Mountain Classroom's journey through Texas brought the group to Big Bend National Park for a five-day canoe expedition on the Rio Grande. Paddling through canyons that towered overhead, the group navigated the river that marks the United States-Mexico border – close enough to skip rocks all the way to the other side. From sunrise hikes to cowboy camping under the stars, Hadley '27 shares reflections on what it means to feel grounded and connected to the natural world while living and learning on the road.
My blog begins on our first day in Big Bend National Park! We woke up to a heavy breeze under the Sierra Carmen Ridge. Despite our kitchen and dishes falling victim to such strong winds, we persevered. We then made our way around the winding roads of the park, which were surrounded by flat-top desert mountains and cacti. We did our routine stop at the National Park's Visitor Center, where we got "wallet time" to buy stickers, shirts, and knick-knacks. Many of us enjoyed sending postcards home! We then drove out to our trailhead, where we went on a beautiful four-mile hike through the park's endless canyons. They glowed bright orange and red as the mid-day sun shined on them. We appreciated their beauty as we ate our pre-hike lunch, Nina's delicious black bean salsa. The trail was called "The Window" because it came to an end at a rectangular opening that resembled a window. We enjoyed the view of the park through the window before making our way back to camp, ending the day with an elaborate meal cooked by the chefs of the day, Evan and Nina.
The next day we were gifted a sleep-in, a reward for entering Main Phase. Rested and ready for the day, we then had our Social Studies class with Ted, which was followed by another hike. Hiking part of the Blue Creek Trail, we saw an old ranch maintained by the National Park, rocks of all colors, and beautiful views of the mountain landscape. After returning to camp, we walked down the road to the Rio Grande River, where we would be launching our canoe trip the next day. It was really interesting to look across the river and see Mexico, with the river serving as the United States-Mexico border. Many of us even skipped rocks all the way to Mexico! The river had a healthy flow as Mexico has been actively releasing water into it.
Following a restful sleep, we woke up to a drizzle, which we were not expecting to see in Texas. We began the morning meeting our guides from Hidden Dagger Adventures, Joe and Trevor, who would be leading us on our five-day river trip. Giving us some tips for packing our dry bags, Joe and Trevor then helped us into our canoes. All of us dressed in our rain gear and sandals, we were ready for the 8 miles ahead of us. As we paddled down the river, we looked around to see the canyon towering above our heads. Detailed with crevasses and caves, the canyon and its features gave us a peek into the land's history, with Trevor pointing out past rock-slide locations and the river's former water levels. After some hours of paddling, we stopped for lunch and were pleasantly surprised with the lunch spread, which included delicious cookies—a treat unfamiliar to us on Mountain classroom. After another hour or two of chatting and familiarizing ourselves with the boats, we arrived at our camp for the night. We set up our gear on a nice sandy bank of the river on the Texas side. Luckily, Hidden Dagger had a kitchen setup very similar to ours, so we felt very comfortable cooking and cleaning. We ended our night after cooking and dishes with a fun chat around the fire Evan built. Thank you for the warmth Evan!
On our second day of canoeing, we stopped for lunch and enjoyed a hike through a beautiful orange and white canyon, the blue sky shining above. After collectively filling up most of our camera storage with striking photos of the curving river, we arrived at our next camp. There, some of us went on a short hike with Joe and Ted before we all enjoyed another dinner and a fire under the stars. The next morning, we rose before the sun, hiking the same trail as the previous day in order to enjoy the sunrise from a spectacular view. We sat up on the top of the canyon and had a moment of reflection before hiking down and starting our day. We all happily pulled out our shorts and sunglasses for the warm day ahead, which consisted of seven miles of paddling and trying to see who could have the biggest Chaco tan! Stopping after 3 miles for lunch, Sedona and Nina grilled the group bratwursts. We came to the consensus that it felt like the Fourth of July, so we had to do some mid-lunch dancing to celebrate the occasion! After a few more miles of canoeing, we arrived at our camp for the night. Before this, however, we ventured through another canyon, once pictured in National Geographic. The inside was full of narrow passageways and rocks we had to climb over. Finally arriving at camp, we decided as a group to cowboy camp under the stars. While we had to leave the following day—one day early—due to a medical incident, the view of the stars was the perfect way to culminate our final night on the river. The next day, though stressful, was a great opportunity for us to come together and support one another. After 13 miles of paddling in the warm sun, we arrived at the boat take-out, where we loaded everything up and headed to a campsite in Marathon, TX, still accompanied by Hidden Dagger Adventures. The following day, we parted ways with our guides and made our way to Fort Davis, TX, which we agreed was ruggedly beautiful. In the Davis Mountains, hot showers awaited us at our campsite, which I, personally, was ecstatic about.
"Overall, our time on the river provided many moments of reflection and a sense of being grounded and connected to the natural world around us. I enjoyed the small and large moments of laughter our group shared as we continue to bond and become stronger together. So far, Mountain has helped me come to a better understanding of myself and the ways I want to be intentional with my actions. I have a deep sense of gratitude for the Mountain Classroom program, both for the experiences and learning opportunities it has provided me. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to go on Mountain Classroom!"
~ Hadley '27
Stay tuned for Eloise's blog as we explore New Mexico next!
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