Sonoran Year Premier

The Southwest branch was delighted to welcome the first ever Year in the Sonoran course this past week. After backpacking in New Mexico’s Gila Range and rock climbing at Cochise Stronghold, students on this 135-day course will return to the Southwest branch for nine days to work towards earning their Wilderness First Responder (WFR), and then it’s off to Arizona’s Galiuros Wilderness for another backpacking section. While backpacking in the Galiuros, students will respond to essay questions and discussion topics pertinent to the American Southwest themes of two books they will have read during their course.
After completing their fall semester here in the southwest, Sonoran Year students will go home for a holiday break and then head south of the border to spend their spring semester sailing, sea kayaking, and backpacking in Mexico.
Stay tuned for more exciting details on this historical course.

Sonoran Year students with Proctor Jake Freed (bottom, 2nd from left) and backpacking instructor Eric Wanless (bottom far right)