Wednesday we took our final day trip and went to college! We visited the University of Northern Colorado and they were very welcoming.

Back at the Ranch we did some group presentations…

Thursday started with some work projects.

We are going to start off with some photos from Monday (before the snow).

Here’s a barn work project.

Also on Monday we took a little tour in Estes.

Then back to the Ranch…

Tuesday was another fun day at the Ranch! The snow was really great and it made work projects go by really quick.

Then we had horse rides!

More work projects.

It’s snowing here at the Ranch! It’s so beautiful! This morning one of the voluntary activities before breakfast was animal feeding.  The students that participated in the activity had the first chance to enjoy the winter wonderland.

It’s already snowed about 7 inches this morning and we are expecting some more this afternoon and overnight.  It’s surprisingly warm outside (warm here means around 32 degrees!), and we are carrying on with normal activities.  Rides are still scheduled today, so some of the students will have the unique, and pretty, opportunity to ride in the snow.

We had a fun and relaxing weekend! Here are some photos.

Wow! We have been busy! We’ve been getting to know each other and the Ranch. We’ve had time to play some games, but also been active with a lot of academics and hiking!

Exploring the ranch…

Enjoying the view!

Playing some games outside.

Learning about the horses.

Hanging out with an alpaca.

Group picture on today’s hike – it was beautiful!

Just a note, we don’t blog over the weekends here at the Ranch, but make sure to check back Monday afternoon for a few updates and photos from Saturday and Sunday. Over the weekend, the students get to sleep in and take a break from the academics. Some students will have a chance to horseback ride and everyone will get to go on a hike on Sunday afternoon!

We made it to Colorado! Everyone is safe, sound, and accounted for here at the ranch. Tonight we got to meet the program facilitator and all the RAs who will be with us during the trip. We learned what kind of behavior is expected of us during our stay and we even got a sneak peek at some of the activities we will be doing over the next ten days. Our arms are already stronger from dragging our suitcases up an entire flight of stairs to the bedrooms on the second floor of the ranch. Whew! If tonight is any indication of what is to come, the next few days are going to be filled with fun times and growth. Tomorrow is going to be an awesome day. We are all excited to get to know each other (an ourselves) even better. We will keep you updated as the days go by so make sure you check back here on the blog to read updates and see pictures of our adventures at the Rocky Mountain Pathways Ranch! Have a good night!

We are happy to see smiling faces on the first night!

Some of us really hit it off right away!