I’ve traveled the planet, photographed and written for magazines and wandered along many paths in the work-world, but the position as Outreach Director for Deer Hill is special indeed. I’ve lived in the Four Corners region for over 20 years. The stunning mountain vistas, the alpine meadows waste-high with wildflowers in July, the sunsets reflected on the sandstone cliffs in the high deserts, the elk at their winter home in the valley, or the mighty rivers that cut through steep canyons, it’s all part of what I love about this region. It is why I’m here. Experiencing the majesty of this region and the wide-open spaces changes people. I’ve witnessed the transformation and appreciation that occurs when someone sees alpenglow on the San Juans for the first time, stood in a cathedral of aspens in the autumn, or negotiated the rapids on a river.

Working with Deer Hill Expeditions and Deer Hill Foundation gives me the opportunity to shout out to all of you just how special this part of the world is, and to present opportunities to those who may not have had the blessing of a wilderness experience before. Not only do I get to share the beauty and culture of this region, but I also can help create an experience and adventure that is a reflection of you, or your groups’ needs.

There are other vital components to my work with Deer Hill that are in keeping with my values. The Deer Hill Foundation provides financial assistance for promising students who would benefit from an adventure with us. Helping DHF get the word out about funding our scholarships and finding participants who are good candidates for our expeditions is beyond rewarding. It’s essential to cultural diversity in our programs and essential to providing opportunities to those most in need.

Then there is a component of service in all the DHE programs. I was raised in a family devoted to community service and its importance continues to influence where and how I spend my working days. Deer Hill has been providing community service in our region working with Native families of the Hopi, Zuni and Navajo tribes. DHE has formed lasting relationships that help not only the families we serve, but influence the groups and youth who participate in the cultural exchange. DHE also partners with US National Forest Service committing to conservation projects in the areas where we lead expeditions, ensuring we are treading lightly and giving back to those wild places.

So, you can understand my enthusiasm for my work with Deer Hill. If my words get too lengthy, my descriptors get very colorful, over-the-top, or a bit sappy, it’s because I really love this place. I love knowing that I’ve lit the fire for one more person to experience what the Southwest and Costa Rica have to offer, and the value that community service and cultural exchange accomplishes for the global community.

I hope that you contact me, let me know what Deer Hill and the Great Outdoors means to you. Tell me your stories and stay in touch. Laurie Dickson, ph 970.533.7492

One of the joyful challenges of living in Southwest Colorado is deciding what to do when the thirst for adventure arises. Looking east of our base camp here in Mancos, 13,000 foot peaks, knife edged ridges, alpine meadows and empty basins offer the clarity and inspiration that can only be found in such clear and open country. Networks of trails, routes and hidden mountain passes provide seemingly endless opportunities for hiking, biking and climbing. To our west, forested mesas drop off into the wrinkled and convoluted canyons of the Colorado Plateau. A land of unique beauty, ancient secrets, deep river canyons and sweeping vistas; there is simply no place like it. Whether following river corridors, exploring remote canyons or pedaling along a dusty single track, canyon country offers multiple lifetimes of adventure. Ask any one who works with Deer Hill Expeditions and lives in this area why they do and they will, at some point near the top of their list, excitedly mention how much fun they can have so close to home.

Part of my work at Deer Hill Expeditions involves sorting through all of these options, taking the best of the Southwest and planning how to share “our backyard” with those adventurous souls who sign up for a journey with Deer Hill Expeditions. While my job does not include actually going on these adventures, I do allocate some time to daydreaming about what it would be like to be a teenager and climb in these mountains for the first time, float along a desert water way anticipating a rapid I have never seen before or arrive at the Hopi Mesas and immerse myself in a different culture. In an attempt to test drive our programs, sometimes I settle back on my yoga ball and let my mind wander, a virtual exploration of what it might be like to participate on one of our journeys. This past afternoon I found myself taking a Southwest Journey….

Southwest Journey begins with a backcountry climbing camp set on the boundary of the San Juan Mountains’ vast Weminuche Wilderness Area. This is climbing at its best; a group of adventurous folks camped beneath a craggy outcrop, days in the sun climbing and nights under the stars sharing meals and stories. Life becomes a dependable rhythm of mutual experiences and simple pleasures. Each day, new climbing routes are explored as people gain a deeper understanding of how to synch mind, body and stone. Climbing is rigorous and rest days are important, so one day the group will hike to the top of Mountain View Crest, high above treeline from where they can see Colorado’s Weminuche Wilderness stretching out in every direction. Beginning in the high country sets the group up to be successful for the rest of their adventures and establishes a great tone for their traveling community.

Mountains fade in the distance as the group leaves their climbing camp and heads west to the ponderosa mesa tops of the plateau lands. Above the Dolores River, in a landscape explored by Spaniards back in 1776, there is an area of winding single track trails, shady forests and stepped canyons called Boggy Draw. Southwest Journey will trade its climbing gear for biking equipment and give their tired arms a rest as mountain biking becomes the focus. Backcountry living skills that were developed at climbing camp will still support the group in their new location and balance learned on stone will surely help them stay upright as they explore the forest’s trail network. The pure joy of zipping through the trees always provides smiles in abundance and the easy pace of basecamp life never fails to keep people content.

After two sections exploring remote landscapes, adventuring in wild places and learning new skills, the group will undertake an exploration of people and culture. From the mountains and mesas of Colorado, Southwest Journey travels to the Hopi Nation in Arizona. The Hopi are a people descended from the very first inhabitants of the Southwest. In fact, the mesas that the Hopi call home are the longest continually inhabited places in North America and are a rich showcase of Native American culture. The group will stay with a host family and share in an exchange of culture while engaging in service projects benefitting the community. Projects vary from preparing the Plaza for the Home Dance or cleaning out a spring that has been used by people for a thousand years to helping someone redo the roof on their house. Being able to experience the Hopi Nation through interactions with the community is a unique opportunity and often a highlight of this adventure. Those who visit this special place always return with tales of connection, community and insight.

As a celebration of shared adventures, new relationships, and the experience of service, and also as an opportunity to apply all that has been learned so far, Southwest Journey culminates with a rafting trip on the Green River. Desolation and Gray Canyons are a world renowned white water destination; one of the desert’s most scenic waterways and the place where this expedition travels for its last hoorah. Deso-Gray (as it is known to paddlers) provides the backdrop for reflecting on what has been experienced during the journey, a place to think about how to take this amazing adventure home and how to keep these new relationships vibrant in the years to come. It is also the perfect learning ground for developing whitewater boating skills in the 86 mile stretch of Class II and III rapids. Exciting days on the water and relaxing evenings on the beach provide balance to the last days of this adventure. From the river, it’s back to Basecamp to clean up, share a sweat lodge ceremony and celebrate with a gut-busting barbeque feast.

Eventually my mind wanders back to my desk and my attention focuses again on my computer screen. Daydreaming about my time on Southwest Journey has left me with little doubt that this is one of the best programs offered by Deer Hill. A variety of adventurous components that take participants from mountain tops to canyon floors, time with one of the oldest cultures in the Southwest, new skills to learn and people to share them with all facilitated by insightful and talented leaders; this is a program that is sure to please. Now, I just have to figure out if I can get 25 days off and if they will stretch the age limit for me….

Hope to see you here.

Eli

Flint Rock and Deer Hill proper on Day 1 of the Weber Fire

Flint Rock (upper right) and Deer Hill proper, (lower right) on Day 1 of the Weber Fire.
Note the red roof of the Palapa on the left.

Each year, as life here at Basecamp quiets down, the leaves begin to change and the mornings become cool enough for a sweater, we reflect on the spring and summer and define those events that make each year unique. 2012 was the Summer of the Weber Fire.

On June 22nd, a wildfire began on Bureau of Land Management land just a few miles down the canyon from Deer Hill Basecamp. Dry conditions and high winds caused the fire to spread rapidly, moving towards Deer Hill and our hometown of Mancos.

The day after the fire began, Deer Hill staff was notified of the order to evacuate Basecamp. We were given 30 minutes to grab what we could and leave, not knowing if or when we would be allowed to return. Each person took a moment to say a quiet goodbye before driving out in a truck laden with boats, backpacks and long underwear.

Thanks to the rapid reactions of our staff, friends and family, we were able to clear out all that we needed to set up a temporary Basecamp at Doug and Beverly Capelin’s home, 35 miles away in Durango and comfortably run programs. Within the next 48 hours we had two programs set to begin at Deer Hill East.

Wilderness Leadership and Canyon Country participants arrived in Durango as scheduled and proceeded with program starts as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The Capelins graciously opened their home to staff, participants and those family members who drove their children to Deer Hill East. Delicious meals were prepared in the kitchen by the Basecamp staff and served at picnic tables in the backyard. Tarps were lined up on the lawn and the Deer Hill Outfitting Store was set up in the garage.

Meanwhile, firefighters from around the country were doing their very best to save homes, livestock and the Town of Mancos. 10,000 acres burned, over 100 homes were evacuated and national news teams swarmed the area. In the end, only one building was lost to the fire. It was the Boys’ Bunkhouse here at Basecamp.

After less than a week, we were allowed to return to Deer Hill, an undertaking managed with just as much grace as our 30-minute departure. We moved in the morning and began Colorado Plateau Challenge in the afternoon.

The scenery had changed drastically; the fire came extremely close to many of our buildings, but again, thanks to the heroic efforts of the firefighters, everything but the bunkhouse was spared. The steep hills to the east have been blackened while all of our irrigated pastures to the west remain verdant. Even now, after just 2 months, spots of new green growth are appearing interspersed with the charred trees.

Entering into Basecamp is awe-inspiring; there is no hiding from the power of Nature while looking across miles of burnt Piñon. It is also offering an incredible learning opportunity, not only for participants but also for each of us who calls Deer Hill home.
We can see how fire moves, eating up the landscape through which it rages. Wildlife – bear, lynx, mountain lion, elk and deer – who normally inhabit the high country at this time of year, have moved down to lower elevations in search of food and water. We are able to understand that the oak recovers more quickly than juniper and that just a little bit of rain speeds the process exponentially.

Fire is a part of life in the West, particularly this region. While it can be frightening and threatening, it is also magnificent and a piece of the process that keeps our ecosystems vital. Yes, this summer’s fire was a bit extreme, yet for those of us who live and work here, we have learned to adapt, adjust and roll with the punches.

To the families for whom this was unusual, unknown and potentially frightening, we thank you for trusting your child with us. We not only appreciate that trust, but also your flexibility, humor and kind words during a somewhat challenging time.

Our participants whose programs began at Deer Hill East were amazing in how they remained completely unruffled in the face of what were certainly some unexpected circumstances. Many of them did not even see Basecamp until the end of their program. When they finally did catch a glimpse of the charred hillsides, they understood that they had each become a significant piece of Deer Hill history.

Here at Deer Hill we teach the importance of communication, working together as a team, putting the needs of the group before those of the individual, and doing it all with a positive attitude and respect for each other. We had the opportunity to put our principles into practice and are proud to have proven that they work.

To have been a part of this summer’s adventures has been a privilege for all. We have borne witness to the human capacity to rise above adversity and face it with kindness, generosity, hard work and a lot of laughter. The summer of 2012 had the potential to look very different than it did, but thanks to our incredible staff, participants, their families, our neighbors, firefighters and the Capelins, it will go down as one of Deer Hill’s most successful summers ever.

Deer Hill proper and Flint Rock (upper left).
The fire came mighty close to the palapa.

You may have noticed, in reading through program descriptions, we mention our Leave No Trace educational component and the opportunity for participants to put these principles into practice. But what is Leave No Trace and why is it vitally important to the ethos and operations of Deer Hill Expeditions?

Leave No Trace is a program of outdoor ethics (now administered and taught by the Center for Outdoor Ethics) that burgeoned during the 1960s and early 1970s, when there was a surge in the trend in outdoor recreation with an emphasis on wilderness areas. Supported and adopted by the United States Forest Service, National Parks System and the Bureau of Land Management, Leave No Trace guidelines encourage recreation on public lands while minimizing impact. Briefly, these principles are as follows:

1.    Plan Ahead and Prepare
2.    Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3.    Dispose of Waste Properly
4.    Leave What You Find
5.    Minimize Use and Impact of Fire
6.    Respect Wildlife:
7.    Be Considerate of Other Visitors

At its core, Deer Hill Expeditions is about changing lives through an exploration of the interconnectness of all life. We do this through challenging, honest, heart-centered adventure programming where play and service are linked as not distinct but complementary. We learn through intentional group and individual expression that all of us share a human connection and desire to live in peace and happiness. This is our human story – the humanity of Deer Hill. But place – our Base Camp and region – is as integral to the journey of self and of discovery and reverence.

Before any Deer Hill program, our participants “plan and prepare” for the unique portion of the journey they are  about to embark upon. Planning ahead is a pinnacle starting point for a greater awareness of the land they are to traverse. Through nearly three decades of programming, we have come to know that the land itself is the message. Every challenge presented, from carefully selecting and packing the right gear to learning about ancient cultures and why laws exist to protect artifacts, to gaining a greater awareness of wildlife through traces and tracks, we bridge the polar “I” with the greater “We”. The land demands we witness her vastness and physical challenges and plan accordingly. The land shapes how we experience the program and each other.
Pack it in; pack it out!

In most wilderness literature, one will come across the reference to “visitors who come and experience the land, but do not remain”. Deer Hill stresses the importance of being responsible visitors. All participants are taught basics around reducing impact, hauling out waste and leaving all plants, artifacts, rocks and specimens where they lay.

In addition, we follow strict rules around best practices in camping – choosing sites that are already established, thereby alleviating the impact on terrain that has not been trammeled in some way. And, we are made aware of others with whom we share this experience and terrain: both human and wildlife.

Leave No Trace is a series of ethics that offers an awareness of self and our potential mark on the world around us. In its basic, more rudimentary form, it has tangible effects by reducing the harm done by the thousands of people who recreate in areas most vulnerable to human impact: riparian health, endangered or imperiled flora and fauna, and designated special places, such as wilderness areas. On a higher philosophical plain, it provides context for why earth-care and personal responsibility in all we do deeply matters.

A complete community includes the biota in which we live, breathe, work, play and form relationships. Deer Hill emphasizes the importance of being a part of an ecological community. We emphasize an allegiance to place as home, and in this, a call to awareness in our actions. Leave No Trace challenges participants and staff to see ourselves and each other as stewards, guardians of the beauty around us, during our time here and for those who follow our path.

This is a guest post by our Staff Manager, Eli Shostak. Learn more about Eli, and our other field and administrative staff, on our Staff Page.

It may seem strange to be writing a post about trail running at the tail end of a Colorado winter. I grew up in southern California, where winter meant that there might be a day or two in December when it could possibly get too cold to wear shorts and if it rained the power went out, causing us to dip into our emergency/earthquake rations. When I say that this winter has been pretty ideal, with warm temperatures and not much snow, I want you to know where I am coming from. While a “La Nina” winter makes life hard for skiers, nearby red rock country has provided beautiful conditions all winter for trail running, an activity on which I am completely hooked.

This winter, encouraged by my wife Erin, I took my running to the next level and entered into the “ultra” trail racing scene. An ultra is a race of any length longer than a traditional 26.2 mile marathon. For most people, this starts at the 50 Kilometer level (that’d be 31.06 miles), though some elitists don’t consider anything under 50 miles to be of ultra status. Over the past few months I have run in two 50K races, a 50 miler and I am currently getting ready for a 45 mile race. For this blog, I thought I would provide some ideas about why you too might want to take up ultra racing. Submitted for your consideration:

• It is a quick way to take in some gorgeous scenery without needing much time off work or school. You might even get home in time to paint the new laundry room (for example).
• The people you run with won’t wrinkle their brows and ask “Why?” when you express your enthusiasm for running long distances. Likewise, these people won’t ask you “What are you running from?” with a smug “Aren’t-I-witty?” expression.  And perhaps most importantly, you won’t have to come up with a compassionate, original sounding retort to these unoriginal questions.
• You battered feet look absolutely normal when surrounded by people who have the same black-and-blue-about-to-fall-off toenails that you do.
• And also, these people have the self confidence to rock seriously short 1970 style roller disco looking shorts, even when the temperature is a balmy 37 degrees (Fahrenheit).
• Wondering about all those strange power foods you see on the shelf of your local sporting good store with names like Hammer Gel, Roctane and Sharkies? Not sure if Luna Bars really are just for women? There is enough time during a 50 mile run to sample a multitude of strange tasting “gu” foods, power chews, powdered drinks and other things that you might not otherwise ever consider eating. Maybe you’ll find out that Lemon Vanilla Cherry Coke Aide Slime really is your favorite flavor ever.
• After spending most of your day running, you will find that taking care of the things that you actually HAVE to get done can be done in half the time you originally thought it would take you to do them. Like grocery shop, walk the dog and paint the home office for example.
• If you live in a place that include snow, ice and sleet as part of winter’s many blessings, you could end up traveling to some gorgeous, sunny, warm and dry place where winter involves patios, beaches, flowers and bird song, to pursue racing during the colder months.
• After a long run you will be able to eat as many potato chips and drink as much soda as an eight year old at a birthday party.
• Participating in a race means you get a fancy eco type reusable grocery bag of race day “swag”. T-shirts, water bottles, pint glasses, strange medals, head phones, hats, coffee cups and belt buckles are just some examples of the gifts available to the race community.
• Speaking of the race community, you will spend time talking with total strangers about fairly personal things like your nutritional needs, areas of and solutions for chafing, pulse rate, body odor and etiquette around farting (sounds a little like a wilderness trip doesn’t it?).
• People who staff the aid stations are friendly, excited and want to help you. They fill your water bottles, give you food and say nice things about you. When else in your life do total strangers who you will maybe spend a total of 97 seconds with provide you so much support?
• Training for the event will motivate you to get outside no matter what the conditions, explore new places and push your boundaries. Perhaps all that stands between you and your ability to run 50 miles is your own mind.
• There is a good chance to have what I would call a religious experience. Running can be a very meditative undertaking characterized by deep feelings of connectedness to your mind, body and environment. There are numerous accounts of people under significant physical stress feeling that they are being surrounded by the divine. You just never know.
• It’s fun. At least, mostly.

N.B. Deer Hill Expeditions suggests that it might be a good idea to check with your doctor before you run 50 miles in the desert heat!

For over 30 years, I have guided people in the canyons, rivers, and mountains of the Colorado Plateau. This is a story of a young woman whose application to our program was almost turned down because I wasn’t sure if she would get anything out of it.

At the end of each day, we gather in Circle to “listen with respect and speak from the heart.” Although I usually conduct Circle around a campfire or bathed in fading sunlight or alpenglow, with this one particular group of teenagers, we always met before dinner. One day, we reached camp early, set up our shelters, and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon. A tent group of boys baked fresh bread with their stove and a “twiggy fire.” Others rested, talking by a small stream. Some even laid on the warm grass and slept.

So, it was that we gathered that dreamy afternoon, deep in a forest of aspen and spruce. Bill spoke of friendship, how he felt closer to people in this group in just three weeks than he did with his friends back home whom he had known for years. Ruth was excited about all the scratches on her legs from the off-trail hiking. Karen admitted that she had little to say because she was so content. Raoul from Chicago told us that he loved the quiet of the forest, that it was so “natural,” so different than the silence of his room in the city. And, then, there was silence in our Circle, for long minutes.

At last, Megan reached for the talking stick. Holding it with both hands, she looked around the Circle with a beatific smile. She spoke slowly, “When I am with Mother Earth, I hear beautiful music. I hear the little birds in the morning talking to each other. Every stream has a friendly song. Twigs snap loudly under my boots.”

Still with her all-inclusive smile, but now with tears running freely down her cheeks, Megan looked around the Circle, at our lips, to see if any of us were talking. She chose her words carefully, and enunciated every word with effort and passion. You could have heard a pin drop in the Circle.

“I love the sound of aspen leaves and dry grass in the wind. When a storm comes, the thunder frightens me. I know where the deer sleep because I can hear them breathing. I can hear the stars moving at night. When I sleep outside, I hear the voices in my dreams. I am so happy to be here with all of you.”

Megan is completely deaf. We gathered for Circle in the daylight, so that she could read our lips. We listened intently because her speech was difficult to understand. She knew how to “listen with respect and speak from the heart” and we understood.

Doug Capelin

Delicious, freshly prepared lasagna on the river. One with regular pasta, one gluten-free.

Parents sometimes inquire whether our programs are suitable for those on a gluten-free diet. The answer is a qualified yes. Although we can’t guarantee a completely gluten-free environment for the most severely afflicted celiac patients, we do provide gluten-free pastas and bread options for celiacs and those with pronounced reactions to wheat flour and other gluten products. The chief reason why Deer Hill has been among the first teen outdoor and wilderness programs to cater to gluten-free teens and other food sensitivities, is that owners Doug and Beverly have been following a wheat and gluten-free diet for many years, ever since their doctor advised them to use the approach it to address some health issues in the family. Now the whole family eats gluten-free. Here’s the story from Deer Hill Owner and Founder Beverly Capelin:

“Our family embraces a gluten-free diet, because through trial and error, we found it was undoubtedly the healthiest lifestyle for our family. As each of us took gluten out of their diet, we developed a stronger immune system, a healthier metabolism and we had a greater sense of well-being. This did not come overnight. It took a few weeks to get a sense that changes were occurring, and after months of improved health we became true believers. Back in 2006 I was actually losing sleep wondering how I was going to feed Ben, our now 6’5″  junior Olympian nordic skier, and optimize his health. He was devouring calories. The stress of his training regimen exaggerated his reaction to gluten and provoked severe health issues, catapulting us into gluten-free cooking.

We’d eaten organic foods for years and have always been a family that eats well and relishes creative cooking. But, no wheat, no barley, no gluten at all?? That felt crazy, and costly! Gluten free was just creeping onto the shelves of natural food stores. Now the choices are so varied, gluten free is in national chain stores and it is possible to find breads that do not crumble with every bite. Gluten-free may be dismissed as a fad by some. For us it has been a Blessing and we are committed to providing that option to those who come and break bread with us at Deer Hill… gluten-free or not.

Yum!

 

A Deer Hill custom program participant cleans up after a service project in the Bri Bri village of Yorkin. For the first time, participants on our Costa Rica Exploradores summer program will work with the Bri Bri during their 3-week expedition.

Deer Hill Program Director Jason Kroll reflects on the 10th anniversary of our Costa Rica Exploradores program:

After 9 years of continuous refinement and reflection, we are especially excited about our program in Costa Rica this summer. Thanks to continued discussion and feedback between me, Miguel Cabrera (owner-founder of our partner organization “on the ground”), and our field instructors, the program elements and itinerary for Costa Rica Exploradores 2012 are our best yet.

In addition to a very authentic homestay experience in a charming Tico village – where last year our group worked with local people on a reforestation project – the redesigned program includes service and cultural exchange with the Bri Bri, an indigenous people of Costa Rica and Panama who live in the mountains above the Caribbean coast, subsisting on farming and agriculture. The Bri Bri live very simply in balance with nature, in communities based around small-scale agriculture. Key crops are cacao and bananas. The Bri Bri speak their indigenous language, as well as some Spanish. We visit a community called Yorkin, which is situated above the Yorkin river along the border with Panama.

In addition to this new element, the program flows as well as ever between adventure and service elements as it moves from the capital of San Jose through the Cloud Forest, along the Pejibaye and the Pacuare River (one of NatGeo’s top 10 whitewater rivers in the world), and finally to the Caribbean Coast. In Costa Rica, Deer Hill works very closely with another organization, Exploradores Outdoors. This company is owned and operated by Miguel and Yency Cabrera. Through nearly 10 years of collaboration, we have been deeply impressed by the Cabreras’ sense of quality and concern for risk management. Miguel and Yency both have an impressive record of river descents and backpacking expeditions around the world. Their intimate knowledge of their homeland allows Deer Hill to offer you one of the most refined programs, off the beaten path, in Costa Rica.

All this, and the participants will also get to work on their Spanish every day of the trip through conversation with local people and guides, and the occasional relaxed class with our fluent leaders.

Whether you have taken a Deer Hill trip before, or you are considering your first trip with us, our Costa Rica program offers all of the quality, depth, adventure and reflection of our Southwest programs, with a little added “pura vida”!

Learn more about the program, see a photo gallery, and read the detailed itinerary here.

Deer Hill program leaders Miles and Britt pose with their Bri Bri hosts

The story begins in 1915, when Laughing Boy, an idealistic and very traditional young Navajo man, travels to Chinle, AZ for a tribal dance and horse racing. While at the dances, he meets Slim Girl, a beautiful woman who is Navajo, but who attended American boarding school and now has one foot in each culture.

Although Laughing Boy’s family doesn’t approve, he marries Slim Girl and they move to her home in Los Palos, setting up a quiet sanctuary for themselves; she, working in town, he, silversmithing and raising horses.  Life is wonderful until her past begins to creep into their world, causing a strained dichotomy between traditional Navajo life and the life led by Americans and also by Slim Girl.

They struggle to make their lives work and to find balance between their worlds. Their immense love for each other keeps their compass pointing north through the storms and they carve a path that is uniquely their own.

Laughing Boy is a beautiful read: poetic, lyrical and accessible to all ages.  It is a love story, a history book and a cultural statement, all in one fascinating story.  It gives such insight into the history of the Navajo culture and the beginnings of the changes that took place with the influence of the European Americans. This, and the fact that it takes place locally, in the Four Corners area, makes it a favorite read for those of us at Deer Hill.

Suzanne Strazza, Admissions Manager

The Sacred Headwaters

In March, Deer Hill field staff member Trevor Cobb will undertake an expedition to the far northern reaches of British Columbia, in an expedition to raise awareness about the plight of the Sacred Headwaters, a million-acre wilderness under threat of development for energy and mineral extraction. Trevor joined Deer Hill last year as a field leader on several trips in the spring and summer. His passion for exploring the backcountry in all seasons goes along with  a desire to protect the continent’s wildest places. Read the information about the project below, and find out more about the campaign to save the Sacred Headwaters at: www.sacredheadwaters.com The expedition is presented by National Geographic, and supported by Patagonia, Black Diamond and MSR.

“The Sacred Headwaters, located in the remote northwestern corner of British Columbia, gives birth to three of Canada’s most important salmon rivers: the Skeena, Nass, and Stikine, and has shaped the livelihood of many of Canada’s First Nations, especially Tahltan communities. Currently the Headwaters face the possibility of a fragmented future–claims for anthracite coal, coalbed methane, copper, and gold threaten this beautiful landscape and put the people and animals that rely on this valuable resource at risk.

The Skiing the Sacred Headwaters expedition will take five young skiers to the front door of local leaders and social entrepreneurs fighting to save their home. In our inquiry into the complex dynamic between economic feasibility, spiritual and natural capital, and sustainability, we hope to make insights into the way local people relate to wilderness in a perpetually modernizing world. Supported by local dogsled operators and traveling exclusively on skis, we will immerse ourselves in this rugged environment, documenting the splendor of the winter landscape, while highlighting potential alternatives to resource extraction for the region.”

Trevor Cobb, on the San Juan River with Colorado Plateau Challenge in summer 2011.