Get Ready, Get Ready… OCRS Adventure Week Is Almost Here! March 14th – 18th

Each spring, boarding school students at Oak Creek Ranch School look forward to Adventure Week! Here are the many great adventures and opportunities for experiential learning for OCRS' Adventure Week this spring:

Experience the Splendor of Zion and Bryce National Parks
This trip is a five-day adventure into Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. On Monday we drive from the school up to Kanab, UT for a visit to the Moqui Caves, a small museum built into a natural cave with dinosaur and black-light mineral exhibits. Then we will do some hiking into small caves, and then move onto Zion. Tuesday and Wednesday we’ve planned a series of hikes in Zion, taking in the sights and exploring some old homestead cabins. On Wednesday afternoon our students will have a choice of seeing a dinosaur exhibit or exploring a ghost town. On Thursday we will explore Bryce Canyon National Park on foot and by horseback. The perfect trip for the adventurous spirit! (Limit 8 Students)


Catch the Thrills of Deep Sea Fishing of the Pacific Coast
This group of students will have the opportunity to travel to San Diego to experience the exciting deep sea world of the Pacific coast. Our itinerary includes a chance to fish off the coastal piers and deep see fish off a chartered boat. We will fish for a variety of species that live off the coast of San Diego. Then we’ll enjoy a day of fun and excitement at Sea World that includes an educational behind the scenes tour of the facility. Students will have time to learn about the local community, dine at seafood restaurants and explore other hotspots in the area. (Limit 8 Students)

Are you an Adventure Maniac? Here’s the Perfect Week for You!
On this week-long excursion, students will delighted with the joys of RV Camping, Vortex Tours, exploring Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and the the Lava River Tubes (pictured, left) at Coconino National Forest. In addition to experiencing the ‘coffee shops and culture’ in many areas of our state, this group of students will attend a concert, take a road trip to Rock Springs and Gilbert, play Paintball and attend the Trapeze University. For the sports enthusiasts this adventure even includes a chance to attend an Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game. What a whirlwind week of non-stop excitement that’s sure to please even the most demanding ‘fun seeker.’ (Limit 5 Students)

Marvel at the Sights Surrounding Havasupai Falls
Spend the week in one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. We will begin our adventure by walking down the end of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai Reservation. After a rest we will set up camp for the week. The rest of the week students will have the chance to explore and play in the famous falls and other magnificent canyons that are in the surrounding area. A tranquil setting that allows for endless learning and discovery, this adventure will be a trip to remember. (Limit 8 Students)


Take a Step Back in Time. Explore these Amazing Archaeological Sites in Arizona
This group of students will tour the lesser known Anasazi archaeological sites of the Verde Valley, looking for arrowheads, pottery shards and artifacts of a culture that disappeared 600 to 700 years ago. Why did this culture disappear and where did they go? How did they survive in the desert? These are the questions we will be discussing as we hike through this beautiful area of Arizona. You will need a good pair of hiking shoes or boots. (Limit 8 Students)


Master the Valuable Art of Leather Crafting
Students will learn to make their own belts, bookmarks and other useful and decorative leather items. In this week long adventure class, you will learn the basic leather techniques of dyeing, punching, tooling, stamping, stitching, lacing and finishing. After practicing these techniques on two small projects, you will design and make your very own belt that allows you to test your artistic creativity while sharpening your skills. Each student will have the opportunity to pick a kit at the nearby Tandy leather store and spend the balance of the week finishing their own project. (Limit 8 Students)

Experience a Chosen Career in This Week of Job-Shadowing
Job-Shadowing is for students who are enthusiastic about learning everything they possibly can about a specific job or career interest. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to find out if they like the day to day responsibilities, environment and challenges of a chosen profession. Students will pair with mentors and depending upon the mentor’s schedule will be working alongside them from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. These students have a unique opportunity to see their mentor in action, ask questions, assist in their daily work and learn as much as possible about job and possible career paths. Students are expected to demonstrate their desire to learn by always being prompt, courteous and responsible . Following this week of job shadowing, each student will write a detailed summary of his or her experience, describing what they learned and how their perceptions of this career were changed. In addition, students will write a formal “thank you” letter to the mentor. (Limit 8 Students)

What’s Better than Baseball, Hot Dogs and Apple Pie? Nothing!
This group of boarding students will travel to Phoenix area to attend Major League Baseball Spring Training games. We will watch live games involving the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, L.A Angels, Texas Rangers, L.A. Dodgers and Colorado Rockies. On Friday all students will take a test of their Baseball knowledge and prepare for a school-wide presentation. They will be asked to demonstrate that they understand all the rules and strategies used during these major league baseball games. Bring your gloves and autograph pens! Time permitting, one day we will stop in Rock Springs for some of the world’s best homemade Apple Pie. (Limited to 8 students)


Get a Jump Start by Developing These Critical Life Skills
Students will learn a valuable combination of basic life skills that will improve their confident and independence:
Basic cooking - You will learn how to make homemade lasagna and other deliciously prepared meals.
Plan an outing in the Great Outdoors - You will plan an expedition to an area known as the ‘Crack’, one of the most beautiful swimming holes in the United states. You will know what kind of energy food to bring, what safety considerations to consider and how to be completely prepared including what tools you may need to navigate in the wilderness.
Basic Sewing - Students will learn how to sew a book bag (with a separate pouch to hold their homemade oatmeal cookies) or even sew a patch those favorite jeans
Building a Solar Oven – You will build a solar oven and learn how to cook in it!
Routine Car Maintenance - You will learn how to check the battery, oil, all fluid levels, and how to change a tire
Essential Home Maintenance - You will learn important tips concerning plumbing, electrical overview and painting, as well as gaining knowledge about solar hot water heaters and making your home energy efficient
Arts and Crafts – This part of the week students will take a trip to the charming and historic ‘ghost town’ of Jerome to see many successful artists and observe glass-blowing techniques first hand. (Limit 8 Students)

On the Dusty Road Again. Calling All Mountain Biking Enthusiasts
During this week long event, our mountain biking enthusiasts will cover many of the most scenic trails of the Verde Valley. We will ride the Deadhorse loop in Cottonwood, Seven Falls, llama, Broken Arrow, and the Templeton trails through the Red Rock areas of Sedona. Bikes, helmets, and water bottles are provided. You provide legs, lungs, and extreme desire! (Limit 5 Students)

Happy Trails Are Here in the Wild Wild West
We will spend the week exploring the area on horseback. We strongly recommend that these groups of students get in top shape before the week arrives. Plan on spending an average of 35-40 hours in the saddle this week. And remember no whining allowed… This is NOT for the faint of heart!

Monday: We will assign horses, review grooming protocol, tacking, tying knots, checking equipment, and cover general first aid techniques.
Tuesday: We begin exploring this desert area with our horses, warming up the muscles for the rest of the week. We will be having lunch on the trail.
Wednesday and Thursday: The real deal. We’ll be heading out, riding out into the desert with all of our supplies, camping out under the stars Wednesday evening and riding back to campus on Thursday afternoon.
Friday: Is rewards day for all! We’ll take a leisurely late-morning ride to our lunch destination, then return to campus to begin bathing our sweaty, tired horses. At the end of the day, we will engage in a reflective writing assignment describing this experience before the inescapable job of cleaning the corral, and oiling the tack is finished. (Limit: 6 students)