Activities

One step into the mountains for Swan River School.

The annual Fall Hike follows the Swan River Middle School out into the woods. This year's hike was on September 11th. The lively group hiked up to Estes Lake in Ferndale.

Swan River School has the Fall Hike because it allows the middle school to go out and get fresh air and socialize with each other. Mr. Gaiser and the middle school teachers make the hike possible.

“When your parents ask you what you want to do this weekend and you say, 'I don't know,' then I have not done my job,” said Mr. Gaiser. He loves to show new trails to kids and their families. The school picks the hike so that everyone can go on it. They also decide based on fun places to swim, fish and a cool location to visit, a pretty view, a lake, or a waterfall.

“I brought a lunch and water, Mr. Gaiser brought the rest,” said Mr. Congdon, one of the middle school teachers. Mr. Gaiser did most of the preparation; setting the whole thing up bringing important items like GPS, bear spray, and first aid.

Mr. Gaiser also went up to Estes Lake a few days in advance and hid liquorice for the kids to go and find using GPS. While the 8th grade class was trying to find the sweet candy, a seventh grader named Peyton was looking for a nice place to sit and have a meal. When she accidentally found candy and brought to Mr. Gaiser, an eighth grader stole it for his own! It was all in good fun, though, and everyone enjoyed the licorice.

The Fall Hike is an important tradition for the Swan River middle school and is a fun way to start out the school year.