October 10, 2009

During the fist half of this expedition, we were involved in trail work on the mountains that needed it most. The trail work served to create more sustainable trails, either by building new trails designed to erode less, or by doing restoration work to slow the process of deterioration so prevalent on the well-traveled peaks of Colorado. We created durable steps, boundaries on either side of existing trails, and relocated stones to discourage visitors from straying off the path. There was also vegetative restoration work, in which we relocated plants and topsoil to help a return to nature in the areas that had eroded due to overuse. The group who worked on the Mt. Yale trail mainly built steps and relocated stones to prevent the degradation of the topsoil in the surrounding area. We learned how important our work was, since apparently topsoil on high-altitude mountains can take up to 12,000 years to develop fully!

Our expedition traversed across HMI's backyard- the Mount Elbert/ Mount Massive Wilderness. Some groups braved Elbert, others attempted Massive, and some went deep into the reaches of the Collegiate Peaks. Snow was a great challenge, and the trails were sometimes very steep, but the journey was always rewarding. As our boots splashed in puddles of melted snow, dirt, and autumn's leftovers, each step brought us to a place more beautiful than the last. Every group had a route that, at one point, placed them near the top of Colorado. From there we could see endless rows of furry conifers that dressed the landscape ever so eloquently, and rich, ochre-colored meadows beckoned the weary backpacker.

Our group began near the Twin Lakes, two huge bodies of water named for their intense similarity. After that we spent a four-day layover at the Lilly Ponds about two miles north. Our service project was based there; an experience that was as fun as it was gratifying. Over the course of the expedition, besting the hardships of the weather (more on that later), we visited North Willow Creek, Swamp Lakes, Hagerman Lake, and Timberline Lake.

The weather on this trip proved to be a bit different than on comparably balmy expedition one. Though the first day of expedition was sunny and warm, and the whole group wore shorts and t-shirts, little did we know about the weather on its way. The very next morning we woke up shivering to find snow overflowing into our tarp. There was nearly a foot of fresh powder on the ground! After walking around camp to warm up our feet, we made the best of the cold and had a snowball fight. The next couple of days heated up and melted away some of the snow, but the sun didn't last too long. Over the course of the trip, there was nearly always some kind of precipitation, whether rain, hail, or snow. Some days it was a complete blizzard and we hiked without being able to see even twenty feet in front of us. The conditions were much more extreme than any of us were expecting! However, even with the wind and cold, we managed to keep in good spirits and enjoyed the challenge of facing the elements.

As weather conditions were much colder than the majority of us were used to, most of our activities were chosen on the basis of getting warm. We played countless games including "Little Sally Walker", the "Smurf" dance, an improved version of Indian sprints, and Star Wars (courtesy of Karl Remsen). In Little Sally Walker, we all got in a big circle and took turns making our own dances in the middle. Then, after we chanted the person's name in the middle to the tune of Little Sally Walker, the person in the middle traded out for a new lead dancer. The Smurf dance was definitely one of the most effective warming activities, but also one of the most difficult to explain in words. The best way to describe it would be to imagine a bunch people jumping up and down and shaking all around. Our Indian sprints involved all of us getting in a line and running around the forest, each taking turns in the front of the line and making up a "move" to run with. These moves included high knees, the chicken dance, and skipping. Finally, Karl's expedition learned a game he created called Star Wars. We had anticipated it all expedition, and it definitely lived up to expectations. The game was indescribable, yet awesome. All of these activities were fun, but through it all, we definitely learned that sitting still for fifteen minutes simply wasn't an option. Perhaps you could call it "necessary fun."

Aside from the trail work, goofy games, and steeling ourselves to the wintery wonderland, we also had classes. You know you're in the backcountry when classes are taught on a marker board crafted from a Mylar bag and an inflated Therm-A-Rest. Whether it's P&P, English, or History, though, these classes are filled with insight and thoughtful questions. The faculty engage us through discussions and relevant stories. On this expedition, we found ourselves writing Haikus on a saddle overlooking the foggy reaches of the Sawatch Range. We all enjoyed learning in this backdrop- classroom walls can be rather stale.

During the second expedition our classes were P&P and English. For P&P, we were taught different leadership roles, decision-making skills, and the meaning of our trail work. For the first two, we enacted different scenarios relevant to each topic. For the latter, we read a speech by President Obama regarding service and an article from the Harvard Business Review about individual vs. group ethics. English was an event in itself. You heard about the weather, right? We crammed over ten students under a tarp during a snowstorm. And still, it was very fun. The cozy tarp was definitely different than the saddle from which we wrote our Haikus, but, in it's own way, it was an amazing classroom as well.

It's definitely nice to be back in the warmth of Who's Hall, cabins, and our cozy beds, and surrounded by all of our RMS XXIII friends, but we all definitely had a blast on the second expedition.

By: Ian Johnston, Elio Icaza Milson, Caroline Leahy, & Sachi Twine