Welcome!

Welcome to the web site of the Sierra Expedition of the YMCA Adventure Guides program.

We are affiliated with the Southwest YMCA in Saratoga, California: link

For more information about joining the Sierra Expedition, contact us at sierrasvcb@gmail.com.

See the latest Sierra Nation Silicon Valley Adventure Guides overview here:

LATEST UPDATE - 8/7/2020

With the upcoming school year starting soon, we wanted to update you all on the current plans for YMCA Adventure Guides for this fall. We’ve had recent conversations among the Expedition leadership team and with the YMCA to understand our options for the coming year. Unfortunately, the short story is there will be no official YMCA Adventures Guides events this fall due to continued COVID restrictions. It is possible there will be a shortened series of events in the spring, but we will not know if that will happen until later in the year. What this means in more detail:

• Fall Events: All events through the end of 2020 are cancelled. This includes the upcoming New Brighton camping event, the rescheduled Santa Cruz Sleepover, the fall picnic, bowling, and the Christmas/Holiday parade.

• Spring Events: If the YMCA does offer a shortened spring session, we will restart events as usual, including our end of year Loma Mar cabin camping event. If the YMCA does not offer a shortened spring session, but COVID restrictions, particularly for local schools, are lifted, expedition leadership will explore organizing informal, socially-distanced-if-needed father/daughter events that are no cost or pay per event.

• Circle Activities: The relationships you and your daughter have made with each other and with your other circle members are the most important part of Adventure Guides. While there will be no formal Adventure Guides activities this fall, we encourage you all to keep activities going as you see fit and safe with friends from your circle.

• Reimbursements: The leadership team is working on reimbursements for events and dues that have been cancelled, to the best of our ability. We will not be able to get all of the funds returned to us and it may take some time, but we are attempting to get as much back as possible for you all. Your circle leaders will be providing updates on our reimbursement plans as they progress and will be your point of contact for any questions.

• Graduating Daughters: With the cancellation of the New Brighton camping event, we’re exploring ways we can show our appreciation and pride for the daughters who are graduating out of Adventure Guides this summer. We will provide an update in the next month or two.

• Patches: Last but not least, the reason you all are in Adventure Guides. We’re hoping to have at least one patch for 2020. Stay tuned.

We know the last five months have been very challenging for a lot of you and at times difficult for you and your families. We’re pretty bummed we won’t be able to see you all together again until 2021 but hope you are safe and well in the meantime. We’ll stay in touch with updates on the above items, but if you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to your circle navigator or the leadership team.

Friends forever, Pals always!

Sincerely,

Joe Taylor (Climbing Coyote), Nation Navigator

Tim Richter (Bearded Goat), Nation Compass Bearer

Sierra Expedition Leadership Team

OVERVIEW

The YMCA program is for daughters (pre-K thru 4th Grade, w/ 5th Grade optional) and their fathers.

Our objective is to provide an environment within which daughters and their fathers can spend meaningful time together and also learn and have fun. We emphasize participation in Family, Community, Nature and Fun.

The approximately 200 members of the Sierra Expedition can participate in monthly group events. We hold our meetings and expedition events roughly from September through early June. Overviews and timing of these events can be found in the Calendar menu drop down at the top of this page.

In addition, Circles each have their own idependent monthly meetings and occasional Circle activities which vary from Circle to Circle and month to month and are organized by each Circle's leadership (Navigator and Compass Bearer).

Presently, the Sierra Expedition consists of the eight Circles listed below. Circles vary in size from around 10 ~ 25 dads and daughters. If you are interested in joining, please provide basic information about you and your daughter to the Sierra Expedition contact email above so we can best match you to one of the Circles below.

Chinook Circle

El Dorado Circle

Mystic Circle

Ponderosa Circle

Shasta Circle

Tahoe Circle

Tioga Circle

Zephyr Circle

We believe in harmony and respect. In all our relationships. With our Daughters. With our Dads. With our Families. In our Communities. And everywhere we go. In Forest, Field, and Stream. We are always connected. Side by Side. Friends Forever. Pals Always.

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