Read more →]]> We may have finally found springtime!  Hopefully this won’t jinx us into a blizzard next week, but it feels like we’re firmly entrenched in the renaissance season of the mountains once again.  The flowers have begun to put on their show, we have a few baby goats running around at the farm, and the students here have just a little more energy than they did a few months ago.  It’s a great season to be at the ranch.

Naturalist Angie helps exercise the goats

Baby goat

One of the roles fulfilled by some of the naturalists at Pathfinder is working with the gardens.  These are here for when we have schools taking our Farms & Foods class as well as the enjoyment and education of the kids that visit the ranch in the summer.  Our team of three naturalists oversees the planning, planting, and upkeep of the greenhouse and the beds around it.  The winter months have been a bit slow for us; we’ve mostly only had some small turnips, onions, a few herbs, and a row or two of too-small-to-eat carrots in the ground.  As we get closer to our frost-free days we’re vamping up for our incoming seed order and counting how many sunny windows we have for starting some of the seeds inside.  It won’t be long before the three of us (and maybe some coerced/bribed-with-cookies volunteer co-workers) have dirt under our fingernails and a much busier schedule.

Naturalist Maddie prepares to plant

The garden will be starting just in time, too.  This past week was our final week of receiving our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box from Inland Empire CSA.  The weekly box of fruits, veggies, and herbs was an end-of-the-season gift to the naturalist staff from Pathfinder last year.  It has been a blast finding ways to prepare and consume all the greens and citrus each week as well as the occasional avocados, carrots, and persimmons.  Mmm!  Homemade lemon bars anyone?  Yes, please and thank you!

Hopefully the spring season is treating each of you equally well.  Enjoy the weather and we’ll see you back here on the Pathfinder blog before too long!

Read more →]]> In April, thanks to an exceptionally generous donation from the Perry Family, we began installation of an Alpine Tower and the Team Development Course.  We are excited by the new additions and the anticipated programming impact.

The top of the soon to be lifted Tower.

Our new Alpine Tower - soon to be stood-up.

As construction nears completion, excited campers and staff alike have expressed their eagerness to “climb to the top” or be the “first person up there.”  We are excited too.

It looks much larger upright.

The new Alpine Tower will be an integral part of Pathfinder Ranch’s Summer Camp and the Science and Outdoor Education School.  Rental and Retreat groups will have the opportunity to add the Alpine Tower experience to their rental agreements.

The Team Development Course (TDC) replaces our old low ropes elements.

The TDC will be offered as part of Pathfinder Ranch’s Team Challenge curriculum.  It is sure to afford participants with an excellent team building experience.  The TDC is a welcome addition to our curriculum.

A member of the ATI crew puts some finishing touches on the Tower.

The Alpine Tower and Team Development Course construction will be completed by the end of this week.  We cannot wait to put it to work.  If your group is interested in a cutting edge adventure education experience, please give us a call.  We are excited to help you get to the top.

Read more →]]> Pathfinder is excited to share with you our brand new website and blog.  In the coming weeks and months, we will begin to utilize our website as a tool and resource for current and prospective guests.  Additionally, this blog will be frequently updated with posts, pictures, and information pertinent to our current operations.