Hike to Success

1 November 2021Grace D, Alex ‘22

Last week, Mr McCarthy took his AP Environmental Science 12 class on a field trip to Mount Baldy for a hike as a reward for the tremendous start to the school year. Taking learning outside of the classroom is very important in order to give students the opportunity to see the topics of study in real life instead of just in their note package. The specific purpose of this trip off campus was to “observe any evidence of zonation as we move up the mountain in altitude”.

Zonation is the categorization of biomes into zones based on their state or arrangement of niche/habitat as determined by various environmental factors, including altitude, latitude, temperature, etc.

We students appreciated this opportunity to see the effects of zonation on the vegetation living on Mount Baldy including Maxine P, Alex ‘23 who says “The zonation wasn’t too dramatic, but I definitely noticed a change in the density of vegetation further up the mountain.”

It took the class around 30 minutes to reach the top where we could enjoy the view, chat amongst ourselves, then make our way down to the bus where we could then enjoy a well deserved treat. The class was lucky enough to experience the challenging hike and the breathtaking view on one of the few days where the sky was crystal clear. This means that even from 300 metres above sea level, the beautiful cerulean colored lake was in clear view.

Not only was the hike up Mount Baldy a wonderful opportunity to see Shawnigan Lake from up above, it also allowed us to see the environment and ecosystem around us. Sophia PT, Alex ‘22 says she is “grateful that Mr McCarthy shared his passion for hiking and nature with us.”

Grace D, Alex ‘22

Where Students Choose To Be