The Masker Report - Colorado

As part of the school's annual Outings Week activities, a small yet stalwart group of students and faculty braved what was unquestionably the most physically challenging of the eight canoe trips Cate has taken down the lower Colorado River below Hoover Dam. While Black Canyon's hot springs and cliffs provided a pleasant backdrop for the first two days of gentle paddling, once the head winds began to pick up midway through their journey the aesthetic power of the environment was equaled only by the power of the winds and waves the group confronted for the remainder of their Outings Week trip. A second day of bivouac was required before the Cate crew braved the 20+ mile-per-hour headwinds and the nearly three-foot white-capped waves to complete the final mile in just under two hours. As the winds picked up later that day, two 280-foot construction cranes at Hoover Dam toppled, closing Highway 93 on the Arizona side of the river. In spite of the dicey environmental conditions, the group had a wonderful time together, chatting about cultural differences between the East and West, eating Mr. Plummer's fabulous meals, and having many relaxing swims and engaging conversations during their off-river periods.

Students: Josh Han, Job Jivasantikam, Helen Kerr, Tim Su, Issei Suzuki, Whan Wongthaveepkij

Faculty: Donna Dayton, Jim Masker, Gary Pierce, Charlie Plummer