Every student in Upper School looks forward to class trips out of state and a break from sitting in school all day. This trip was especially important to me because it is the first outdoor trip I’ve been on since I’ve been at Keystone. It was truly a memorable experience not only for the gorgeous views of the mountains and lakes, but also for the friendships that I strengthened. This year’s freshman outdoor education trip was to Olympic National Park, which is located in Washington State.

As long as it’s a school trip, you have to wake up to catch the plane early. This time, the ninth-grade class was tasked with getting to the airport at 4:15 AM to catch the flight. It was a tiring but fun travel day. We went through security and were released into the almost empty (because it was 5 AM at this point) airport to search for breakfast and snacks. After catching a connecting flight, we landed in Seattle just to embark on a three-hour long bus ride to the campsite. However, it wasn’t as boring as you would think. The views were breathtaking and a good time to catch up on sleep. Arriving in the late afternoon next to Lake Crescent at the Nature Bridge facility, we settled in and explored the beautiful wilderness. 

Our class was split into three groups whom we would be teambuilding with for the rest of the week. Our groups were rotating around to three sets of activities for three days to avoid traveling in big groups. We went to places like the Sol Duc River, Lake Crescent (where we canoed), and the Elwah River.

Canoeing on Lake Crescent

The day to canoe on Lake Crescent contained many activities like learning about the types of wildlife, as well as the highlight of canoeing. On the day my group went canoeing, we played team-building games, a big part of the trip as we would play them every day. One was called “Where’s My Water Bottle” which needed communication and teamwork in order to transport a water bottle from one side of the grass field to the other. The main thing to look forward to was canoeing. Our entire group of around ten people were all on a large canoe. The hardest part was rowing in sync. Saying “row! row! row! row!” was necessary to be able to go anywhere. Although our arms were sore, it was relaxing to feel the breeze and learn about the different parts of the river.

Sol Duc River

The Sol Duc River was a beautiful place with trails and waterfalls. It was a place where we learned about the wild plants and animals that live in the area. The highlight of this day was to see a glistening waterfall, the biggest one on the trip and our reward after a medium-level hike. After seeing the waterfall, we stopped at a different place with a short hike to another smaller waterfall, but still, it wasn’t a sight to scoff at. Close to the small waterfall, there were seasonal mules and horses grazing on the grass. 

Elwah River

We first went to a stop to see a place where salmon jump up the rocks to go back to the freshwater. Although we didn’t see any jumping, we saw a rushing waterfall up close and in person. After that, we went to the beach near the Elwah River to feel the ocean wind and see Canada. The main part of the trip was the Elwah River, which was the site of the biggest dam removal and river restoration in history. We conducted an experiment near the river to contribute to the research on how wildlife is adapting after the removal of a dam. 

Mount Storm King

Mount Storm King was the biggest hike of all, and it was on the last full day of the trip. Our entire grade split into two groups that all went on the same day but split up so as to not block the path. The hike was long and had many switchbacks (trails that are like a zigzag over a steep mountain). It was steep, tiring, and dusty. Honestly, I felt like giving up, but since everyone was experiencing it, I pushed on.  It was the big finale to our trip, and being so high up on the mountain made me reflect on the entire trip. The views were breathtaking and arguably the best on the trip. 

Going Home

The last morning in Washington started at 4AM because we needed to catch a ferry. It was definitely worth looking at the ferry cutting through the water toward Seattle. After more connecting flights, we were back home. It was a late night already, and after getting up so early, it was time to get a much-needed sleep in our own beds.