Welcome to Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park

Leaving home behind, we meet our group at the Salt Lake City airport and prepare for our upcoming adventures. After an orientation in the Salt Lake City area, we load up into our 15-passenger van and trailer, our home for the coming weeks, and set out on the open road bound for the Wyoming wilderness. Setting up camp in the shadows of the Grand Tetons, we explore the picturesque mountain town of Jackson Hole, famed for its wildlife, outdoor adventures, and close proximity to our next destination: Yellowstone National Park. We hit the trails exploring the turquoise alpine lakes and beautiful valleys of the region, all while coming together as a traveling group. We map out our itinerary setting both individual and group goals for the duration of the program. We introduce our curriculum and brainstorm ideas for our individual Capstone Passion Projects, identifying points in the semester where each of our five global themes will be present.

Grizzly Bear and Wolf Conservation in Yellowstone National Park

Continuing across the border into Montana, we begin our first hands-on project of the semester in the stunning Yellowstone National Park. Working with a local nonprofit organization based in the park, we begin our course learning more about the history of Yellowstone, the protection of public lands, and conservation issues the area faces. We then dive into our animal conservation projects focusing on wolves and grizzlies, two enchanting and majestic creatures that reside in the region. For our wolf recovery project, we take time tracking local wolf packs with our skilled rangers and observing their territories, behaviors, and studying abandoned wolf dens. We take a further deep dive into grizzly conservation in the National Park, shadowing specialists and interviewing rangers about threats to grizzlies. Before departing the park, we take time to explore the famous sights, hiking the trails, observing packs of grazing bison, and making sure to stop at the famous Old Faithful geyser.

Wilderness First Responder Certification in Big Sky Country

In preparation for our upcoming time in the wilderness (and for the rest of our lives recreating in the great outdoors), we dive into our eight day Wilderness First Responder certification course. Setting up a base camp in the beautiful mountains of Montana, we work closely with our instructor to learn various wilderness rescue, medicine, and ethics for spending time in the outdoors. This certification is an industry standard for many experiential education professionals, and as a group, we walk away with the ability to respond to emergencies in the wilderness, practical first aid skills, and the knowledge to make important evacuation decisions.

Community Construction Project

Heading west through the state of Idaho, we make our way across the border to the Colville Native American Reservation in northeastern Washington. Here, we participate in a construction project for a family in need, getting our hands dirty learning about sustainable building techniques while providing an essential service. Here we immerse ourselves in the local culture that surrounds us, appreciating the diversity of people, beliefs, and cultures that exist here in the United States.

Student Planned Module

After a meaningful construction experience, we dive into our Student Planned Module. This section is completely planned, organized, budgeted, and implemented by the students. We can’t wait to see what the group will do!

Immigration and Refugee Study

After soaking up our student-planned days, we continue on to the greater Seattle area to learn more about urbanization, immigration and refugee issues facing this major urban port. We meet with partners from various immigrant and refugee organizations to gain a better understanding of the plight of immigrants, and assist in the rehoming of a refugee family.

In this major urban center, we are able to look deeper into some of the largest corporations in the United States and how their growth is impacting not only the economy of Seattle, but our country as a whole. Lastly we take some time to explore a few of the quintessential landmarks of Seattle, including visiting the space needle and a meandering afternoon through Pike’s Place Market.

Marine Science and Kayaking in the San Juan Islands

Boarding a ferry, we head across the Puget Sound to the beautiful San Juan Islands, where we settle into our cabins on the shores of Orcas Island. We spend our days exploring the islands, hiking through the rainforest and visiting the local sites. We head to the water aboard kayaking to get a taste of life at sea. With our local specialists as guides, we study nautical science and seamanship, as well as gain an understanding of oceanographic equipment and sampling techniques. After our marine project some time exploring the islands and their charming waterfront towns, where we hope to see colorful starfish, otters, eagles soaring overhead, and, if we are lucky, spouting whales, before heading onto our next project.

Permaculture Farm Stay

Following our time on the water, we take to the land for a stay on a local permaculture farm nestled in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula. Permaculture is a unique and forward-thinking way of farming that works to utilize systems already found in nature to cultivate crops. It is a very sustainable way of farming and living, and provides a holistic view of how we can interact with nature and our food systems. We spend time learning the many principles of permaculture, and getting our hands dirty on the farm with our welcoming hosts, taking breaks here and there to play with the goats, sheep, and other animals inhabiting the farm.

Wildlife Tracking in North Cascades National Park

Next, we venture to Winthrop, an historic western town neighboring North Cascades National Park. Working hand in hand with our local partners, we join in their current cougar research project efforts. Though elusive, cougars are still prevalent in much of the natural forests in Washington state, but face endangerment with a decreasing population.  We hike through the forests to track cougar clusters that have recently passed through and research their movements, environment, habits, and current diet. Beyond cougars, we learn about tracking other wildlife in the area, and what signs you should look for as well as how to keep yourself safe.

Volunteering in Volcanoes National Park

After a fantastic road trip across the beautiful mountains, deserts, and rainforests of the American West, we leave the mainland behind and set out for the tropical warmth of the Hawaiian Islands. Landing on the Big Island of Hawaii, we welcome a new culture and way of life as we acclimatize. After spending a few days surfing, snorkeling, and hanging out on the beach, we begin our project volunteering in Volcanoes National Park working with a local organization to remove invasive species in the park. Here we witness dramatic active volcanoes, learn the history of the Hawaiian Islands, and see the famous point where hot lava meets the ocean.

We continue our education of the diverse ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands while developing and practicing fundamental outdoor skills and Leave No Trace ethics. Camping near the beach on the Hilo side of the island, we celebrate the final weeks of our program while building ever stronger connections to our group mates and the world around us.

SCUBA Certification and Program Conclusion

For our final stop we dive into our SCUBA certification course. Learning the fundamentals of diving and spending our days out on the water, we are excited to obtain our second certification of the program. Exploring life under the sea, we see coral reefs teeming with native Hawaiian fish, and if we are lucky we might even spot a pod of dolphins.

After a fun and exciting final activity, we spend the remainder of our time soaking up the crystalline Hawaiian island waters. With our semester coming to a close, we reserve time to present our Capstone Passion Projects to our gap peers. Sharing our new perspectives with the group, there is no question our living, learning and traveling together will prepare us for the rest of our lives. We savor our last week together, but are excited to head home to share our newly-gained knowledge and insights from our firsthand look at the American Northwest and Hawaii.

*Please note that the order of the itinerary and of the projects is subject to change depending on your group assignment.

Below you will find several Group Journal excerpts, written by ARCC students during their Gap Year with ARCC: