Yosemite


On a brisk, Sunday morning, many eager campers gathered around the school before dawn. Everyone was there, a little tired, and ready to embark on an adventure to the great Yosemite Valley. I, myself, was just happy that I got spend a week of school in a nature. The extensive bus ride was difficult to endure, but our destination was worth the wait. When the bus came to a stop, we were in the main village of Yosemite Valley. I stepped off the bus and took my first breath of the forest air. The air was cold, but fresh, as I smelled a the pine trees that surrounded us. There, we obtained our luggage and settled into our first home.

We checked into a building called Hemlock. My group was composed of six people which made our room very crowded. At our new home, we did several activities to introduce what Yosemite offered. That day, we visited the famous Yosemite falls. The sight of the falls was a jaw opener as I viewed the massive amounts of water flowing from tall cliffs. During the night, Mr. Traeger brought us to an open field to view the stars. The night was lit up with all the dots in the sky and was truly a memorable first night. The next day, we explored a cave and used our communication skills to help everyone navigate through the pitch black tunnel. It was a challenging task, but built teamwork between my group in order to accomplish it. The last day in the valley, we hiked all around the valley and our guide, Justin, taught us all about the nature of Yosemite. On the last and third night at Hemlock, my group spent hours packing up the scattered luggage supplies left on the floor. The following morning, we said goodbye to Hemlock, and loaded the bus as we were off to our second home, Crane Flat.

Crane Flat was a short bus ride from the village, but far away from other tourists. We camped in a barrack, where we had a lot more floor space than our dorm in Hemlock. At Crane Flat, we spent the day learning how to cross-country skiing. This was a new skill for me and took time to maintain my balance. While others struggled to balance, Ben Whitefield had no trouble skiing down the small hill we stopped at for lunch. That evening, all the groups at Crane Flat participated in a debate on an environmental issue. The debate got heated while young lobbyists fired their viewpoints back at each other. I never thought politics would get so intense.

The next and last full day at Yosemite began as we hiked into the forest to find a log cabin located in Merced Grove. This cabin had no electricity or running water. All it had in the kitchen was a stove. While at Merced Grove, we visited a hollowed-out, giant sequoia. We also occasionally went down to the local stream to fetch some water. We ended the day by telling stories and sitting by the fireplace. Some people were determined to sleep under the stars that night. Based on Mr. Traeger's knowledge, I was fairly certain that it would be too cold to sleep outside that night. The proclaimers stuck to their promise and froze under the stars. The extreme campers explained to us that it was far beyond cold, but it was worth it. In the morning, we left Merced Grove and hiked back to the bus stop. There, the bus was waiting to send us back to our small town.

This journey was spectacular. The each day was filled with a new part of Yosemite we hadn’t seen. While informational, this event was full of fun times with our group. Yosemite presented us with its vast landscape and a plethora of life. Each day, I felt more in touch with nature than before. Ending the whole adventure off the grid at Merced Grove was truly memorable. This week-long trip showed me how beautiful nature can be when preserved. Traveling from a small town to a rich chaparral, I didn't expect to learn so much. Throughout this journey, I observed how massive giant sequoias could be, I found a center of balance when cross country skiing, and even went a day without electricity and running water. Yosemite showed me what nature truly is. The valley presented its finest waterfall and largest sequoias that mesmerized me. The preservation of this park is important to show others that there is beauty in nature and it is up to the people to help preserve it.

All through my stay, I learned simple ideas to help reduce my footprint on nature. Ideas like reducing the amount of waste during dinner or reusing a water bottle to conserve plastic. These simple tasks are very significant to conserving the environment when used in large numbers. That is why it is so important to spread the word about reducing, reusing, and recycling. I believe the better alternative is to actually experience it first hand. Yosemite has changed the way I view nature.

The week in Yosemite National Park has shown me a new view on our world. It has showcased a variety of plants and animals while bringing out the pure beauty of nature. It is a perfect example of what nature can do when preserved. It also showed me how important it is to keep our planet green to maintain these ecosystems. Yosemite has taught me to take responsibility when using the planets resources and to reduce my footprint on this earth. Conserving will help share this planet with next generations to come.