Second-years Experience Adirondacks
Carol Chan '01
Issue date: 9/6/00 Section: Johnson News
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This year, we began our experience early Saturday evening. We met at the Field House where we completed a couple of team building exercises. While many of us knew we had signed up for a camping trip, the specifics of what we were going to be doing was, like many of our cases in the core, a lesson in dealing with ambiguity. After discussing our agenda, I realized I had the wrong priorities and had to completely repack. I replaced my cleansers for more important things (like toilet paper). We sorted out our food according to the menu of the week. Those of us who do not camp on a regular basis rented and bought equipment. Then, we learned how to tie compressed sleeping bag to our packs and the various uses of a zip-lock bag.
This year, there were two patrols. Patrol I, a.k.a. “Bad Dogs” consisted of: Bill Bihlman, Brian Thomas, Jeff Fenigstein, Susie Welgos, Ladislav Lettovsky, Kendra Armer, Drea Lewis, Tiffany Tamplin, Edwin Hong. Patrol II consisted of: “How old is my oldest son” Eric Clawson, “Good at Math” Tiffany Loughren, “Snores like a bear” Eliza Moore (actually she doesn’t, but it’s her fault for keeping such a low profile), “Oozing Sores” Laura Nogelo, “Sexy maan” Chad Proell, “Potato Man” Will Richmond, “North Warrior Princess” Ed White, and yours truly, “Gorp Queen.” Our team, lead by Cornell Outdoor Education (COE) instructors, David Ackerson and Michael Matier, rendezvoused the next morning at 7:30am.
Our first stop was only 20 minutes away, at the Hoffman Challenge Ropes Course. The course was built in 1997 on Mt. Pleasant and consists of both low and high element challenges. Our leadership and team skills were tested and observed through various exercises as well as our daily activities such as cooking, cleaning and pitching tents. The mountaineering experience and skill level on our team ran across the spectrum, from experienced ice mountaineers to someone who has never slept outdoors before. Our instructors Dave and Michael had the challenge of designing exercises that pushed each one of us with our various skills and outdoor experience to the next level.
Our activities for the first day consisted on a variety of exercises on the low ropes courses, some belay training and the Flying Squirrel. (The Flying Squirrel marked the beginning of Laura’s relationship with our first aid pack.) After each activity we had an opportunity to reflect and provide feedback to each other.
On the second day, each of us took turns on the high ropes obstacle course. While belayed by our team, we had to walk/climb across of series of series of crossings about 30 feet above ground. Then we switched belayers and climbed on a side of a tower to a 45-foot platform. Once we were at the tower, we could either slide across a slightly angled zip-line or use the Giant Swing to get down. The Giant Swing had an initial drop of approximately 25 feet. We all chose the Giant Swing even though it made us scream like little girls.
After two days and two nights at the Hoffman Challenge Ropes Course, we set forth for our 5-hour drive to the Adirondacks. Our first activity in the Adirondacks was to rappel off of an 80-foot cliff. Laura and Will, the more skilled climbers of our team, gave us instructions (and in some cases, support). One by one we descended. Our next activity was to climb up a similar wall on another part of the mountain.
Afterward, we decided to take a quick dip in a nearby stream before hiking to our cabin deep in the woods.
Our group of eight was divided into two groups of four to reduce the level of disturbance from traveling in a large group. Spaced 20 minutes apart we began our three-mile hike into the woods. I was part of the later group. Within 45 minutes of starting our hike it got dark. Fortunately for me, my fear of heights replaced my fear of the dark several years ago. We trekked through boot-sucking mud, wobbly rocks and branches, and we arrived at the cabin another 2 hours later.
The first day at the cabin was designated the cerebral day where we were asked to share a more personal side of ourselves; to be vulnerable through a different type of challenge. Later, after a pretty physically challenging day the day before, we were all too tired to do much more than eat, tell potato jokes (over and over again) and reason through consulting interview riddles (with incomplete information). That evening after dinner, we designed our peak ascent to Big Slide and Yard. We re-divided the group to two teams of four. Thanks again to the experience of some of our team members, we completed our entire hike just 5 minutes over our estimated 6 hours. From Yard, we were able to see Gothic, Armstrong, and Upper Wolf Jaw, the peaks the Bad Dog patrol were climbing. It was beautiful.
Like most urbanites, I had no inclination to sleep on dirt. I’ve heard of how beautiful the mountains are from many people before, but without any perspective, it was like describing color to the blind. Now that I’ve seen the mountains, the contrast of peeling birch bark under a canopy of trees, felt the soft give of the ground, breathed the fresh air, and finally seen the stars, I can understand why people would want to sleep on dirt.
After a full day of hiking, each of us ankle deep in mud, and a week of not showering we all headed for the stream near the cabin for a good rinse. We all waded in the icy waters for as long as our bodies could tolerate. After 15 minutes of rinsing my hair and face, I could still taste the salt running down the side of my face. That night after dinner, we reflected on the week’s activities. The next day, we cleaned out the cabin, stopped in town for a few pies and headed back to Ithaca.
While we were encouraged to step outside of our comfort zone, the fundamental rule of the course was “challenge by choice.” It was clear we did not have to do anything we didn’t want to at anytime of the course. And throughout the week, Dave and Michael created opportunities for us to test our perceived boundaries and limitations physically, mentally and emotionally. It was such a great experience on so many different levels.
“Every year we’ve gotten really good evaluations 9.7 - 9.8 … many say that this is a life changing experience” says Clint Sidle, who has been a facilitator for the program in the last 10 years. “Once you have an opportunity to be part of a high performance team at every level from the task level to performance level, once you have a taste of it, you begin to want it … to seek it.” The school is now exploring the possibility of another trip during Spring break, perhaps a canoeing, white water version of this in Virginia or Tennessee.