Alternative Spring Break

By ASB Group 2
Grand Canyon

After the vigilant effort to round up warm gear for the freezing bones of campers, the second night brought more warmth than the first. Another soul satisfying, belly warming breakfast, set the mode for a productive day. The group was divided into 5 teams. 3 teams ventured to the boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park to put up boundary fence signs. These signs will help to inform visitors and deter poachers. Along with being beneficial for the park, the hike along the boundary was highly enjoyable. The San Francisco Peaks were visible in the distances and Humphrey’s Peak was particularly breathtaking. The boundary fence group was also able to observe wildlife in the forest. One of the most interesting animals spotted was a beautiful brown horse which was rather photogenic. 2 groups spent the day working at the nursery. One of the groups was re-organizing the plants brought in from the CVIP salvage project. The other group planted acorns and re-plotted plants. The nursery group had the opportunity to hike back to camp through forest rarely explored by park visitors. Today’s weather has been beyond perfect for any outdoor activity here in the canyon. As the week progresses the group has grown closer together working like a well-oiled happy machine. Now the group eagerly awaits another delicious curry dinner and makes plans for there fun-filled day off.

Greetings from the Canyon
-Canyon Conservation Crusaders

This is also the fifteenth entry in our ongoing series, Photograph Fantastique, in which we count down 50 days until the Unofficial Official Start of High Season for conservation programs.

This Post is by Alternative Spring Break Crew 2

After some exciting travel experiences (including lost luggage, lost driver's license, and lost people), the crew finally all arrived at the Grand Canyon ready for adventures. After a bracing/frigid/chilly/exciting evening, the crew woke up ready for more awesome cooking from their intrepid kitchen deity, Emily. To reacquaint themselves with limbs they had lost the feeling from, the group led each other in stretches, followed by general orientation to the week and its rules from Rebecca and Emily, then a game by Yoga Master Sam.

By Ron Hassel

So the week’s over, and everyone’s starting to pack for the trip home. One would think that this ending would have a sad undertone, but the reality is that everyone is excited at about all they have accomplished. Here is a sampling:

• Around 800 native plants salvaged
• Thousands of invasive plants eradicated
• Around 1,000 volunteer hours logged
• Dozens of plant species learned
• An inspirational sense of group synergy

The other night while everyone cleaned up from dinner, a group member pointed out how much he appreciated the unity that has developed. The group is fluid, and barriers are non-existent. Laughter, hard work, and their common passion for conservation have tied everyone together. So many group members have joked about staying for another week.

At first glance, the canyon was so vast, it seemed impossible to grasp. But once group members made a friend or two and hiked down a mile or two, they began to realize that the canyon has a personality, and that personality is a combination of everybody and everything.

Work hard, make friends, have fun…spring break ’09!

BJ saw a goat.
Superawesome.

This is also the twelfth entry in our ongoing series, Photograph Fantastique, in which we count down 50 days until the Unofficial Official Start of High Season for conservation programs.

I have been camping my whole life. I remember when I was seven carrying a small (which didn’t seem small to me at the time) daypack with a sleeping bag in it up the trail. My sister had the clothing for us. And my mom and dad- well, they had everything else. At the time, I thought I had the heaviest pack ever! I look back and think how amazing my parents were carrying all that weight so we could learn to camp and hike and be in nature at a young age. Those trips so affected me that becoming an SCA volunteer was a natural step for me. I cannot think what my life would be like without the summers of camping with my family and working for SCA. All those backcountry experiences and times with small groups doing our thing in the best places in the world.

I came to this project, this Grand Canyon Alternative Spring Break project with the same ideas: working hard outside, camping, being with people who care and learning more skills and gaining more knowledge. I have been an SCA member before and I just needed to get back into it.