The Odyssey: Extended Orientation Experience

Photo: Mountains

 

The Odyssey, or White Mountain Odyssey, was the idea of an Ecology graduate student several years ago. The first trip took place in September 1998 and this will be the 14th entering class to participate.

The purpose of this off-campus orientation trip is to introduce entering Ecology graduate students to a wide variety of field stations and landscape types, as well as research opportunities in California. The second, and considered by some the most important purpose, is to provide students with the opportunity to get to know each other prior to starting the academic year.

When a student is admitted and accepts admission to the Graduate Group, they will automatically be invited to attend the Odyssey. Students who have attended say that this experience is extremely helpful in getting to know fellow incoming students, several key players in the GGE administration, as well as a handful of continuing students. (See comments from the Fall 2003 cohort below) In addition, from a biological standpoint, it can be a leg up to getting involved in research locally and to hear from experts of several of the predominant environmental types in the region. The Odyssey experience culminates in an optional hike to the top of the White Mountain peak, elevation 14,249 ft. The elevation change is approximately 2,000 ft. from the starting point, over a distance of 5 miles.

The cost of participation is covered by the graduate program. Transportation, lodging and meals are provided.

Contact Information: (Pending)

NEWS: 2009, 2010 and 2011 cohorts offset the Odyssey carbon footprint! Click here for more information.

White Mountains Odyssey Schedule 2012

Monday, September 3, 2:00 PM - 1017 Wickson Hall
NOTE: This is a holiday, but we will make sure the building is open!
Welcome and introductions
Organizational and safety instructions
Odyssey Teaching Assistants - daily schedule, transportation and clean-up instructions

Tuesday, September 4 - Lodging: Sage Hen Natural Reserve
7:00 AM - Meet at Central Park, leave Davis by 7:30 AM
10:00 AM - Lake Tahoe, tour Lake Tahoe on the John LeConte with Brant Allen & Geoff Schladow. Tour Tahoe Environmental Research Center. (7,000 ft. elevation)
12:00 Noon - Lunch
3 :00 PM - Leave for Sage Hen
3:00 PM - Afternoon hiking or volleyball
6:00 PM - Dinner

Wednesday, September 5 - Lodging: WMRS, Bishop
6:30 AM - Light breakfast and provisions to make a sack lunch. Clean-up
7:30 AM - Leave Lodge for Mono Lake
Noon - Lunch at Mono Lake. Mono Basin Ecosystem Overview. (6,400 ft. elevation)
> 3:00 - Mono Lake with Dr. James Richards; Land, Air & Water Resources
3:30 - 5:00 PM - Mono Lake Visitors Center (if time allows), South Tufa's
6:00 PM - Dinner in OVL

Thursday, September 6 - Lodging: WMRS, Bishop
7:00 AM - Light breakfast and provisions to make a sack lunch
8:30 AM - Leave Reserve, travel to Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory
9:00 AM - SNARL tour of facilities and research opportunities
11:30 Noon - Leave for lunch and afternoon hike at Rock Creek (8-10,000 ft. elevation)
1:00 PM - Dr. Andrew Latimer, Plant Sciences
5:00 PM - Leave to return to Bishop
6:00 PM - Dinner in OVL

Friday, September 7 - Lodging: WMRS, Crooked Creek
7:00 AM - Breakfast, Sack Lunch & Clean Up
8:30 AM - Steve Parmenter, CA Department of Fish and Game
10:00 AM - Leave for Parmenter outdoor lecture
12:00 Noon - Lunch
2:00 PM - Interpretive tour of Sherman Grove
3:00 PM - Leave for Crooked Creek (10,150 ft. elevation)
6:00 PM - Dinner
7:30 PM- Forest ecology meeting with Hugh Safford & Heather Stone, USDA Forest Service
8:00 PM - Organizational and safety meeting. Bonfire
Dark:30 PM - Star gazing with George Malyj and friends

Saturday, September 8 - Lodging: WMRS, Crooked Creek
7:00 AM - Breakfast, Sack Lunch
8:00 AM - Presentation by Dr. Robert Bettinger, Anthropology Department, UC Davis:  Native American Land-Use of the White Mountains Alpine Tundra
12:00 PM - Lunch at Patriarch Grove: self guided tour
2:00 PM - Afternoon forest ecology hike with Hugh Safford and Heather Stone from the USDA Forest Service.
6:00 PM - Dinner
8:00 PM - White Mountain Hike Safety Meeting
Dark:30 PM - Star gazing

Sunday, September 9 - Lodging: WMRS, Crooked Creek
7:00 AM - Breakfast, Sack Lunch
8:00 AM - Leave for Barcroft Station (12,470 ft. elevation)
9:00 AM - Tour of Barcroft or hike to the White Mountain, weather permitting
4:00 PM - Return to Crooked Creek
6:00 PM - Dinner
8:00 PM - Wrap Up and Costume Party

Monday, September 10 - return to Davis via Yosemite
7:00 AM - Breakfast, Sack Lunch & Clean Up
8:00 AM - Leave WMRS, drive to Yosemite National Park
12:00 PM - Lunch and hike at Tenaya Lake
2 :00 PM - Leave for return trip to Davis
Target time 7:30 PM - Dinner in Davis: hosted pizza dinner at Steve's Pizza, family or significant others invited
(RSVP's will be requested during the return trip to Davis)

Packing List

aspirin: for altitude sickness
backpack or daypack
bathing suit
beach towel
binoculars
camera
clothing: pack for several temperatures, (hot, cold mountain gear, rain)
container for your sack lunch/sandwich, such as Tupperware
costume for costume party
daypack
foot repair supplies (apre hiking)
field guides (optional)
flashlight and/or matches
gloves
hat, cold hat, (earmuffs - optional)
jacket: warm jacket/wind breaker, rain coat
lip balm
medications
moisturizer/body lotion
money: cash
mosquito repellent
musical instruments
pillow
playing cards, small board games, dominos
reading material
shoes: hiking boots (light hiking are better than sport), sturdy sport shoes & sandals for water
sleeping bag
sleeping pad (only needed if you plan to sleep outdoors)
snacks (some are provided)
sunglasses
sunscreen
tent - optional
thermal underwear
toiletries
water bottle (large) - more than one is a good idea

RESCHEDULED! DATE TBD-September ___ - Stebbins Cold Creek Reserve lead by Dr. Phil Ward, Entomology Department
If you are participating in the McLaughlin trip, you can visit Stebbins the day before (see McLaughlin field trip description below) or:

  • 8:00 AM - Meet at the Hutchison/Storer Hall loading dock
  • 8:30 AM - Leave for Stebbins

    Bring: hat, water, long trousers are recommended, snacks (you will be back before lunch), hiking shoes, sunscreen.

September ___TBD - McLaughlin Natural Reserve led by Cathy Aigner, Reserve Co-Director.

You have two options:
1) You are encouraged to drive to the Reserve in the afternoon of September __ and stay overnight, have dinner that evening and breakfast the next morning; please bring your own food for the field trip lunch; or
2) If you cannot do an overnight and thus need to drive to the Reserve the next day:

  • 8:00 AM - Meet other participants at the Hutchison/Storer Hall loading dock, bring a lunch
  • 8:30 AM - Leave for McLaughlin (Cathy will give you written directions on the day of the orientation)
  • 10:30 AM - Arrive at McLaughlin, meet up with rest of the group at field station

After the McLaughlin field trip, you can choose to drive back to Davis or you can stay another night at McLaughlin. For those participating in the Stebbins field trip, it is a 40-minute drive from the UC Davis Campus to Stebbins, and a 1-hour 20-minute drive from Stebbins to McLaughlins.

Bring: hat, water, sleeping supplies, lunch, hiking shoes, sunscreen.

RESCHEDULED! TBD  - Quail Ridge Natural Reserve led by Dr. Douglas Kelt, Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology Department

  • 8:00 AM - Meet at the Hutchison/Storer Hall loading dock
  • 8:30 AM - Leave for Quail Ridge

    Bring: hat, water, long trousers are recommended, lunch, hiking shoes, sunscreen.

Relevant Websites:

Tahoe Environmental Research Center
Sage Hen Natural Reserve
White Mountains Research Station
 Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Video on White Mountain available

See pictures and comments from previous years