An Early Morning Mist Trail Adventure

An Early Morning Mist Trail Adventure 

That included a surprise bear appearance 

by Gabriella Molina
gcm37@txstate.edu

Steps Taken: 33, 110

It was still dark out when the alarm rang at 4:30 a.m. After struggling to get up for some time, the adventure began around 5 a.m. Following a path that we discovered earlier in the trip (Thanks to Kaleb), we made our way to the Mist Trail. Determined and ready, we embarked on this trail. At first, nothing too out of the ordinary. The trail consisted of smaller hills that eventually lead up to bigger hills. As we kept going further, the steeper the hills became. Eventually, we found ourselves eye level with the side of a mountain that was once high above us. Moving right along we ran into a group of about five people who had stopped in their tracks. "There's a bear right after you turn past that rock," one woman said. Exuberantly, we continued past them, hoping to see the bear for ourselves. Lo and behold, there stood a brown bear nibbling on the brush around it. It had a tag on its ear, and it looked up at us as we tried to get pictures and videos for evidence.

Brown Bear from the Mist Trail
Photo by Gabriella Molina

Standing at the rail on our way to complete Vernal Falls trail
Photo by Mike Garcia

Once we each captured our little piece of the moment, we continued on the trail, trying not to bother the bear any further. We continued on the trail until we reached the bridge that marked what is said to be the halfway point for the Vernal Trail. Knowing that we had to go take b-roll of the junior park rangers program at 10 a.m., we decided we would go as far as we could while leaving enough time to make it to the program. We went past the bridge, (after taking some pictures, of course) and continued on until we couldn't anymore. Walking alongside the waterfall, it didn't take long before we we were soaked. Becoming concerned with how long it might take us to dry off before the junior ranger program, we decided to turn around and make our way back down. Overall, this hike was definitely the most memorable hike ever. Mike said all he wanted to do was see a bear on this trip, and he definitely got his wish. As for me I got great content for instagram, but I must admit, being one of the few students to see a bear on this trip was definitely icing on the cake!

Art Center Experiences

Art Center Experiences

It's not just for the kids

By Gabriella Molina

gcm37@txtstate.edu

Steps Taken: 21, 885

Today's planned activity was nature journaling. Before the nature journaling began, my goal was getting some usable b-roll for my new mini-documentary topic: why families visit Yosemite. I began going around talking to parents in the art center and their children. The art center was a very interesting place. A few of the parents liked the fact that it was a nice air conditioned building, which offered a spot where parents and children could cool off after hiking. After doing an interview, I joined the rest of our class for our nature journaling. This activity was directed by the art center coordinator Lora Spielman. Lora did a great job conducting the nature journaling. I chose a little green stem that was sticking up from the ground. I liked how small, yet intricate it was and the bright green color of it stuck out to me the most. After looking closely, I could see that the small green leaves poking from the stem had very tiny brownish yellow spots on the ends. All of these little details I paid very close attention to after hearing Lora explain important it is to pick up on the details when it comes to nature journaling. 

My favorite part of the nature journaling would have to be finally painting our sketches. Lora showed us how to use our brush to create different looks depending on whether we paint on dry paper or if we get it wet first. Using both techniques, I developed different looks to decorate around my painted sketch. 

Overall nature journaling was something I throughly enjoyed. It was nice to focus on something so small that I think gets often overlooked in an everyday setting. Being in Yosemite has made me more aware of the nature around me, and hearing Lora describe the different things that there are to pay attention to has helped it become more of habit. Being more aware is something that I plan on taking with me when I go back home. 

Wild Goose Chase of a Day

Wild Goose Chase of a Day

By Gabriella Molina

gcm37@txstate.edu 

Steps Taken: 18, 376

Wahhoga Roundhouse in Yosemite's Indian Village exhibit
Photo by Gabriella Molina

This day was an adventure to say the least. It began with Mike and I getting together and brainstorming our best questions for an interview about the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation to discuss their legacy here in Yosemite and the building of the Wahhoga Roundhouse. Our dream interview was cut short. In fact, it didn't happen at all. Feeling discouraged, we looked towards other sources that we could get in touch with to get the story that we each so desperately wanted. We remembered our friend Kaleb (from the tour yesterday), and figured if he wanted to help, the time would be now. However, neither of us had his contact info, or a means for getting it. We walked over to the Yosemite Visitors Center to ask someone else from the Conservancy for Kaleb's information. While waiting in line, Mike began a conversation with an older woman in line behind us. We explained the story that we were working on and how difficult it had been for us to get an interview. The woman told us that she was from this area and that her and her family come back to visit often. In fact, she had been around so long here that she knew Julia Parker. For those who don't know, Julia Parker is the last living Miwuk member still being featured at the museum here in Yosemite Village, making her the perfect person to interview for this story! The older woman explained how Julia Parker usually waits for a YARTS bus at a certain time of a day every day. So there we go, Mike and I. We sat and waited and waited... and waited. No sign of Julia Parker whatsoever. Feeling a little defeated, we made our way back to Half Dome to meet with Dale. After some discussion, we came to the conclusion that changing our story would be necessary to produce something in time for our deadlines. 

Arriving at Yosemite, Greeted with a Tour

Arriving at Yosemite, Greeted with a Tour

By Gabriella Molina
gcm37@txstate.edu

Steps Taken Arrival Day: 11, 718
Steps Taken Day 2: 18,376

Arriving in Yosemite 

Getting to Yosemite was quite the journey. A sleepy one, I might add. It began with a 5 a.m. arrival at the Austin airport. Lack of planning of my end led to an unexpected additional carry-on check. A water bottle, a bottle of shampoo, and my holy grail hair serum were the culprit items that exceeded the allowed quantity of 3.4 ounces of liquid in a carry-on bag. Once on the plane, the only goal in my mind was to get a nap in, which happened. After waking up in Phoenix, me and the rest of the group quickly boarded on to another plane that would take us to Fresno. Once on that plane, I almost immediately settled back into sleep. Finally in Fresno, we loaded up the vans and made way for Yosemite. On our way there, we stopped for a meal at 1850 Restaurant and Brewery in Mariposa, CA. It was a fun "Welcome Lunch" as our professor called it, and we all got the chance to get to know each other a little better before finally getting to Yosemite.

After arriving in Yosemite, the rest of the day was mostly just getting to know the area that we were going to be staying in. I teamed up with my cabin-mate Bailey, and we took to walk around Half Dome Village. We got a chance to look at our good options there at Half Dome Village and once it got dark, we headed back to our cabin for shower-time and then finally, bedtime.

Kaleb Shows us Around Yosemite National Park 

Kaleb talking about the Yosemite Conservancy
Photo by Gabriella Molina

A nice beautiful Monday morning was spent with a Yosemite Conservancy Interpretist named Kaleb Goff. We began our journey by hearing a little bit about what the Conservancy here at Yosemite is all about. The main goal of the Conservancy, as Kaleb put it is to get people to care about Yosemite and wanting to protect it. He explained how the Conservancy takes on a conservationist perspective. This means that the Conservancy wants people to be apart of the park and grow an attachment to this place so that Yosemite can be around forever.

Ponderosa Pine Bark
Photo by Gabriella Molina

We walked all over the park learning about the Ponderosa Pine, different trails, plants, wildlife and many other things that are all a part of the park here. Turns out Yosemite was a lot bigger than I would have thought! Everything that I learned about the park from Kaleb today showed me just how much this place needs to be taken care of by any and all visitors that come here. Kaleb, thanks for everything. Your mission has been accomplished!

Final Day

Day 5
By: J. Del Valle
Jcd165@txstate.edu

Missing home, but enjoyed this once in a lifetime experience 

Wow I can’t believe that I been at Yosemite for five days already. Being able to combined the outdoors and education made it very enjoyable. I was able to learn the history of Yosemite, but also learn how to capture the beautiful angles of the park as well. I was definitely out of my element, since day one the cell service hasn’t been so great. Which I will admit I enjoyed it, but I do miss text messages from my family and also missing my dogs back at home. But this trip has taught me so much especially being outdoors. Our last night here our professors put together a dinner for the group and to end it with a evening play by a John Muir impersonator- which one of our professor is obsessed with John Muir- this play was pretty different it was a story telling theme play. Which allowed the audience to participate and ask John Muir questions. After the play we headed back to our campsite and started packing for tomorrow’s departure. It’s been real Yosemite can’t wait to visit in the near future.

Mirror Lake Trail

Day 4 

By: J. Del Valle
jcd165@txstate.edu

Where art thou’ fisherman?

This morning was a bit different for me, I needed to find a fisherman to interview for my feature story. Which started off pretty complicated because I kept getting dead ends. But luckily a host at lower pines campgrounds gave me a lead and said I can find fisherman at Mirror Lake which was about 2.5 miles from my camp site. In tow with me was my professor and graduate assistant Tony we were all excited to get the day started and on our walk we got to talk just about everything from upbringings, family and education. It was nice to get to know my professor and graduate assistant on a personal level. While on our walk to the lake I accidentally routed us in the wrong direction, which put us behind 20 mins-it was honest mistake. After reaching our destination all three of us were in awe once we came across Mirror Lake and embraced the beauty that was right in front of us. But yet again I reached another dead end and did not find one fisherman in sight. Trying to think of another angle for my story my professor was kind enough to help me out and give me some ideas to considered. Once we made it back to our campsite I started on my venture for my feature story It was the start of a long day for me. After the day was done I was able to get three interviews, a good amount of  pictures and b-roll for both my mobile storytelling and feature writing class. My day ended on a good note.

Bears, Ghosts, Battlestar Galactica

Day: 5
Steps Taken: 35,370
Location: Yosemite National Park
Fun Fact: I'm getting really tired of barley making it on time

Sequoia the bear

Sequoia the bear
Photo by Michael Garcia

This morning Gabby and I went on a hike around 0500. We embarked on the Mist trail. There we met Sequoia the bear. Dale had named her that. The bear that Dale saw was still there. This whole trip I had been trying to see a bear and I finally got my wish. We continued on the path. My legs still feel like jello from the hike. It was straight up. The higher we got, the wetter we got from the Vernal Falls. After thinking about how we would look during our interviews that day, I decided to make the executive decision and head back down to dry off. 

Back to business
We made it to the nature walk with the junior park rangers. We had finally taken care of all that we needed to do. Gabby and I had been breaking our backs to get our stories taken care of before we leave and we had finally finished everything. Now we can actually enjoy the park. But, b-roll was on our mind. once we were done, I headed back to camp for a little r and r.

Dale and the boys

Storytelling with a ghost
Photo by Michael Garcia

We went to go see a John Muir impersonator for our final gathering as a class. It was funny to see Dale act like a little kid. The whole time I've known him, I always saw him as Dale, the professor. It was good to see him act out of character a little. After the play, Sam and I walked with Dale to fetch the van. On that walk, we got to know Dale a little. It was a good little send off for this trip. The whole time I wanted to get to know the man behind the trip. All in all, I got everything that I wanted out of this trip.


Tomorrow I would spend the whole day in an airport. But, it was all worth it.

Adjusted to California time

Day 3

By: J. Del Valle
Jcd165@txstate.edu


5 a.m. in Cali, but 7 a.m. in Texas
Woke up at 5 a.m. which seemed very easy to do and I walked over to The Meadows with Audrey, Mike and Sam in hopes to find a bear-but no luck- but it was nice to be up and watch the sun rise on Half Dome. It was a beautiful view and peaceful, after that I headed back to the camp site and started to get ready for the day.

J. Del Valle posing by sequoia tree by: Kamryn Allen

 Mariposa Sequoia Trees Our group headed to Mariposa to visit the beautiful sequoia trees, I got to ride with Jessica, Tony and Sam it was a great ride to Mariposa. The drive was about an hour and the sights there were amazing but also scary with the elevation getting higher. Felt like we were driving towards the sky, once we started to get closer I noticed the trees getting thicker and the height sprouted into the sky. It looked like a scene from the Chronicles of Narnia. Couldn’t believe what I was looking at it was amazing I can only say so much on text, it can only be experienced in person.

Ask a climber
After our morning at Mariposa we drove back to the camp site and continued on with our daily assignments. I was able to attend the “Ask a Climber” session that was being held at El Captain bridge which is considered rock climber’s paradise for some of the elite climbers in America, possibly the world as well. I was fortunate to interview an experienced women rock climber that has been living at Yosemite since 2011. Meeting Rebecca and hearing her story on how she started rock climbing made my day. It’s always fascinating to hear about people’s background she made the interaction very smooth and enjoyable.

On top of the Mountain: Day Five

Day Five

On top of the Mountain

By: Audrey Garcia

Arg136@txstate.edu

Steps Traveled: 20,369

Fun fact: There’s a YARTS bus that will shuttle you back to the Fresno International Airport for only $15.

Sam, Jake and I on top of Glacier Point

Thursday was my last day in Yosemite. I was leaving early to make it to my younger brother’s wedding, and though it was hard to leave the park, I was ready to see my family. I tried to use the shuttle buses as little as possible this day, as I wanted to take in as much of the sights as possible before my 5:45 p.m. bus to the airport.

I started my day by meeting up with Sam, Jake and Dale at 7:00 a.m. to head to Glacier Point, about an hour and a half away from our camp. Glacier Point is the highest overlook in Yosemite at an elevation of 7,214 feet and is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley. We were all excited to go to Glacier Point, and once we arrived we realized that we never wanted to leave the valley. The scene from the top of Glacier Point was breathtaking. You could see the seven mile stretch of the valley and every other major site that Yosemite has to offer. I was able to snap a pic of Dale and Sam replicating an old photo of President Theodore Roosevelt and founder of Yosemite, John Muir. Dale was John Muir of course. After some great photo opts, we took off on hour drive back to camp… where we couldn’t find any parking.

Sequoia treetops 

Walking All the Way Home

We had to park pretty far from base camp and decided to walk back in order to see Lower Yosemite Falls and some other great sites. The falls was so much fun. It was nice to get splashed by crisp water after a long walk. We also took this opportunity to get more b-roll for our final day in Yosemite. Jake led us to the Ahwahnee Hotel, where there were more Sequoias planted in the back acreage by some abandoned tennis courts.

Those last moments by the Sequoias were peaceful and fun and a wonderful lasting impression of Yosemite National Park. I can not wait to return. 

Inspiration in the Woods: Day Four

Day Four

Inspiration in the Woods

By: Audrey Garcia

Arg136@txstate.edu

Steps traveled: 16.460

Fun Fact: Weekly on Fridays, from May through October, Yosemite Conservancy offers “Yosemite Wine and Paint!”

Dr, Babak Darvish posing for a photo during Wednesday lunch

To say Wednesday was inspirational would be an understatement. After a great spiritual experience on Tuesday at the Mariposa Grove, I was able to schedule an interview with an equally miraculous doctor.

Dr. Babak Darvish an Iranian Jewish refugee from the 1979 Iran crisis, had moved to the U.S. at the age of 10. With help from HIAS, a Hebrew immigration non-profit, Darvish and his brother were able to get refugee status while in England, and they found a new home in New Jersey. 16 years later Dr. Darvish graduated from Ohio State University College of Medicine with the hopes of being an Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon, but after being diagnosed with a rare disease called HIBM (Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy) he quickly had to adapt and change his plans. Now, Dr. Darvish runs a nonprofit organization called Advancement of Research for Myopathies (ARM). He co-founded the organization with his older brother, who happens to also have the rare disease. Their goal is to find a cure and help others who are affected by this disease and other ones like it.

“Amazing,” I thought. I couldn’t believe I was able to interview this man and get to talk to him about his journey to becoming a doctor and non-profit founder.

A page taken during my nature journaling class

Seeing Stars

After having another emotional day, including a nature journaling class in the morning, Sam and I decided to head back to camp and take a nice break before going to the Star Party later that night.

We arrived at the star party around 8:55 p.m. and prepared ourselves for some amazing nighttime visuals. During the party I learned that the “Big Dipper” isn’t actually a constellation. WHAT? It is an asterism, a smaller group of prominent stars that usually belong to a larger constellation. I felt like I’d been lied to throughout all those elementary gym star parties.

The guide led a great star party and I even got to see several shooting stars. It was a joyous, new experience for my last full day in Yosemite.

Rise and Shine: Day Three

Day Three

Rise and Shine

By: Audrey Garcia

Arg136@txstate.edu

Steps traveled: 17,117

Fun Fact: Sequoia trees are the largest trees on Earth by volume, but have very shallow roots about 3-6 feet deep.

A sunrise above Yosemite Falls

A group of us woke up around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning with the intention to see bears prowling in the Halfdome meadows. Unfortunately, there were no bears to be spotted. I did, however, make friends with a tiny field mouse. I was sitting on a rock as this little mouse would run back and forth between me and a post about 8 feet away. As I was sitting, watching the gorgeous sunrise, the mouse would scurry over, look at me as if it wanted to climb into my pocket, and as I looked back at it, the mouse would run away. This occurred about six times before we finally left the area to walk back to camp.

Since we didn’t see any bears, we turned our attention to an orange-glazed horizon, and witnessed a glorious sunrise over Yosemite Falls. I got a few pictures, but they don’t do the majestic mountains justice. As the sun reached the tips of the mountains, my body and mind became invigorated. It might have just been the cold morning, but I was ready to walk around and start another adventure with my partner Sam.

A great Sequoia tree at the Mariposa Grove

Into the Heights

After the sunrise, we met up with the rest of the group at 7:30 a.m. by the vans to travel to the Mariposa Grove. I was very excited to hike through the grove as it was the center of my mobile storytelling piece. The Mariposa Grove is a newly restored masterpiece that shows off some of nature’s greatest trees, the Giant Sequoias of California. After years of visitors trampling on these giants’ shallow roots, the Sequoias were beginning to die. So, about three years ago, Yosemite National Park along with Yosemite Conservancy, decided to restore the grove with beautiful boardwalks and hiking trails. These renovations not only helped the trees but made the grove more accessible for all types of visitors at the park.

I became overwhelmed with emotion several times while hiking the grove. The beauty and wonder of these giants, that are thousands of years old, astounded me. Their presence made me grateful to be alive and their greatness made me emotional. I cried and prayed over the protection of these magnificent red tinted giants, as I view their lives as spiritually significant to humanities connection to the Earth.

Easy Goes It: Day One/Two

Day: One and Two

Easy Goes It

By: Audrey R. Garcia

Arg136@txstate.edu

Miles Traveled: 1,648 by air

Time: 4 hours 4 minutes

Fun fact: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s roadways are anarchy at 5:00 a.m. on a Sunday.

Had to stop for a picture with the entrance sign

Waking up at 4:00 a.m. seems to be easier when there’s fun travel plans on the way. Jessica and I had plans to be taken to the Austin airport by my boyfriend, Quintin, so there could be as little hassle as possible. Although being dropped off at the airport is an easier route, I wasn’t prepared with how crowded and crazy the roadways are leading into the airport entrance. Cars were swerving in and out of lanes, and they basically were creating their own lines. When we finally arrived at the entrance, I was very excited that my vehicle hadn’t been side swept. Once in the airport, Jessica and I checked into our flight and made it to the gate with ease. We met up with our professors, Dale Blasingame and Jessica James, as well as nine other students. Luckily, for us, the rest of the flights were a breeze.

Riding to the Valley

1,600 miles later we arrived at the Fresno International Airport in California and we were greeted by a display of fake giant sequoias, reminding us to stay off their roots. This got me even more excited about our car ride to the valley. On the two-hour car ride to Yosemite Valley we saw miles of gorgeous wilderness and awed at breathtaking landscapes filled with bright foliage and swift coursing rivers.

For lunch the group stopped at 1850 Restaurant and Brewery in Mariposa, California. I ordered the Chipotle Chicken sandwich, and the restaurant definitely delivered the goods. The chicken was tender and juicy with cheese oozing off the sides, and it seemed the whole group was satisfied after the feast. All the food that we consumed got us ready for the next coming hours at Yosemite National Park.

Once we arrived at the Yosemite National Park entrance sign, excitement filled the cabin of the van, and everyone was ready to stretch their legs for the next five days. We drove a little further and soon we were able to check into camp at Halfdome Village. We all quickly got to our tents, and got as much rest as possible as we anticipated what was in store for us during the week.

Landscape picture taken by Mist Trail

A great start to the week

Our guide, Kaleb Goff, teaching us all about nature.

Jessica and I woke up early Monday morning to retrieve some coffee before our first hike of the week. We then met the rest of the group at the visitor entrance of Halfdome Village. I was ecstatic about our guided hiking tour that Dale had prepared with Yosemite Conservancy for the group.  The hike was led by Kaleb Goff, a Yosemite Conservancy Naturalist, who you could tell had passion for storytelling and all things nature. Kaleb was very insightful and kept the class interested with every detail he had about the park. He talked about the “Leave No Trace” policy, which included seven guidelines to traveling parks without infringing on nature’s rights.

That’s right, nature has intrinsic rights. This is a concept that I always believed in, but the way Kaleb was able to explained it, the meaning became solid. Nature has rights and we should protect them. That was my biggest take away from the four-hour hike.

After the hike, my park partner Sam and I got our first interviews for our projects from Kaleb, and they were fantastic. We then decided to use the rest of our day to get to know each other, strategize our week and take b-roll as we decompressed from a great learning experience.

See ya' later Texas.

Days 1 and 2

By: J. Del Valle
jcd165@txstate.edu

The early bird gets the worm.

Woke up at 4 a.m.and arrived to Austin airport at 5:30 a.m. and realized I left my debit card in San Antonio. D'oh!

I learned that booking a flight to leave at 6 a.m. in Austin isn't the best time, because ATX airport is a mad house. Audrey and I were a bit nervous waiting in security checkpoint line because all three lanes were overflowing of people waiting to get pass security and we only had 20 minutes till our flight was going to start boarding. But good news we made it with five minutes till our flight started scanning tickets.

Arriving in the 559 (Fresno, California) 

Finally landed at 9:16 a.m.-let’s fast forward to 2.5 hours later and we finally made it to Yosemite National Park. My first impression of Yosemite Falls was this place is magical. Is this real life? I was in awe for a few moments.

Yosemite Falls by: J. Del Valle 

Once we arrived to Half Dome Village and waiting for the keys to our cabins we couldn’t help but take in the beautiful views that was surrounding us. Finally settled in our cabins our professors let us explore the grounds; my first route was walking through The Meadows by our camp site and couldn’t believe that I was finally at Yosemite National Park.

First night at Half Dome Village

After having my first experience in a community shower house I ended up in a stall where the hot water wasn’t running and took the coldest shower I have ever taken-my luck right-and the temperature dropped to 40 degrees that night. So, wet hair and cold night didn’t go well in the cabin I woke up at 3 a.m. to put a beanie on. But gladly to say I survived my first night camping our group woke up at 7 a.m. got dressed and headed to dining hall to get breakfast. 

First group activity: Nature hike with Kaleb from Yosemite Conservancy

Kaleb from Yosemite Conservancy
talking among the group by: J. Del Valle 

Our second day at Yosemite started off with a morning hike with Kaleb who is a season park ranger for National Park Service and volunteer for Yosemite Conservancy. He was kind enough to teach us some of Yosemite beautiful plants and trees. Some of the trails we hiked was John Muir trail, which is one of the popular trails at Yosemite. After our hike was able to grab lunch with the group and started our first day of assignments with our assigned partners. Kamryn and I walked to Yosemite Village which is mile away from our camp site, got to explore it by going to the wilderness center to get footage for our documentary. It started to rain for a brief moment and cleared up after 10 minutes. My first problem arose, while recording a interview for Kamryn my iPhone storage maxed out. So, I spend the rest of the day deleting unnecessary memory to free up space. Hopefully tomorrow goes smoother than today. 

Day 5: Final Full Day

Day 5

Final Full Day

By Kaylee Smith
kas294@txstate.edu

Best Snack: Rainbow Sherbert

Flights of Stairs Walked: 83

It's hard to believe it is our last full day in the park. When we arrived Sunday afternoon it felt like we had an endless amount of days ahead. Waking up this morning, we all had the same realization that our heads had been so down and focused on work that we hadn't allowed ourselves to explore the park at all.

Therefore, we designated the first half of the day to that and that alone. Half of the group went with Dale on the hour and a half drive to Glacier Point and the other half took on a hike in the valley.

This is where things got interesting. I decided to join the group doing the hike in the valley. You see, Texans love to underestimate the power of altitude. Feeling courageous, we decided to do the 3.4-mile hike to Upper Yosemite Falls. Easy, Right? Wrong.

When they say 3.4 miles they don't mean a nice hilly stroll. This was equivalent to walking 3.4 miles on a Stairmaster (oh, and don't forget about the elevation change). About 10 minutes into the hike we take a break to catch our breath. We began chatting with a fellow hiker wearing a Fit Bit who informed us we were only 0.3 miles into the hike. It is was in that moment we realized there was no way we would be able to this entire hike. Not only were we clearly out of shape but it was evident that this hike was about to take 7 hours round trip.

View from halfway point on Upper Yosemite Falls

Continuing to talk to fellow hikers, we learned there was a halfway point in the hike with some beautiful views. As a group, we decided to at least make it that far; to make all the sweat and heavy breathing worth it.

However, I can't say the entire group was optimistic. Allison Jones, coupled with her fear of heights, clung to every rock and tree branch she could find. However, once we made it to the halfway point, stopped, took a break and turned around, it was as if someone flipped a switch in Allison. She was conversing with every other hiker on the trail and cracking jokes.

At the bottom of the trail, I had the opportunity to stop and reflect for a moment on why we were here. For a week, Yosemite National Park was our classroom. We had the chance to apply what we learn every day in Old Main to the real world. Looking back on this experience, I wouldn't trade it for anything. We were given a glace at what a career in mass communication looks like outside of Texas State University.

We came into this trip overwhelmed and not knowing one another. We are leaving with pride in the work we have accomplished and as a close-knit family having been a part of this experience.

Water Coloring and Star Gazing

Day: 4

Steps Taken: 16,254

Location: Yosemite National Park

Fun Fact: I am a terrible artist

My crappy painting of a leaf
Photo by Michael Garcia

And I ran, I ran so far away...
Today started off early. Gabby and I wasted no time in picking ourselves back up from a rough Tuesday. We headed to the Visitor's Center to start on my story on Junior Park Rangers around 0945. We got a tip that they meet in front of the Visitor's Center from a worker named Silvie. However, Silvie was wrong. We needed to be at the Nature Center, which was located on the opposite side. Gabby, Ashley and I rushed on over. We were roughly 30 min late. We found ourselves in a familiar situation. We began to look for the group in the Happy trail.

Everyone's an artist if it's Expressionism 
The gang met around 1300 for a nature journaling class, where we already happened to be at. We met with Dale, who was geeking over the fact that he saw a bear. We met with Lora Spielman, who was our instructor for the class. It was surprisingly therapeutic. I never sat for a long period while staring at nature. We even painted. Still a don't got it. After, I interviewed Lora for Jessica's class.

I just kept running
In order to make another Junior Park Ranger meeting, I had to run back to the Visitor's Center. I have lost some weight due to this trip. It was rather challenging having to film someone else's child while being a male, especially when you are as awkward as myself. I still couldn't land an interview. However, it wasn't a total waste of a day. I was able to interview the intern who ran the class earlier.

The Stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of California
We got a chance to star gaze around 2100. I realized that I love stars. The whole day was just what I needed, a chance to just sit for a moment. The whole trip has been us on the move. It was nice to slow down for a change. Looking up gave me a chance to be a kid and let my mind wander.

Tomorrow is the last day to get everything done. The pressure is on. But, I am use to this. This feeling of stress is what I call home.

Yosemite Day 3

By Kyndal Goen

Kbg45@txstate.edu

Total Steps Taken: 15,234

Fact of the day: California ground squirrels are a very common sight among park visitors, however, most of them do not know that these native squirrels actually carry the Black Plague! These squirrels also have a very unique way of fending off rattlesnakes. The squirrel pushes all of its blood into its tail and whips it around quickly back and forth. This confuses the snake’s thermodynamic sensors in its nose, mistaking the furry creature for another rattlesnake. Thus leaving the common ground squirrel essentially rattlesnake resistant.

Majestic Tour

Wednesday marked the half-way point of the trip and for most of the group, that meant stepping things into high gear. The day held promise for Jake and I, and we each began our morning with successful interviews and a full itinerary waiting for us. First up on the list was a Majestic Yosemite Hotel tour, which started at two. Seeing as there was so much time before the tour, we took it upon ourselves to capture some b-roll of the interior and exterior of the hotel.

Majestic Yosemite Hotel
Photo by Kyndal Goen

When two o’clock rolls by, we gather in the hotel’s spacious green back lawn to begin the tour. We are greeted by our guide Corey, who tells us a little bit about his background and some history of the hotel as well. Peering up at the ten-story building in the middle of a national park sparked a bit of confusion and a tad bit of frustration. Why would anyone want to lodge in such luxury when in a place that urged people to reconnect with nature? Our guide seemed to have sensed the crowd’s apprehension of the idea of this hotel, and came to the establishment’s defense. Corey explained that in order to fund the park, it needed to attract the attention of some very influential people; thus the Majestic Yosemite Hotel was built. The idea worked, and with the donations of various wealthy parties, Yosemite, among many other national parks, began to see an uproar of funding and park attendance.

Naturalist Stroll

Wildflowers among Pinecones
Photo by Kyndal Goen

Second up on the day’s activities was the naturalist stroll through the back woods near the Majestic Hotel. Our guide, Marty, took us walking down the trail, stopping to identify trees, flowers and animals. We encountered a couple of ground squirrels and were even lucky enough to spot a coyote taking a nap in the tall grass. Marty led the group through the meadow and over to a small grouping of young sequoia trees. It was amazing being able to touch the bark and get a closer look at the branches. He then rounds us to a bridge overlooking the roaring river. Marty describes how there was debate between whether the valley was formed by river or glacier, and showed us sketches of what Yosemite likely looked like millions of years ago and how in fact, glaciers did form the ridges of the towering granite. As we gaze around the tall walls around us, our guide reminds us that our surroundings are changing rapidly and we have a responsibility to preserve and protect these shared lands so that future generations may enjoy our national parks for years to come.

Julia Parker, Where Art Thou

Day: 3

Steps Taken: 22,758

Location: Yosemite National Park

Fun Fact: Today was the day I realized that I am a journalist

A sign in front of the construction sight
Photo by Michael Garcia

Missed Opportunities 
Today the gang went to Mariposa Grove to see the sequoia trees, while me and Gabby chased down a lead we received the day before. We were supposed to interview a Emily Dayhoff this morning, but were quickly brushed off by her upon meeting with her. Gabby and I were back to square one. Something had sparked in me. I couldn't tell you what. But, I wasn't backing down from this just yet. So, we went the Camp 4 sight, where I was challenged with what is ethical and what is not.

I stood in front of the construction sight of the Wahoga Roundhouse that Gabby was trying to write about. I was trying to write about the Awahnichee legacy. I saw construction workers. I was heated. I wanted to write this story. But, at what cost? Do I disturb the people that want peace and quiet for a story that could put me on the radar of my peers and professors? Immediately I told Gabby that I couldn't do it. So we headed back to the Visitor Center to gain Kaleb Goff's number. He had mentioned he had friends that I thought he could put us in touch with. So, we were off again.

Who is Julia Parker?
As I waited in line to talk t someone about Kaleb, I woman made a comment about how crowded the park was. I made small conversation. To our surprise, she had mentioned that she worked at the park before and that she was a local. I managed to slip in the idea that Gabby and I were college students trying to write about the Awahnichee. The woman had mentioned the name Julia Parker, one of the last remaining elders, and that she normally hung around the bus stop in front of Yosemite Village and the museum. Her picture was everywhere in the museum. So, we were on the hunt.

We went back into the museum to find clues, to which we were told that the elders float around the park. So, that is exactly what we did. We ended up at the Majestic Hotel. We tried to find some clue of where Julia could be. Upon doing research on her, I discovered that she has a huge family of Basket Weavers. It could have been a possible lead. By the time we knew it, it was 4 o clock. We rushed back to the bus stop to wait for Julia. As time went on, our confidence began to diminish. Julia never showed up, and we would be told to drop the story.

Almost Famous

This graffiti was found on the Mist trail
Miwok stands for Native
Photo by Michael Garcia

One of my all time favorite films is Almost Famous. When I first watched the film I was the age of the kid journalist, 15. The story is about a kid journalist, who gets a break to write about an up and coming rock band. His feature is to be published by the Rolling Stone Magazine. However, after a chain of events, a near death experience, and the witness to a band breaking up, the kid never gets to publish the story.

I got invested in the Awahnichee story. These were people who had a rough road, and to top it all off, they were denied existence by the government from the years 1982 - 2009. If this story was to be published by the Yosemite Conservancy, this would be the coverage they need to get their cause out there. I was in way over my head to think I could be the one to take this story on. But, I didn't care. I wanted to. I've been in a position where I want to prove myself, that I earned a right to sit at the table. I wanted to prove to Jessica and Dale that I am a journalist, while also doing some good and helping these people a long the way.

After soul searching, I realized that this is what it means to be a journalist. You get your ass handed to and immediately need to get back up and ride that horse. I wouldn't have gotten this experience anywhere else. This trip gave me that feeling of belonging, and Dale and Jessica gave me my Almost Famous moment. One of my favorite moments about this day was a woman we met at the Visitor's Center. When I told her what we were trying to do, she replied "tell the world everything".

Day 5: Lower Yosemite Falls

 The Water is a Rush

By: Bailey Brown
Bmb153@txstate.edu

Steps Traveled: 15, 387

Fun Fact: When the water hits you from Yosemite Falls, all of your troubles go away.

Lower Yosemite Falls Photo By: Bailey Brown

Lower Yosemite Falls

As we prepared for the end of our Yosemite journey, there was a small hike that needed to be traveled. Professor James was walking with me as we headed for Yosemite Falls. We joked and laughed and lived in the moment. Once we reached the bottom of the falls we climbed the rocks and let the water hit us. It was freeing, uplifting, and it was magical. The people around us were so full of joy, little kids laughing and giggling as they played in the mist. Their was an elderly couple that stood from afar and they had such a big smile on their face just looking up at the falls.










The End is Near 

The hike to Lower Falls was my favorite part of this trip. Finally feeling the rush of water hit me and feeling like everything I did to get there was worth it. Yosemite is a place that people of all ages need to visit. It is wondrous, magical, and healing. It humbles you as you come back home to appreciate the trees in your backyard, the birds among them, and the small flowers below them. This place shouldn't make you believe the only beauty lies there, it is everywhere, you just have to notice it.

Day 4: Nature Journaling

Water Color the Small Things

By: Bailey Brown
Bmb153@txstate.edu

Steps Traveled: 10, 918

Pictures Painted: 2

Fun Fact: The beauty of Yosemite National Park in the beginning was captured through paintings and drawings, nature journaling is a way to keep that process alive.

Photos by: Bailey Brown

The Small Makes the Big Look Big

Leading up to the nature journaling class, it was expected we would be writing and documenting what we were to see in nature. However, it was the exact opposite, we were going to draw. Our art center coordinator, Ms. Lora Spielman, started the class with asking us to find a small leaf or plant to draw. Then she wanted us to write questions or comments about what we were drawing. The smallest plant around looked like a fuzzy pillow on top of a skinny green rod. My drawing looked somewhat similar and it was fun to do.

Photos by: Bailey Brown

Enjoying  the Peace and Quiet

Following along, Ms. Speilman asked us to find a piece of bark to draw and again do the same process. Searching for the perfect peice, there lied a piece of bark that had a tiny orange flower under a corner of the chunk of bark. It was a bright orange and changed all the contrasting colors in the bark. After our sketches were finished we went to water color them. Everyone seemed to be out of their comfort zone and enjoyed the coloring. It was quiet and peaceful, the only noise around was the silence.

Day 3: Visiting Mariposa Grove

Mariposas are in the Grove

By: Bailey Brown
Bmb153@txstate.edu

Steps Traveled: 11, 276

Fun Fact: The Grizzly Giant Sequoia Tree lives in Mariposa Grove. It is about 1900-2400 years old and is 209 feet tall. It is the 25th largest tree in the world.

The Grizzly Giant Photo by: Bailey Brown

The Drive to Mariposa Grove

Day 3 of our trip started with the best way to start the day. We were off to see some of the tallest trees in the world. We piled in the van and saw so many trees on the way there. The shuttle then dropped us off at the grove and we walked in. It was instantly beautiful. The smell of the trees, flowers, and the grass was so fresh and almost renewing. As we walked along there were bundles of honeysuckle at the base of the the trees. They were shiny and white and reminded me of my backyard as a child.

The Trees Never Stop Growing

As we walked along the trail trying to appreciate the giant trees there came a nice breeze. It was so hot yet the shade from each tree was comforting. There were many trees that had been cut down, even one that had been graffitied. Those trees were the ones that stuck with me. It hurt my heart to see so many fallen, and so many people surrounding them to get their picture taken. It was a graveyard as much as it was a grove. The butterflies flew around the base of the trees and they were larger than life. They seemed to be a symbol of new life for the fallen trees.

Travelogue day 5

By Samuel Turner
sbt33@txstate.edu

Day 5

Photo By Samuel Turner

Wow. Just wow. The views from Glacier Point were utterly breathtaking. Dale, Audrey, Jake and I woke up around 7 a.m. in order to make the hour drive up to Glacier Point for the morning. I can say without a doubt in my mind that the effort and time it took to get there was completely worth it. From the point you can see the entire valley. You get to see a past the granite walls that you are confined by in the valley. You get to see the expansive Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It feels as though you truly can see any and everything from there. I was left totally speechless. Going to Glacier point was the perfect activity to do on our last day in Yosemite. It gave us such a unique and incredible perspective of the park and truly revealed how massive and how much beauty is stored in the Yosemite Valley. It has been a great trip in which countless memories were created and life-long friendships were formed.

Travelogue day 4

By Samuel Turner
sbt33@txstate.edu

Day 4

Photo By Samuel Turner

Today was a lot slower paced than the previous days of the trip. The exhaustion of the week had finally set in and I just spent most of the day sitting around and soaking in the incredible views of the valley. While I was eating a snack and enjoying the views, a gorgeous bird with black feathers on its back and red feathers on its chest landed at my feet and sat there with me for a few minutes. Around mid-day several of the Study in America students took a nature journaling class led by Lora Spielman from the Yosemite Conservancy. In the class we learned to slow down every once in a while and notice the minuscule details and intricacies of all the wildlife we were surrounded by. As a part of the class we sketched some of the plants we noticed and filled them in with water colors and notes about what we observed. Overall, I got the rest that I desperately needed in order to enjoy our last day in the park.

Travelogue Day 3

By Samuel Turner
sbt33@txstate.edu

Day 3

Photo by Samuel Turner

This morning Audrey, Mike, Jaydee and I woke up at 5 a.m. to go and look for some bears in the meadow by our campsite. Unfortunately all we ended up seeing were a few deer and a field mouse. We stayed out in the meadow for a few hours to see the sunrise in the valley. At around 7:30 a.m. we met up with the rest of the Study in America group to make the hour and a half drive up to Mariposa Grove, the home of the Sequoia trees. These trees seemed to be something straight out of a fairytale due to their unimaginable height. The highlight of the grove was the massive tree fittingly named "Grizzly Giant". Its branches were as big as some of the other trees in the area. After the grove Audrey and I spent the rest of the day in Yosemite Village gathering interviews from the parks sign-language interpreter and a doctor. All in all it was a very eventful and busy day.

Travelogue Day 1 & 2

By Samuel Turner
sbt33@txstate.edu

Day 1

Today we traveled over 1400 miles from San Marcos, TX to Yosemite, CA. The first flight left Austin, TX around 6:20 a.m. central time and landed in Phoenix, AZ around 6:40 a.m. PST. Our second flight took off around 7:20 a.m. and landed in Fresno, CA at 9:30 a.m.. From Fresno, we drove to Mariposa, CA for lunch, and went from Mariposa to Yosemite. The total drive time from the airport was about two and a half hours. Once we got to the park we had a little bit of time to explore before calling it a night.

Day 2

Photo By Samuel Turner

The second day started off with a four hour guided nature walk with Kaleb Goff, a naturalist from the Yosemite Conservancy. Goff gave us all insight into things in the park most people wouldn't know or notice, like how the Staircase Falls only appear for a short time in the spring, or how the Ponderosa Pine Trees have a symbiotic relationship with a pine beetle. After the walk I got to interview Goff about climate change/the climate crisis for the mobile storytelling course and learned so much. The rest of the day was spent exploring Yosemite Village and the visitor center there.

Day 5

A strenuous hike and the last night in the park

Me, Tony, Kaylee and Allison posing at the halfway point on upper Yosemite falls trailh

By Ashley Bowerman
atb63@txstate.edu

Miles Traveled (on the hike): 1.4

Elevation: approximately 1,500 feet

Temperature: 87 degrees

Hiking tip: You should always bring more than enough water with you on a hike, especially if you decide to hike upper Yosemite falls

It was the last early morning in the park and a group of us decided to go on one last hike before we had to head back home. We had planned to hike lower Yosemite falls, but that quickly changed to upper Yosemite falls when we got off the shuttle bus. Why? I think we were feeling a bit confident, maybe a little too confident.

Upper Yosemite falls hike 
The trail started off flat and not intimidating at all. That was until we got to the mile and a half, vertical elevation, switch-back trail that seemed to come out of nowhere. With quite a bit of hesitation, we pushed up the mountain. Despite the unpreparedness of hiking such a tough trail, we never seemed to give up. We stuck together, took our time, and faced our fears. A few other hikers on the trail had promised us that there would be a pretty view of the valley if we kept trecking a mile and a half up the trail. Eventually, we made it halfway and boy was it worth it. The view of the valley from that high was spectacular. The hike back down the trail reminded us how far we had actually just hiked! This hike was a memory of the trip that I will cherish the most.

After the hike, a few of us headed to Yosemite Village to get some more interviews for our stories and take advantage of the Wi-Fi. This would be our last day in the park so anything else we needed to complete our stories we had to get today!

Family dinner
At 5:00 p.m. we all met at Degnan's Loft in Yosemite Village to have our end of the trip dinner. We had loads of pizza and even some complimentary orders of nachos and salsa after a complication with our order. We all talked about memories on the trip, told funny stories, and laughed with one another. It was amazing how close the group had become after spending only one week together. I can easily say the people I met on the trip have a special place in my heart and we will continue to hang out after we leave the park. 

John Muir Play 
After dinner, we headed over to the Yosemite Theatre to enjoy stories told by a John Muir impersonator. Anyone in the audience was open to ask him questions and he would respond with stories about what John Muir experienced as a mountaineer and father of National Parks. It was nice to be able to sit down after a meal together and learn more about the man who we can credit for allowing us to enjoy Yosemite's beauty.

At the end of the night, a bunch of us met up in one cabin and sat around and talked. We laughed so hard that most of us had tears falling from our eyes. I think most of the laughing came from delusion, but none the less, we bonded over embarrassing stories and memories from the trip. After a long day in the park, I sat in bed thinking about how much we had seen, heard, and experienced at Yosemite. I could not believe our time at the park was already over, but I knew that we would take home friendships, hard work, and memories that we will remember for a lifetime. Thank you Yosemite for making my senior year memorable and bringing me closer with nature. I will be back, and next time finish all of the upper Yosemite falls trail!

Day 5

This isn't goodbye.
By Allison Jones
atj21@txstate.edu

Miles walked: 12.70
Flights of stairs climbed: 165
Fun fact: Even if you can't make it all the way to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls, the view is still pretty great.

Our last hike
As the trip begins to wind down and the reality of leaving this beautiful place sets in, our group decided to go big on our last day. Although most of us still had assignments to complete and content to gather, we wanted to make sure our last day was the best day. The morning started just like every other day - an early wake up call at 6:00 a.m., a quick breakfast and stopping for coffee before we head to our morning destination. Some of the group chose to drive up to Glacier Point, which was about a four hour round trip. The rest of us chose to conquer a hike that would be more of a two hour round trip so that we had some more time to focus on our class work. But boy were we wrong!

My group was planning to head to Lower Yosemite Falls, which is about a 25 to 30 minute hike one way, and the trail is fairly simple. It's meant for the average park visitor rather than an avid hiker. The six of us were on our way to that trail when we suddenly decided to challenge ourselves and take on Upper Yosemite Falls. When we read that the trail was only 3.5 miles, we didn't see that as a problem considering our hike on Monday was close to five miles. But once again, we were wrong.

We started on what seemed like an easy trail walk around 8:45 a.m. The trail was steady with a low incline, and there were people of all ages around us. Around 9:15 a.m., we noticed that the trail started to incline a bit more than we thought it would. We also hadn't seen anyone pass us on the trail that was heading down - which was odd since most people choose to hike early in the morning with the crisp, cool air. About 15 minutes later we found out what we were in for. A large incline, unstable rocks and mountains of dirt carved into the side of a mountain is what we were taking on. The trail quickly turned from a fun morning walk into a scary, challenging hike. Nevertheless, we continued. It was our last day, so we had to go big.

A little over one mile into the journey, we met someone who was on his way down. He had started his hike at 5:00 a.m., and at this point it was about 10:00 in the morning. We quickly realized that we were either going to make this a half-day hike, or we'd hit the half way mark and head back down.

The final decision

Half way up Upper Yosemite Falls
Photo by Tony Klespis

Our group decided to make the hike up to the 1.5 mile marker because we heard from others passing by us that the view was beautiful there. When we finally reached out milestone, we felt accomplished and excited. The trail was hard, like really hard - especially for someone like me who is not an avid hiker. The view was incredible and unlike anything we had seen before. Pictures do not do this place justice, let me tell you.

We started to head down and by the time we reached the bottom of the trail it was close to 11:00 in the morning. We headed back towards our camp for a quick lunch and then left to gather more material for our projects. We were all exhausted but excited for the rest of the day.

Ending our day
The whole group, all 15 of us, met up for dinner and attended a play on our last night together. It was bittersweet. We've all gotten so close and this experience has been a gift to all of us. We all felt this feeling, so tonight was different. Most nights we all headed to bed early on because we knew we had an early morning to wake up for. But tonight, we stayed awake trying to ignore the fact that we'd all have to say goodbye in the morning.

However, it's not a goodbye. Just a "see you later."