What Now America

The boys backpacking trip in collaboration with Big City Mountaineers concluded this past weekend, and youth returned with inspiring stories of wilderness adventures to share. The youth trekked across the Sierra Mountains, visiting beautiful national parks like the National Sierra Forest and Ansel Adams wilderness. The intensive trip helped the youth achieve personal goals and immersed them in a new, exciting and challenging experience.

The youth learned a wide range of useful tricks and survival skills for the outdoors, including essentials like making a campfire, and pitching a tent. The trip also fostered teamwork and appreciation for the environment, as the youth learned to honor the backpacker's code and left no trace of their presence. Tips and tricks for surviving in the wilderness were shared, including a special way of cleaning plates to minimize the impact on the environment.

This trip gave the boys an opportunity to challenge themselves physically and mentally, providing them with an unforgettable adventure. One of the youth, Ahmed, described how the trip helped him conquer his fear of heights, by hiking on a trail with 10,000 feet of vertical elevation. He described this challenge as his favorite part of the trip. Especially for first-time backpackers, the undertaking was impressive.

An ambitious undertaking, the trip rewarded the youth by offering an opportunity to experience a natural setting completely different from their everyday lives. Trekking beyond the range of modern technology, the youth were able to fully immerse themselves in the inspiring mountain landscapes, hiking around 24.6 miles in four days. After the trip, many of the youth expressed appreciation of nature. Daniel, a trip participant, enjoyed sleeping outside under the stars on a nice day, and swimming in the lake's fresh waters.