Westridge School Spring 2008 Joshua Tree Program

Itinerary

March 17 - 20, 2008

The School will be taking a trip to Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP). The trip is guided by Todd Vogel and Jessica Lichtig, of Outdoor Link, LLC, and faculty from the School. Todd has hosted more than three hundred programs in JTNP and has been working with school groups in the outdoor setting since the mid 1980's.

This trip will be focused on exploring the unique features of JTNP, desert ecology, team buidling and on having a fun group experience. Our framework will be day hiking, rock climbing, camping and living for four great days in this fantastic National Park.

Program Itinerary

Day 1, Monday, March 17, 2008: Meet at 8:00 am at school. It is approximately three and a half hours driving time to Joshua Tree. There will be one planned stop enroute. We will meet Outdoor Link at the campground at Sheep Pass in the upper part of the Park around noon were we will have lunch. We will then have an orientation to JT, camp set up, afternoon hike (topic: plants, animals, environment of JT; how to stay comfortable and healthy this week). Cook groups...evening session: your goals/concerns for the week. Perhaps astronomy 101.

Day 2: in two groups, 1 group climbs while the other explores the Barker Dam and Wonderland areas. Switch after lunch. Evening program: minute mysteries, more astronomy and/or night vision games

Day 3: Keys Ranch Tour, lunch, then Cave of the Winds. More climbing late afternoon (right in camp or nearby); evening session: program conclusion (high/low for the week, etc).

Day 4: More climbing or an ascent of "Mt. Vogel", which is the topographical high point of the Sheep Pass campground - a great conclusion to the trip. Depart campground for home at 1pm, arrive at school no later than 4:45pm.

All site content is copyright 2007 Outdoor Link, llc. All photos at this site are by Todd Vogel unless otherwise credited. Contact us at 2635 Highland Drive, Bishop, CA 93514 or tel 760-920-0774, fax 760-873-4800. E-mail us at info-at-outdoorlink.org. Of course you need to substitute the @ symbol. We operate under permit from the following agencies: Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, Tahoe National Forest; Outdoor Link, llc member Todd Vogel is also a member of Sierra Mountain Center, llc and through SMC we have commercial access to Toiyabe National Forest, Inyo National Forest and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Outdoor Link, llc prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, or political beliefs.