Dear Friends & Family,
The first section of "Leg Three" was a blast. We spent ten days traveling and honing the winter living skills that we began to master during the first two sections of expedition. Whoever was filling the rotational chore of cook on any given day was required to step up their game, and each morning we had a “cooks challenge” to rate their performance in areas such as flavor, timeliness, and flare. Our travel days were short, leaving extra time for both the difficult terrain of the Catamount Trail and natural history lessons with Emily Turner.
The first section of "Leg Three" was a blast. We spent ten days traveling and honing the winter living skills that we began to master during the first two sections of expedition. Whoever was filling the rotational chore of cook on any given day was required to step up their game, and each morning we had a “cooks challenge” to rate their performance in areas such as flavor, timeliness, and flare. Our travel days were short, leaving extra time for both the difficult terrain of the Catamount Trail and natural history lessons with Emily Turner.
As we continued to travel and learn,
the sun grew stronger. We often found ourselves
stopping to scrape sticky snow from our skis and precariously side-step across melting streams. Almost everyday we came across hills that had us
stopping to strip down to T-shirts as we trekked up them.
On March 25th, we arose early for an
important day: The fabled "Bolton Trap Traverse". Since the beginning of
expedition we had been hearing stories about this descent. The night before, we
camped close to the point we would be skiing down from. In the morning we had a
short climb before we reached a spectacular view, and our highest point of
elevation for the day. There we paused for a drink, and looked out upon our
next few days of travel.
After a break, we began the
beautiful descent that would bring us down almost 2,000 feet of elevation. Many
students were nervous for this particular adventure in the days leading up to
it, but their worries were for nothing. People fell of course- pulled off
balance by their packs or turning sudden corners too fast. However, we
navigated the steep terrain as experienced skiers. Looking back to our first
ski trip at base camp, each and every person has improved incredible amounts,
almost as if we spent our winter living upon skis.
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| The sign speaks for itself |
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| The intrepid team ready to be challenged by the Green Mountains! |
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| Sam, Izzy, Mayah, Jamie, and Ezra are ready to traverse |
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| Emma skiing down the Traverse as the sun sets |
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| Hazel skiing down |
At the bottom of Bolton Trap we
found Hanah, Nathan, and Becky awaiting our arrival at the Trout Club Lodge.
Here, we had a short layover: we divided up our food, were assigned smaller
groups, and learned how to set up tarps. After two days of preparation, we were
ready. The teachers left at daybreak, marking the beginning of our independent
group travel. We spent 24 hours traveling alone, and then met up with Emily,
Becky and Sammy once again at a little farmhouse that was unfamiliar to us up
until that point. Inside, we met two amazing octenegarian Vermont women. The
Lepine sisters greeted us with stories and cookies, which we enjoyed in the
comfort of their home before splitting up once more: this time for a total of
five days. In groups of threes and fours we said hesitant goodbyes to our
teachers and friends. We skied over the rise of the land, into a new adventure
altogether, nervous but determined.
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| Andrew, Chase and Ezra working on maps for their independent group travel |
On Thursday
morning at 9:04am, the first group could be spotted strolling into Sky Meadow
Retreat Center. Covered in pot black and mud and grinning from ear to ear,
Emily greeted them at the door and they immediately began to shed gear- some of
it for the last time this winter. I bet you could have heard their happy voices
from a mile away as they pulled off stinky ski boots, and set aside their
backpacks at last. So began the long process of closing down winder expedition.
By three o’clock, we were all busily putting away gear, working on our Big
Jobs, and settling in. Chock full of stories from our time away from the group,
we chattered and worked our way into the beginning of spring expedition.
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| Andrew coming down the Sky Meadow driveway at the completion of the 2015 Vermont Semester winter expedition. |
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| Jamie welcomes Cat home to Sky Meadow |
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| Chase and Ezra walking their last steps of winter expedition. |
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| Emily Turner and Rachel welcome students to Sky Meadow |
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| Mayah with a smile after five days of independent group travel. |
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| Nathaniel with a smile for Misha upon his arrival. |
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| Sam dances in to Sky Meadow in style. |
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| Teachers, Sammy and Becky |
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| Students are proud of their journey and looking forward to their next adventures. |
What’s
Next?
As we wrap up winter leg, we are
also beginning to settle into our new Big Jobs. On April 6th, we
will head to Oujé Bougoumou to spend ten days learning from the Cree people
with our Kroka teachers Emily Turner and Oliver Mednick. When we return to Sky
Meadow, we will begin preparations for spring expedition in earnest. In
addition, we will celebrate the transition by spending a weekend visiting with
our families! The next update that you will read will have a different author.
Thank you for reading my posts, and bearing with my (sometimes) hasty news.
Creative writing &
quotes:
Energy
Chase
Energy comes from
within
Warmth is learned
through fear
Putting together the
stove is not so clear
5 pipes, 1 stove, 3
elbows, and two shelves are the case
please just put them
in the right place.
Tripods are needed no
matter what the situation
There is no need for
contemplation.
Pipes fit the way that
they do.
Don’t shove them in
the way you want to.
So things change every
day,
There is a small price
to pay-
Consistence and pride
comes on.
“When your
light is cast to darkness, call and I will come.”
-12 word poem
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| Noa with a big grin. |
“I’m the guyliest girl
here!”
-Emma
“The
momentum of the trail forces you to be.”
-Izzy
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| Izzy and Emma, both alumni of the 2014 Kroka Ecuador Semester, challenge themselves to balance together. |
“The next
step is going to be glorious. The ending of one expedition is just the
beginning of another.”
-Misha
“I am
homesick for trail life”
-Cat
“I’m
excited to be somewhere new”
-Hazel
“That
there is a well cut bagel”
-Chase
