Expedition Yellowstone

Thane and I recently spent a very special week in Yellowstone National Park participating in a science camp.  Thane, along with 29 other 8th graders, spent 3.5 days in an intensive learning program filled with morning and evening classes, science experiments, hiking and practical lessons in the field.  

Our camp was nestled in the middle of the beautiful Lamar Valley:

The first day we explored the Norris Geyser Basin (in the snow), and then trekked down to Mammoth Hot Springs (while it hailed).  We took temperature readings, created our own geysers and tested the pH balance of various thermal features - all while enjoying the area's wildlife (bison, marmots, coyotes and birds):

 

 

On day two we hiked around the base of Junction Butte while learning about ecology, adaptation, the reintroduction of predators in the park, tree identification, and life cycles.  We saw big horn sheep, deer, antelope, elk, a wolf pack (sadly, quite far away), a coyote (up close) and a grizzly that day. 

On our last full day, we focused on the park's history - from the original Sheep Eater Native American tribe to the frontier men who often came to poach, from the US Army units that came to stop the poachers to Theodore Roosevelt and President Ulysses Grant, who made Yellowstone the first national park.  We even caught sight of the park's most recent historic event during our hike - washed out roads from the 2022 floods.

In addition to all of their studies, the kids were responsible for cooking breakfast and dinner, making lunches, handwashing dishes for all (38 people, including our park rangers) and cleaning the entire campus at the end of the week.  While the days were long (6:00am-10:00pm, with almost non-stop activities), this was an incredible week of growth for both Thane and I.  We feel incredibly lucky to have participated!