This week’s blog was written by Alexis C., a 2020 Ursids alum. Alexis graduated from high school this past spring where she was the president of the History Honor Society, president of the Climate Club, and graduated with honors cords. While in school, she attended the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) which is a premier leadership development program for students. This summer, Alexis returned to field school as a Academy Support Team member at Bucktails, Gobblers, and Ursids!
One of the most enjoyable things to do outside is hike, even more so with friends. There is something special about being in nature and walking on well-worn paths imagining what the world might have looked like way back when before modern civilization – when people traveled by horse and when the west was still wild. All while eating trail food like trail mix (the good kind with the M&Ms) and laughing with your best friends as you wander through the woods trying to make sense of the map.
This was how my late spring was spent with two of my best friends. We visited Ricketts Glen State Park, a very popular state park well-known for the Falls Trail—a trail loop about seven miles long, where visitors can view twenty-one beautiful waterfalls. While the hike sounds like a cakewalk, it can be quite steep and slippery at times, and if you aren’t careful, you can fall. The rock steps get slippery and quite wet, even on a sunny day. The trails are well-marked and well-maintained, which made the experience even more fun.
We took breaks to snack on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Doritos, and chocolate cake that I had made the day before. If I’m being honest, we also took plenty of breaks for pictures. The scenery seemed straight out of a wildlife magazine or a National Geographic Channel documentary. Birds fluttered and sang in the canopy, and squirrels rustled through the leaves.
As we walked, I shared my knowledge of nature that I learned all those years ago from the Wildlife Leadership Academy—knowledge that I had built upon with my school clubs and my father, an avid outdoorsman. I showed both my friends the difference between the leaves on the trees, what plants were poisonous, and which ones you could eat.
On this particular day, it had been quite muddy, and one of my two friends had never really hiked before, so she was not prepared and had gotten her shoes muddy. When she attempted to clean her shoes off in the stream that the falls fed, she slipped and fell into the water. Acting quickly, I grabbed her arm before the current could get her and chastised her for getting so close to the water, while I helped her out and back onto the bank.
While a beautiful experience, it was quite the reminder to be wary of nature and the dangers it can bring. After helping dry my friend off, we took some time to admire the beauty around us—the birds singing and the rustle of the bright green leaves in the trees. However, by this time, it had gotten late, and it was time to round them up and guide them home.
Overall, Ricketts Glen is an amazing and beautiful place to hike. Make sure to dress appropriately and bring plenty of snacks and water. However, in my opinion, to get the most out of your experience, bring your best friends and share your knowledge with them. Teach them the values of the land and nature, and that hiking is not as bad as it sounds.
The photo used in this blog belongs to the author.
Hiking with Friends
Posted: September 28, 2024 by Katie Mace
This week’s blog was written by Alexis C., a 2020 Ursids alum. Alexis graduated from high school this past spring where she was the president of the History Honor Society, president of the Climate Club, and graduated with honors cords. While in school, she attended the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) which is a premier leadership development program for students. This summer, Alexis returned to field school as a Academy Support Team member at Bucktails, Gobblers, and Ursids!
One of the most enjoyable things to do outside is hike, even more so with friends. There is something special about being in nature and walking on well-worn paths imagining what the world might have looked like way back when before modern civilization – when people traveled by horse and when the west was still wild. All while eating trail food like trail mix (the good kind with the M&Ms) and laughing with your best friends as you wander through the woods trying to make sense of the map.
This was how my late spring was spent with two of my best friends. We visited Ricketts Glen State Park, a very popular state park well-known for the Falls Trail—a trail loop about seven miles long, where visitors can view twenty-one beautiful waterfalls. While the hike sounds like a cakewalk, it can be quite steep and slippery at times, and if you aren’t careful, you can fall. The rock steps get slippery and quite wet, even on a sunny day. The trails are well-marked and well-maintained, which made the experience even more fun.
We took breaks to snack on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Doritos, and chocolate cake that I had made the day before. If I’m being honest, we also took plenty of breaks for pictures. The scenery seemed straight out of a wildlife magazine or a National Geographic Channel documentary. Birds fluttered and sang in the canopy, and squirrels rustled through the leaves.
As we walked, I shared my knowledge of nature that I learned all those years ago from the Wildlife Leadership Academy—knowledge that I had built upon with my school clubs and my father, an avid outdoorsman. I showed both my friends the difference between the leaves on the trees, what plants were poisonous, and which ones you could eat.
On this particular day, it had been quite muddy, and one of my two friends had never really hiked before, so she was not prepared and had gotten her shoes muddy. When she attempted to clean her shoes off in the stream that the falls fed, she slipped and fell into the water. Acting quickly, I grabbed her arm before the current could get her and chastised her for getting so close to the water, while I helped her out and back onto the bank.
While a beautiful experience, it was quite the reminder to be wary of nature and the dangers it can bring. After helping dry my friend off, we took some time to admire the beauty around us—the birds singing and the rustle of the bright green leaves in the trees. However, by this time, it had gotten late, and it was time to round them up and guide them home.
Overall, Ricketts Glen is an amazing and beautiful place to hike. Make sure to dress appropriately and bring plenty of snacks and water. However, in my opinion, to get the most out of your experience, bring your best friends and share your knowledge with them. Teach them the values of the land and nature, and that hiking is not as bad as it sounds.
The photo used in this blog belongs to the author.
Category: Youth Blog Tags: featured, hiking, nature observation, outdoors