meredith spotted the Big Horn Sheep by the river and displays excellent Expedition Behavior. Lindsay and Drew are having a blast with group and are looking forward to the next few days in Yellowstone.
Sea Kayaking Update, 7/23/03
Lindsay and Drew called this afternoon to update the group's progress as they had just finished up their Sea Kayaking section in Yellowstone. The group kayaked on both Lewis and Shoshone Lakes. Both nights the group was privileged to camp out on obsidian rock beaches. While kayaking 10 miles the first day, the group was able to see the magnificent Old Faithful. The group kayaked 16 miles the second day. On day 2 they took a day hike up to the geyser basin and saw many hot springs. It sounds like it was a great day for the group. It was sunny, clear and about 80 degrees Fahrenheit and there were wildlife sightings that included an osprey, pelicans, a bald eagle, and a bull moose. Wil spotted and pointed out a bald eagle to the group. He also learned how to use the GPS device. Henry and Logan dominated the waters as a duo in the double sea kayak. Edward continues to have a positive attitude that helps boost the group's spirits when needed. Lindsey constantly displays excellent Expedition Behavior to her peers and her instructors. She is also a great leader of the day. Harrison is the only member of the group to sleep outside during this journey. Meredith has maneuvered her kayak well due to her consistent paddling. Drew and Lindsay continue to have great things to say about the group and their trip. They look forward to the days ahead of rock climbing.
Rock Climbing, 7/25/03
Lindsay called in today with an update from the 2 day rock climbing section from the Tetons. She was excited to report that the group is still having an awesome time as they have crossed the halfway point in the trip. After the sea kayaking section the group headed to Slide Lake where they had a cookout. The next day began the climbing section at Teton Village. For the first day of climbing the group had beginners school and they learned basic climbing skills such as knots and how to belay. They then climbed a multipitch climb and 2 repel climbs. For day 2 of rock climbing the group had intermediate school where they further explored their rock climbing skills. They participated in two 90 ft. repels and one multipitch called "Hole in the Wall" which was a 5.8. Awesome! After a tough day the group dined in Jackson Hole at Billie's Burgers and they also were able to explore the town with some free time. Hayes met up with the group and saw how they are coming together as a team and forming new friendships. Harrison led her group up the challenging multipitch climb. She is definitely taking a leadership role within the group. Will kept the group at ease during the climbing as he continued to encourage the team to reach their goals. Edward resembled a monkey as he scrambled to reach the top of the climbs! Logan showed great climbing skills as he tried his best to apply his climbing school lessons throughout the two days. Henry conquered his fear of heights during this section, great job Henry! Lindsey and Meredith have been sleeping outside every night and both girls are a constant encouragement for their team. Edward, Meredith, and Henry made the famous pineapple stir fry delight for Hayes and the group loved it! Lindsay said the group is really excited for their backcountry section. They head out tomorrow morning for the Winds!
Backpacking Section, 8/2/3
The group spent 7 days and 6 nights in the Wind River Range and hiked a total of 29 miles! They began at Big Sandy Trailhead, just outside of Pinedale, Wyoming. The weather was mostly clear and hot. They camped and did some fly fishing at Dad's Lake, Pyramid Lake, Shadow Lake, and Marm's Lake. They caught alot of fish including rainbow and brook trout plus a couple of golden trout. On the last night out they enjoyed a delicious barbecue fish dinner! One night the group did an evening hike up to the saddle of Pyramid peak to watch the sun set. The group slept out underneath the stars almost every night and heard coyotes howling and saw Mars. The girls were the ultimate winners of wilderness jeopardy and they completed the "species challenge," a siting of many different wildflowers and birds. Wil, Henry and Drew wrote and performed a song about the trip. They celebrated on the last night at the final banquet dinner in Park City, Utah.
Harrison again, proved herself to be a confident group leader and spontaneous motivater She consistently set a good example for everyone to look up to. She braved swimming in the chilly water and she was always an awesome cook in the kitchen. Lindsey slept outside every night and saw lots of shooting stars. Despite blisters within the first 15 minutes of hiking she never complained, set a great pace at the front of the group, and maintained a positive attitude no matter how difficult the challenge. Meredith caught and cleaned trout with Logan, Wil and Henry during our last day. She loved sleeping out at night and always displayed model expedition behavior...especially in the kitchen! She was always willing and able to help others out. Edward displayed excellent navigation and leadership skills. He lead the group the last 7.5 miles all the way to the van at the trailhead. He has excellent outdoor hard skills and proved himself to be a true role model for the group. Wil organized the cleaning and cooking of the fish in preparation of their delicious barbecue the last night out. He caught his first fish with a flyrod and it was around 10 inches. He was always the first along with Harrison, Henry and Drew to go swimming in the chilly lakes. Wil was really encouraging to others on the trail. Logan, the expert fly-fisherman, caught 39 trout, including a are golden trout. He helped others learn the basic skills of fly-fishing and was an active participant in the barbecue fish dinner. Henry caught 17 trout his first time ever fly-fishing including another rare golden trout. He and Logan had a contest to see how many fish they could catch together. As always, he entertained the group with his dynamic sense of humor!
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