From stargazing at the McDonald Observatory to sledding at White Sands and contemplating ancient cliff dwellings in the Gila National Forest, Mountain Classroom's stretch through West Texas and New Mexico was packed with new landscapes and significant milestones – including completing their timed camp setup challenge on the path to the “Final Phase.” The in-between moments proved equally memorable: unhurried conversations with friends, free from the distractions of everyday life; a campsite neighbor urging them to write it all down so they'd remember when they were his age; and a serendipitous message on a tea wrapper that read "this life is a gift.” Eloise '27 reflects on the perspective gained from stepping out of your comfort zone and into unfamiliar places below!
The week started off strong with a chilly morning and avocado toast for breakfast at our campsite in Davis Mountain State Park. As the day warmed up we had a few hours of homework time. As we were seated in our study circle of camping chairs a man walked up to our site. He was curious about our adventures and reminded us of how special this experience is. He explained to us how he wished he had written down more memories from his teenage years so he could reflect upon them later in life. We were all touched by his words and left the conversation with a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for this time. After lunch, we drove to the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens for a short guided hike through the incredible landscapes of New Mexico. That night, we went to a star party at the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, TX – cold temps, a clear sky, and lots of constellations to see. We saw Jupiter and Saturn through telescopes.
The next day, we had English class with Emi before packing up camp and driving two hours before stopping for our classic parking lot lunch outside of Love’s. Along the way, we passed the famous Prada in the middle of the desert, as well as billboards for the world’s largest pistachio. When we got to camp later that afternoon, we took in the beautiful views of the mountains and hung out. This trip has reminded me how great it is to sit with your friends and have conversations without the distractions of everyday life.
Up at 7:00 am the following day to get out of camp and head to the Carlsbad Caverns! Very high winds meant a parking lot Science class with Ted in the bus before heading into the caves. Upon arrival, we took an elevator deep underground and entered the dimly lit and humid environment of the caves. We explored for an hour or so and sketched in our journals so we wouldn’t forget the views. Afterwards, we spent some time in the gift shop back at ground level before a long drive to Oliver Lee Memorial Campground in the town of Alamogordo. That night, we successfully completed our hour-and-a-half timed challenge to set up camp, cook, eat, and clean up dinner. This was one of our checklist items to progress into the “Final Phase.” We had a little introduction into what to expect for our upcoming solos during “instructor time” in our evening meeting before we headed off to bed.
Next up was White Sands National Park, something that we were all highly looking forward to. It did not disappoint in the slightest. We took lots of pictures and sledded in the sand. After lunch, we had an expedition skills class about risk management and practiced some scenarios with our skills from our Wilderness First Aid certification course. Then, things got even more exciting. We went on a surprise trip to the laundromat to get clean clothes! While we waited for our clothes to dry, we went a few blocks over to a coffee shop. We also had a trip to Walgreens. Once we made it back to camp, we had fire tacos made by the day's chefs, Nina and Evan.
Day five was another drive day. We made it to Walmart at 11:30 am to shop for our solos. I’m only eating beef jerky and Reese’s cups. We shopped for three hours in Deming before hitting the road again for two hours to make it to Upper Scorpion Campground in Gila National Forest, where we slept for the night. I opened a tea wrapper this morning that read, ‘This life is a gift.’ This felt very timely as we are out on the trip.
“I think we all have a deeper sense of appreciation for our surroundings out here than in our normal lives. As we are so heavily reliant on the conditions of the outdoors, and small moments become more special. We all took a leap of faith to come on this trip, and because of that, we are having incredibly special experiences. Despite the challenges that come with being in remote places for so long, we are becoming more resilient people.”
~ Eloise ‘27
New Mexico is worth the hype. We’ve enjoyed lots of music as we drive, and “Soulful Groovy” has been a favorite playlist among the group. This blog comes to a close on Lila’s eighteenth birthday. We went on a walk through some cool cliff dwellings. The one-mile loop took us through a beautiful path with a series of cave rooms that we could enter and explore. We climbed up ladders and stairs to enter the caves and took lots of pictures. We have spent time recently in English class learning about the lives that many Native American tribes have lived on this land today and throughout history. It was pretty incredible to be standing in a place where they lived and get a better sense of what their lives looked like. Afterwards, we packed up camp to drive a short hour down in elevation to avoid the expected snow the coming night. We celebrated that night with homemade brownies and raspberry jam. Having a birthday on Mountain Classroom is definitely a year to remember. We made the best of the day.
I hope as you read this, you take it as a sign to seek new experiences like we are doing. There is so much perspective to be gained by stepping out of your comfort and into an unfamiliar place.
Read More Mountain Classroom Reflections Here!
- Mountain Classroom
- Off-Campus Program