A warming hot chocolate after a morning ski before breakfast.

One group researched tracks around this elk kill.

Track made by the wing of a raven or magpie.

Coyote tracks.

Katie explains how we can tell it was an older female elk.

Nate and Ron eat lunch with a great view.

The ski back to campus under the gaze of Grand Teton.

Research Presentations:

Creative writing with Matt Daly at the Bradley Taggert Visiting Center.

Deanna works on a poem.

Matt talks about how to get ideas for something to write about.

The group works on their writing by this big window.

Ross and Deanna look over displays in the Visitor's Center.

Zach and Anna look for details to write about.

Ron refines the stanzas of his poem.

A poem develops for Nate.

Heidi points out important aspects of the Teton Range terrain.

At the Bradley Taggert trail head.

The Ripping Riparian Group poses on a bridge heading up to the moraine.

The sun heated up our day. Perfect for our research.

Ron and Anna research the species of Conifer -- Subalpine Fir.

Katie points out evidence of a relatively recent burn.

Carrie was caught during a game of "Camouflage".

Heading down from Bradley Taggert.

Sarah reflects in her journal about her experience up in the Bradley Taggert trail.

Clay gets into some detail on his drawing.

Ross gets some help from Greg.

In the Murie Museum, Doug talks about the Murie's and their contribution to conservation.

Sarah sketches one of Olaus Murie's stuffed animals.

Greg Houda works with the students on art.

Blind contour drawing exercise.

Greg point out details to Ross.

Deanna and Adam do blind contour portraits of each other.

Conner and Anna do blind contour portraits of each other.

Greg Houda demonstrates gesture drawing.

Jonathan talks to the students about tracking.

Sarah writes a description of a plaster mould of a beaver track.

“Duane and I are both so grateful that 2 of our 3 boys who attended
Principia Upper School decided to go on the Teton Trip. It was truly a
once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each of the boys came back with
tremendous enthusiasm and joy after their time there. As parents we are grateful for several things about the trip.

With 4 boys, we have not had the funds to do a lot of travelling, so we
are thrilled that the two who went on the Teton Trip got to see a
beautiful part of the country that they might not have had the
opportunity to experience otherwise. Even better, they got to learn
experientially—about clouds, animal adaptations in the snow,
how they fit into communities, and ways to record their discoveries through art and journaling. They also had the chance to learn to cross country ski, which they both enjoyed thoroughly. They
got to experience wildlife up close (bison, elk, moose, coyotes, pine
martins), deeper snow than they ever imagined, and make friends with
kids they would not have gotten to know otherwise. Both Teton Trip
groups contained very diverse groups of students, and our boys came back with new friendships that continue to this day. For one of our sons who has never enjoyed traditional school, learning in this way was, in his
words, ‘one of the best experiences of my life.’

Both of our sons are members of sports teams and had to miss some
practices and even a game or two to attend the trip. Both felt that the
sacrifice was definitely worth it. Duane was the assistant coach of the
girls’ varsity basketball team this year and noted that the team member
who went on the Teton Trip this year played her best basketball after
returning from Jackson Hole. We will always feel incredibly grateful
for what our boys took away from the Teton Trip experience and highly
recommend it!”

Susan Thomas, parent
St. Louis, MO

(Samuel Thomas, 2007 Teton Trip
Christian Thomas, 2009 Teton Trip)

“The Teton Trip absolutely changed my life. It was during that trip when writing came alive to me. I had always struggled as a writer, but it was more of the fear of it, rather than the inability to express myself through the written word. During that trip, poetry opened new windows for me to reflect on the natural world, which I thrived in.

So much happen during that trip that remains apart of my life today. Principia has the unique opportunity to bring programs like this to students who can benefit from them. I hope that they build upon a program that has benefited so many over the years.”

David Bailey
Educational Director
The Link School
1987 Teton Trip

“The Teton Trip was an extraordinary experience that put me in an environment where I matured and grew in ways that might have otherwise taken me years to accomplish. Instead of being “taught” valuable lessons, I got to self-see and experience incredibly important concepts first hand. Imagine what it’s like to be a kid from the suburbs and come face to face with that mountain range? To say that it redefined my concept of “OMNIPOTENCE” is putting it lightly. The Tetons also helped me see what it is to truly be quiet and still, and to understand my relationship with God and that environment.

The highly transferable life skills that I learned on that trip have stuck with me and served me very well over the years. For example, I got some much needed experience in being calm in a crisis when I came face to face with a huge bull moose for a full five minutes during a solo writing exercise. Skiing was initially very difficult for me, so I learned that being patient with myself and remaining undiscouraged despite many failures is a key ingredient to successfully learning something new. I also had a remarkable physical healing that has proven to be a cornerstone of my study of Christian Science to this day. There’s no question in my mind that these formative life lessons were a natural outcome of participating in that remarkable program and I’ve always been grateful to Principia and its faculty for providing such an opportunity.

I’m a huge fan of experiential education and have planned many, many educational trips for young people over the years — especially in my work with The St. Louis Children’s Choirs. I just got back from taking Upper Schoolers to NYC for the drama trip in early February.”

Phebe Telschow
1987 Teton Trip