Please arrive early at 1:30pm to join the nature hike. It will last approximately one hour. Your guide will take you on a journey through the foothills overlooking Diamond Hitch Camp along the Los Padres National Forest, stopping along the way to admire the wildflowers in full bloom and the views of the surrounding terrain. Please wear appropriate shoes, long pants, hats and sunscreen. Upon arriving to Thacher School, follow the signs to the parking area where your guides await.

 YOUR GUIDES

Julie Manson works at The Thacher School and has lived in the Ojai Valley for more than twenty years. During that time, she's explored the foothills and is excited to share her knowledge of local plants, particularly the wildflowers that are in full bloom this time of year. Her favorite pastimes are hiking the Gridley Trail to Nordhoff Peak, appreciating the subtle changes in the seasons as they unfold right in her own backyard, and finding just the right time to search for miner's lettuce to add to her favorite salad.

Brian Pidduck, a Thacher graduate, returned to work at his alma mater in 1997 after graduating from Whitman College. He serves as the Director of the Outdoor and Camping Programs, teaches AP Environmental Science, and instructs (and inspires) students in the rock climbing program, where he uses his long experience as an elite Exum Mountain Guide in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Brian enjoys the complementary roles of working with students in the outdoors and in the classroom. His passion for the outdoors also fills his free time, as he enjoys climbing, skiing, and running.

Joel Robinson is the founder and lead naturalist for Naturalist For You, a nonprofit organization working to connect all of us to the diverse natural areas in our own backyard. He has guided thousands of curious individuals on professional wilderness tours throughout southern and central California since 2001. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide with the National Association for Interpretation. His vision is to connect the majority of the public to our local natural areas, so their preservation is guaranteed for future generations.

Daniel Wilson is President and founder of Wilson Environmental Landscape Design in Santa Barbara, and has more than two decades of academic and professional experience working with natural landscapes and their associated plants and animals in our region and throughout California.

Rick Mexico has been interested in the wild world as far back as he can remember. He has been an award-winning Life Science Teacher for the past 9 years. An avid birder, he's been a team member of the Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction Program in Santa Barbara County for the past decade. An avid nature photographer, his philosophy about photography is that it freezes time for a split second, and when you view the shot, you become a traveler back in time.