Reflections from Stein Valley

From October 16-19, the grade 10 Wilderness Pursuits class (14 students), accompanied by Ms. Logher and Mr. Bendl, backpacked in Stein Valley, a beautiful valley that has been protected from logging destruction.

After the three-hour car ride and a stop at much-loved Tim Horton’s, we were greeted by a First Nations elder. He inspired us to acknowledge our ancestors and to be mindful of our environment, rich with First Nations culture and history, while backpacking. We then began our long trek through the wonderful wilds of Stein Valley.

While hiking, we learned the value of each place we walked through. We saw ancient pictographs and unearthed the meaning of the Stein Valley symbol, which depicts the aboriginal peoples who worked together to protest logging in the valley.

In exploring the cultural landscape of the area, we also got quite a workout, travelling roughly 35 kilometres (with large backpacks weighing us down the entire way!). But we didn't slow down, and returned to site safely each night, tired but full of stories to share.  

As for these stories, we had a blast recounting ghost tales around the campfire, most of which turned into comedic tales. But the funniest part was hearing Mr. Bendl's true laugh. In fact, the trip had countless hilarious moments. We bonded so much that by the end of the trip, we barely went five minutes without laughing.

Overall, our Wilderness Pursuits journey was a blast. We had many valuable experiences and can’t wait to go on our next trip!