Honorable Mentions
=====================================================================
Day 5 – Flat Tops Wilderness. Last night to enjoy the fresh scent of pine trees while trying to blow away the mosquitoes buzzing off the tip of my nose. It’s a moment on the cusp of change. From woods to city. Dehydrated rice to stone-fired pizza. It’s a moment filled with both calm satisfaction in what has been done and excitement for what is to come. It’s also the moment when I knew we had an successful trip.
Sure we gathered around and poured our vulnerable souls out to each other in bountiful gratitude. We broke all the male stereotypes by sharing, dare-we-say, feelings. We had teenagers eager to help and learn while simultaneously saying please and thank-you. We even had the youth saying all the clichéd statements like, “this trip really changed my life,” “I’m going to work harder in school,” “I’m going to be nicer to my mom and help out around the house” with swear-on-my-prized-flat-brimmed-hat sincerity. But it wasn’t any of these things that made it clear we had been successful.
It’s this moment on the night of day 5 after a 9.14 mile day with a summit of Big Marvine Peak when I realized our success. The moment where I became seriously concerned for my sleep. We had been offloading more and more responsibility as the trip went on and thus tonight, we sat around discussing our next day’s plan and exit strategy. We laid out the parameters, be at the trailhead by 11 a.m., and posed the question: What time do we wake up?
The conversation among the youth went like this:
“It’s about 3 miles, so that should take us an hour and a half.”
“Ok, let’s add a half hour just to be safe.”
“Sure. It will take us about an hour to get out of camp.”
“Ok, let’s add a half hour just to be safe.”
And even though we emphasized safety as Expedition Rule Number 3, our wake up times progressed earlier and earlier. From a reasonable 8 a.m. morning bell, to 7 a.m. And if I didn’t protest, we would have been woken up at 6. These are teenage boys! Notorious sleepers eager to get up before light! That’s what I call success.
The result of success? Teenage boys waking up at 7 a.m. On the trail by 7:49. Done hiking and at the trailhead by 8:55 a.m.
=====================================================================
At this point we had conquered a 220, a 175 and a 130 rod, all without incident. I was feeling rather proud of me and Maria, as we came upon the 65 rod portage on day 3 in the wilderness. We both thought it would be a piece of cake, so Maria offered to carry the canoe. We sent the girls ahead of us, who were being rock stars with their paddling and pack carrying, and Lindsay our trip leader, took the first canoe with the girls. We did a final sweep to ensure LNT and headed into the trail.
It wasn’t long before we both realized how wrong we were!! It was the muddiest, muckiest portage I had ever seen and this was my third trip into the BWCAW – AND I nearly lost my shoe in the muck!! I’m not sure how it happened, but at some point nearly midway I’d say, Maria started having trouble with her footing and we decided I would take the canoe. We got into position, made the switch and off I went. I got about maybe 2 or 3 rods and was lifting my left leg for the next step when shwooch! Off came my shoe! I stopped dead in my tracks and didn’t even put my foot back down. Maria was right behind me so I say to her, “I lost my shoe!” I direct her on the whereabouts and she’s digging and sweeping and searching, but all to no avail. So we decide to put the canoe down and look together. I dug and dug and swirled my hand up to my elbow around in that muck and finally grasped onto something. I wasn’t exactly sure if it was my shoe, or a root, but I figured, what the heck, whatever it is, it’s coming up!! I yank and yank and for one millisecond think maybe to let go because it IS a root, but I just can’t do it. I keep yanking and finally (and thankfully), it was my shoe!! I put it back on, cinch it up good and we get back to carrying the canoe.
I get it on my shoulders, take a few steps in the muck and kablam, down I go! I land right on my keister and the canoe came down right on top of me like a hat. I wasn’t hurt at all and the canoe never even hit my head, of course Maria didn’t know that, so she screams my name, “Esther!” bounds over and literally throws the canoe off of my head. I assure her I’m fine as she looks me over for damages. I get up and we stand there for a minute staring at the canoe, the muddy slippery mucky trail and debate about our next move. We are seriously considering dragging the thing the rest of the way, which we all know is a serious no no as it can damage the canoe. But boy did we think about it! All of a sudden, like a white light from the other side, up comes our trip leader! She stands there with her hands on her hips, looking like Peter Pan and says smiling, “You guys need some help?” We are a wreck and just start laughing! Of course I take pictures, how can one not?? We were both covered in mud from head to toe. It was the best portage I ever did, er…didn’t do. : )
The funny thing is, all of the girls with their 50 pound packs did not fall once! So only Maria and I were covered in mud and well the canoe too!! We took it like champs though and that night everyone had a good laugh at our expense. : )
=====================================================================
We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.”
-Mother Teresa
I am home for almost two whole weeks, so I thought that I would share this Big City Mountaineers adventure that I led with young men from the Matthews House in Fort Collins. The Matthews House is an organization that serves at-risk youth ages 16-21, who lack significant family support in their lives.
Many of the youth come from abusive homes and are trying to play a bad hand well, take control of their lives and shape positive futures for themselves. Some of the stories of the domestic abuse can absolutely rip your heart out. I was horrified to hear that some of the girls had been used as sex slaves. The movie “Precious” came to my mind, the story of a sixteen-year-old girl born into a life no one would want. Although brutal, the film is hopeful, portraying the human capacity to grow and overcome.
Let’s go!
Day 1:
Prior to their arrival, I reviewed the data on the boys who would accompany me and felt a small amount of trepidation. This group appeared to be a bit “rougher” than the three previous groups that I had taken on expeditions out of Oakland, California.
Before departing, clear expectations and program outcomes were communicated to the boys. Smokes, electronic devices and other distractions were left behind. Gear was distributed. The structure was established to gain trust and we started the long drive from Denver to Horse Camp and the Oh-Be-Joyful Trailhead. Throughout the trip, the boys’ dialogue reminded me of the movie Stand By Me, where a quartet of boys, inseparable friends all, set out in search of a dead body that one of the boys overhears his brother talking about. The foursome consists of intellectual Gordie, born leader Chris, emotionally disturbed Teddy, and chubby hanger-on Vern. The boys’ adventures en route to the elusive body are colored by the personal pressures brought to bear on all of them by the adult world.
Parts of the movie paralleled our journey and reminded me that kids are kids no matter what problem they had or what trouble they had gotten into. Matt, a stellar volunteer, knew what seemed to be every line of the movie and quipped them often and kept the group loose. The boys knew the movie well and also quipped several funny lines.
Our group of boys consisted of amiable, fit Brandan, entertainer and hoops star TFrank, born leader Casey, serious Demetri of Russian descent, and pensive, resilient Tony.
“Oh s$%#, did anyone bring anything?”
“Well, this is great. What are we supposed to do? Eat our feet?”
“D’you mean, you didn’t bring anything either?”
“What’m I supposed to do? Think of everything? I brought the comb!”
-Stand By Me
We stopped in the mountain town of Georgetown for a picnic lunch. After much searching, and the lunch still not being found among the provisions, one of the boys casually mentioned that he thought that he had seen it in the alley and that it had not been put in the van. Not a good start, but I don’t sweat the small stuff. We stopped at a store and I picked up new sandwich makings.
After 6 hours of driving we arrived at Horse Camp, set up, made dinner and organized the backpacks. Several of the boys went fishing. The mosquitoes were bad but attitudes were good.
Day 2:
The next day, we loaded the packs and set out on the beautiful trail. The first few miles we hiked were through gorgeous groves of Quaking Aspens. Our first day’s destination was an unnamed lake sited on our map. We never found it. Instead of going 5 miles we ended up doing 10, two days of planned backpacking that ended up climbing 2500′ in one day.
This was not taken well by some of the boys. They did not buy into, “It’s the road, not the inn.” Pent up anger manifested itself into a scream: “This is ridiculous!”
“This is ridiculous” became the joking phrase they used whenever anything else became difficult. Lobo also thought that it was “ridiculous” that the lake with no name disappeared?
“Alright, alright, Mickey’s a mouse, Donald’s a duck, Pluto’s a dog. What’s Goofy?
“Goofy’s a dog. He’s definitely a dog. I knew the $64,000 question was fixed. There’s no way anybody could know that much about opera!”
“He can’t be a dog. He drives a car and wears a hat. “
“Oh, God. That’s weird. What the hell is Goofy?”
“If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That’s easy-Pez. Cherry-flavored Pez. No question about it.”
“Wagon Train’s a really cool show, but did you notice they never get anywhere? They just keep wagon training.”
-Stand By Me
At night around the campfire, the group engaged in “philosophical reflections” of the day and thought provoking questions like, “If you knew there was going to be a nuclear war in a week, what would you do?” A beautiful sunset helped to put everything in better perspective and morale improved considerably.
Day 3:
On this day we loaded up and moved our camp a couple of miles to a location with a killer view that was closer to the route up Hancock Peak (our challenge). Brilliantly colored marmots with dark red bushy tails visited the camp to check us out. The boys hiked up to the snow and had a ball “surfing,” while I and Kyle, one of the volunteers, scouted out the route that we would take to safely summit 12,400′ Hancock. Kyle has served two tours of duty in the Middle East and is attending Colorado State in the fall.
He is inquisitive, thoughtful, and has a great sense of humor.
The thick wildflowers groves were magnificent, some of them taller than the two of us. It was a fun relaxing day for all. The kids were in high spirits but a couple of them harbored considerable apprehension about the next day’s challenge. The top of the mountain appeared daunting and played to their fears. The fears were expressed in the form of trash talk.
Day 4:
“Do you think Mighty Mouse could beat up Superman?”
-Stand By Me
We were up early. I wanted to get us on top of the peak and down before afternoon thunderstorms rolled in and chased us off the mountain. We were united in our goal to summit the peak and had visualized what it would feel like to be successful and to celebrate. We talked about supporting each other and “walking like a man.” Some demonstrated confidence, others fear. When we reached the Oh-Be-Joyful Pass, everyone agreed that the climb had been easier than they thought. The steep part was next and we had to figure out the best route through the snow and rocks. Lobo spaced out the group and talked about yelling “Rock” if someone dislodged one of those babies. Josh, a quiet volunteer took the lead. Josh is with Americorps, in great shape and proved to be a valuable team member.
Everyone worked tirelessly to reach the peak, but one was missing. TFrank was still on the saddle with Steve, the youth leader. TFrank was sorting through some anger issues and Steve was working with him.
Everyone was feeling good but empty because TFrank was not there. After a time, someone yelled “He’s coming!” and sure enough TFrank could be seen climbing. Fifty yards away he emerged with a big smile and tears streaming down his face. The group gave him a thunderous cheer and he was at the TOP. He received high 5s and hugs all around.
“I never thought that I could ever do anything like this!”
The image of TFrank smiling and climbing up the mountain will be etched into my memory for eternity.
The boys had so much energy that we decided to break camp and pack to the lake with no name. This would get most of the up hill out of the way and everyone wanted to find the lake. We hiked for 5 miles and did not find the lake. We set up camp close to a pristine creek that we thought had to flow into the lost lake. Josh and Kyle went scouting for the lake, to no avail. A couple of the boys went down stream without permission looking for the lake and we had a little “pow wow” when they returned. Brandon, during reflections, expressed that he did not like being talked to like a child when he returned from the creek. He has been talked down to all of his life. We had a great discussion, and he understood the bad position that he put the group in, requiring a search effort and the dangers of getting lost and disoriented. He acknowledged that my direct communication was really talking to him like a man and ended up OK with it all. We also had a good group discussion on living in the “NOW,” and not allowing limited perceptions to define us.
Day 5:
“Teddy Duchamp was the craziest guy we hung around with. He didn’t have much of a chance in life. His dad was given fits of a rage. One time he held Teddy’s ear to a stove and almost burned it off. “
-Stand By Me
This ended up being the low point of the trip. The night before did not go well. One of the boys had nightmares accompanied by blood curdling screams that woke everyone. Another reported friction and a confrontation in the tent. Steve, the youth leader, took charge. Steve is great with the kids and a real professional.
He cares deeply and made my job so much easier.
We then had a meeting and the boys handled it with maturity. We expressed our serious disappointment and nothing more needed to be said. Apologies were made and the slate wiped clean.
We then packed up hoping to find the lake but ended up hiking to the Horse Camp lake-less and did a nice day hike there and the boys did a little fishing in the creek.
That afternoon, a storm rolled in and we quickly set up our tents.
“We talked into the night. The kind of talk that seemed important until you discover girls.”
-Stand By Me
Thunder, lightning and heavy rain did not allow for much sleep that night.
Matt, one of the volunteers, for some reason decided to sleep outside a tent in some thick flora and had an interesting evening.
Crazzeeeeeeeeee! Matt is an “industrial strength” type of guy and carried a heavy load in so many ways throughout the trip.
Day 6:
We broke camp and headed for Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, where we would be guests. CRMS sits on an awesome environment nestled at the junction of two rivers and in the shadow of a 13er. The school has a great curriculum that includes college – prep, outdoor experiences, arts and community service. The boys fell in love with it. We were given a first-class tour that included a glass blowing demonstration. After cleaning gear, everyone went to the gym that included a rock climbing wall. The afternoon was spent playing hoops and we had a spirited session of adults vs. kids of dodgeball. Lobo was thrilled to receive compliments of “you’ve got game” from several of the boys, but got whipped badly at one-on-one by TFrank.
That evening we held our awards banquet at the funky White House Pizza Parlor. The team had really come together and stood tall. The boys relished their designated awards and put a lot of thought into the certificates and presentations to the adults. Casey gave Lobo a “cowboy boot’ keychain award. Casey had been as solid as a rock throughout the trip and really loves the wilderness. These boys have little money and I really appreciated his thoughtfulness. I firmly believe that his worst days are behind him.
Day 7:
It was a long drive back to Denver, but all were happy campers. I allowed them to play rap on the radio for 4 hours. The “music” gave me a headache but after closely listening to the “lyrics” a light bulb went on in my head. Just like me relating to the Beach Boys (the car, the girlfriend, the beach), life in the hood has been their reality.
In Denver, much joy was expressed regarding the trip and emotional goodbyes. Somehow I have to believe that “the kids are going to be alright.”
In the end they all stood by each other, the volunteers and me.
“When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me”
=====================================================================
Honorable Mention: Duncan Forbes
Wilderness Wind began partnering with Big City Mountaineers in 2009. Characteristics of the BCM program include:
- taking at-risk youth on wilderness trips (in this case, canoeing trips)
- the youth who participate come from neighborhoods in Chicago and Minneapolis.
- a 4:5 adult to youth ratio
- partnering with social service agencies in at-risk neighborhoods who are not only sending
the youth on wilderness trips but are sending adults who know the youth. A mentoring
relationship is thus established prior to and can continue after the canoe trip.
This is our second summer working with BCM and we have enjoyed and been stretched by it. The other evening one of the WW staff briefly overheard part of an end of trip debriefing discussion. A teen asked one of the leaders, “What do you do when you get angry?” This is a very striking question for a youth growing up in a challenging neighborhood. I asked their team leader (the equivalent of our trip leader) to write about his recent experience. Thank you to Duncan Forbes for his contribution. At the end of his article, I have added some other info about the stretching aspects of the WW/BCM partnership as well as a link to BCM’s website. There may also be other BCM stories on the WW blog in the future. — Kathy Landis, Executive Director
On our first night at Wilderness Wind, we gathered around a campfire and began to discuss our upcoming wilderness expedition in detail and set out group agreements and expectations to ensure the success of our team of nine. This was the first time all of the teens had been on a multi-day canoe trip. The next day was spent repackaging and organizing gear. Excitement was heightened when we went to Armstrong Lake to practice paddling. For Jose and Ramon this was the first time in a canoe.
The following morning as we started our trip from Snowbank Lake, a Bald Eagle swooped down to the water in front of us. We were thrilled to see such a beautiful creature. After crossing Snowbank, the excitement built over the following two portages because our next challenge was a 220 rod portage which would be our longest portage of the trip and on the first day! By the end, the group was exhausted and proud of their accomplishments. We paddled to a campsite, setup camp and the teens began swimming and catching lobsters. Later, they were informed that these creatures were not lobsters, but crayfish, whatever the case, another first.
The second day was full of laughter, homesickness, sweat, and joy. By the time we reached our campsite we had achieved a level of cooperation that some groups don’t realize until much later in an expedition. That night we began to analyze and interpret what this experience meant for us. For some, that evening was the first time they had ever roasted a marshmallow and made a s’more and for all this was the first time they had been within 20 yards of a bear As we shared these “first experiences” we began to realize that though we came from different backgrounds and cultures, we could join together for an indescribable expedition in the wilderness.
We spent the next two days traveling and mastering our skills as backcountry canoeist and working together to ensure our group was cohesive and successful. These days proved to be fairly challenging due a driving rainstorm on Vera and Ensign lakes and because of overall fatigue from the demands of canoe travel.
Between our last night in the wilderness and our final night at Wilderness Wind, the group began to understand and appreciate the impact of this trip. Each of the teens was challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally. As the trip was drawing to a close, we had the opportunity to reflect on the wilderness expedition, the successes and frustrations. One question was asked, “What did you learn about yourself? And what surprised you most about yourself during this trip?” Almost every response related to gratitude and respect. All of the teens spoke honestly and truthfully, stating that they had forgotten how much people in their lives care for them and provide for them. Most wanted nothing more than to return home with their new found sense of respectful behavior and confidence and tell their entire world. When striped of most things they have known in their life (running water, electricity, TV, cell phones etc.), they were able to find a joy in the natural world they never knew possible. They began to express themselves in ways they never knew and understand themselves in away they would have never learned in Chicago.
During our final reflection we asked the group, “What are you going to miss most about this expedition?” The number one response was “the group”. In just seven short days, this group of nine strangers met, paddled almost 40 miles, portaged 1498 rods, saw two bears try to eat our food, saw four Bald Eagles soaring and had countless laughs and as many struggles, and by the end we had became a humbled cohesive unit and evolved into a family.
Enlace Chicago: Duncan, Jason, Henry, Albert, Magdiel, Ramon, Arnol, Jorge, Jose
And how is this partnership stretching Wilderness Wind? Relationally, the two organizations are matched well. There is simply an abundance of good energy and interest between the two parties and the individuals involved. Facilities-wise, Wilderness Wind has some shifting to do. You will note in earlier blogs the mention of the bunkhouse. With the addition of BCM groups, we occasionally needed a fourth campsite at the top of the hill. Over the years, we have desired replacing the tents with something more comfortable for a wide age range of campers and less time consuming for staff as they put them up, wash and taken them down each year. With the need of a fourth campsite, the question rose, “Do we buy more tents, or do we make a transition to something more versatile?” We obviously chose the latter. Putting up a building is always a stretching point, but we believe it will also be something that will benefit both Wilderness Wind and BCM campers.
But we aren’t quite done yet, BCM has been very gracious with us as we have needed them to hyper-organize their gear. The only building we had available for their gear storage is shown below. It is a 10 x 12 building. It currently houses all their gear for two full canoe groups of nine people. Now we are not only talking life-jackets, packs, paddles, sleeping pads, pots, tents, eating utensils, maps, and even food, we are also talking sleeping bags, clothing and raingear for all the participants. The cabin is too tight for a photo that would do it justice, but suffice it to say, my most organized friends have been very impressed. This is not a long term solution and though BCM is being gracious, it is also an area of needed and asked for improvement. Your help, through donations and time, to build a new gear storage structure is welcome.
Honorable Mention: MK Sagaria
school bus climbs mountains
sending urban kids to play
in nature’s playground
up in the mountains
looking out over the world
the summit heals all
the columbines dance
the birds sing and brooks babble
city girls join in
Honorable Mention: Shanna Gronewold
9 of us women in the Boundary Waters – 1 guide, 3 adult leaders, 5 youth from Minneapolis. 5 of the 9 had never been to the Boundary Waters before. This is a reflection from the day it rained almost all day.
Paddle on
Paddle on
As the rain pours down
As the rain pours down
Soaked to the bone
Paddle on
Paddle on
Here we are out in the wilderness
Us from the city so far from home
No one except us and nature
Us and the elements
Us and the water and trees
Us and our rain soaked gear
Nature is often harsher than people let on
The wind, rain, lightening, thunder, mosquitoes,
All elements to be battled
To be fought
With intelligence
With skill
For survival
Like surviving in the city some could say
Like surviving adolescence some could say
The rain pours down
Relentless
But on we must portage
On we much go
Toes and noses cold
Keep moving
Keep pushing
To prevent hypothermia our guide states
We listen
We obey
Here in the wilderness
Just us and the elements
Us from the city so far from home
Paddle on
Paddle on
As the rain pours down
As the rain pours down
Soaked to the bone
Paddle on
Paddle on
On and on all day
Many miles covered
Over water and land
Stopping twice
For lighting position
10 feet apart
Sitting on our life vests
Knees tucked up tight
To be safe if lightening strikes
This is crazy we all think but no one states
For fear it will bring down morale
So instead we laugh and
Paddle on
Paddle on
As the rain pours down
As the rain pours down
Soaked to the bone
Paddle on
Paddle on
We reach our campsite as the storm breaks
Our reward
Our battle with the elements won
Everyone’s sore and exhausted
But we did it
We all smile and sigh
Watching the sunset together
High on a rock overlooking the water
The sunset of bright hues
Over the now peaceful waters
As flat as glass and reflective as a mirror
It’s all worth it we say
But still we hope it won’t rain another day
Like life in the city some could say
Like growing up some could say
Like life’s mix of good and bad
Of battles fought
Won and lost
And moments of peace
That motivates us to go on
Us from the city so far from home
Paddle on
Paddle on
As the rain pours down
As the rain pours down
Soaked to the bone
Paddle on
Paddle on
Honorable Mention: Beth Holland
Back from the Oh Be Joyful Trail
How do I even begin to tell you about this past week?! I have just had the experience of a lifetime with 9 amazing people, and many of you helped to make it possible. It’s hard to wrap my head around everything, and pictures only tell part of the story. I guess I will just have to start at the beginning…
July 6, Day 1 – Getting to Carbondale, CO
Two of the other mentors, Marie-Anne and Chelsey, picked me up at the hotel in Denver to go to the Big City Mountaineers (BCM) office. Marie-Anne is originally from Switzerland, has volunteered in the Denver office, and has a background in social work. Chelsey, a college student, has interned at BCM and mentored on a previous trip two summers earlier. On arrival at the office, we met the rest of the staff as well as Tracy – our trip leader – who also works as an environmental educator with the Appalachian Mountain Club. Turns out that the late spring out West put a little hiccup in our plans. Medicine Bow was still under snow, according to the morning’s trail report, so we needed to make a quick change in plans. Instead of heading North to Wyoming, we went West out to Carbondale, CO, where we would instead summit Oh Be Joyful Pass. After a quick orientation, MK – the After School Program Manager from Mercy Housing – arrived with the 5 girls.
It took us about an hour to get the girls all geared up. They chose sunglasses, hats, and socks to keep, as well as got fitted into packs, sleeping bags, and warm clothes – all donated gear to BCM. By 10:00 am, we were on the road to Carbondale. The first few hours in the bus were fairly quiet. While us adults chatted, most of the girls seemed extremely hesitant. When we reached Vail, we stopped for a picnic in a park. Thanks to a great playground, and a fairly involved game of tag, we started to see some smiles! A quick stop at Walmart to get 2 pairs of camp shoes for those girls who didn’t have any, as well as some awesome tie-dyed duck tape to make the girls some croakies, also didn’t hurt. The plan for the first day was to reach the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, where BCM had an arrangement to use their base camp and gym. However, this was a very hot and dusty location, so we didn’t want to get there too early in the day. When we reached Glenwood springs, we stopped again for a walk along the Colorado River. Most of the girls had never seen the Colorado before, and the walk along the trail was a totally new experience.
Upon arrival at base camp, we filled jugs with water, taught the girls to pitch a tent, and cooked dinner. It was very quiet. The girls were extremely nervous as they settled down that first night. Funny, they have gone through so much in their short lives but were still a bit apprehensive about sleeping in the dark.
July 7, Day 2 – Hitting the Trail
We started the girls early this second morning, as we needed to split up group gear and teach them how to load their packs. After a few hours of logistics, and some more name games, we hit the road for the Oh Be Joyful Trailhead. I can’t exactly explain where we were. It involved a 28 mile drive up an unpaved road to a parking area/horse park. Round trip, we expected to cover about 17 miles over the 5 days. While this does not sound like a lot, you have to understand that these girls had NEVER hiked before – unless you count their journeys to the refugee camps. They had never worn backpacks, or laced a pair of boots, or followed a trail. Most of them lead fairly sedentary lives, as the expectations of their families are for them to go to school, do their chores, learn English, and work to support the family. Extracurriculars, such as team sports, don’t exist in their worlds. In fact, for all but one girl who had played some soccer, being part of a team was a totally new experience.
By 1:00 that afternoon, we hit the trail. Tracy, our team leader, set the pace, and I acted as the sweep and brought up the rear. Less than 100 yards onto the trail, we needed to stop. Packs didn’t fit quite right, and we realized that none of the girls had laced their boots – so began “Beth’s School of Boot Tying.”
As we walked down the trail, I tried to talk with the young girl from Burma. She is 17 and has been in Denver for almost 2 years. I asked her if she had ever hiked before. She said, “no.” I asked if she had been on a mountain before. She hesitated and then answered, “Yes. We go over mountain to get to refugee camp in Thailand.” That should start to tell you a bit more about these girls.
By 6:30 that night, we had found a camp. The girls were exhausted, and it had started to rain. Luckily, there was a fire pit – definitely what salvaged the evening.
July 8, Day 3 – hike to base camp
Though we tried to get an early start, the girls weren’t moving too quickly. First, Chelsey had to give a group lesson in cat-hole (aka. pit toilet) digging. Then, Tracy did a foot check for hot spots and blisters. Finally, we reviewed boot tying. It took until almost 10:30 to start walking. There is no way around it. Day 3 was hard. We hiked about 4 more miles, most of it up hill. Though we lightened the girls packs, they still struggled with the load and the altitude. A 17 year-old girl from Nepal, served as our scout for the day. She struggled to maintain a consistent pace, stopping ever few yards to catch her breath. Despite a number of stops – one in a meadow full of wildflowers and another by a stream for lunch – the girls could not keep a consistent pace. By 4:30, thunderstorms were threatening and they were exhausted. Chelsey and I booked ahead of them to find camp, ditch our packs, and then come back to lend a hand. However, during all of this, three amazing events occurred.
First, as I mentioned, we started in the Aspen forests. The girls had never seen “trees with eyes.” However, by late afternoon, we had climbed up to the fir trees and evergreens. Tracy asked the group if they noticed anything different about the forest. A girl from Tanzania, said, “Yes. This is a happy forest! Not like the forest in Tanzania. That is scary forest. People go there and they get killed, or they get shot. The bad men live there. It very scary. This is not a scary forest.” The other girl from Tanzania, agreed, as did the one from Burundi.
Second, as the hiking became even steeper, we explained to the girls that they needed to encourage each other. With that, the girl who told the story about the scary forest jumped to the front of the line to help our scout keep the pace. We walked in cadence to her cheers. This may not seem too out of the ordinary; however, according to MK, lots of tension exists in Denver between the African and Asian refugee communities. The fact that these two girls supported each other was quite amazing.
After setting up tents in the rain, and scarfing down a hot dinner while huddled under the trees to stay dry, the sun reappeared and the clouds parted. More importantly, the girls started smiling! They ran up and down the hill behind the camp to get better views. They climbed up to a rock perch to look out over Buck Basin below our camp. After cocoa – which turned out to be boiled pudding mix in the end (minor detail) – they started to sing, dance, and play games. Despite the challenges of the day – in fact, the word of the day had been endure – they went to bed happy and ready for the next challenge.
July 9, Day 4 – Summit Day
To avoid afternoon thunderstorms, we hit the trail by 7:30. The plan was to hike up to Oh Be Joyful Pass. For four days, they had been excited about “going to climb the mountain.” We left most of our gear at base camp, and shared packs to lighten the load. For most of the morning, the girls sang as they hiked, smelled wildflowers, took pictures, and chatted as they made their way to the pass. However, just before noon, as the switch backs became steeper, they became silent. We adults encouraged and prodded them to keep going at a nice, slow, steady pace. It was pretty vertical as we gained just over 1,000 feet over 1.5 miles. However, when our scout for the day, saw the sign marking Oh Be Joyful Pass, she broke into a run. The girls dashed to their summit, cheering loudly.
From that moment forward, the dynamics of the group shifted. They laughed and smiled more easily. Some of the stoicism that marked the first few days melted. As you look through my pictures, you can see the difference. We celebrated that night with a campfire and more melted pudding. All of the girls talked about how proud they were to have climbed the mountain.
July 10, Day 5 – Back down the trail
The problem with out-and-back trails is that the half-way point is also the turn-around. On Day 5, we headed back down the trail towards Marge (our bus). By this stage in the trip, the girls were getting tired. At least it was all downhill! Our goal for the day was to find the lake that we missed on our first night out. As we hit the trail, I hung with Bakti, whose role was to be the sweep for the day.
By Day 5, I had become enamored with my new teaching strategy – to just be quiet. With this group of girls, I found that I listened way more than I spoke. That I was much softer and quieter. They needed neither a cheerleader nor an authority figure. These girls thrived by having a guide. So, given this new strategy, I asked the young girl from Nepal to tell me a story, and then, I waited. After a few minutes, in her very quiet and broken English, she told me about how her family fled from Bhutan to Nepal when she was 2. They then lived in the refugee camp in Nepal for 12 years, waiting to get asylum from the UN. Because of the strikes, and their ethnicity, her father could not find work. Finally, they were relocated to Denver through the UN Refugee Placement Service. Though already 17, she had just finished the 10th grade. She likes math, and wants to be an accountant. Her parents have never even been to high school. She is supposed to take care of her siblings and set the example for them.
Throughout the day, massive thunderstorms ran parallel to our trail. By sweating profusely in our rain gear, we were able to stave them off – gotta’ love Murphy’s Law! Around 2:00 that afternoon, we reached the location where we had camped the first night, but still had not passed this mysterious lake. Despite the rain, the girls wanted to keep hiking. Several yards later, we found the lake.
We couldn’t have asked for a better campsite for our last night in the backcountry. With the mountains towering over us, and the flowers dotting the landscape, it was the perfect location for the girls to play, explore, dance, and sing. (There is video footage of the wilderness congo line as well as the Pony Dance on my Flickr page.) They even took initiative cooking dinner, though I’m not sure if I would care to replicate Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese & Rice again!
July 11, Day 6 – Clean Up
The girls were ready for showers and clean clothes, so it was a fairly quick last 3 miles to the bus. Upon returning to CRMS, they cleaned gear and did laundry before happily taking over the gym showers. However, the adventure wasn’t completely over, and the girls still had a few firsts on this last full day: slurpees at 7-11 and dinner in a restaurant. Yes, it is a bit hard to believe, but these girls had never been out for pizza before. They felt terrified as we walked them into the restaurant. However, crayons, kids’ menus, and the world cup on TV brought them back out of their shells fairly quickly. Funny how pizza was the one common food they all enjoyed!
July 12, Day 7 – Back to BCM
I think the girls slept for most of the ride back to Denver. With the adrenaline gone, they were exhausted – physically, mentally, and emotionally. We returned the gear, did one last Pony Dance in the parking lot, and then they headed home.
It is amazing to think about how much 5 girls gained from 7 days in the woods. From Day 1 to Day 7, they learned about Achievement, Endurance, Perseverance, Leadership, and Teamwork. I think I had a few great lessons in these areas as well.
Honorable Mention: Andy Miksza
Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you all for your support, encouragement and donations for my trip with Big City Mountaineers. With your help, our trip this summer was very successful and a positive experience for three under served youth from Oakland Tech High School.
Our group included four adults (three volunteers/mentors and our paid trip leader) and three youth. The young man I mentored is named Chris, a fifteen year old from West Oakland. The other two youth were Nestor and Denzel. My first impression of Chris was he would be a hard nut to crack, but I knew he would also have the most to gain from the experience. It took him a couple days to feel comfortable in the wilderness, with adults he had never met before. But by the end he was leading the group with a map and compass on our off-trail hiking day, and had us all in stitches with his humor.
We started the trip at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and hiked a long 6-mile day, all uphill. The boys were troopers. The second day we continued on the trail 4 miles, to Lake Vernon, where we camped for two nights. The third day was the highlight, we got to hike off trail and explore the Vernon Lakes Basin. We hiked through a flooded meadow waist-deep in water, chased by mosquitoes. It might not sound fun but it was an amazing adventure. The fourth day we hiked 10 miles to Rancheria Falls, near the reservoir and found a beautiful campsite that looked down on the falls. The last day we hiked out 6 miles (up at 5am) and then drove into Yosemite Valley to do laundry and take showers. The waterfalls were near peak flow and the Fourth of July traffic gave us great views from the road. From there we drove to Groveland for dinner at Stan’s BBQ and a good nights sleep in the Tioga High School Gymnasium.
The trip was an amazing experience for everyone. We all learned a lot about each other and ourselves. It was hard work but extremely rewarding. In addition to all the backpacking skills they learned, the young men gained a new sense of confidence and I hope a higher perception of the natural world. Backpacking in the Yosemite wilderness is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
In the future I look forward to volunteering with Big City Mountaineers again and will continue to help support them through the Change a Life Campaign. Our trip was an incredible success thanks to the amazing volunteers, our talented trip leader, and the dedicated staff of BCM.
