Crossing Yellowstone’s Caldera 2016
A winter expedition over 18 days in America’s oldest National Park.
Weary from two days of travel , nine students from Linworth Alternative High School ,in Worthington Ohio, arrive in Livingston Montana. Trip leader Andy Politz, organized this epic field trip, exiting the bus at 3:30am along side the rest of the group. Several of us came from different locations, meeting up for breakfast at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. This would be the initial meeting of the entire 13 participants and the last meal in comfort. There was roughly a 40 year difference in ages, as well as various levels of experience. Some had never slept in a tent. Others had summited Everest. It was a learning trip for all of us. Our goal was to cross Yellowstone by foot, pulling sleds and camping over 18 days in February & March of 2016.
Gear
Ten gallons of fuel, five stoves, six tents, one sled per person, personal gear, group gear, first aid kits and most importantly, high calorie food for 13 hungry people over 18 days. The start was chaotic and upbeat. Getting organized, figuring out our place and role in this long train, was a minor but important task. Our first day was long , walking until the sun set. We set up tents in the dark.
“The most significant dimension of freedom is the freedom from one’s own ego-in other words, from the feeling that I am the center of everything”
Wojciech Kurtyka
We settled in to a rhythm with loosely defined roles providing a sense of community and purpose. We were also learning. How to tie knots, how and where to put up unfamiliar tents, how to stay warm when the temps got to -20deg, how to be efficient packing and unpacking gear and food. And most importantly, how to survive the 4:30am wake up call by Andy. Shaken tents, a weather report (always cold) and a swift kick in the pants made for a rude awakening.
It’s not always pretty.
Reality
The snow is deep. Walking on solid ground seems like another lifetime. Winter gear is big and heavy. You can never have too much butter. It’s not all fun and games, it’s work. Sometimes it’s even boring. There are ropes and stakes and poles to navigate around your life space. Some don’t fit in. Others are superstars. The things you thought were going to be hard, were easy. The things you wrote off, provided the biggest challenge. Safety was always in the back of our minds. From wildlife, from injury, from the elements.
No one tells you
How luxurious it is to have three weeks, with nothing to do but put one foot in front of the other. That you can do more than you think you can. That mental toughness is everything. That this trip will be life changing and energy giving, despite all the work put into such an expedition. How seeing Old Faithful, with not a soul around, is a very, very rare experience. That the sound of wolves howling isn’t that scary. And that you can’t truly appreciate being warm until you are really cold.
Bison along road.
We always pulled over to the side when spotting traveling bison. We retreated out of sight, but they never passed. We figured out that they didn't like our sleds, neatly aligned along the wide road. Once we pulled them up out of view, the bison passed.
Nez Perce, a North American Indian nation and site in Yellowstone is steeped in history and tradition. Chief Joseph, leader and icon of the American Indian Wars, resisted his tribe’s removal from the surrounding lands by the US Army. For us, it was bear and wolf territory. We stayed in pairs, cooked well away from our tents and most importantly, paid attention. We had a ceremony on this sacred spot. It felt different. We all were aware of a special, spiritual quality in this specific location.
We are not alone.
These kids
Christina, Jess, Missy, Tommy, Eli, Shaun, Jack, Andrew and Adam. Rock stars, who shared cramped, stinky tents with nary a complaint. We learned from them, that youth is flexible, resilient and downright fun. Some rose to the occasion, while others learned this was not for them. All valuable lessons.
Motivators
The adults in the group came from different backgrounds and levels of experience. Andy, the trip leader, spent months teaching and preparing these Linworth Alternative High School kids for the trip. Mike, a leader in Summit for Soldiers, was master sled technician and provided a steady supply of humor. Steph, had years of leadership experience with NOLS. Stacy, having traveled extensively and years of winter travel, enjoyed being sous chef for all the hungry travelers.
Support
The depth and breadth of knowledge provided by the park rangers was jaw dropping. They knew the history, the flora, fauna and the explorers that shaped Yellowstone. They charged us to think about how humans impact the National Parks. We never truly do anything without the support, knowledge and expertise of others.
“An explorer cannot stay at home reading maps other men have made.” -Susana Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Many of us on the trip have had some grand experiences. From Antarctica to Everest and beyond. Most of us look back and know how truly lucky we all were to have had this opportunity. It was a perfect training ground for bigger things, be it in life, in travel, in stewardship or finding beauty in our own back yard. The outdoor skills, the getting along skill set and simply the inspiration to do things differently, will help us be a better human overall.