Yosemite 2026 Blog

Friday, 10/09

2:45pm

UPDATE: New ETA is now 3:30pm.  We will see you soon!

12:10pm

Hi Eagles,  

We are just leaving Fresno.  Our ETA currently is at 4:00pm.  Please make sure to be there on time as your campers are excited to see you and tell you all about our time in Yosemite.  If anything changes, I'll update the blog.  See you soon!

8:00am

It’s hard to believe that just like that, our week in this beautiful place is coming to an end. The buses are loaded, the campers are ready, and we’re headed home with tired feet, full hearts, and SO many memories to share! 

I’ll update the blog once we arrive in Fresno for lunch with our estimated time of arrival at Stelle. Please be sure to check the blog this afternoon so you know when you should be at school to pick up your camper.

See you soon, Stelle! 

Thursday, 10/08

9:30pm

It’s hard to believe that our last night in Yosemite has already arrived! Today, Ms. Martha’s group took on their challenge hike, and they absolutely conquered it! Along the way, students encouraged one another, helped each other when things got tough, and refused to give up. They showed exactly what this trip has been all about: we can do hard things! Watching students push themselves, support their friends, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments has been one of the most rewarding parts of this incredible week.

Tonight, we gathered around the campfire for our final night together. There was plenty of laughing, stories, and time to simply enjoy being together. After a busy week of hiking, learning, exploring, and challenging ourselves, it was the perfect way to slow down and appreciate the people who shared this experience with us.

Students also had time to reflect on their week in this beautiful place. They thought about the challenges they faced, the moments when they wanted to give up, the new things they tried, and the ways they surprised themselves. This week has shown them that they are capable of more than they sometimes think and that a little courage, determination, and encouragement from a friend can go a long way.

As we look back on our time in Yosemite, it’s clear that we aren’t leaving exactly the same as when we arrived. We have grown, challenged ourselves, stepped outside our comfort zones, and created memories that we will carry with us long after we leave the Valley. The hikes will end, the campfire will go out, and our time here will come to an end—but the memories we made together will last forever. 

Tomorrow, we’ll have one more day of adventures before heading home! Once we arrive in Fresno and stop for lunch, I will update the blog with our estimated time of arrival at Stelle. Please be sure to be at Stelle on time! Your campers are excited to see you and share everything we have done and experienced this past week. They have so many stories to tell! 

9:30am

It’s hard to believe, but today is our last day on trail in Yosemite! After several incredible days of hiking, exploring, learning, laughing, and challenging ourselves, our students are ready to make the most of every minute we have left in this beautiful place. They are looking forward to one more day of adventures and are excited to see what the trails have in store for us today!

There is something pretty special about knowing this is our final day. We’ve made memories that will last far beyond this trip, and today we get one more chance to explore Yosemite with our friends, learn from our amazing NatureBridge educators, and take in the incredible beauty surrounding us. We’re ready to soak it all in and make this final day one to remember! 

Check back later to hear all about our final adventures on the trail!

Wednesday, 10/07

10:00pm

Mrs. Palmer’s group took on their challenge hike to Vernal Falls via the JMT, and what an adventure it was! Along the way, students explored the idea that “You Are a Part of Something Bigger.” They participated in a fun activity where everyone anonymously answered five questions. At different points throughout the hike, the answers were read aloud, and students tried to guess which classmate they belonged to. It was a great way to learn a little more about each other, discover everyone’s unique “essence,” and realize just how much each person contributes to the group!

After working up an appetite on the trail, students enjoyed a well-earned lunch of pita, turkey, cheese, hummus, pita chips, cucumbers, Nilla Wafers, and gummy peach rings. Yum! Once they returned to camp, the adventure wasn’t over. The group headed down to the river to play, cool off, and enjoy some time together before making beautiful watercolor pictures. It was the perfect way to wrap up another fun, challenging, and memorable day in Yosemite!

For Señorita Pine’s group, the theme of the day was “Together Everyone Achieves More… TEAM!” And they definitely put that idea into action! During their day, students participated in a friendly competition to see who could collect the most MOOP (Matter Out of Place). Not only did they get a little competitive, but they also helped take care of Yosemite and leave the national park even better than they found it. Every piece of trash picked up was a small reminder that when everyone works together, we can make a BIG difference! 

The group also tackled their challenge hike up to Vernal Falls, putting their teamwork, determination, and hiking skills to the test. Along the way, students had some time to slow down and reflect in their journals. They answered questions about how nature is amazing and why they are amazing too; a wonderful opportunity to appreciate both the incredible place they are exploring and the unique qualities they each bring to their team. Another challenging, meaningful, and memorable day in Yosemite! 

Ms. Martha’s group spent the day getting to know one of Yosemite’s most important features- the river! Students learned how the shape of a river affects its speed. The wider parts of the river move more slowly, while the narrower sections move faster. And the middle of the river is where the water moves the fastest! Students got to observe these ideas in action while exploring and learning more about the powerful role rivers play in Yosemite’s ecosystem.

Students also took part in a stewardship project, giving back to the park they have been enjoying all week. They worked together to remove non-native plants and collected seeds to help replant native plants. It was a great reminder that being a visitor in a national park also means being a good steward and helping protect these incredible places for future generations. 

And, of course, no Yosemite day would be complete without some river time! After all their hard work, students headed back to the water and put their teamwork skills to the test as they attempted to build a dam together. There was plenty of problem-solving, experimenting, and probably a little splashing along the way! It was the perfect way to end another amazing day of learning, teamwork, and adventure in Yosemite. 

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is already our last day in this beautiful place! This week has flown by, and we have made so many incredible memories along the way. We’re going to make every minute of our final day count, soak in as much of Yosemite as we can, and finish this adventure with one more amazing day! 

9:30am

Today is already turning out to be a beautiful day in Yosemite! The skies are clear, the sun is shining, and we are ready for another day filled with adventure, exploration, and a few challenges along the way!

We started our morning with a delicious breakfast before getting ready to head out on the trail. Today is an extra exciting day for Ms. Palmer’s and Senorita Pine’s groups because they are heading out for their challenge hike! We can’t wait to see what trails they tackle and what adventures await them. Be sure to check back later to find out where they went and what they discovered!

Ms. Martha’s group will have their challenge hike tomorrow, so they are getting ready for another big day on the trails! Check back tonight to hear all about what everyone got up to today. We have a feeling it’s going to be another amazing day in Yosemite! 

Tuesday, 10/06

10:30pm

Today was another incredible day of learning and adventure in Yosemite! Our groups explored different parts of the park while learning about the plants, wildlife, geology, and people who have called Yosemite home. Some groups learned about local vegetation and even discovered raspberries and two types of edible pine trees! Some of our brave students decided to give them a try! If your student was one of the adventurous taste-testers, be sure to ask them what they thought it tasted like! Other groups discovered caves and learned about how some Indigenous people survived by using caves as places of shelter and protection. Students also learned just how important acorns were to the survival of Indigenous people in the Yosemite region. They even had the opportunity to try grinding acorns into mush and experience, in a small way, how this important food source was prepared.

Our students also learned about the incredible peregrine falcons that call Yosemite home through a game called “Where’s My Egg?” They discovered how DDT once caused serious problems for peregrine falcons by weakening their eggshells and making it difficult for the birds to successfully hatch their young. Students learned how biologists and climbers worked together to help rescue falcon eggs from nests. Biologists would carefully incubate the real eggs while climbers placed a dummy egg in the nest so the parent falcons would continue caring for the nest. Once the chicks were ready, climbers would return them to the nest to be raised by their parents! 

We ended our day with a fun night program featuring Yosemite Trivia, where students put their growing knowledge to the test with questions about Indigenous history, wildlife, geology, and general science. There was plenty of friendly competition as students showed off everything they have learned so far. What a fantastic way to end another unforgettable day in Yosemite!

9:30am

It’s another beautiful day to be in Yosemite! After a full day of adventure yesterday, our students slept great and woke up excited and ready to hit the trails again!

We started the morning with another delicious breakfast of eggs, turkey sausage, and French toast sticks. Yum! After breakfast, we headed back to camp to fill up our water bottles, grab some snacks for the trail, and get ready for another day of exploring.

We then met up with our instructors and headed out for another great day in Yosemite! The students are ready to learn, explore, challenge themselves, and take in everything this incredible place has to offer.

Check back tonight to hear all about what our students discovered and experienced today! We can’t wait to share another day of Yosemite adventures with you!

Monday, 10/05

9:40pm

Today was another incredible day of learning, adventure, and reflection in Yosemite! Each of our groups had a unique experience on the trail, but a common theme connected everyone’s day: learning happens when we step outside our comfort zones, work together, and take the time to truly notice the world around us.

Mrs. Palmer and Camila's embraced the theme “Comfort is Key,” with a little help from Berta, a small stuffed bison who joined the group on the trail! Students began the day with a fun game of Warp Speed, tossing Berta from person to person, before wading in the Merced River. They then put their navigation skills to work during an orienteering and landmark activity, followed by a game of landmark tag. After walking to Yosemite Village for lunch, the group took the valley shuttle to Lower Yosemite Falls, where they learned what to do if a tree falls in the forest. Students also scrambled up a large boulder to explore Native American cultural artifacts, including the smooth pounding rocks used by Ahwahneechee women to grind acorns. They learned how these important cultural sites and traditions were passed down matrilineally from mother to daughter, generation after generation. And, of course, the day included some fun; a few students even discovered a natural “rock slide”! The group also visited a young sequoia, only about 150 years old, and learned that sequoias do not naturally grow in Yosemite Valley. To finish the day, students worked together during a team-building game called “Where’s My Stuffie?” before taking a space walk, spreading out along the trail to walk quietly on their own and reflect.

Ms. Pine and Laurel’s group focused on the theme “Puzzle: Everything is Connected.” Students started by getting to know one another through games, including one of their favorites, Birds! If your student was part of Ms. Pine’s group, be sure to ask them about it! The group also created their own agreement for the week, discussing how they would respect both nature and one another during their Yosemite experience. Throughout the day, students explored the bear caves, tried some rock scrambling, learned about Yosemite’s cultural history, spent time in the river, and reflected on their experiences in their journals. Their day was a great reminder that every part of the Yosemite experience, from the landscape and wildlife to the people and the relationships we build, is connected.

Ms. Martha and Coral’s group spent the day looking closely at Yosemite’s incredible landscape and asking big questions. Students learned about iconic formations and landmarks, including North Dome, Half Dome, Washington Column, and Glacier Point, and began thinking like geologists as they questioned how glaciers helped form Yosemite Valley. They also participated in a trust and team building activity in which students were guided to a tree and temporarily had their sense of sight taken away. Using their other senses, they had to figure out which tree they had been led to. The group explored how rocks fall and how Yosemite’s unique rock formations were created. Students also learned about the history and culture of the Indigenous people who have called Yosemite home. To end their experience, they took a solo walk, giving each student the opportunity to experience a small part of Yosemite independently and quietly before reflecting on the experience through journaling.

We ended our night in one of the most beautiful ways possible; with silence under the Yosemite night sky. Students gathered together and simply looked up, taking in the incredible beauty of the stars and the peacefulness of the night. And then, as if Yosemite wanted to give us one final gift, we saw a shooting star! I have a feeling that many of us made the same wish...that tomorrow brings another great day just like today. 

9:30am

It is an absoulte beautiful morning here in Yosemite!  The students slept well and woke up excited for our first day of adventures!  We enjoyed a hearty breakfast of eggs, potatoes, pancakes, and fresh fruit before getting ready for the day.

Students packed their daypacks, filled their water bottles, and met with our NatureBridge instructors who will be guiding us throughout the week.  The skies are clear, the weather is perfect, and we couldn't ask for a better combination for an incredible day of exploring Yosemite.

Check back later tonight to hear all about what each trail group got up to today!

Sunday, 10/04

9:45pm

We made it to Yosemite!  The students did great on the bus and are excited to finally be in camp!  We checked into our cabins, got things unpacked, and then headed to dinner.  Tonight we had chicken tenders, veggies, tater tots, and everyone's favorite...chocolate cake!  

After dinner we walked to our night program where students had orientation about  what to expect this week.  We then learned about the importance of not leaving a trace while out on trail and even got to preform skits about the six important reminders of how we leave no trace.  Be sure to ask your students about it once we get home!

Students are now in cabins for the night ready to hit the trails tomorrow!  Wifi signal is spotty up here so please be patient with the uploading of photos!  We will do the best we can each day!

Yosemite Photos

*Please be patient with the upload of photos, as the the wifi is slow in camp. DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL REGARDING PHOTOS!