The Odyssey: Extended Orientation Experience
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, this will be the 11th 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: Silvia Castillo Hillyer, schillyer@ucdavis.edu
Packing List
aspirin: for altitude sickness
backpack or daypack
bathing suit
beach towel
binoculars
camera, film
clothing: pack for several temperatures, (hot, cold mountain gear, rain)
container for your sack lunch/sandwich, such as Tupperware
costume for costume party
daypack
field guides (optional)
flashlight
gloves
hat, cold hat, (earmuffs - optional)
jacket: warm jacket/wind breaker, rain coat
lip balm
moisturizer/body lotion
money: cash
mosquito repellent
musical instruments
playing cards, small board games
reading material
shoes: hiking boots (light hiking are better than sport), sturdy sport shoes & sandals
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
White Mountains Odyssey Schedule 2009
Monday, September 7, 2:00 PM - 2124 Wickson Hall
Welcome and introductions
Silvia - Organizational and safety instructions
Odyssey Teaching Assistants - daily schedule, transportation and clean-up instructionsTuesday September 8 - 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, & Lake Tahoe research facilities. (7,000 ft. elevation)
12:00 Noon - Lunch and tour at the Tahoe Research Laboratory
2:00 PM - Leave for Sage Hen Reserve
3:00 PM - Orientation to the reserve, afternoon hiking or volleyball
Sage Hen Contact: (530) 582-5625 (answering machine)Wednesday September 9 - Lodging: WMRS, Bishop
6:00 AM - Light breakfast and provisions to make a sack lunch. Clean-up
7:30 AM - Leave Reserve
9:00 AM - tour Tahoe Environmental Research Center
11:00 AM - Leave for Mono Lake
1:00 - 3:30 PM - Mono Lake. Mono Basin Ecosystem Overview. (6,400 ft. elevation)
4:00 - 5:00 PM - Mono Lake Visitors Center (if time allows), South Tufa's
6:30 PM - Dinner
White Mountain Reserve: (760) 873-4344 (message only)Thursday September 10 - Lodging: WMRS, Bishop
7:00 AM - Light breakfast and provisions to make a sack lunch
8:00 AM - Leave Reserve, travel to Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory
9:00 AM - SNARL tour of facilities and research opportunities
12:00 Noon - Leave for lunch and afternoon hike at Rock Creek (8-10,000 ft. elevation)
5:00 PM - Leave to return to Bishop
6:30 PM - DinnerFriday September 11 - Lodging: WMRS, Crooked Creek
7:00 AM - Breakfast, Sack Lunch & Clean Up
8:30 AM - WMRS CLASSROOM. Steve Parmenter, CA Department of Fish and Game: Genetics, hindsight and the future of the Mojave's fish
10:00 AM - Leave for Warm Springs
12:00 Noon - Lunch
2:00 PM - Interpretive tour of Sherman Grove
3:00 PM - Leave for Crooked Creek (10,150 ft. elevation)
6:30 PM - Dinner
8:00 PM - Organizational and safety meeting. BonfireSaturday September 12 - 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
Patriarch Grove: self guided tour
6:30 PM - Dinner
8:00 PM - White Mountain Hike Safety Meeting. Mexican Independence Day!Sunday September 13 - 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 PartyMonday, September 14 - 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)
September - McLaughlin Natural Reserve led by Cathy Aigner, Reserve Co-Director.
You have two options:
1) You are encouraged to drive with the group to the Reserve on the late
afternoon of September 21 after the orientation, with Cathy Koehler leading
the way to the Reserve, and stay overnight. Dinner on the XX and breakfast
on the XX will be provided; 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 on September XX, it is a 40-minute drive from the UC Davis Campus to Stebbins, and a 1-hour 20-minute drive from McLaughlin to Stebbins.
September - Stebbins Cold Creek Reserve lead by Dr. Phil Ward,
Entomology Department
If you are participating in the McLaughlin trip, you can visit Stebbins on the return trip (see McLaughlin field trip description above) or:
- 8:00 AM - Meet at the Hutchison/Storer Hall loading dock
- 8:30 AM - Leave for Stebbins
September - 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
Relevant Websites:
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