First Outdoor Education Trip is Eye-opening

October 28, 2022

Academics

GNS

I had never gone backpacking before and when I heard of the opportunity to go with GNS, I was excited to take part in the trip.

The three-hour bus ride went by quickly and as soon as we arrived, we split up the group equipment and started the hike into Strathcona Park. It was a little bit rainy the first day but by the time we got to the site, it started to clear up.

After what felt like a long hike uphill—it was an alpine hike—we settled in at the campsite on Croteau Lake. The campsite was in a breathtaking location as it was next to a lake with many mountains in the background. Each tent group set up their own tents and we got to make dinner together, then everyone played many fun activity games. As a new student at GNS I got to meet new classmates and returning students some of which like me, had never done an outdoor education trip and some who had.

The next day it was a sunny clear day and we did a day trip hike to Cruikshank Canyon which had an awesome cliff lookout view. We had lunch there before returning to the campsite. In the evening, we did a short night walk to another lake nearby and we were able to see so many more stars in the sky compared to back in Victoria because of the lack of light pollution. It was amazing because almost everyone got to see at least one shooting star.

On the next and final day, we packed and traveled back the way we came. During the trip, we learned about the plants and wildlife around us, and the impact humans have on the environment.

Overall, it was an eye-opening experience to get outside and reconnect with nature, as it was a chance to go offline and learn to appreciate the wildlife. I had a great time during the trip and would love to take part in more outdoor education trips.