Science Adventures in Yosemite

During the summer of ‘23, six intrepid women hiked into remote regions of Yosemite National Park. They were on a scientific mission to collect data about where and why sugar pine—the “king of pines”—was declining so rapidly. These incredibly strong women hiked through forests very few people in the world have seen. They navigated heat waves, 10 ft-tall shrubs (including the notorious CEIN, or Ceanothus integerrimus), and very long days in the field with grit and humor.

Below, you’ll discover what motivated them, what surprised them, and what challenged them during the summer. You’ll read their candid stories about the adventures of field work and how they were determined to confront their fears and step into a world of science, awe, laughter, friendship, mosquitos, glorious sunsets, and turgid river crossings. These life-changing adventures might just change your life too!

Sophia Acker

Question 1: What were your favorite memories from the summer?

I loved getting to know everyone I worked with this summer.  It was such a joy to laugh with Emma, Emily, and Michelle.  Listening to Taz and Jenny talk about nature rekindled some of the pure curiosity and love for wild spaces that I used to have as a child.  Sharing my own experiences and thoughts and getting to hear other peoples’ as well was very fulfilling. I appreciated moments of solitude on the trail because they gave me space to reflect on the rollercoaster of a summer we were experiencing and because they were in such stark contrast to the rest of the summer where we were constantly together.

At the end of the first backpacking trip that Taz, Jenny, and I took, we crossed Wapama and Tueeulala Falls. The water was high enough that we were sprayed with mist as we crossed the bridges and it looked like we were walking through rainbows.  Taz and I crossed together and were laughing and spinning around and really being present in the moment, and it was something that I’ll remember fondly for a long time.  I said to her afterwards (and then I thought this many times throughout the rest of the summer) that “I can’t believe I’m getting paid for this!”

Question 2: What were some of your most difficult memories from this summer?

For the most part, the summer experiences were a source of awe. However, there were also moments where I found the vastness of our research questions, our study subjects (who soared many, many meters taller than us), and our “office” to be overwhelming.  When I was initially reflecting on the summer, I wrote: “I am but a squishy human out on some big hard rocks in some SHRUBS that are twice my height.” There were also a few moments where I felt pushed further out of my comfort zone than I ever want to be. Although I wasn’t actually in danger, I felt unhappy and unsafe. In all of these moments, though, my crew members were able to pick up the slack and help me feel safer. We [the crew] compared our experiences to the plots we were sampling, which were selected to capture more extreme climate conditions. We often felt like the trees in these extreme plots; we were being pushed outside of our comfort zones and therefore had very high highs and also low lows.  

Question 3: How did your identity shape your experience this summer?

From the very beginning, when I was deciding whether or not to apply for the job, my friends and family were very excited for me. Their excitement and trust that I would be safe and enjoy this summer rubbed off on me and gave me the courage to go outside of my comfort zone. I spent a lot of time this summer thinking about how my past experiences—although not with fieldwork or backpacking—had prepared me in a variety of ways for field work. For example, playing team sports for so many years taught me how to work hard with and for other people. Working in a plant pathology lab gave me an understanding of fungal life cycles, and my biology and ecology classwork had taught me about the scientific process. I’d been lucky enough to go camping with my family when I was younger, and so had grown up getting dirty outdoors with people I loved. Having these experiences (and being able to draw on lessons learned from them) made the work this summer less intimidating.

I didn’t own much backpacking gear before this summer, but I was able to borrow practically everything from Jenny, Joan, and my friends back in Davis. Borrowing gear from so many people made me feel like I had a large support system of people who believed in me and wanted me to succeed. This support was a large part of why I was able to do the work that we did this summer. Everyone’s kindness towards me was very impactful and really made me want to give back in the future.

Michelle Mohr

Question 1: So how was your summer?

This summer pushed my limits. I experienced some incredible days that were set in the most beautiful scenery. The backpacking with colorful sunsets on unnamed ridges were some of the most serene moments of my life. But I also had days where I downright cried and questioned my ability, my worth, and my sanity. The rollercoaster that was this summer is one I’ll never regret and one I’ll cherish forever. One thing this summer taught me was to believe in myself and to push myself to confront what seem like impossible challenges—to find the value in my abilities and the will to keep trying, even when it feels like you are failing.

Question 2: What were your favorite memories from the summer?

I have so many— it’s hard to choose among them. One of my absolute favorites was backpacking Grouse Creek Ridge. We hiked out and found the most amazing camp spot on the very top of the ridge that had the smoothest granite. From there, we could see an extraordinary 360 view of Half Dome, El Capitan and the Central Valley. Our camp was set up like a house, with “the kitchen”, “the living room”, and “the bathroom.” The living room and the bathroom had the best views of El Cap.  One night we watched the sunset over Half Dome first and then turned around and watched it set completely into darkness over the Central Valley. When the sun was completely gone, I looked up and I’d never seen stars so bright!

Question 3: What were some of your most difficult memories from this summer?

My least favorite day definitely had to be the wasp day. I was setting up a transect and stepped on a wasp nest that was hidden underground. I was stung over forty times and comically tumbled down a small cliff running away from them, where I ran head first into a nice, spongy cedar on my way down. The cherry on top was having to run down a cattle road and take off all my clothes because I still had wasps crawling and stinging me in my pants! Luckily I had great crew members who took care of me and were on standby in case the situation escalated (which it didn’t)! But even that day had a great ending because we had a beautiful hike back and ate lots of wild blackberries. It happened to be one of our last plots and we were having our closing ceremonies the next day. When we got back to the cabin that night we talked about all the amazing things we saw and did over the summer and laughed so hard we cried!

Question 4: How did your identity shape your experience this summer?

I think my background is very different from most people doing this type of work. I initially saw my lack of experience and my unconventional upbringing as something that would pose impossible obstacles for me this summer. To my surprise, I  think it gave me a unique perspective on how to get past the really hard days. When I had a bad day or a bad moment, I was able to push past the momentary feeling of failure to ultimately accomplish the task at hand. This approach captures how I managed the whole summer and accomplished something that I never thought I’d be able to do.

Question 5: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself to dive into the experience no matter how afraid I might be. The growth I experienced this summer was in large part due to how much I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and the support that I received from my fellow crew members. I would also tell myself to enjoy every moment because even though there were bad days, I now look back at them and smile—those moments were often followed by pure joy and wonder! As far as the technical and somewhat mundane things go, I would tell myself that I don’t need that fancy shove that turns into an ax and I could stand to pack less and bring more dehydrated meals!

Emma Sayre

Question 1: Why did you apply for this job?

I took this job because I love the outdoors and the thought of spending my summer trekking around Yosemite sounded incredible (it was!). I also had an interest in forestry, but had never had any exposure to it, so this was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door. I remember losing sleep while waiting to hear back about getting the job because I wanted it so badly.

Question 2: What were your favorite memories from the summer?

My favorite memory is hard because I have so many. I have two noteworthy ones:

1. Grouse creek backpacking. Views of Half Dome, El Cap, and the central valley from an isolated ridge. I woke up at 5:45 am one morning and saw the sunrise emerge from complete darkness. That same day I watched the sunset dissolve into darkness. The colors in the sky and over the mountains were incredible.

2. Our 15-mile day with 30 plus pound packs from Glacier Point Rd to the Valley. We were supposed to camp overnight, but the seasonal stream wasn’t running, so we decided to hike to the next water source, which was Nevada Falls. We saw incredible views of the Valley and Half Dome, and hiked the Mist Trail. The hike just ended up being much longer than we planned because we never found a good camp spot. Although it was a physically and mentally demanding day, the views were fabulous and the parking lot pad thai was delicious. We also cracked so many good jokes that day. We started singing “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus around mile 12 and it was so relatable I peed my pants from laughing.

Question 3: What were some of your most difficult memories from this summer?

The hardest aspect was the number of challenges and fears that I had to overcome—it felt like constant exposure therapy. Two weeks before work started, I rolled 30 ft down a cliff. Transitioning to field work on steep slopes was rough because my body and mind kept taking me back to my accident! Additionally, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake in the CEIN and the very next day had to do a CEIN heavy plot. However, this job pushed me to confront my fears head on, and since then I have completed so many challenging plots! I’ve definitely been pushed out of my comfort zone a lot, but the growth I’ve received in return has made it all worth it.

Question 4: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

If I could tell me at the beginning of summer something, it would be that sugar pines are really cool trees. My uncle used to be a ranger here and said that was his favorite tree. I didn’t get the appeal of them until YPE 6 (in Yosemite West) where I encountered my first Proper sugar. It was huge—big, classic octopus arms, and huge cones. It was a sight to be seen and that is when I coined my phrase, “That is a proper sugar!”

Emily Sorenson

Question 1: Why did you apply for this job?

Way back when, many moons ago, I knew I wanted to explore my interest in ecology and work outdoors. These two desires led me to apply for two jobs at UCSB and have the opportunity to interview for both. It was in the interview process (and further deep dive googling later) that showed me that, while both jobs were within the field of forest ecology, it was the people who would be leading me in this work that was most important. Just from a half hour interview, I could tell Joan and Jenny were so enthusiastic and encouraging about their research and that they would be absolutely amazing to work with and learn from.

Question 2: What were your favorite memories from the summer?

All of my favorite memories involve all of the inside jokes and experiences that have seen us through some of the worst plots. Whether it was counting hundreds of PILA saplings/seedlings in a heat wave—or a plot where access meant climbing through 100 meters of CEIN, on a 30-degree slope, with snags levitating on other trees—Emma and Michelle were always able to make me laugh or willing to let me force a hug out of them.

The memories that continue to hold the most happiness for me were each of the backpacking trips we went on, even the failed third trip. During my first ever backpacking trip, we were supposed to do a river crossing, but the water was higher than normal due to the late snowmelt. We ultimately decided to approach the plot later in the season, and for the rest of the day, Michelle and I practiced the river crossing again and again, Joan standing just ahead in case one of us fell. There was something in that moment that was unbearably happy, with the cool water grabbing my legs as I wadded through the rapids, the open, pure blue sky above, and a certainty that if I believed in myself and my body, it would get me to shore safely.

Question 3: How did your identity shape your experience this summer?

Identity is something that is always flowing through each decision and interaction you will have throughout your entire life. It even manages to affect you miles off trail in the middle of the Yosemite wilderness. When you are working so closely with people, identities can sometimes clash. Especially if people do not make the time to understand another’s identity or reach for judgment first instead of empathy. But, like in all things, as long as people seek to understand each other, differing identities can be powerful and uplifting in new ways.

Question 4: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

The advice I would give myself is to just take it minute by minute. Things change so quickly that it is pointless worrying about anything past the next sixty seconds in front of you. Also find a mentor/friend/boss that believes in you for the times when you don’t believe in yourself. Those people are important to making you feel that you are enough as long as you bring a good attitude and a willingness to learn.