In the summer months I spend time in the mountains with our cows. I am fascinated by what they are drawn to eat and when. During late July, they love this particular bush, Elderberry, which grows strongest in the dense trees. I call them 'chocolate bushes' because when the cows discover them, I just have to wait to start moving again until they have had their fill. I wait and wonder about all the relations of soil, water, trees, animals, and on and on who communicate and synchronize to create the beauty of the world in which I am entangled.

During the school year I lead trips for Outdoor Pursuits. These include weekend trips and week long trips to placed like the Grand Canyon. I have been in the Student Outdoor Leadership program since my first semester freshman year and it has greatly influenced my how recreate and educate in the outdoor. This year, in my senior year, I am the student manager of the program and in this role I teach incoming SOL leaders how to recreate responsibly outside and teach participants to do the same. This year I will be leading a trip to Patagonia, which I am super excited about. Before coming to FLC I had only gone backpacking once so this opuurtunity has greatly influenced how I connect with others in the outdoors and how I consider the environment when recreating in the outdoors. It has really opened my eyes to increasing equity and inclusion in he outdoors. Also how being outside and uncomfortable can create a powerful emotional connection to the environment.

This is a picture of me and my friends that I met along the way during my 2024 Colorado Trail thru-hike. We had decided that morning to get up at 2:30 am to summit San Luis Peak before sunrise. We carried our sleeping bags up to the top and huddled together to preserve warmth. At this very moment, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for having met these friends along the way and on the trail, and for being able to share this special moment as the sun cast its first light on the surrounding peaks. I felt so much joy to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin after such a chilly morning, had so much love for the natural world around me, and the wonderful people I got to share it with. I am entangled in the interdependent relationships with people who love the outdoors and the natural wonders and processes of this beautiful world we live in.

I couldn't help but think of the goats when it comes to interdependence and an entangled community. This summer I spent a lot of time learning about the relationships that exist within this form of landscape management. There are many hard workers in this operation, the goats, the working dogs, the plants, me, and my bosses. The goats had a great reliance to us humans, we were the ones who transported them to new pastures full of food. We gave them water, built them shelters, cleaned their barn, and worked tirelessly to make their job as comfortable as we could. But we relied heavily on them and the skills and traits they possess. They could clear weeds faster than any of us on terrain that was better suited for hooves and four legs. They gave nutrients back to the soil while making room for native plants to return to the landscape. Most importantly they made us laugh. Our dogs played important roles that served different purposes. Kippy is our herding dog who makes moving the herd much easier, but she relies on us for instruction and commands. Amos stays with the goats in their pen and keeps them safe from any unwanted visitors. All of us play a role, I had to work and communicate with the animals just as much as I did with my human co-workers. It has been a very special experience.

About 2 weeks ago, my dog, Amber, and I finished the Colorado Trail and since I've been home, I've been doing a good amount of reflecting. While I had some friends and family join for different sections of trail, it was just Amber and I for about 260 miles. I've been missing the trail and the simplicity so much recently and I've been overwhelmed with gratitude from those around me since returning. In this specific photo, Amber and I were up early to beat some poor weather that was coming our way come afternoon. But this particular sunrise was pretty spectacular. I wondered if Amber felt any recognition or appreciation for all the beauty we kept seeing out there. I think she had to have some observation of it. I am entangled in curiosity for what the next adventure will be. I am also entangled with the concept of change, knowing that I have a lot coming my way. While I am nervous, the excitement mostly trumps those feelings of anxiety. While in my final semester, I am happy to be engaging in coursework that is completely new to me.

So yeah, when I think of entanglement I think of an old man, and an old dog, and how happy I am to know them.

A interdependent relationship that I think about a lot is the different animals that interacts around my house that makes me homesick sometimes. The different animals are deers, rabbits, turkeys, foxes, different birds and raccoons. Each morning it was really cool to just look outside and enjoy seeing them interact. Even with the small insect like praying mantis, rollie pollies, butterflies and ladybugs. The picture is one I took when I was filling up water. The praying mantis was just on top of a bollard at the water fill-up station. Taking walks outside where I get lost in the scenery is something I always do at home because my grandma owns a big plot of land that is 80% natural terrain. It is really special to me.

A moment of entanglement I felt on my last day of a traditional walk from Yosemite Valley to Mono lake that was 6 days walking through Yosemite wilderness to honor our people's old trading route. The feeling of being over 11,000 ft in the Bloody Canyons an area when traditional stories were created about our gatherings and creations as Numa (Northern Paiute). The body of water shown is Mono lake, the homelands of the Kootzaduka'a (Mono Paiute) an area that holds a significant influence on their culture and an ecological impact in the Mono Basin. The shadows are amazing individuals and new relatives that I was connected with on walk who come from all different backgrounds representing the Native people of Yosemite. We all had contributed to representing our traditions, families, language and shared our knowledge. Every day we were told creation stories of the granites, heard traveling songs, and shared knowledge on traditional medicine. We shared traditional foods like eating sour berries and Saltgrass along the trail. Everything we did had intentions on reconnecting with the land this made me feel inspired to carry through this journey to be intertwined with the land and my culture. 

- Charlotte Kropf