Our WildLink group from New Village Girls Academy in Los Angeles join us in Yosemite on a beautiful yet brisk Monday morning. We started the day hanging out with Ranger Shelton Johnson, hearing the story of how he wound up in Yosemite working for the National Park Service. After feeling inspired and eager to experience the wilderness of Yosemite, we dove into the infamous gear shuffle. Educators Tamara and Juliet spent ample time explaining what all the different items are used for and why we bring certain things with us into the backcountry. After a long day of packing, learning, and bonding, Elizabeth lead the group on a night hike. We walked around the valley, watching the alpine glow on half dome and we took time to capture the beauty of the valley via watercolor.

On Tuesday morning the group eagerly woke up, ready for a day of adventure! They were greeted with cool temperatures, foggy skies and anticipated rain. They started their journey up toward Little Yosemite Valley, on their way they encounter tough trail conditions, consisting of slushy snow and ice. At this point the group was really testing their strength and determination to continue the climb. Eventually the group made it to a camp spot, arriving late, tired and wet. They set up camp, ate dinner and easily fell asleep to the sounds of rain on their tents. The next morning, with incoming severe weather and flash flooding, the group packed up and came back down. They spent the rest of the week in Half Dome Village experiencing some of the other things Yosemite has to offer. They day hiked around Yosemite Falls, and explored the informational Valley Visitor Center.

All in all, this group experienced what the real wilderness can do. It can be powerful, harsh, and sometimes you just have to turn around and be proud of what you did accomplish. That is exactly what these girls did, they showed high levels of strength and determination. They faced multiple challenges along the way, however they overcame them with grace and ease.