Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

2008 Outdoor Experiences season ends …

… and I am back in the office for the winter! This year’s Outdoor Experiences season was probably the longest in the history of the program–we started in May and finished in mid-November; a record seven months! This year, we also celebrated the 15th anniversary of the program.

I can happily say that this was one of the best seasons I have ever had, and I thank the two Outdoor Education Instructors for that. Caron Kotalik and Rebecca Clough were wonderful additions to the program–both were enthusiastic and engaging teachers, plus they made me laugh a lot. Together we made a great team!

Here are the groups that participated in the 2008 OE program:

The last group of the season, Outward Bound Los Angeles, packs up to go home. Photo by Santiago Escruceria.
The last group of the season, Outward Bound Los Angeles, packs up to go home. Photo by Santiago Escruceria.
  • LA Conservation Corps – Eco-Academy
  • LA Infrastructure Academy (three different groups)
  • Girl Scout Troops #451, #495, and #412
  • Outward Bound Los Angeles (two groups)
  • Olympic Academy
  • Youth Health Action Board
  • Global Lab (from Modesto)
  • Renaissance School
  • LA Conservation Corps – Clean & Green
  • CALS High School
  • Dorsey High School

As I was driving back from Cain Ranch (OE’s home base) on this snowy Monday afternoon, I saw two beautiful Golden Eagles soaring slowly against the cloudy sky. I had just finished dropping off some donated items at the house and making sure everything thing looked secure and ready for the winter. A well deserved rest for a place that makes magic happen…