Courtesy of Jonathan Logerstedt A group of California Baptist University students lance up in a group photo with the most recent trip offered by the Community Life Office to Sequoia National Park in northern California.
The Community Life Office hosts a number of trips every year with a focus on the outdoors. The most recent trip opened up over Thanksgiving break with a trip to Sequoia National Park on an Outdoor Adventure. Nov. 19-22.
The four-day trip included several hikes, a cave tour and a visit to the world’s largest tree.
Kayla Ruiz, junior accounting major and Community Life intern, said one of the stand-out moments of the trip was hiking through a meadow as it began to snow.
Rachel Rivette, junior Christian behavioral science major, attended the trip and echoed Ruiz’s sentiments about the snowy meadow.
“My favorite part was seeing other CBU students’ reaction to seeing snow for the first time ever,” Rivette said. “The excitement couldn’t be any higher, as everyone stood in awe of the white blanket that soon covered the meadow and the giant sequoias all around us.”
While the planned activities were enjoyed by many who participated in the trip, a common highlight was the building of relationships in the evenings around the campfire.
“It was fun being able to huddle around the fire every night and get to know everyone better,” Ruiz said.
The friendships formed on the trip were emphasized.
“The fellowship and openness of people who share no other bond besides a love for Christ is incredible,” said Rochelle Fisher, freshman biomedical engineering major.
Rivette also noted the Community Life staff’s encouragement and effective planning on the trip. She said her previous trip to Zion with the office prompted her to attend the Sequoia trip.
“I wanted to take advantage of seeing this part of California while sharing the experience with other brothers and sisters in Christ,” Rivette said. “It has already been a favorite memory of mine this year, and I would most definitely go again.”
Fisher and Rivette both said they would attend more Outdoor Adventure trips in the future and would encourage other students to take part if given the opportunity.
“The Community Life staff do an incredible job of planning these trips to appeal to all different kinds of people,” Fisher said. “If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend a trip to everyone before they leave CBU.”
