Gulch Blog
By Jordan Stone, Executive Director, Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions I first arrived at Cottonwood Gulch in 2007 as a road cook for our Prairie Trek expedition. That summer job, so long ago now, became a calling that has spanned nearly two decades, culminating in my leadership during our centennial year. Now, each day, working as the…
Leadership is often talked about in classrooms, sports teams, and extracurricular activities. What’s often left out of the conversation is how leadership wilderness programs for teens helps them become tomorrow’s leaders. Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons happen far from screens, schedules, and everyday routines. They happen while navigating a trail with a group.…
Today’s children and teens are growing up in a world that is more connected than ever before. In many ways this affords them advantages in learning and exposure to a world of far greater scale than their forebears. But, there’s also a downside to this all-encompassing digital reality. For this reason we feel Cottonwood’s Summer…
Discover Dinosaurs in the Field: An Introduction to Paleontology Trek For Teens with Cottonwood Gulch For many young people, an early fascination with dinosaurs begins with museum exhibits, books, or documentaries about prehistoric life. But this paleontology trek for teens and aspiring scientists is much more than studying fossils behind glass. It is a field…
Whispering to myself, “Red in the shed and follow Fred,” I’m standing in a narrow strip of woods as a middle school student trying to master the art and science of using a compass. I remember thinking 1. This is impossible and 2. What will I possibly use this for? Turns out that as an…
We want to know what you think! We’re working on a strategic planning process and are looking for input. You may have already completed a survey or had a phone call with us and if so, thank you! If not, we would really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. We have a number of different surveys…
We invested energy and time helping our local community to build meaningful relationships with neighbors. A few examples: We partnered with the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID Relief group to turn our Mess Hall into a food distribution center. A combination of Gulch staff and community volunteers sorted, packaged, and delivered enough food to feed…
The QM building design harkens back to the historic Mess Hall look while providing space for logistics, winter lodging, and storage. It’s been a long time coming, and because of that, we are so happy to announce the completion of our recent building project! The building and expansion on the Mess Hall that was envisioned…
A double rainbow over the Bachechi Open Space Environmental Education Building reminds us all that COVID pass. In the meantime, we can celebrate our own resilience, adaptability, and the luck we have in enjoying natural spaces close to home. Bachechi in the Time of COVID Since we’ve entered into the Era of COVID- our work…
Fall 2020 Youth Conservation Corps Pajarito Mountain, NM 10/8/20 – I was called to the field to replace staffer Donna for a few days with the YCC crew. I headed up to Española, hopped on the bus, and drove right up the mountain. The crew onboard assured me they were into rocks and music –…