Not everyone can say they spent their weekend testing water and avoiding close Bison encounters while learning about the outdoors. Sophomore Lexi Bako got to experience both on the Ecology trip to Yellowstone Oct. 5-7.

Bako and 30 other CMR biology students took a trip to Yellowstone to experience one of the wonders of the world.

“We tested water and river quality, went on a few hikes, and went to a discovery center to look at the animals,” Bako said.

She said that she went on the trip because her brother had gone on the trip when he was a junior, and she had never really excelled in science so she wanted to try something new with it.

Senior Taylor Harris also got to go on the Yellowstone trip, and his reflection of the trip included nothing but positive thoughts.

“I really loved getting to see all of the pretty parts of Yellowstone,” Harris said.

For Harris, the water testing was also something that stood out to him. On the trip the students tested the quality of Belt Creek and The Firehole River to see which body of water had better quality.

This trip was not just work, and both Bako and Harris enjoyed the swimming pool at the hotel in West Yellowstone.

“The only thing I wish was that the pool opened earlier in the morning so we could swim before we went out for the day,” Bako said.

Harris agrees, and one of his favorite parts was hanging out in the hot tub with all of the kids who went on the trip, referring to them as the Hot Tub Crew.

The Yellowstone trip was a very educational experience for both Harris and Bako.

“I really just enjoyed the whole trip,” Bako said.