When you read the book Hatchet, didn’t you wonder if you could do what Brian did? Did you ask yourself if you could survive, feed yourself and stay warm with nothing but a few tools? The Centaurus CAP students got one step closer to being able to answer that question, after learning some valuable lessons and survival skills on their class backpacking trip to Cal-Wood. 

The trip began like most of our trips, with a focus on fun. Trip instructor Johnny English brought a fishing rod and asked the students if they would like to try fishing. It turned out that, although a couple of students had fished before, none of them had ever caught and eaten their own fish. The challenge was on. Each student caught a nice sized trout. When we got to the campsite that evening they built a fire and cooked their fish. They tried a variety of methods of preparation: in foil with a little olive oil and with scales on the fish, scales off the fish, or just like a classic survival tale – roasted on a stick over the flames. All of them tasted great, and the best seasoning was the feeling of accomplishment they had from catching their own dinner.

The rest of the trip was as successful as the beginning. They marveled over the wonders of the mica mine and enjoyed a trip to the waterfall, which had settled down to a late summer trickle. During the hike they discovered nettles – the hard way. They played camouflage, roasted marshmallows and did a big service project building slash piles. They spent a beautiful weekend relaxing away from the stress of school, rediscovering the simple pleasures of life outdoors.

Thank you to Nature Kids Lafayette for continuing to make this partnership possible!

A big thank you to Cal-Wood for their continued partnership!

Check out more photos from the trip here!

Written by CAP Instructor Erin Angel