Yosemite Conservancy Spring.Summer 2012 :: Volume 03
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YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY SPRING.SUMMER 2012 :: VOLUME 03 . ISSUE 01 Inspiring the Next Generation of Park Stewards INSIDE Youth Share Their Inspirational Stories Outdoor Adventures with a Conservancy Naturalist Expert Insights on Protecting Yosemite’s Bears Q&A With National Park Service Rangers COVER PHOTO: © COURTESY OF NPS. PHOTO: (RIGHT) © COURTESY OF NPS. OF NPS. (RIGHT) © COURTESY OF NPS. PHOTO: © COURTESY PHOTO: COVER MISSION Providing for Yosemite’s future is our passion. We inspire people to support projects and programs that preserve and protect Yosemite National Park’s resources and enrich the visitor experience. PRESIDENT’S NOTE YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL MEMBERS Youth in Yosemite: CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT & CEO John Dorman* Mike Tollefson* Changing Lives & VICE CHAIR VICE PRESIDENT Inspiring Stewardship Christy Holloway* & COO Jerry Edelbrock o you remember that first moment when you were spellbound by Yosemite? COUNCIL For me, it was visiting the park with Michael & Jeanne Adams Bob & Melody Lind Dmy family when I was five years old. I Lynda & Scott Adelson Sam & Cindy Livermore was mesmerized by the granite walls rising up Gretchen Augustyn Anahita & Jim Lovelace from the valley floor. Their sheer scale and Susan & Bill Baribault Lillian Lovelace Meg & Bob Beck Carolyn & Bill Lowman majesty continues to captivate me each and Suzy & Bob* Bennitt Dick Otter every time I visit Yosemite. David Bowman & Sharon & Phil* Gloria Miller Pillsbury At the Conservancy we understand the power of interacting with nature to bring Tori & Bob Brant Bill Reller Marilyn & Allan Brown Skip* & Frankie Rhodes about life-altering experiences. That’s why we are providing funding to cultivate the Marilyn & Don R. Angie Rios & Samuel next generation of park stewards. And why we bring you their stories in this issue. Conlan Norman Hal Cranston* Liz & Royal Robbins Dan Martinez and Vera Reyes, two of many Youth in Yosemite Program participants, Leslie & John* Dorman Lennie & Mike Roberts Dave & Dana* Dornsife Dave Rossetti & have shared their personal experiences so you will have a first-hand view of how Lisa & Craig Elliott Jan Avent* your support is helping empower and change the course of lives. We also talked Kathy Fairbanks* Marjorie & Jay Rossi with Park Rangers Shauna Potocky and Jesse Chakrin about the value of Youth in Cynthia & Bill* Floyd Linda & Steve* Sanchez Jim Freedman Lisa and Greg* Stanger Yosemite Programs for the thousands of young people that join each year. Don & Susan Fuhrer Jennifer & Russ Stanton Bonnie & Rusty* Gregory Ann & George* Sundby If you haven’t visited Yosemite recently, it’s a great time to come back and see Christy* & Chuck Clifford J. Walker* your support making an impact. You’ll see habitat restoration projects spanning Holloway Wally Wallner & the park from Tenaya Lake’s East Beach to Mariposa Grove and more in Dan* & Suzanne Jensen Jill Appenzeller Gregory* & Jennifer Jack Walston between. This issue covers new ways to make your trip planning easier whether Johnson Phyllis* Weber & Art you’re headed to the backcountry or staying in Yosemite Valley. Jean Lane Baggett Walt Lemmermann* Polly & Ward* Wolff Your commitment to Yosemite means that thousands of youth will have a life- changing experience in nature’s greatest classroom. We thank you for your support. HONORARY TRUSTEES See you in the park, Thomas Bowman Ed Grubb COVER PHOTO Erin (The Hammer) Hammes Genelle Relfe Thomas J. Shephard, Sr. pauses for a photo while shoveling snow chutes YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK at the top of Four Mile Trail to open the trail for Superintendent Don Neubacher the summer season. Erin, from Florida, is one of the dedicated California Conservation Corps *Indicates Board of Trustees crew members that spend their summer in the Mike Tollefson, President park restoring trails and wilderness areas. Join Yosemite Conservancy on Facebook and Flickr. 02 SPRING.SUMMER 2012 :: YOSEMITECONSERVANCY.ORG COVER PHOTO: © COURTESY OF NPS. PHOTO: (RIGHT) © COURTESY OF NPS. OF NPS. (RIGHT) © COURTESY OF NPS. PHOTO: © COURTESY PHOTO: COVER SPRING.SUMMER 2012 CONTENTS VOLUME 03 . ISSUE 01 ABOVE A Student Conservation Association (SCA) trail crew is all smiles before setting off into the wilderness. IN THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS 10 EXPERT INSIGHTS 04 MAKING DREAMS Wildlife biologist Caitlin Lee-Roney COME TRUE describes how electronic monitoring protects both bears and park visitors. Youth in Yosemite Program participants share their inspirational stories after 12 Q&A WITH A spending a season in the park. YOSEMITE INSIDER Park Rangers Jesse Chakrin and Shauna Potocky reveal the importance of Youth in Yosemite Programs for inspiring the 06 TRAILS RECEIVE A next generation of park stewards. MAKEOVER FROM YOUTH CREWS 14 PROJECT UPDATES Enhancements made for visitors Youth crews rejuvenate miles of trails, planning park trips, habitat restoration enhancing park visitors’ experiences while projects that improve the natural protecting wildlife and habitat. experience, and protecting Yosemite’s bears with electronic monitoring. 08 PLANNING AN 19 PROGRAM UPDATES ADVENTURE? DON’T FORGET Retrace John Muir’s footsteps with YOUR NATURALIST. Outdoor Adventures, and plan a memorable backcountry trip with help Discover all the ways you can experience from the Conservancy. Yosemite’s wonders with a Conservancy expert on hand to share their insider 30 READER PHOTOS knowledge. Yosemite Conservancy supporters share their special Yosemite memories. YOSEMITECONSERVANCY.ORG :: SPRING.SUMMER 2012 03 “Helping people like that hiker was a powerful experience.” — DAN MARTINEZ Yosemite Leadership Program PHOTOS: (TOP LEFT TO RIGHT) © ALEX LIN. © ALEX LIN. © ARC. © AARON GILBERT. (BOTTOM) © ARC. © ARC. (BOTTOM) GILBERT. © AARON RIGHT) © ALEX LIN. ARC. LEFT TO (TOP PHOTOS: MAKING DreamsYouth in Yosemite Participants Share Their COME TRUE Inspirational Stories t was getting late, almost 11 p.m. The hiker was panicked, having lost contact with his friend on their trek back from Yosemite’s Half Dome a few hours before. The air was growing cold. Fortunately, he arrived at a backcountry camp staffed by two park rangers and four interns Iwith the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP). YLP partners University of California, Merced students with National Park Service employees to teach stewardship and leadership skills. Dan Martinez, 25, one of the interns onsite that night, set off with the others on a six-hour search for the missing hiker. “We were the first responders in the area,” shared Dan. “Helping people like that hiker was a powerful experience.” Vera Reyes, 19, faced a different set of challenges in Yosemite as a participant in Adventure Risk Challenge (ARC), a 40-day 04 SPRING.SUMMER 2012 :: YOSEMITECONSERVANCY.ORG BOTTOM LEFT Vera conquers her fear of heights while repelling on Yosemite’s granite walls with the ARC team. TOP FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Dan pauses for a photo by the Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove. Dan finds time to reflect while soaking up the view during his YLP experience. Vera and her group joyfully celebrate their wilderness achievements. Vera shows off her newfound confidence in the outdoors. PHOTOS: (TOP LEFT TO RIGHT) © ALEX LIN. © ALEX LIN. © ARC. © AARON GILBERT. (BOTTOM) © ARC. © ARC. (BOTTOM) GILBERT. © AARON RIGHT) © ALEX LIN. ARC. LEFT TO (TOP PHOTOS: summer immersion program that uses the wilderness experience sure, it was him,” Dan recalls. The lost hiker was stranded on to improve academics, literacy and other skills. One of her a large rock outcropping, too nervous to go up or down. With memories was gaining the confidence to teach younger students the dedicated help of the park search and rescue staff and the about the park’s ecology. “Many kids didn’t know what a meadow YLP interns, by 5 a.m. everyone was safely at camp, the hiker is,” she said. “To help educate them meant a lot to me.” reunited with his relieved friend. Vera’s and Dan’s experiences stem from a common bond: Dan explained that these hands-on experiences in Yosemite both participated in Youth in Yosemite Programs supported reinforced his love for the outdoors and that he’d like to by Yosemite Conservancy. The Conservancy has contributed eventually work for a nonprofit conservation group. “Your more than $2.3 million over the last two years to fund a variety experiences in Yosemite always stay with you,” he shared. of Youth in Yosemite Programs with a goal to provide $1.3 million this year. These programs combine the best in youth FINDING YOUR DREAM JOB development with park preservation, such as restoring trails, Vera hadn’t had the chance to visit Yosemite until she was in 11th COME TRUE teaching children about the wild or working in wilderness areas grade even though she grew up two hours away in Dos Palos, a alongside National Park Service staff. small town in California’s Central Valley. Her family was busy with agricultural work and did not have time for exploring the outdoors. LEARNING BY DOING That changed for Vera when a friend invited her to Yosemite. Growing up, a trip Dan took with his uncle hooked him on the outdoors. “We went backpacking in Alaska and my “The first thing that caught my eye was El Capitan. I had no idea uncle taught me about natural history and animal there was such a granite rock like that,” Vera reminisced. “Just seeing behavior,” Dan said. “It made me want to try and and knowing this place existed gave me an urge to come back.” give back and contribute to the environment.” He seized that opportunity with YLP. By participating in ARC, Vera overcame her fears of public speaking, heights and trust in others. Along the way she Dan’s summer season was spent developed a newfound confidence and strong leadership skills. working with park rangers in the By learning to depend on others she found new strength in search and rescue group in Little herself. She also credits the program with improving her writing Yosemite Valley.