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Midland Explorers |
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 "The 2,860 acres gives me the space to go off and explore with friends. It makes this place so much more than just a school with great teachers." ~Colin Weaver `09
We encourage our students, staff, and pets to see as much of Midland's 2,860 acres as possible, and beyond. During our stints of free time, labeled "half holidays," kids can sign out to hike, run, mountain bike, or horseride. With nearly 30 miles of trails on our campus, there's always a new canyon or meadow to investigate, with dozens of species of plants, mammals, and birds to occupy the more detail-oriented student. Midland's property abuts the Los Padres National Forest--the state's largest national forest--and so we can literally hike from our back door for days. Students and faculty arrange camping trips, from simple overnighters to week-long treks. Lots of students bring their mountain bikes, as well, to give them a different perspective on our backcountry.
Hikes take place all over the campus, from the nearby "Bowl" behind the campus to an afternoon-long journey to "7th Corner," which involves a great deal of bushwhacking. Some Midland seniors have earned basic CPR and first-aid certification, and can lead hikes on their own. Once a year, the school hikes Grass Mountain, the dominant landscape feature on our property, together. We also have a tradition of taking night-hikes when the moon is bright.
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Pre-Dawn Hike Up Grass Mountain |
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Just before the Holiday Break, five students and a facutly member woke up early to hike Grass Mountain. There was a hope to find snow, but a warm and clear night meant that all the hikers found were muddy trails. But any hike up Grass Mountain is a good one, and as Peter King '12 asserted in his announcement, "It was all uphill, but we came out on top." Well said, Peter (seen below, kissing the tree at the summit--a ritual for the stout-hearted).
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Hiking in the Rain |
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In mid-October, Heather Waldroup '10, Kaya Lindsay '11, and Chelsea Young '13, celebrated the first rainfall of the school year by joining Ian Cummings for a wet, windy hike in the Los Padres Forest. The hikers descended the Davy Brown Trail through Fir Canyon to Sunset Valley Road and proceeded up the road to the Munch Canyon Trail, which they climbed until reconnecting with Davy Brown. The eight-mile journey required 2000' of climbing on the return, made a bit more arduous by waterlogged clothing and mud-laden boots. The entire party enjoyed the afternoon, and everyone was happy to return to a hot shower and a plate of ravioli.
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Student Scavenger Hunt |
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 Each year the team of students who won the previous year's scavenger hunt plants the clues - often 50 or more - throughout Midland's almost 3000 acres. The hunt commenced in early May. The scavenger hunt was initiated by Ross Kellogg '09 and Callis Chambliss '08. The hunt is really a treasure hunt that gets kids out on the property and allows them to get to know each other better and learn some Midland history.
This year in 2011, was Midland's fifth annual scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt took place all around campus from Stillman porch to Sycamore Campground. Last year's winners: Miguel Provencio '13, Peter King '12 and Emma Munger '08 set up this year's hunt. The clues mostly focused on Midland's history with questions about Alums or the "lap tree" to finding Midland's first outdoor amphitheater. This year's hunt was full of competition and, with some last minute negotiations, was won by Miles Dakin '13, Daniel Nimmo '11, Luke Carpenter '12, Meghan Brown '11, Phoebe Stokes '12, Nessa Ryan '11, Erin Williams-Tyler '12, Pebbles Gonzales '13, Kaya Lindsay '11, Rachel Featherstone '11, Charlie Lehman '13, and faculty members Roddy and Kyle Taylor, and Derek Harwell '88. The prize was a treasure chest full of random "stuff" that last year's winners put in it, along with all the past winners' "deepest darkest secrets." The hunt was a very fun way for Midland students to get out on the property while learning some of Midland's great history. Next year the treasure hunt will be set up by Miles, Charlie, Phoebe, Roddy, Derek and Erin. In this photo, 2010 Scavenger Hunt runner-ups Nessa Ryan '11 and Erin Williams-Tyler '12 are at Senior Cabin looking for clues. They were SO close as they later learned the clue was under that table!
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