I spent three glorious weeks last summer on a multi-sport
adventure with Outward Bound in the Alaskan Outback.
I was looking for variety in the outdoors, an opportunity
to have multiple experiences, to test myself across several
disciplines. I could not have asked for a more ideal
experience than I found in my three weeks of mountaineering,
glacier travel, and white-water rafting across south-central
Alaska.
Like most of the people in my “patrol,” I had
never done more than just car camping. Crampons, caribeners,
and prusiks were words that had never-before entered my vocabulary. I
went on this trip because I needed to be challenged, because
I wanted a once-in-a-lifetime experience, because I was compelled
to break out of my comfort zone. One of the reasons I
selected Outward Bound was so that I could travel in remote
wilderness areas that I could otherwise never explore on my
own. My summer adventure more than satisfied each of
these needs; it not only changed my relationship with the
earth, it transformed my life.
Each of the people with whom I shared this adventure came
toAlaska for different reasons. For some it was a gift
before heading out to college, for another it was the end
of a long-term relationship and desire to rediscover himself. Our
life experiences were as vast as our age range – from
a recent high school graduate in her late teens to a former
submarine commander in his mid-sixties.
Regardless of each of our levels of skill – which certainly
varied – every one of us was challenged in the Outback. Together
we summitted peaks, climbed out of deep crevasses, traveled
in rope teams across moving glaciers, and navigated through
imposing rapids. Along the way, we learned to survive
– and thrive – as a team. We created our
own family and left with an impenetrable bond and a common
experience uniquely our own.
I cannot wait for my next opportunity to enroll in a multi-expedition
Outward Bound course. I do not yet know if it will be
a combination of sea kayaking and rock climbing, or sailing
and backpacking, but regardless of the elements, I eagerly
anticipate my next foray into the unknown.
Marc Lewis, CAF241, Alaska Rafting and Mountaineering, 21
days
