Aleph Baja Updates

The rains have come again, and the river is flowing! We kicked off 2023 with a combined kayak and beach cleanup, working together with our friends at Kayak La Misión and a crew of local surfers. It was so fun to see young people getting stoked about cleaning up their local coastline, engaging in a collective work of restoration. By the end of the day, the group had filled an entire shipping container with trash collected from the beach.

Springtime takes the prize for best hiking season in Baja. The creeks are singing, and wildflowers have engulfed the hillsides in color. Some of our favorite moments lately have been spent simply walking trails, sharing burritos, and enjoying the beauty of creation. 

Rain, cold water and big waves make winter the slowest season for surf classes, but we’ve been able to paddle out a few times when conditions have allowed. We are looking forward to warmer days soon!

One of our highlights was getting to host our friends Maung and Eh Ler who were once participants in the Outdoor Outreach adventure club that Dustin led. Maung recounted how his first trip backpacking with Dustin and Eh Ler in the Eastern Sierras opened his eyes to a world of new possibilities. We’re so inspired by the amazing projects these young men are now pursuing in national parks, rock climbing, photography, and outdoor education. Check out Eh Ler’s photos and you’ll get inspired too! We hope Aleph can be a bridge to similar opportunities for youth in Northern Baja.

Another benchmark from the past few months was completing Dustin’s Mexican residency application process. The visa interview immediately followed a (very cold) weekend in Joshua Tree so Dustin could re-certify his Single Pitch Instructor training with the American Mountain Guide Association. Huge thanks to Mountains Without Borders for sponsoring the cost of the exam and helping us invest in the ongoing safety and quality of our activities.

In closing, we remember how this weekend across Mexico (and around the world) many families gathered to celebrate Semana Santa, Passover in the Jewish tradition and Easter Sunday among Christians. It’s a time to laugh together and share good food – a time to rest and retell the ancient story of God’s persistent love for all people in the midst of the world’s messiness. The story invites us to know in the deepest place of our being that we are unconditionally loved and then calls us into the adventure of loving others. May the work of our hands be rooted and grounded in this love.