Guest Blog – Marriott Basin LEAD Trip

Big thanks to grade 9 student Dori for writing this guest blog post about her recent LEAD trip:

For the grade 9 start of the year LEAD trip, we were on a backpacking trip for 3 days, 2 nights in the Alpines of Marriott Basin, where the Wendy Thompson hut lies. This trip was such a wonderful experience full of joy, laughter, and goofiness along the way. 

We ascended upwards towards the forest, it was rainy, cold and muddy. Along the way, there were obstacles such as huge puddles, and logs along the raging fast flowing rivers that we had to walk across. Then we finally reached the alpine after hiking around 6km. The alpine is a hauntingly beautiful place, where mist clings to ancient trees and shadows dancing among damp, glistening leaves. It felt magical, with the nature surrounding us, breathing in the scent of moss and earth. We had to tread through muddy ground, and large slippery boulders that made the hike challenging. After an arduous hike over treacherous boulders, we finally reached the sanctuary of the hut. By then, we were all soaked and tired, we immediately dropped our things off and huddled around the fire pit for warmth.  In our cozy retreat, we savored in the rich hot chocolate while enjoying the warming presence of all our peers. We all squeezed into the bunk beds, with the boys crammed onto the top bunks and the girls snuggled up on the bottom bunks. Even though it was squishy, everyone was grateful for not having to sleep outside in the snow, and being able to be cozy in the hut. 

After a long night of snores, laughter, and the distant sounds of soft raindrops. We woke up to someone yelling out “IT’S SNOWING!” and we all sat up at the same time, looking out the window and seeing around 5cm of snow. Excitedly, we all quickly made breakfast and chatted with our friends while we packed for the day hike. We split up into two groups, one was a short hike, and one was a long hike. On the short hike, we walked slowly around the alpine landscape, enjoying the breathtaking views we were seeing along the way. Then we walked down, by then, the snow had turned into rain and was slowly flooding the trails. We cautiously navigated through the trails back to our hut, despite the discomfort and wetness along the way, we all powered back through to the hut. Returning to the hut, the shorter hiking group arrived first, and we began crafting bracelets together. Soon after, the longer hiking group returned, and we all gathered to prepare dinner together. After Dinner, snow began to fall once more. Most of us went out for an exciting snowball fight right beside the hut. Snow was flying in all directions, leaving anyone vulnerable to an unexpected hit—whether in the face, back, or legs. By the end of the day, everyone was super tired and worn out and immediately fell asleep the moment the lights went out.

A huge thank you to Mr. Rich, Ms Alonzo, and our two wonderful guides, Kai and Brett, who were there with us. It takes a lot to organize a camping trip, let alone also taking care of 26 kids at the same time. The teachers and guides truly excelled in guiding us through the camping trip, making it a memorable and exciting experience. Their dedication and leadership brought the adventure to life in the most wonderful way. Finally, I would like to shout out every single individual that went on this trip, anyone who powered through injuries, sickness, and the discomforts along the way. 

 The trip was an amazing experience, full of adventure and unexpected moments. It’s hard to believe so much happened in just three days; it felt like both a long journey and a quick blink. Thank you, Grade 9s, for another fantastic and unforgettable Lead trip that we will keep in our hearts forever.

Here are a few photos from our adventure, enjoy!