Creekside Creators

OFFICIAL BLOG OF CLW

Thank you Sue Norman, Jay Wild, Danielle Katz, and Jane Weeks for taking me and the other Student Ambassadors on the Truckee River Source to Sea Environmental Learning Adventure. Thank you also to everyone who made a donation to make it possible.

Here’s the link to my profile on the Team page, along with the other Student Ambassadors. Chloe Tippett Student Ambassador

Before going on the trip, we had to fundraise. I participated in an Earth Day booth at Squaw, contributed to a newspaper article for Moonshine ink, and started a go-fund-me campaign (I raised over $800!).

Here’s my interview in the May issue of Moonshine Ink (online or on page 34 in print). They interviewed me and Annsley. www.moonshineink.com/sports/truckee-river-source-sea-paddle
Here are some pictures from our expedition.
Me and Annsley on Donner Lake for Moonshine Ink

Fundraising at Earth Day before the trip

Off we go!
Upper Truckee in South Shore
Kayaking the Upper Truckee in South Shore
Outrigger Canoe on Lake Tahoe
Outrigger Canoe on Lake Tahoe
Outrigger Canoe on Lake Tahoe 
Truckee town run 
Camping at Nature Conservancy in Nevada
Put in for Reno town run
Reno town run
Channel 2 News in Reno
And boating is a wrap!

Biking to Pyramid Lake

We’re done!

Pyramid Lake

The Truckee River is huge this year. I was very lucky to go on it when it is this high. The two core team adults (Sue and Jay) paddled the entire 150 miles. The student ambassadors did about 80 miles with them.

We started off a week and a half ago kayaking the Upper Truckee. We kayaked 6 miles of the Upper Truckee River. It was very fun to kayak with other kids. It was also very beautiful. Some parts though were a bit sketch because of all the debris in the river caused by the huge snow pack. About half way down the river, we stopped and a naturalist talked about the Upper Truckee Restoration Project. The restoration project helps the vegetation grow back. This is important because once it grows back it creates new habitats for wildlife to return.

Then, we outrigger canoed across Lake Tahoe. We used a Hawaiian outrigger canoe. We went through Emerald Bay and the water was a beautiful greenish blue. We paddled 14 miles.

We then rafted through downtown Truckee. And through Reno. We then kayaked in the Nature Conservancy in Nevada. Our permit was revoked to kayak the last stretch, so we finished off the last stretch to Pyramid Lake on bikes. It was a beautiful Plan B – we saw thousands of pelicans with 8 foot wing spans.

Along the way, we learned about the watershed, local fish and birds, and the vegetation. We spoke to people who are working hard to restore and preserve our river. And we gave news interviews.

On our way home we stopped and did a tour of Marble Bluff Dam Fish Hatchery. There, we saw Cui-ui fish. They are such cute sucker fish and we even got to hold and measure them. These fish are native to the Lower Truckee River and Pyramid Lake. They are endangered.

The best part, though, was hanging out with kids that share these same interests.

The hardest part was asking for money. Thank you to the following donors:

Me and Mikaela

Mikaela Shiffrin (I know, right!)

Michael Rosen
Jo Abbott
Sid Crockett
Mark Mirviss
Annette Mirviss
Brit Crezee
Jeff Rouse
Dick Banfield
Scott Flint
Sarah Powell
Joel Martinez
Sean Whelan
Chiara Gajar
Katrina Smolen
Uncle Loulou
Nana and Grandpa
Grannilou
Alicia Doherty
Maureen Garvey
Christine & Cathy
Aga Nowak
Sue Campbell
Dawn Preisendorf
Tom Brand
Brian Maher
Brooks Alldredge
Darby Stienmetz
Todd Wees
Rachel Rohler
Kim
Murray Sandford
Creekside bake sale (thank you Jack for baking)