By John Wagner, 10th Grade

The students at St. Louis De Montfort Academy heard from one of their teachers, Mr. James, that their next excursion would be to Grand Canyon, PA. Backpacks were packed, machetes were sharpened, and canteens were filled with water to prepare the participants for their two-day hike. After riding in the bus for a couple of hours, the landscape changed from farmland into rugged mountains with leaves beginning to change into their autumn splendor. The hike started off with a tough, uphill climb, then leveled out to a plateau. The hillside covered with moss and leaves added an element of beauty to the hike which everyone enjoyed. With a resolute pace and brief stops, the academy mountaineers finally reached their campsite. Nestled close to an icy-cold creek, which produced a cloud of mist as it churned the warm air, the hikers pitched their tents and collected firewood under the meticulous direction of Mr. Schneider. A scrumptious dinner was produced. Pork, beans, and cheese coated noodles tasted finer than a buffet, having been mixed with secret ingredients; hunger, and the outdoors. After smores and good stories, sleeping bags were filled one by one with their tired occupants slowly dozing off to the song of an owl, and a chorus of crickets. As the somewhat refreshed hikers crawled out of their sleeping bags and stumbled outside their tents, a quick prayer was said to start the day with St. Michael’s blessing and protection. A scenic hike awaited the campers, the whisper of the wind through the trees, and the splashing of the stream distracted everyone from any little discomfort they may or may not have experienced the night before. Soon the creek was out of sight and the end took its place before the eyes of the academy students. The sight of the big yellow school bus, and the smell of grilled sausage, welcomed the hikers to a victory feast, having conquered the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.