Thursday, January 16, 70 Cobras hit the road and headed north for the annual Wolf Ridge adventure. There was excitement in the air as the buses pulled out of the parking lot, and that enthusiasm remained throughout the weekend.
After the usual stops, we made our way to Gooseberry Falls State Park, where we had our first opportunity to hike in the snow, check out the falls, make some snow angels, and get out and move in the balmy 35 degree temps after a long bus ride. Most of us logged a mile or two in the hour-long stop before hitting the road for the final stretch to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center.
Anticipation was high as we pulled in. Students and chaperones had some time to get settled into their rooms in Mac Lodge before dinner and our first-night circuit of team building games and night hikes.
The remainder of the weekend was full of great learning opportunities as students navigated time without cell phones, built relationships, got out of their comfort zones, and built many of the skills highlighted in the Cobra Profile of a Graduate. Adventures ranged from traversing the ropes course 30 feet in the air to exploring the frozen Wolf Lake to giving cross country skiing a try. Our students impressed us by being willing to take risks and try new things, by supporting each other through challenges, and by showing resilience when they met challenges themselves. A dozen impressed us by sleeping outside under the stars, too!
As the temperature dropped throughout the weekend (-24 degrees on Sunday morning when we headed to breakfast!!), spirits remained high; students weren’t afraid to rise to the added challenge.
We returned Sunday night tired after a busy weekend, but grateful for the weekend full of excellent adventures in learning and memories that will last a lifetime. As always, this experience can’t happen without the support of our families and communities; thank you all for your continued efforts to make this happen.
Thanks to Brian Felten, Alli Horejsi, and Kristen Tischer, Triton staff that volunteered a weekend away from their families to take the trip. Rod Marquardt and Jeremy Dostal continue to be the best bus drivers and chaperones around, and add to so many aspects of the experience for our students. Bruce Huber, Greg Selthun, Nate Hamm, Jake Hesse, Josh Kasper, Nikky Knutson, Jessie Maes, Myla Okeefe, and Peter Wegwerth rounded out one of the best chaperone groups we have had, all of them making huge contributions by encouraging students and being positive role models throughout the weekend. Thank you all for committing your time and energy to this adventure; we look forward to having many of you join us again in the future!
Financial support of our community partners is also a crucial piece in making this trip attainable for all students – huge thanks to the following businesses and individuals that supported the trip this year: the Wolf Ridge Scholarship Program, McNeilus Steel, Welsh Equipment, the Claremont Chamber, Rochester Area Foundation, McMartin Electric, Con-Tech, Triton Booster Club, the Somers Family, Claremont Service Center, the Marquardt Family, Kramer Insurance Service, AlCorn, Lloyd Henslin, and the Safeway Agency. Your support is so valuable, and we look forward to continued partnership in the future.
Next year’s trip, for the class of 2029, is scheduled for January 15-18, 2026!
