‘This trip changed me in many ways…every accomplishment made me feel more confident. I really enjoyed this amazing time at Donner Summit.’ ~ Andrea
Andrea is just one of nearly 1,000 students between fifth and 12th grade who experienced a program this year at the Gateway Mountain Center for Place-Based Learning and Adventure, led by director Peter Mayfield. Groups from all over come to Clair Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit to hike past petroglyphs, wade into creeks and collect bugs. They count frogs, determine the health of meadows and perform in-depth studies on forests to measure carbon sequestration. Learning about the environment opens the door to learning a lot about themselves.
Gateway Mountain Center guide Kelly Boire said she enjoys working with kids from the city, ‘some of whom are quite sedentary and have never been to the mountains. It is really rewarding to see them work through their fears. They don’t think they can do it, but they are so proud of themselves when they can.’
‘I wanted to come here because I wanted to experience new things. … All of my life I have wanted to touch snow.’ ~ Karina
Mayfield heads up a stellar staff of 12 guides and educators who are passionate about what they do and have a staggering amount of experience with the transformational powers of outdoor education. Gateway program participants study human history while team building, rock climb with Alpine Skills International and embark on grueling hikes to the top of Donner Peak. Immersed in a mountain environment, sometimes for the very first time, they also learn firsthand about how everything in nature is interconnected. ‘A lot of this is to connect the students to the Sierra ecosystem,’ Mayfield said. ‘This is the top of their watershed, the third largest system in northern California, the Yuba River. We talk about what is downstream, and how the health of this meadow affects everything downstream.’
‘We have learned how to take care of our environment and the things we can do to protect it for future generations. … I think differently about the forest, I am no longer scared of it.’ ~ Yaritza
Pass it On!
‘Rock climbing rocks! It has changed the way I look at the place I live; I love the rocks!’ ~ Clayton
In addition to the Gateway Mountain Center’s outdoor programs for urban and suburban kids, Mayfield has brought an equally empowering program — called ‘Pass it On!’ — to Truckee’s Sierra High School. Students at the continuation school participate in rock climbing, backcountry skiing, snowboarding and other activities to develop confidence.
Serving the community is an important component of the program. After studying avalanche hazard assessment, route finding and winter safety, students learn how to teach those skills to others. This year, the high school kids will produce a winter safety PSA that will be presented on local TV, providing valuable information to both locals and tourists about winter safety.
Students have given back by volunteering to assist with restoration work along the Truckee River and at Clair Tappaan Lodge.
‘We really like working at Sierra High and think we have a great impact on the students,’ Mayfield said.
Sierra High School principal Jane Loomis agrees.
‘Peter really gets the students to push themselves where they normally wouldn’t go: avalanche training, rock climbing — the physical and mental challenge,’ she said. ‘He is really good with the students. He is a wonderful role model for the young men. We are really privileged to have him at the school.’
‘Rock climbing is an experience that made me get rid of my fear of heights!’ ~ Enrique
Mayfield’s goal for all of his programs is to ‘serve a lot of kids really well for a crazy small budget.’ Grants from the PG&E Stewardship Council, Mountain Hardwear’s Send a Kid to Camp fund and the Sierra Club Foundation provided $20,000 for kids from low-income families in 2009. Gateway also has support from Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation, Placer County Health and Human Services, Sugar Bowl, Royal Gorge, Donner Ski Ranch, Truckee Rotary and Clair Tappaan Lodge. Still, funding is always in short supply. The Center has just embarked on its first fundraising campaign, with a goal set to bring in $60,000 to help fund scholarships and expand youth leadership programs. For information on programs or to make a tax deductible donation, visit sierraexperience.org.
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