Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is one of the jewels of the Southern California desert. Due to its position at the intersection of the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts "JT" is home to a unique ecosystem. Add to that fantastic wind-carved rock formations and interesting mountains and the fact that the Park is only three hours from the LA Basin and you have a setting uparalleled for desert exploration. Rock climbers come from around the world to challenge themselves on the rocks of the Park but it is also one of the best venues around for those who are new to rock climbing. Outdoor education topics are virtually unlimited and include adaptations, geology, ornithology, navigation, astronomy, and camping skills, to name but a few. The best seasons for Joshua Tree are March to May and again October through November.
Death Valley National Park
The vast expanse of Death Valley National Park can be intimidating. While we don't do as many programs here as other desert parks, Death Valley is a great place to come to study geology and desert natural history. The name is legendary among desert parks and the place has nearly endless possibilities for exploration. It takes a lifetime to see all of Death Valley National Park. Each canyon seems to unfold with a geology that differs from the canyon next door. The natural history of Death Valley is spectacular - and holds some unexpected surprises, like waterfalls and rare desert streams. The human history of Death Valley makes for great tales around the campfire, and you don't have to stretch the truth to make the tales spectacular. Here is a link to Death Valley National Park to whet your curiousity about this desert gem.
Eastern Sierra
This is home for Outdoor Link founder Todd Vogel, and has been since 1988. The Eastern Sierra is simply an amazing place - the Eastern Sierra rises some 10,000' from the Owens Valley on the east side of the Sierra and any time of year there is some great outdoor activity to be had, be it a desert day hike, a peak climb or ski, or just a walk in the foothills, there's always something to do here. The Eastern High Sierra is also home to some of the best mountaineering in the lower 48 states. Mt Whitney is often visited as it is the highest peak in the contiguous states but not far from there is the Palisade Region, home to half of the fourteen thousand foot peaks in the State. North of Bishop is Mono Lake, an ice-age remnant famous for its bird life and interesting human history. One of our favorite school program itineraries is here in the Eastern Sierra, our 4 to 6 day intro to backpacking program, based out of Bishop.
Tahoe National Forest
Base for some of our work with organizational development programs. In this case, the Tahoe is host to the American Leadership Forum, which has a wilderness program that Todd Vogel is a staff member of. Convenient to Reno and environs, the Tahoe National Forest has quite a bit of potential for group and school programs
Morro Bay
The Morro Bay area is a treasure of coastal adventure and discovery. From a comfortable base camp on the coast, we take daily excursions to kayak on the gentle waters of the estuary, explore tide pools and encounter the diverse bird and wild life of the central coast of California. We'll be tent camping, kayaking, hiking and exploring the beaches, estuary, sand dunes, tide pools and trails of Morro Bay. Kayaking on the gentle waters of the estuary allows us to quietly approach for a close up look at the wildlife that thrives where the river meets the sea. Morro Rock guards the entrance to the estuary, and rare Peregrine falcons nest on the high cliffs. Beaches and sand dunes are habitat to hundreds of species of birds, both resident and migrating. The tide pools of Montana de Oro amaze with the diversity of life that shares the rocky coastlines challenging environment. Longer programs have the option to explore elephant seal rookeries, sustainable aquaculture farms, elfin and oak forests.
