Dingoes: The Dingoes had a dramatic weather week with rain nearly every day, but we managed to survive, learned a lot and even have fun! We were a smaller group than usual for most of the week with two Dingoes spending the weekend on family expeditions and one Dingo having an adventurous peak week. The Dingoes gave one of their fellow students his trail name (Jubilant Ostrich), which we thought fit him perfectly. Another Dingo not only made it out of First Camp this week, but also earned his first token (Journey Keeper) from the group in recognition of his hard work and positive attitude which was an inspiration to everyone. We spent many happy hours warming ourselves and doing Gatherings around a fire this week. For Morning Meditations, we tried some new yoga poses and composed haikus with our emotion cards. The Dingoes were committed to each other this week, providing lots of support to their new members and each other as the weather turned colder and we transitioned into the fall season.
Ulurus: The Ulurus learned to perform and thrive in the rain this week. We all basked in gratitude around a fire during groups and meals to stay toasty warm. We had a great week with a small group, as two of the senior members were out on their Peak Adventure expedition. We pushed through and learned from some difficult hikes, each being about 3.5 miles, and saw the group come together to support a student who was struggling. We had some very emotional gatherings as everyone opened up about their lives before Outback and were able to relate to each other and learn how best to support their peers. Overall, each student grew within themselves and within the group. 
Gnowees: We had a great group in the Gnowees. The girls learned fire skills as we were cooked over campfires and tried out new recipes such as cookies made on the fire. We did some beautiful hikes and enjoyed finding very nice spindles for busting kits as the girls become stronger and stronger hikers. The parent visits were greatly enjoyed as were a few token ceremonies.
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PEAK Week – Adventure Therapy @ outBACK
This week Peak Week brought two Uluru and one Dingo on a Utah adventure. Our small group navigated a variety of deserts this week, exploring the red rocks of Red Cliffs Conservation area, the strange plants of the Joshua Tree Natural Preserve, and the valleys of lavatubes and hot springs. We rock climbed when it was sunny, and we problem solved when it rained. We shared a meal of local Mexican food during a thunderstorm and processed our histories with substances underground in lavatubes. All students received tokens this week. We got to share our first campfire of the fall together amidst large red cliffs, and explore ancient petroglyphs on the Anasazi trail. Our small group was resilient amidst many wet weather challenges and practiced positivity amidst change out of our control.
