Zion National Park 2007

 

Sunday, September 16 - Day One
 Students arrived on campus at 5:00 AM.  Faculty and seniors along with designated Upper School helpers loaded the buses compactly, so that everyone and everything would fit in.  We left by 6:00 AM and arrived at Zion's spacious group campground just before 4:00 PM.  An all-school meeting was held to go over the unloading of the buses, set-up procedures, and camp rules.  After dinner, individual Lower and Upper School meetings were held to go over curfews and the plans for Monday's hike up the Zion Narrows.

 

  

“On the trip they didn’t allow us to use our cell phone, ipod, and laptops, and now I know that you can live without them, and there is a lot more out there to learn than using technology.” –10th Grader

 

 

 

Monday, September 17 - The Zion Narrows
 Students were grouped according to their individual grade levels.  Beth Wirth took the seventh, Suzie Sichi the eighth, Gordon Sichi the ninth, Hugo Macario the tenth, Jason Mosier the eleventh, and Bryan Anderson the twelfth.  Each class took one of the many shuttles all the way to the end of the road at the Temple of Sinawava. From there a one-mile trail leads to the Virgin River and the start of the world-famous Zion Narrows.  The day was nice and warm, so the students didn't become too chilled as they waded up the river, deep inside the gorge with its towering, red Navajo sandstone cliffs.  All groups reached the cutoff of a beautiful side stream that empties into the Virgin River from the east.  The eleventh and twelfth graders had lots of fun with the "traditional" mud fight that first happened on the 2002 trip.  The tenth graders took off up the stream to find a waterfall, and the ninth graders followed after they ate their lunch.  On the way up the stream, the ninth graders stopped for some quiet time, listening to the stream and looking at the surrounding beauty created by millions of years of geologic evolution.  Shortly after resuming their trek up the stream, the ninth graders were surprised to see the eighth graders charging up the stream.  The two groups were united as one and worked their way up the stream, passing some difficult parts by working together as a team.  The petite waterfall was a gem of a destination.  Because a sign indicated that hikers were not allowed to go any farther, everyone headed back.

Everyone was back in camp by 5:00 PM.  Students enjoyed football on the big field, socialized, and began dinner preparations.  After dinner, individual meetings were held in the Lower and Upper Schools to go over the plans for Tuesday's trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.

“Something that was very important to me was the trip to the Narrows.  It was important to me because I have never done anything like it, and I knew that if I hadn’t done it with Anacapa, then I would never have done it on my own.” –9th Grader

“I consider myself a fairly independent person, and I like to do things for myself, so depending on someone else to spot me on my way down a waterfall and to help me up in the first place was fairly new and a great learning experience.  I really enjoyed bonding with my classmates and knowing that in the future I can be sure to depend on them to help me physically and every other way.” –10th Grader

  

“My favorite part of the trip to Zion was going through the Narrows.  It was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on.  It was a great experience for my class to be in a group together because we got to learn things about the new kids and we got to catch up on things with our old friends.  My favorite part about the Narrows was when the juniors and seniors had a mud fight.  Every single person was covered with mud from head to toe.  To wash off, we ended up having a water fight and everyone had a blast.  If I had the opportunity to go back to the Narrows, I would be there in a heartbeat.  I would definitely go back to do some photography.  This experience did change me because I have never hiked up a stream before, and I learned how much I like it.”  –11th Grader

                

“When we went on our trip to the Narrows, it was really cool to see all of our peers helping each other out when we were having troubles getting in and out of certain places.  This experience showed me how much I enjoy everyone at Anacapa.” – 9th grader

               

“To me, the best experience was being able to see amazing sights that were beautiful and bonding with my new friends.  I never felt so close to anyone I just met, but these kids are honestly fascinating.  I feel closer to my new friends that I’ve known for three weeks than to the friends I’ve known for seven years.  It was a really nice bonding time.” –9th Grader

                                       

 

Tuesday, September 18 - Bryce Canyon National Park
 Students were awakened at 6:45 AM to get started with breakfast and lunch preparations.  We left for Bryce at 9:00 AM.  The drive through the remote southwestern part of Utah was very scenic.  We arrived at Bryce around 11:45.  Students were again grouped according to their individual classes, and each group hiked the three-mile loop trail from Sunset to Sunrise by way of the Navajo trail with its fantastic geologic formations. Some of the students on the hike became sick, but they were well cared for by their classmates.

We returned to camp around 5:00 PM and immediately had an all-school meeting to go over the plans for Wednesday's hikes.  Beth Wirth explained that there would be three different hikes offered:  an easy hike to the Emerald Pools, a moderate hike up the Watchman Trail, and a strenuous hike up the East Rim Trail to Observation Point.  After the meeting, the usual free-time activities of football, soccer, socializing, and cooking continued.  Because Anacapa was the only big group in Watchman's Group Campground, we had the sense that this beautiful, big campground was exclusively ours to enjoy.  And, we did that, for sure!

                     

                     

“My highlight from the trip was definitely going on all of the hikes.  Hiking up the Narrows and going to Bryce Canyon were some of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I had never seen anything more beautiful, and I had so much fun hanging with my friends.  When I went on the medium hike, I had so much fun towards the end when my friends and I all jumped in the river.  It was extremely freezing, but I was laughing the entire time.  This trip was probably one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I would definitely do it again.”  –9th Grader

               

                                             

 

Wednesday, September 19 - Choice of Hike Day to Observation Point, Emerald Pools, and Watchman Hike
 Students were again awakened at 6:45.  The East Rim hikers were the first to leave, so they could do the 2,000 feet of elevation gain early in the morning before it got too hot.  They left the trailhead at Weeping Rock at 9:30, and the speedy hikers arrived at Observation Point by 11:30.  Although the trail has precipitous drop-offs, it is very wide and well maintained with views that are absolutely astounding.  At Observation Point, the view towers over nearby Angel's Landing with Zion Canyon in the distance.  After their hike to the Emerald Pools, the group had ice cream and played games on the beautiful Zion Lodge lawn.  The Watchman Trail group reported that they really enjoyed their outing together.  After their hikes, the students took showers at a nearby private campground.  After dinner, the Lower School celebrated Patrick Alcerro’s 13th birthday with a special cake arranged for and delivered by our great bus drivers.

Later that evening, we had our all-school, traditional "appreciations" campfire celebration, during which time each student and teacher is asked to share something personal that he or she appreciated about the trip. Everyone listened attentively to each other.  With so many new students in the school this year, it was great to bring them into this unique tradition of our trip program.

 

“I would say that the entire trip was very special because I was returning as a senior to a place I had gone to in seventh grade.  One big highlight of the trip, however, was the hike up to Observation Point.  I loved going on a trail that no one from our school had ever been on.  Some of the sights we saw were some that could not be found in the Santa Barbara area.  Reaching the top of a mountain is truly a unique experience as well.  Sitting up at the top, looking down on the canyon we had just hiked up, reminded me how lucky I am to be at a school where we go on trips like the one to Zion National Park.” –12th Grader

“My favorite part of this trip was hiking up the Emerald Pools.  This was because it was very beautiful and calming.  I got the chance to bond and spend some time with not only some of my fellow 9th graders but also with some of the other new and old members of this school.  This wonderful experience did not necessarily change me in any way except to see things in a different perspective.  I’m very excited and happy and appreciative to have gotten this chance to see the Emerald Pools because it will stay with me forever.” –9th Grader

                                      

 

Thursday, September 20 - Homebound
We awoke at 6:45 to fix breakfast and begin packing up the camps to head back to Santa Barbara.  Teachers and seniors directed the packing-up operations.  We left at approximately 11:00 AM.  We stopped in Victorville for dinner at John's World Famous Pizza to celebrate Colin Lancashire's birthday at that very fun and entertaining spot.  We arrived back on campus at 9:00 PM.

                                                   

                     

                                                                                       

 

 

 

Around Camp

“The one thing that was really special was the bonding.  I don’t think that I have ever bonded like that in my twelve years of life—and in only those three days together.  Everyone was really helpful and cared about me when I was not feeling that great.  I felt like Suzie and Gordon were my actual parents, and they were treating everyone like they would treat their own.”  –7th Grader