A Conclusion From TEAM STEEZ and A Newly Formed Family

When I saw the list for the first time and saw that i was to blog on the last day I immediately realized the task that had been put in front of me... I was going to have to summarize a whole week of new experiences and people and express my feelings in a short testament. Unfortunately, this task has become harder as this experience has been a mind-blowing adventure that will last in my mind forever. So, for the sake of you the reader I decided to simply highlight my fondest memories and the people and places I will never forget.
TEAM STEEZ: Team Steez was the group that I had the privilage to work very closely with for the first three days. We were led by our instrutor Jill who showed a passion for her job and learning that is very hard to find. Together we dug snow pits that were close to six-feet deep and battled weather that no person wants to be in just to finish a research project. This group of people truly became my family this trip and I am indebted to all of them for the experience they allowed me.

YELLOWSTONE- On Thursday we had the opportunity to venture into Mr. Angelo's "backyard" and see the prettiest country that my eyes have ever witnessed. We traveled on the most popular geothermal feature trail in the park and WOW!!! was it amazing.

BOY'S DORM: The saying "boys will be boys" has never been so apparent to me as this trip was. I spend a lot of time with boys on trips for sports and other events but when you lock 19 boys in a single building for a solid week trouble is bound to happen. Headed by comedians like Matt Duke-Rosati, Chris Gibbs, and John Emery there was never a dull moment and there was always something to talk about in the morning.

Now, for today...
We began this morning by learning how to effectively find a rescue a person that had been trapped in an avalanche and got great instruction from Mr. Angelo, Tink, Park Ranger Ed, Bryan, D-reck, and Jill. We then went in to eat a quick lunch and headed off for Coyote Rock. The journey to the summit of Coyote Rock was a trecherous uphill battle that had a reward that honestly took my breath away. From the top we had a view of the prestine Teton Range and the vast untouched forest that it seemed no man had ever set foot on. After taking numerous pictures and grabbing a quick bite we began our very fast and exilerating ride to the bottom. We then packed, cleaned the dorms, showered, and headed to our final dinner. After dinner we went to the closing ceremony where we heard how great we are (ha ha), gave out awards, said our thank yous, and concluded with a Native American story experienced by Mr. Angelo that caused us to question native american stories. Overall the closing ceremony was an opportunity for us all to express our feelings on the trip and brought a bunch of peers and teachers together as our family....
This was an experience i will never forget.

- by Joseph Earl Pond
2008

The Sum Up

This evening, John delivered a line that made me laugh so hard I cried.

Then we sat in a circle, lit by a lone headlamp in a red Judge water bottle, and I cried for an entirely different reason.

Craig summed it up rather nicely: "I've had some good times at Judge, I've had some bad times. This was the best time."

Any words I type seem trite and hardly worthwhile. Though one thing leaps to mind.

Thank you.

-ryan

TSS

This has been an awesome trip overall. even though on the last day I woke up not being able to open my right eye because there was pus crusted on it. it has gone down now even though every one is freaking out over whether i have pink eye or not. On another note though i would like to say the campus up here is sick, we see at least a moose a day. Today we went to coyote rock near the campus and saw the amazing view. Then we went down which was the most fun part of the whole trip I believe, not only because we saw everyone fall, but because i learned how to tele ski on cross-country skis. this has made me to decide to tele when i get back and i start skiing next year. that all the time i have.

Will Bowers

First and foremost, the week was amazing. Most of us were not thrilled about riding a school buss up to TSS, but by the end of the day that was the last thing on our minds. The location of TSS is beautiful. In the distance you can see the Tetons, and everything around you is untouched. While skiing to all our various locations, EVERYONE, at least one, stopped and said, "wow". This is astonishing. Right now we are giving out awards, and i am leaning back just witnessing how everyone is getting along. The Valentine awards were giving out, and those went to Riley and to Andrew, i am sure there is something in the future. As i wrap this up, i would like to say everyone has grown closer together. We would not be this close if it were not for TSS. This is a paradise for every and any kind of person. As we come back tomorrow, i know you will see smiles on our faces.
Connor

These are the best days of my life

In my title is says "These are the best days of my life" but why? As we arrived in Kelly, Wyoming our faces became bright, the snow was lightly falling and the tetons hidden behind the clouds. When one truly has a chance in life to expand its horizons its amazing to see the growth in each person. For me I have realized that my true feelings come out when I am in nature and the mountains. I will take the things I learned at TSS with me forever and I suggest that everyone takes the chance to come up to the beautiful Grand Tetons

Coyote Rock

Today was awesome. We had so much fun skiing up to Coyote Rock. A couple of us took our sweet time, like Mr. Bartman. But we all made it in the end, but going up was only half the fun. We all had to ski down the enormous Coyote Rock. We all made it down eventually, and some of us even went back up two, three, or even four time. This was easily the best time of the day, we all got to watch each other fall down except for a couple of people. This was easily the best time that I have had all week and we all got to finish the day with a delicious dinner and Mason disco dancing until we all fell over laughing.
Brendan Schnopp

leaving heaven shortly

I used to love to watch all the lights turn on in downtown Salt Lake City. All the buildings suddenly just seem to come to life, glittering and blinking in the night sky. Yesterday morning, I saw something even more amazing. Stepping outside of my dorm into the crisp snow and chilled air, I looked up and saw millions and millions of stars. Here, there aren't any of those city lights or any smog from vehicles to deprive us of the gorgeous sky. This whole week has been a week of discoveries just like that one, and everyone of those moments has made us all take a step back, lose our breath for a moment, and just barely breathe out with a "wow."

At the beginning of the week, Mr. Angelo encouraged us all to search for our "roaring" in the time we were blessed to get to spend under those twinkling stars. I found my roaring several times throughout the course of the week, but never more than today when we ascended to the top of Coyote Rock. The entire group of students from Judge took off on our Cross-Country skis and climbed. And climbed...and climbed...but the second we came over the top of the final hill, I could no longer feel the ache in my legs, or the soreness of my tailbone from falling, or even my shortness of breath. Everything, just like the amazing view, was perfect. The air was clear, the view was incredible, and as high as we were, the Tetons still towered over us in all of their majesty. Never, in the world back home where our ears are plugged by the rings of cell phones and the music blaring from our iPods, could we have ever heard the breaths of awe we all took in, or the roaring that rang through so clearly in the pristine silence.

More than anything, I've been awe-struck by the friendships I've formed with people I never would have imagined. Joe is the most encouraging person to ski with: no matter how far behind everyone else I was, he always was ready to give me an "atta girl" and let me know that all my falls were "productive falls." Billy's knowledge about everything up here is extraordinary, and he's given me lessons on the stars and been a great teammate all week. Lisa is just hysterical, and I don't know how I've lived without her making me laugh for this long! Everyone else on the trip has changed me greatly in some way, and I'm sad I don't have time to list them all...

Yesterday, our Team Steez (reppin!) leader Jill told us that she has gone without a TV for the last 10 years. When we were in the van on the way home from Yellowstone yesterday and we turned on NPR, it was so obvious why. Within a five minute listening period, we heard about the shooting at the University in Illinois and the seven deaths. It's not hard to see why Jill wouldn't want a TV...hearing about something so terrible and unthinkable after experiencing something equally as unthinkable because of it's beauty, the way our world works just doesn't always make sense. Being up here has taught us all something, but so much of it relies on having had that moment of awe yourself, that I truly hope we are able to convey to everyone the importance of conserving our world, its people, and our relationships with each other after our experiences.

We'll be home tomorrow, after a long bus ride out of heaven.

- by Lieren Stuivenvolt Allen
2008

The Emery GIbbs Experinece

"It sucks to be you...if you stay up late talking....your gonna wake up (clap clap) early in the morning" Mr. Angelo sings to the boys bunk at 5 A.M. to wake us up a half hour early for our yellowstone adventure. Which I'm sure we deserved because we are always up late talking and laughing at the potency of the boys bunk after chili night. Normally we always take our time in the morning because we are always being woken up long before we should be, but today was different. Today we all got out of bed fairly easily due to the excitement of our Yellowstone trip. As we left our cabins we looked up and were in awe of the stars. This was the first morning that we were able to see them because of the thick cloud cover the previous mornings. Some just looked up for a moment, while others stood outside for almost twenty minutes just staring up into the Wyoming night sky. Breakfast was hurried due to the long van rides up to Yellowstone National Park. One and a half hours later we got off the TSS vans and loaded on to the snow coaches or vans with with army tires on them. Finally after another one and a half hour snow coach ride we reached our destination.
Bison laced the tracks of our cross country ski boardwalks. We skied a little past geysers that exploded, bubbled, and released major stenches. There were a few challenging downhill slopes that were very entertaining to watch people wipe out on. One of the highlights from the longest downhill was Craig Chiesa making it all the way down the hill only to eat it trying to show off his skiing skills on a jump. Another was Mr. Bartman crashing before, during, and after the slope; which of coarse he blamed on Joe Pond because Joe had waxed his skis and Mr. Bartman had stolen them. It was all laughing and good times, but it was made much more special from the beautiful surroundings and being with friends. We stopped to eat lunch by a large hydro-thermal pool (which didn't have the sulfur stench) and we were just in awe of the beauty. Many of us just sat back and took in the scenery with the idea of what it was like for the first people who came across this beauty and what was running through their mind. But before we knew it we were off skiing again to try and make it to see Old Faithful erupt. however we were slowed by bison feeding close to the trail and many stops for "Kodak Moments." We weren't able to make it all the way to the Old Faithful viewing area in time so we stopped across the way from it, where we still had a great view of this incredible phenomenon.
We had learned so much today and taken in so many incredible sights that it was hard to get back in the snow-caoches and leave Yellowstone. On the ride back to our cabins many were so tired that they slept the whole way even in the rough ride in the snow-coaches, while others just talked for hours. I (John Emery) learned so much on the ride back from Tinker who at twenty-five years old has lived so much as a firefighter and avid skier and snowboarder. Today was by far the most fun day of the trip and was the first night that the boys bunk didn't have trouble going straight to bed, to be prepared for tomorrow.

-John Emery & Chris Gibbs
2008

Yellowstone

2-14-08

We started the day with the normal singing of Angelo trying to get us up 30 minutes earlier than the set wake up time. Of course we had to get up but it was pretty easy since today was the day we were going to Yellowstone. As we headed to the dining room for breakfast everyone stopped in the fields and looked up. When I did so, i was blown away. I've never seen so many stars in my life, it was amazing! After breakfast (fruit and cereal) we walked over to the vans and were on our way to Yellowstone. Now I don't know exactly how long the ride took because i slept the whole time, but it was long. When we arrived at the expedition began. As we put on our skies we watched a herd of bison across the ROARING RIVER roam the hillside. With Brian at the lead we started our cross country expedition across Yellowstone. We saw many thing on our way to Old Faithful, geysers, water pools, mud pots, and bison. It was such an amazing sight. There were a few trouble spots while we were skiing that we all had to conquer. The first was a hill that you had to either go through some trees or go off a jump. I went through trees and i stayed on my feet as did most people, but the ones who went off the jump just could not land it (Mr. Bartman). The second was a tree stump that we had to climb over, which was very difficult with skis on. Anyway, by the end of the day everyone was out, we just couldn't stay awake. But right before we went to bed two people got our attention; Tinker and Mr. Bartman. Tinker taught us avalanche rescue which we will be attempting tomorrow and Mr. Bartman read us a story which made us reflect on all the wonderful things we have experienced on the trip so far.

- by Andrew Etzel
2008

inspiration

When I heard that I had to write a blog, I decided to wait for inspiration. It didn't take long. Thursday morning, we awoke at 5 am to clear, starry skies. In the 30 seconds that we stopped to watch the sky, two shooting stars shot past. It was a good start to an awesome day. We bussed and snowcoach-ed over to Yellowstone - some of us sleeping and others taking funny pictures of the people sleeping. Yellowstone was beautiful. It was a bright sunny day and actually warm! We had a quick ski and watched Old Faithful erupt twice. Again we had a long trip home, but it was worth the fun we had in Yellowstone. This week has been an incredible experience. I'm so glad I came. See all of you at home soon! We're coming back tomorrow.

- by Kaitlyn Kelly
2008

We are going to bed!

A long day doing research. We are going to bed! There will be a 12 hour delay on the blog as we head out early for our day in Yellowstone.
The Yeti

Team Temata's research project

Today we started our day with balderdash and then we split into three groups and made maps, snow flake and plaster of paris glaciers. we then spilt into our normal skiing groups and brainstormed about what we were going to research, how we were going to do it and what exactly we needed to find out. Team Temata's group decided to research the question of where snow is deepest; the meadow, the aspens or the conifers. We snow shoed to lower meadow and teams went into the different areas and dug snow pits, took snow measurements and measured the temperature of the trees in the different areas. We went back to the classroom and put together our powerpoint project, and Brian and the group spoke about family guy. After going over working on out powerpoint for about 3 hours, we went back to our cabins. Tonight each group is going to present their findings to the other groups.

By Michelle McKenzie

Day Three from Team Steez on Skeez

Today we got the usual early start. After heading over to breakfast and eating some delicous waffles, sausage, and eggs we headed over to the lab to plan our reseach project. Team Steez with help from our graduate student, Jill, decided to research the effects different communities of trees will have on thermal index. The higher the thermal index then the better subnivean animals can live, which is important because they are a food source for larger animals.

As part of our research we dug snow pits, and analyzed temperature, density, and layers of snowpack. We split our ten person team into two groups of five and each dug 2 snowpits in each community. Billy, Joe, Tyson, Alex, and Duke created a mini avalanche. The snow we were analyzing seemed to be unstable. At one point during our research we were all standing close together and there was a loud muffled "wummmmp" sound and we all sunk a couple inches. It was intense. The hundred foot conifers around us shook as the earth around us sunk a couple of inches. But it was a safe area.

The day finished out with our team putting together our data and collaborating on a research project. The weather near the end of our field work turned gnarly, and we almost didn't make it back from the near blizzard conditions (although we could see our cabins). This has been a great experience and I am excited about our upcoming trip to Yellowstone. This environment is much more conducive to learning than a classroom. I hope the week doesn't end too soon.
Tim Benvegnu

Gnar Gnar Pow Pow

Whew! Day two (2/12) in the books! Today was a great day for our Steez on Skis in Trees to do some prime research. First of all, yesterday was a great beginning. After learning to ski around, we got to playing some games, and Mr. Bartman thought he could take me, and he bit off a little more than he could chew! Anyways, today was a great day for a ski. We made the around two mile hike/ski to beautiful Phelps Lake. The view was AMAZING! (Check the pics). After a nice lunch on the "beach", we started to head back to the vans. Stopping halfway, we dug some sick snowpits. Ours was up to my chin! Biggest pit I have ever seen. The day continued with some more skiing to the bottom, which included a little free skiing down a fresh, untouched powder hill. It was, as our instructor Jill would say, "Gnar Gnar Pow Pow"!!! Definitely some great wipeouts. All in all skiing isn't as hard as I thought it would be, but still really hard. Getting up is the worst! The day ended with a way cool research thing in the Murie Museum. Looking at all the animals that lived in the area was so cool. Hawks were definitely the coolest. This is shaping up to be the best time I've ever had. Can't wait to keep it going!!! Steez on Skis Reppin!

-Tyson Moll
2008

Tameta's at Phelps

Today was my favorite so far. All the groups went to Phelps Lake, a beautiful body of water at the end of just over a two mile hike. On the way we stopped and studied the make up of water molecules and how snowflakes are made, we climbed a really big snow packed rock (which Brian was jealous of) and made some pretty steezin skits about water in liquid form to being vaporized and frozen. Then we continued up the mountain to the lake which we unknowingly skied across. We began digging next to a tree which turned out to be a small island...once we hit the ice we realized we were a little misplaced and got out of there fast. We found a good place, and dug a hole in the snow that could fit all four of us. After tests of snow temperature and density and some pretty cool pictures we packed up and made our way back down the trails. Finally after our second day of skiing we're getting the hang of it. Can't wait for tomorrow!
-Riley Kate
2008

Day 2 from Steez on Skis in Trees

Hey from the coolest group in TSS. Today, (being Tues.) we went on the long hike in the previously unaccessable land donated by the Rockefellers. We followed a trail through a good five feet of snow up to the impressive Phelps lake, at the entrance to Death Canyon, one of many formed by glaciers. We learned about fire, and it's importance in maintaining a healthy forest, and about snow and the different metamorphasis they take in the snow pack. The food is delicious, and we've produced very little ort Yah Judge! And in closing a small thoughts on cross country. It's like ice skating without the wall to cling to. You fall alot, you get good at getting up, and going downhill is like rollerblading on ice. There's really no way to stop...
Kelsey Hom

Second Day Sonnett

I awoke bright and early
The air was fresh and squirrely
We went to learn from e-stations
They were intellectual sensations

Breakfast rocked our socks
With yummy tater tots
With hearty sausage links
And juice and milk for drinks

The morning was filled with Balderdash
My Team Won!!! We should get cash.
We listened to Hendrix and learned about fire
And about how Smokey the Bear is a liar.

Anthony Bell

Day 2

Today we rose early and headed to breakfast. I had a good night's sleep. We ate a breakfast of tater tots, omelets, and sausage. Following breakfast, we went into the lodge and learned some new information and vocabulary before heading out into the field. We went on a long cross country ski trip to Phelps Lake, located in Yellowstone near the Tetons. We focused on the properties of snow today and spent most of our time digging pits to measure density, toughness, and other features. Skiing was the most entertaining as most of our group members have never done it before. After what seemed like hours of hiking, we got back to our vans and drove back to camp. We had a short free period then headed to dinner, where we indulged in the meaty goodness of home-cooked chili and garlic bread. As I write, Mr. Angelo is adding my name to his eco-terrorist list for a crime I did not commit. See Anthony Bell's blog for further details. WE will now begin our evening program.
Mason

tracking adventure/ experience

The day started out with waking up an half an hour earlier, which was six thirty. We all got dressed and met at the (MLR) Main Lodge Room, this is where we met to see if everyone was here together. We walked about thirty yards to eat brakefast which was amazing. It consisted of pancakes, sausage, cereal, and various types of jucies. After eating we came back to the MLR to play a team bonding/ competition in a game called Balderdash. A vocabulary game, in which we must write the definition and try to get the other teams to vote for your answer to gain points. After all the discussion and competitive spirits blew over, we went out to rent our cross country skies. Getting comfortable with the skies, we took trails to places that lead us to one of the most exciting places we visited all day, the wolf tracks in the teton mountains. We looked, studied, measured, and followed the tracks. After getting all of our information from our studies we discovered they were the tracks of a pack of wolves. We saw the scat (poop) and found out what kind of meat they had eaten. They were eating pretty healthy. Before it was time to go back to camp we followed the tracks up into the higher teton mountain. Even though it took alot of effort and energy to travel to the top of the ridge when we turned around to look at what we had accomplished, there was no doubt that everyone was amazed at what we were looking at. The scene looking over the whole teton valley with the sun grazing over the snow, lakes, and hills. Being so dazed about the tracks of a pack of wolves, they actually took us to something even more beautiful and breath taking. having thought our day was completed when we got back to camp.
Lewis Walker

Hoohah Hoohah Booyah's Update

Our first day on skis started off pretty well for the Hoohah Hoohah Booyahs. After a quick series of trips around a grid, we faced off against other group members in a challenging game of Sharks and Minnows on skis. After this, the groups split up and departed. Our group leader, Derek, had experience tracking wolves in Alaska, Maine, and the Carolinas. Everyone in our group took to skiing pretty well, but falling was unavoidable. After skiing a short distance, we had a scavenger hunt for calories that could be used for survival. We broke for lunch around 11-12 o'clock and split into three person groups to conduct our experiments, which all dealt with the way organisms adapt to winter conditions. However, the most exciting part of the day was when we found tracks and studied them. Afterwards, our entire group continued past 4:00 following these tracks up the side of a ridge, with everyone slipping. During the ski down the hill, we discovered that cross-country skis cannot turn very well. There were some spectacular crashes. After a hard ski back, we arrived just in time for dinner.
Seth Zost

Ski Day

I woke up a half an hour early because of the seniors. They would not stop talking all night and so Angelo woke all of us up early. I got mad at them and then Angelo stepped in with the "Eco-Terrorist Fund" and I ended up having to give him $1 on the first day. After I woke up it was an awasome day. We all learned how to cross country ski and played sharks and minnows.
Then we all went out into the field and learned about plants and all that but it was the best classroom environment I have ever had. The best part of today was watching people fall. TSS is awsome and Jackson Hole is full of crazy people and the best burger place Billy's Burgers. It is a lot of fun.
I love TSS.
Anthony Abt

Our First Day

After breakfast and our morning session today we learned how to cross country ski. We were supposed to learn at the "playground" near where cars park, but we couldnt due to a licking moose. Mr. Angelo's white Toyota Tacoma was being tenderly loved by a large female moose. Her soft tongue was licking every inch of Mr. Angelo's car it could find. So, we had to learn how to ski at a different area. To any bystander I am sure we looked ridiculous because everyone was falling left and right. We were split up into groups, then we went off into the field. My group started out by learning about the sage. We were taught why the sage are where they are, and how they adapt to the winter cold.
After that, it was time for lunch, which we ate in the riparian community. Next, we skiied up to the Aspen Trees. Our instructor hid candy for us, and we had to pretend we were animals foraging for food to survive. Almost all of us "survived" but there were some who did not. We also dug a snow pit in the aspen community and checked the depth and tempertature of it. Then, we skiied to the Conifer community and we had to decide why the conifers lived where they did. After much decifering and deciding as a group, we came up with the right answer. We also dug a snowpit there and compared it with the data we found in the aspens. We then went up to upper meadow and also dug a snow pit to comapre with our previous results. After the long, treacherous, and dangerous journey down the hill we arrived back at the camp. I learned a lot today and am exited for the rest of the week.
-Alex May

Monday

So we were supposed to wake up at seven o' clock, so naturally Mr. Angelo had the lights turned on at six thirty. It took awhile for everybody to get up, bt once we were awake everyone was excited to get the day started. First we all went to the main lodge and did nothing, kinda pointless. but after we headed over to breakfast, and had a nice surprise waiting for us. I had heard that the food was good up here, but this breakfast gave the park cafe a run for its money.
After breakfast, we went out to do our first skiing trip of the week. We would stopped at different points to look at some surroundings, and learn from our instructor. the highlight of the ski trip was when our group came across some wolf tracks. lucky for us our instructor is an expert at tracking wolves, so he had a lot to teach us. We spent a good hour just looking at all the details of the wolf tracks and learning about how to tell them apart form other tracks. When we had learned almost everything we could have about wolves it was 4:00 and time to go back to camp. But instead we decided to use our free time, and follow these tracks as far as we could, which ended up being quite the long trip. We ended up rushing back to camp, being a couple miles out, and only 20 mintues to get there. Half way back, Brian realizes that he has lost the phone and is scared to go back and talk to Mr. Angelo. We made it back for dinner, which was all that mattered.



-by Jordan Benson

Are we there yet?

Finally we made it to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I have never been so excited to get off a warm bus and out into FREEZING cold temperatures. Mr. Angelo laid down the rules and all the students went their separate ways. Some went to find a new cowboy hat (and were successful) and some daring students entered the infamous Billy Burger's. While eating his delicious burger, Anthony Abt looked up and had a spoonful of Mayonaise coming at his face. Luckily, he ducked and it hit the window and then the obnoxious cook who threw it at him told him to clean it up. The hot juicy burger and salty waffle fries were worth every second of it.

- by Matt Duke-Rosati
2008

Deportation

Today we embarked on a life changing journey to the Grand Teton Science School. After an 8:30 A.M. departure we endured a 3 and a half hour long bumpy bus ride to the town of Cokeville, Wyoming, which played as our first pitstop of the trip. I was surprised at how well my fellow mountaineers handled the boredom and uncomfortable bus. Many passed the time by swapping stories, reading or watching DVDs. After a quick pitstop and refueling we jumped on the bus for the last 2 and a half hours of our journey to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We manged to survive the treacherous Teton Pass and rolled into town with a bus filled with excitement.

- by Billy Brann
2008

Students Prepare to Depart

TSS students will be departing at 8:00 a.m. sharp Sunday morning!