YOSEMITE-II BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL CREW
SEPTEMBER 2007 MONTHLY OVERVIEW
Dani Nelson, BACKCOUNTRY TRAILS SUPERVISOR

Overview:

September. A fleeting look at the best we’ll ever be as a crew. The awesome conclusion that is a release and a sad goodbye will always be what we remember most about a season full of memorable moments. We have had many blessings this season. Good weather. A lot of support. Good sponsors. No injuries that sent anyone home. A beautiful place to live and work. Care for and from each other. Joey’s songs. Annie’s monkey love. Cefe’s mango lollipops. Lalo’s thoughtfulness. Thomas’s endless devotion. Kallie’s weirdness. Who could ask for anything more?
            Yosemite National Park justified to us over and over again its status as a sacred place worthy of special protection. The peaks we climbed and the lakes we slept beside continually inspired the awe of seeing vast expanses of wilderness that attract millions of annual visitors. Our society needs these places to escape to and it has been an honor to put in work that our children’s grandchildren may someday walk over.
            One highlight of September was Annie, Caitlin and Kallie’s 73-mile epic adventure. They hiked from Cloud’s Rest to Benson Lake and back, earning the bragging rites for the longest weekend trip any Yosemite-II crew members took this season.
            The Yosemite II Crew chose to spend our last days together hiking to Debriefing. We left Cloud’s Rest for the last time and set out toward the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and then Camp Mather. The hike was enjoyed through and through. We swam in some of the best water holes the Tuolumne River has to offer and took in some of the most spectacular views of the season. Some of us gawked in awe at the magic of Muir Gorge, while others delighted in a perfect water slide. The hike seemed to fly by with nights of our most creative backpacking gourmet cooking and days of progression forward. On Monday, our last full day together, we got up in total darkness to conquer the 109 switchbacks ahead so that we could watch the sunrise over the canyon. Amazing. Now, we lay our heads down for the last time as a crew so that on the morrow we can enter Mather on foot. The way we’ve traveled the last months together, so, we end together.

Personnel:

Congratulations to all of the Yosemite II Backcountry Crew Program Graduates!
                        Joey Alvarado
                        Annie Bertheaud
                        Ceferino Ceja
                        Eduardo Elenes
                        Thomas Hayes
                        Kallie Mahon
                        Caitlin Marquez
                        Jimmie Marquez
                        Rael McGinnis
                        Kevin Short
                        Davis Wahl

Curriculum:

We wrapped up our Corpsmembers classes with a touching and informative class from Joey Alvarado on how to survive on the streets.

Odds and Ends:

Thank you so much to our Yosemite sponsor crew, Remo Fickler, Mia Greer, Chad Baskette, and Russell Greer for being so patient and entertaining. Your generosity throughout the season has been incredible.

Congratulations to all of the 2007 Backcountry Crews!