Bench Lakes 2011

The weather and scenery for the Fall Trips was spectacular. While other groups headed off to their destinations, our group of ten strapped on our packs at Redfish Lake and made our way into the Sawtooth Mountains. We basked in the sunshine and admired the views of Redfish as we wound our way up the rocky trail. After a couple of hours, we were rewarded with the beautiful blue-green of the first of four lakes that make up the Bench Lakes. After much debate and several reviews of our map, we decided to camp at the second lake, where temperatures at night were chilly but stayed above the mid-20’s. There was more sunshine with a touch of wind during our day hike to the base of Mount Heyburn and the fourth lake. This lake was a stunning shade of deep blue and had patches of snow along the rim, making this single location perfect for a “refreshing” swim or a snowball fight. Both nights, we gathered on our log benches at camp, swapped stories, and reveled in the clear, star-filled night sky.

However, regardless of the vast number of stars that were overhead, it was the eight students in grades 7-12 and my co-leader were the true stars of this trip. When we arrived at the trailhead, the kids divided group supplies like tents, cook stoves, food, and water filters. After an hour or so on the trail, they willingly re-distributed the weight as needed, and the faster hikers kept those of us bringing up the rear in sight. The kids took turns preparing dinners and cleaning the dirty pots afterward, hung out together, laughed about the rain and snow during the infamous Fall Trip of 2010, and offered a hand to each other when needed. They scrambled up rock fields, crossed streams, and cheered for our first student brave enough to dive into the icy waters of an alpine lake. Alex, my co-leader, offered guidance and outdoor expertise, made sure we were all safe, and set the tone for a fantastic trip.

Throughout the three days, Alex and I would find ourselves smiling as we watched the camaraderie develop between the students whose interests and backgrounds were quite varied. These friendships and shared experiences will carry into the classrooms and contribute to our unique Riverstone community. Whether they are on an outdoor trip figuring out how to cross a stream safely or inside the classroom analyzing the results of their scientific experiments, in the words of our new Head of School, Bob Carignan, “our students are becoming the young adults that they are meant to be.”

I can’t imagine it any other way.