Lucy Guilbert-Neal '25
“We hiked through a lot of meadows, so a lot of times we felt very small around all these really big mountains that encompassed you…then once you were on those mountains and you could see where you just were in the meadows there was a lot of change in perspective which was not only fun and beautiful but also made you feel very accomplished. Like: ‘oh, I was just down there!’” - Shannon Murray
After 2 years of classes not going to Pyles (outings week being canceled for the current Juniors due to Covid and outings week as an on-campus “innings week” last year for the current Sophomores due to forest fires), the class of 2026 traveled about 60 miles East to Pyles for their Freshman outings week trip. One freshman said, “It was definitely something I will look back on and remember because that was the time everyone bonded together and came together as a community…coming out of outings you knew everyone and got to know them on a deeper level.” Although the trip consisted of various activities, including hiking and exploring rock pools, one freshman said that the Pinecone Ceremony had to be their favorite part. The Pinecone ceremony is a yearly tradition for Freshmen on their outings week trip. Everyone gathers around a campfire and those who feel compelled grab a pinecone and share a reflection of the trip or something they are grateful for, and then toss the pinecone into the fire. Through an interview with a current senior, I learned that many Seniors chose to go with the Freshman to Pyles to relive their Pyles experience through a different lense. Now that they are Seniors, they became the Senior leaders on the trip and used the time to get to know the Freshman and the new faculty that also went on the trip. One senior recalls, “My favorite part was getting to go back to the Teacups hike and jumping off of the big cliff jump.” This senior was grateful for the opportunity to go back and jump 4 years later after not jumping Freshman year.
As for my experience…A loud POP and the strong stench of burning rubber caused us to be awakened abruptly from the uncomfortable slumber that comes with a 3:00 am departure in a charter bus. Only 2 hours into what was supposed to be a 7 hour drive, the back right tire of the bus had exploded. We remained pulled over on the side of the road in the middle of the Mojave Desert for a good 5-6 hours, waiting for roadside assistance to come fix the tire. Our 7 hour drive was now a 13 hour drive. Despite this, the time passed quickly with conversation, palm reading, and sporadic short naps. Once we arrived, my group had a short 3 mile hike to our first campsite: May Lake. When we got to the campsite, we were greeted by two flushing toilets, a relief after being told that we would have to poop in holes and wipe with sticks and rocks all week. The next few days consisted of short day hikes, long 7 mile hikes with our backpacks to our next campsites, some really great food, bead ceremonies, swimming, cliff jumping, and so much more. But of course, different groups took different routes and had unique experiences of their own. One Sophomore, Colette Chang, stated, “Although the hikes seemed never-ending, and I was constantly out of breath, it made these challenges that we were all facing that much easier to connect and laugh about during dinner, when we all conversed while sitting in a circle on bear cans around the fire.”
“What if we miss a major life event?” asked a student on the bus to Kern. But instead of focusing on future events, they decided to live in the moment and make the most of their Kern experience. Junior, Shannon Murray, said, “I became a little bit more open minded…whenever you're backpacking, I think you really learn to roll with the punches and go with the flow and it's very much like a ‘yes and’ attitude.” Even after losing a pod leader and group member due to sickness, the group learned to adapt to changes and make the most out of the situation. Compared to their outings week trip last year to Joshua Tree, which was essentially car camping, the challenges that came with backpacking allowed their groups to bond on a deeper, more emotional level. This class has used this time together outdoors to make up for lost time and make the most out of their Cate experience.
We are all aware that outings week is a valued time for everyone in the Cate Community, but it is not the destinations that make it such a valuable experience, it is the time we spend with others in an environment that requires different skills. Each destination for all grade levels requires a different set of skills that allow students to step outside of their comfort zone and allow themselves to be vulnerable with their classmates and faculty members. It is ultimately this vulnerability that allows students to build relationships with one another that will last a lifetime.
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