Where there are great challenges, there’s an opportunity for growth. That’s the motto we leaned on as our programs, our students, and our community recovered from a rollercoaster of challenges since the start of the pandemic. In 2021, we brought back the Youth Backcountry Camp (YBCC) Program to hit the trail with a revamped curriculum to supplement studies that youth were learning in virtual and hybrid school classrooms. To satisfy the diverse learning styles of students, the program utilized scientific concepts from the classroom and applied them across the outdoor backdrop of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT).
This immersive outdoor classroom experience allowed students to extend their education to real-world circumstances. YBCC participants explored the natural sciences of geology, ecology, and biology using their Tahoe Rim Trail Nature Guides, a TRT map, journal, pen, and colored pencils. These naturalist kits, provided by the Tahoe Women’s Community Fund, afforded youth the opportunity to play ‘nature detective’ on the TRT through observation, critical thinking, sensory awareness, sketching and drawing, writing, and data collection. Thanks to support from Parasol’s Lahontan Community Foundation Fund, local and regional youth were able to discover the joys and lessons of the TRT, our MVT (Most Valuable Teacher).
Pictured left: Local Youth from Snowboard Outreach Society climbing the rocky Dardanelles Lake overlook
Playing, scrambling, and navigating across the granitic boulders, glacially striated valleys, and lahar-lined paths of the TRT allowed participants to discover Tahoe’s complex geologic history. Through hands-on activities and lessons, youth formed a general understanding of the textures, shapes, and movements of the earth. Participants took on investigative roles to develop their own analysis of geologic features visible from the peaks they conquered. Their newfound skills led them to discover evidence of glacial, volcanic, and seismic activity that’s shaped Lake Tahoe and their understanding of it. Some even witnessed a sensational experience from Northern California’s fault lines during an earthquake that left the ground beneath their feet swirling. That really takes place-based learning to a whole new magnitude! A 5.9 magnitude to be exact.
Pictured right: Local youth from Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada creating scientific journal entries at Galena Creek Falls
In route to alpine lakes, mountainous views, and their next campsites, students witnessed the colorful palette of blooming wildflowers and bright fungi that characterizes the TRT. A rainbow of lupine, paintbrush, aster, and lichen illustrated the trail’s ecological diversity from the abundant meadows hugging Mt Rose to the alpine forests neighboring Round Lake. Participants engulfed themselves in the magic by creating mud stamps, sketches, and narratives of plant species in their scientific journals. They collected temperature, weather, location, and species data, combining their observations with maps, compasses, and nature guides, to reveal a full picture. No phones required!
Pictured left: Local youth from Boy Scouts of America catching crawdad at Richardson Lake
The creatures and critters of the sky, land, and water brought to life the serene surroundings of the TRT’s backcountry spaces. This environment, paired with animal survival and evolution games, provided youth an understanding of the world of wildlife and their place in it. Participants mimicked the chickadee’s familiar songs, took cover next to the mosquito-eating damselflies, and learned the importance of bear canisters to protect against those sneaky ground squirrels and chipmunks. Some campers even traded in their swim time to attempt a crawdad boil by cleverly upgrading their mess kit bags to fishing nets. There’s no better teacher than the creepy-crawlers, song-singers, and furry neighbors of the forest!
With the TRTA, over 100 youth set foot into the Tahoe backcountry in 2021 to discover the importance of unplugged time spent together outside and why the grass is so green in Big Meadow in July. The TRT brims with teachable moments allowing participants a deep dive into the world of natural science. Four days of complete outdoor immersion and three nights of camping under the Milky Way facilitate the memorable learning experience that’s unique to the YBCC Program.
Thank you to the generous financial support from both Tahoe Women’s Community Fund and Lahontan Community Foundation for inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.
