Middle School Field Trip

National Park Service photos

Pinnacles National Monument

April 18-21, 2006

This 100-year-old monument is an excellent outdoor education site. Located along the transition between the Coast Ranges and the San Joaquin Valley, the Monument is a wonderful mosaic of chaparral-covered slopes, brilliant wildflowers during the spring, and numerous spire rock formations. The Monument is the remains of an ancient volcano, eroded over geologic time by water, heat and frost. Pinnacles offers interesting volcanic and tectonic geology and transition vegetation between the coast and the Central Valley. Visit the National Park Service website for more information.

Activities during our visit will include hiking, outdoor skills and an introduction to rock climbing. Students will stay in tents in a private facility adjacent to the Monument, with showers and a pool. It is a one- to two-mile walk or van shuttle to the climbing sites.

Due to park regulations, students will be divided into groups of 9.  This will require 7 chaperones plus the 2 teachers.  Transportation to and from the site will be via bus. Pinnacles National Monument is located east of Highway 101, about 30 miles southeast of Salinas; travel time from Hillcrest is approximately 2 1/2 hours each way.

Field trip-related questions can be directed to Rhita Williams (williams_five@yahoo.com) at 655-4540.

Read about last years' field trip with Naturalists at Large to the Santa Cruz Mountains.