The Great Outdoors

Students find sanctuary in spending time doing their favorite outdoor activity and exploring California’s natural wonders

From the crowded cities to the mellow mountains, California is known as a land of opportunity. Surrounded by many diverse regions and climates, this large state has been exploited for resources as far back as its admission to the union. Today, California is known for its bright city lights and a hub of fame and fortune. It has become easy to turn a blind eye to the awe of the natural land as we often get caught up in the chaos of our day-to-day lives. Many Paly students who enjoy the outdoors recognize the benefits that spending time in nature has on their mental and physical health and how they in turn view the world around them.

Desolation Wilderness

Northstar California Resort

Mount Shasta

Highway 1

Castle Rock State Park

Coastal Bike Loop

After spending several weeks bound to A trip to the snow serves as an escape for the confines of her bedroom walls, soph- senior Catherine Reller. From a young omore Alden Backstrand’s mind wan- age, Reller has been encouraged by her dered far into the great outdoors. For as dad to enjoy all the benefits the outdoors long as she can remember, Backstrand has to offer. “It is a really good time to has been hiking with her family and be- reflect on yourself and figure out what gan to develop her love for backpacking you want without all of the chaos hapat age nine. For count- pening at home,” Relless years, Backstrand “Mentally, it’s a ler said. She has gone would go backpacking with friends at summer place where just backcountry skiing on an overnight trip near camp and it was there being in nature Mount Shasta and regthat she made treasured calms yourself” ularly skis at Squaw memories. Due to the Valley which overlooks pandemic, Backstrand Lake Tahoe. “I will alcould not make her way Reed Schulman, boulderer ways remember this back to camp, but she powder day I spent with was able to create her own backpack- my dad when all of the roads closed and ing group with a few friends from camp. we were alone on the mountain,” Reller Over the summer, Backstrand and her said. With the soft snow absorbing all of friends backpacked at Desolation Wil- the sound waves around them, the silent derness in Lake Tahoe where they put outdoors made Reller and her dad feel all of their camp skills to the test and de- like the only people in the world. stressed from life’s chaos. “It cleansed my mind and soul,” Backstrand said. “I felt the mountains within me.” NATALIA COSSIO Being the only person for miles, climbing a boulder deep in the lush California wilderness is reasonably daunting to some, but to Paly sophomore Reed Schulman, it’s just what the doctor ordered. “Mentally, it’s a place where just being in nature calms yourself,” Schulman said. It was not until three years ago that Schulman picked up bouldering—a type of rock climbing that does not require ropes or harnesses. Schulman was able to climb crags, which are essentially rugged rock faces, multiple days a week because of the endless amount of free time that came with the pandemic. One of Schulman’s favorite crags is at Castle Rock State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains. The reward received from hard work when bouldering is what helps Schulman keep a clear head amidst all the craziness. “Popping out on the boulder after working at it for sometimes weeks at a time,” Schulman said. “That’s a pretty good feeling.”

ELIZABETH FETTER

NICOLO DEFENDI-CHO

For sophomore Nicolo Defendi-Cho, there is never a trail too hard to conquer with his mountain bike. Defendi-Cho discovered mountain biking from watching countless Youtube videos and knew he had to try it out. Now, mountain biking is one of the most prominent parts of his life. Defendi-Cho enjoys biking during the summer because he has the opportunity to go five times a week. During the school year he goes at least three to four times a week when he can. Defendi-Cho looks forward to Hucksgiving, a mountain biking event held at Carlmont High School every year just before Thanksgiving. “A bunch of people get together and we all ride the jumps and it’s really fun,” Defendi-Cho said. He also enjoys biking in Lake Tahoe and all over Santa Cruz as well. “You really feel at ease in nature,” Defendi-Cho said. “Mountain biking helps you immerse [yourself] in the woods and it feels like you’re part of it as you run along through them.” One summer morning, junior Natalia Cossio began her day expecting to go on From swimming more than 20 hours a a small hike. But soon the buildings grew week to not being able to swim at all was sparse and Cossio found herself on a 30 a big switch for sophomore Elizabeth mile hike from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz. Fetter. At the beginning of quarantine, As she walked along the Pacific Coast running kept Fetter busy, but she often Highway with her sister and her sister’s found herself getting injured. In order boyfriend, they shared to maintain consistent memories that will last a lifetime. From “I felt the mountains exercise she decided to try cycling, and she a young age, Cossio within me” picked it up quite easily. has had an infatuation “I went from 30 to 50 with the outdoors as her parents encourAlden Backstrand, backpacker to 80 to 130 [miles] in a span of a couple weeks,” aged her to go outside. Fetter said. Whether it is Because of their influence, her love for a short ride through Portola Valley or the outdoors has grown exponential- her most treacherous ride to the Santa ly over the years. “I prefer Santa Cruz Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Fetter is able to Mountains apart from local reserves experience scenic landscapes while also such as Arastradero or Foothills because getting a solid workout in. “It’s just a it is still close but not as boring,” Cossio nice time to be by yourself and it’s not as explains. “Spending time outside helps physically taxing [on your body],” Fetter me exercise and boost my mood with said. Fetter, a multiple sport athlete, can nature as a double benefit and an added make just about any sport or activity look layer of beauty.” easy.