Cabin Fever has Struck South Central Alaska!

An epidemic has caused widespread panic across much of south central Alaska. It goes by the name Cabin Fever (CF) and is highly contagious. Symptoms include; anxiety, jitters-- due to increased coffee consumption, irritability, and boredom. The cause is simple: unseasonable warm weather that wont go away.

CF is causing much distress and the only true cure is a sufferfest. With travel unsafe in the mountains the outlets for the copious amounts of built up energy are few and far between. Citizens are having a very difficult time coping with this epidemic. Creativity is a must to deal with the horror of CF.

Potential Temporary Cures:

1) Get caught up on pop culture. 

Thanks to this crappy winter warm up I am finally caught up on what everyone in America is talking about. By the way, Game of Thrones is good entertainment.

2) Find a new coffee shop

Scored! Found a new favorite coffee shop close to home. But its secret...

3) Spend money on gear for summer

After many years of resiting, I finally bought a pair of rain boots! Another I know who was hit especially  hard with CF bought a pack raft

4) Work more

 Not going to lie, I love work. Mostly I love being productive. If I cant be productive in the mountains, I mind as well get some work done.

5) Yoga
I go anyways, but at least its a small outlet for energy

6) Eat pizza with Friends

Always good. But then a run with studded shoes is needed after.

7) Clean the house

Good productive activity. I'm all about it.

8) Do laundry

I did laundry a couple times this week. Because I could, and extra clean socks are nice.

9) Sleep in

Sort of weird, I feel guilty.  But it was kind of nice. Dont tell anybody

10) Folk Fest

At least the warmup came at Folk Fest time, it's a good excuse to go check out some local music!

All these are by no means a substitute for a fun day in the mountains, and shouldnt be treated as so. But they can make life with CF more tolerable. The dose of sunshine helps too! Please send your thoughts of cold and snow to Alaska. Together we can get through this tough time.

SNOW REPORT!

Hatcher Pass, sunrise over Chugach Peaks! Strange winter lighting

 November and December have been jam packed. At work I took on a bit of different role. I helped coordinate a fundraiser, calmed down angry Trailside parents, and kept TDC a float, while THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND; Tom (the director) was on leave. It was a great learning experience and I liked the demands and pressure! Luckily he is back in action, but its been a wild ride the past couple months!

 In my personal life I have found some 'zen' with the darkness. I love the early winter mornings for runs and yoga, and in the evenings I usually have events and meetings. NETWORKING!! WHOOHOO! Staying busy and waking up early is also a great a excuse to go to bed at 9:30! The weekends have been devoted to fun times, I got in a couple more hikes in November and once the snow came I have been working on my ski turns! It has been, well... something!

The Turns of the Past

I grew up skiing in the hills of West Michigan.Classic Midwest skiing. My first time on skis I was 7 or 8, my dad and mom hauled my little brother and me up tow rope to the top of the bunny hill. While my dad was helping my brother, I took off down the hill with full speeed. Just like I do most things, I went for it, and dove head first! No snow plowing, no stopping, just a beeline for the bottom! I ended in heap of skis and poles right before the lodge! It was AWESOME. My mom rushed down after me and luckily and nobody ended up hurt. Then Dad decided that I probably could use some lessons in snowplowing and turning! I loved skiing right away, but unfortunately once I started high school my family and I become occupied with other things. Good and bad I suppose.

 Fast forward to college.... As a freshman slacker I took a beginner ski class to get a refresher on skiing skills. Great choice for sure, I spent afternoons at an old school resort that still had T-Bars and no lifts but it sure had amazing views of Lake Superior. Since then I haven't made much of an effort to ski, it seemed expensive and little intimidating, plus I didnt have great access to it.
 Flash forward a couple more years to now! Convinced by my good adventuring pals I invested in an alpine touring setup this fall. BEST IDEA EVER.

Backcountry! Say what!?

In alpine touring the goal is to get access to places that you cant ski at a resort. It's a wonderful concept: no lift lines, no lift ticket prices, no people, just mountains and snow! I figured it would be an easy transition. NOPE. Reminiscent of my first time on the skis, I did the same thing little 7 year old Andrea did. My friends and I toured up a small ridge in Hatcher Pass, AK, a fantastic place for backcountry skiing. Touring involves putting a sticky nylon sheet on the bottom of your ski called a skin which allows you to go uphill on your skis. Your boots are more flexible then standard ski boots and have a component that allows you to be in walk mode to lift up your heal. When you get to the top, you rip off your skins and head down! When we got to the top of the hill I was so excited to head down, I didnt really think it through. I momentarily forgot how to to ski, and just flew down the hill. I didnt make it far before I ended up in pile! With adrenaline high I made it down to my friend Adam who was waiting and laughing. I never was so freaked out in the mountains. A totally new concept for me, I usually feel my best in the backcountry. I was also experiencing an INTENSE pain in my legs, something I have never had before. Every time I went to make a turn I yelped in pain, it radiated up my IT band, (the side of my quad and calf, felt like someone was pulling out my muscle with pliers. I thought I was going to die right there. Scary stuff. It felt like forever but I finally made it down to the car, crashing and yelping the whole way down. After trouble shooting my problem with many potential solutions, my friend Aimee and I went out the next day and did a mellow run, and it was better. Not great, but better. I thought skiing deep powder was going to be easy...

Skining up!! Hardwork!

In Anchorage there is a cute little ski hill called Hilltop, it reminds of Bittersweet back home or Mt. Ashwabay from college. There are a couple lifts, no lines, and cheap night skiing. I think it has become my new go-to place. I have gone there a couple times to get some practice in and sure did feel good! Probably looked good too, unlike my backcountry turns... Carving an edge in the hardpack is great with my new skis, and it has helped my confidence a lot. I DO remember how to ski! It has been reassuring!

Getting ready for the down-hill!

Since my first time out in the backcountry, I have gone a few more times. Im not giving up! Solstice weekend a big group of folks and I stayed at the Manitoba Cabin in Summit Pass. Super cushy place in the magical Chugach National Forest, with great access to backcountry tours. It's different skiing, you're in the trees if you stay low, and it was pretty scary. But once again it felt better, I fell a lot, the snow was wet and heavy but I did okay, the pain was there but not as intense. I still was not quite convinced about the fun of touring yet. BUT Im not one to give up easily!!

WHOOHOO! Girl power! Thanks for the photo Aimee!

I went out yesterday with a group of some of my favorite people ever and we did a mellow run in Hatcher Pass, it was the most fun Ive had in powder yet. It's starting to come together! It was a perfect amount of touring for me, with a really fun run. Sure I fell a couple times, but  my powder turns were way better, and I actually had real fun! I think its going to be okay! It's a new skill, and my mental game has been off. Ive been fearful and hesitant after my first time. Part of skiing better in the powder for me is getting over my fears. Im becoming more confident each time! It is only December after all, the ski season is long in AK, with the best part yet to come!

I think it's going to be a great winter!

Johnson Pass July 2013

4th of July 2013!  Liz, Me, Adam, and Derek at the pass. Thanks for the photo Jared!!

 In Celebration of aMerica's Birthday my friends Liz,Adam, Jared, Derek, and I only had one day to do something painfully awesome, we decided that Johnson Pass was in order!

Classic Kenai, super lush! July 2011

Pass Stats

Access: There are two access points. The North Trailhead is at mile 64 on the Seward Highway and the South Trailhead is 32.5. For a day trip I highly recommend starting at the north and going south, it is a shorter, steeper up hill to the pass. With kids and loaded bikes we went the other way because it is a longer, less steep up hill, the downhill was less technical, and for camping logistics.

Miles: About 22 miles

Conditions: Well marked, single track. More then half of your journey will be in the forest, you are above the trees in the pass,. During June and July the trail is very overgrown. Be prepared with long sleeves, and rain gear. The cow-parsnip is brutal.

Time: It will take about 5 or 6 hours in a day

Wildflowers in the pass! July 2011

In the summer of 2011 I lead a four day biking trip on Johnson Pass with 12-14 year olds and it was a SUFFERFEST. Derek fondly referred to it as the “22 mile bike push.” And yes, that’s basically what is was! We did it with loaded bikes and it was tough. Between the rain ,cow parnsip rashes,giant bruises, and a bike that wouldn't shift any more; my bike and I were WORKED. It was so miserable it was awesome, dont let me fool you I loved every moment! Even after my co-leaders  derailleur broke 7 miles in and we fixed it with a zip tie. It was a miracle that the zip tie held for four days and nobody got seriously injured. 

Notice the zip tie, remarkable engineering... It held for 4 days!!

Happy Leaders at the Pass!! July 2011

Since that trip, all I have wanted to do was crush Johnson Pass. AGAIN! But this time it was going to be different, I wanted to do it in a day without loaded bikes. Johnson Pass is located in the Kenai Peninsula in the Kenai Mountains. It is one of my favorite places, the trail is rugged, the views are incredible, and the wildflowers are insanely beautiful. It is a little piece of Alaskan Paradise.

 As far as mountain bike trails go, its not incredibly difficult. I would rate it as moderate. There is some technical parts, and it is uphill until the pass. It is a looooong ride, though. The last 6 miles became a battle of endurance! Starting from the North it is about 8 miles to the pass. There are a couple steep, rocky parts, but most of it is ride-able. Once you are on the pass the riding is easy and super fun! Then you get to a long 5ish mile downhill rollarcoaster ride! It is good stuff. I highly recommend doing this trip with at least two people. It is remote, overgrown, not heavily traveled, and there are TONS of bears. Be ready. Make noise, have your spray ready. Also this is a great mellow backpacking trip. There are campsites located in the pass and before the pass on both sides.

Overgrown, but incredibly beautiful in the pass! July 2011

Crazy Cow-Parsnip

Cow Parsnip Fun Facts!

So cow parsnip (Pushki) is a giant, evil plant that lives in the northern latitudes, so south central Alaska... It gets to be giant thanks the ample sunlight and rain, like 7ft tall! It gets white umbel flowers, and has huge leaves. It can get confused with another painful plant; devils club. Now cow parsnip is what ya call photo-reactive meaning that if you brush up against the leaves or stalk and get its secretions on you, it causes a chemical burn IF exposed to sunlight. Pretty cool eh'? Not every body reacts and some people are more sensitive then others. Ive had  a couple reactions, its a crazy feeling. It feels tingly, and itchy, and because it is a burn it leaves painful blisters. That then leave scars and discoloration that go away with some time.  For me it was between 4 months and a year. It spreads with light and heat! Watch out for saunas...

Kesgui Ridge August 2013

Denali! Excellent views of the Alaskan Range  the whole time!

Kesgui Ridge is a classic Alaskan backpack trip. It is located in Denali State Park about three and a half hours north of Anchorage. It is the long spine of the Talkeetna’s that parallels the Parks Highway.  I have yet to do the entire 36 miles of it in one go, BUT I have done a couple day trips, a couple overnight trips with friends, and now I have lead two groups of kids up there. So between all that I have seen the whole thing. That counts for something right!?

Backpacking with children (or Scott Fritz! Baaaznig!!)is a frustrating, hilarious, and rewarding endeavor: all at the same time.  I was very excited but nervous for the opportunity to lead Kesgui Ridge again. The first time I lead it was MISERABLE. I hate to describe anything as miserable, but it was. Fog and rain with an allergic reaction scare, a dangerous mud shoot, and to top it off I got a gnarly systematic infection the last day (huge baseball size lump in my thigh, welts spreading from my legs to my stomach, high fever, it was not pretty!) . I am going to count it as a  learning experience.

With the thoughts of my last Kesgui trip looming in my brain as my new group of campers showed up I prepped them best I could knowing full well all the potential dangers that lurked. I told them that we needed to be prepared, to take the weather seriously, rain gear and setting up tents properly was incredibly important, life saving in fact! I told them life is real up on the ridge, we are remote even if we can see the highway. These are not exaggerations. Hypothermia happens. Luckily I had an all-star group. Many kids I’ve had a least a bizzilon times so they were super game. I had a “worry list” a mile long, but Tuesday morning came and trip-adrenaline kicked in, I was ready to rock. Kids and van were packed in record time and we were out the door!

We just got on the highway, when one of the boys called up the front “Uhhh so Andrea, uhhhh Im pretty sure I left my rain jacket back at camp.” Bahhhhh. PALM TO FACE.  Now, this kid is one of my regulars he is now fourteen, he has been on many of my trips, and knows better. Oh geez, so we had to turn around and GO BACK, thankfully I found his jacket.  45 minutes later we were back on the highway headed north. I was less then pleased, and I busted out ‘Serious Andrea’ I laid down the law! Put a little dose of healthy fear in the kids and told them that if anybody else left a layer beyond that could save their life like a rain jacket, they got a free ticket back to Anchorage with the van. No one else forgot anything…

Between the rain jacket ordeal and the construction we did not get to the trailhead until 3:30 pm. Not ideal. For this trip we started at the Little Coal Creek and were going to do a 17 mile section to Ermine.We started hiking around 4:00 pm. The first day you have the most elevation gain, and it is a steady four to five miles up to the ridge. The trail is well marked, traveled, and maintained. There are even switch backs! We got to the ridge around 7:00 pm, not bad for a big group of teenagers. Luckily the weather was perfect, sunny, temps in the 70’s. We camped near a creek right at the top of the ridge; there was plenty of places for tents. Weather changes fast in the mountains, knowing that I am always watching clouds and on high alert for any noticeable changes in pressure, and wind. I could tell that night during dinner that there was a chance some rain could move in. Making sure the tents were “bomb proof.” I went to bed a little uneasy; I swear I heard thunder in the distance...

First campsite

 


Eventually I got some sleep and apprehensively woke up in the morning to fog. Going slow but steady the fog lifted around 1 pm and blue sky prevailed!! We hiked for about 4 miles and camped in an awesome meadow part of a creek drainage. Great campsite, easy access to water and lots of tent sites.

Thursday, day 3 was my favorite day of hiking. I should mention that once you gain the ridge the going is easy. Rolling hills, no major elevation gains or losses, and I would say that you could do this section in one overnight or even as a long day hike if you choose. Four days is a little much, but perfect for kids.

We had fantastic views of Denali and the Alaskan Range AND the Talkeetnas on the other side. Super great. I never get bored of gawking at Denali. We got to our campsite at Ermine Hill early in the afternoon it was about 4 miles of hiking total, the weather was fantastic so we lounged like a bunch of marmots in the sun, ate bunch of food, and laughed a bunch. The next day we hiked out threeish miles down hill to the Ermine Hill Trailhead and were waiting for our pick up by 9 am.

So all my worries were probably good, LIFE IS REAL ON KESGUI! But luckily this trip was a 1000 times better then my first time with kids. The weather was awesome the whole time, and the views are hard to beat. I finally figured out why it is such a great hike ;-) I should also mention this will go down in history as probably my favorite trip Ive ever lead for Trailside, and probably the most I have ever laughed on Trailside trip. I cant even start to tell all the stories from the kids they were just TOO funny. Hey that’s great though, who would ever think that teenagers could be so entertaining.

These guys are pesky but cute! They chewed on a water filter and enjoy pepperoni...

Trip Stats

Total Miles: 16.7 (round up to 17 for bathroom detours!) This is just for Little Coal Creek to Ermine. The total from Little Coal Creek to Byers Lake is 36.

Elevation: high point is around 5000 ft,  Little Coal Creek to ridge is around 4000 ft

Access: Little Coal Creek Trailhead-Mile 163

                Ermine Hill Trailhead-Mile 156

                Byers Lake- Mile 147

Trail Conditions: Well marked, look for cairns every couple 100 yards! Heavily traveled.  They have recently done some work, on it. The trail down to Byers Lake was a mud shoot, terrible, BUT they have put in switch backs and it is quite pleasant now!

Time: Anywhere from a day hike to four or five days.

Route: As far as difficulty it doesn’t really matter if you start from the south and go north or vice versa. The reason I choose north to south for this particular trip was because of logistics, farther to drive for pick up on Friday, and because if it is clear you get to gaze at The Majesty: Denali in all her glory instead of having her at your back.

Alright so I cant talk about Kesgui without mentioning Troublesome Creek. So FYI Kesgui does continue south after Byer’s Lake that portion is called Troublesome Creek. Now since I have been in AK for the past four summers it has been closed due to flooding and what not, fun fact it also has the densest population of black bears as far as square mileage in Alaska. I understand it is now open but besides that I don’t know much about it. Worth checking out I suppose so if you are inclined the Trailhead for Upper Troublesome Creek is mile 137.6 and Lower is Mile 137.2. Happy Trails, carry bear spray!

A Guide: How to Survive Wilderness Trips With Children

Yep, that is Denali. Yep I am backpacking. Yep, this is my job.

Alright. Here it goes. I am going to say it. I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. It could be  debated, but I think the only way my job could get better would be if I was a mountaineer getting paid to climb mountains with some sweet pro-deals and sponsors! (im thinking ARC'TERYX!). I'm not quite pro-mountaineer status so I guess I can settle for getting  paid to take children on wilderness trips in ALASKA. Through backpacking, canoeing, and mountain biking I get to share my passion with kids. I have been working as a guide since my days at Northland College, going on six years now. I have worked for Trailside for the past four summers. I could see how one could easily go insane leading trips for children week after week. Yet I keep coming back year after year to Trailside, so here is my survival guide to keeping the sanity while camping with children.

   

#1: LAUGH. Laugh a lot. Then laugh some more.

Number one rule for working with children is to not take yourself too serious, and don't take the kids too serious. Life is way too short and kids are way too ridiculous. Sure you have business to take care of; (safety is #1), but there is a lot of stuff that isn't worth getting stressed or upset about. Kids are funny, especially when they aren't trying to be. Sometimes I can get super stressed and task oriented. Ready to take care of business. I get what I call "Serious Andrea Face," which I have been told is quite frightening, (I even scare myself!) but at times its truly necessary. All it takes for me to break from "Serious Andrea" is for one silly action or phrase by a  little human. It serves as a slap to the face reminder of why I am really there: to have fun and get kids outside!!

"Serious Andrea" Absolutely terrifying..

 Take for example this incident I had on a trip last summer. I was leading a group of 12-14 year olds on a backpacking trip to Kesgui Ridge in Denali State Park. It was the first day, and we were hiking up to the ridge at a the final push above treeline. I was in front and my co-leader was picking up the end. We were spread out but I could see her and almost all the kids. I got up to the ridge and rested while the kids came up one by one. Finally all the kids except for McKenzie (my co-leader) and two kids weren't on the ridge. I was getting a little worried, ready to ditch my pack to head back down the hill. But finally they came into view and a few minutes later they came up to meet us. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said "Oh yeah everything is great! But I caught Jake* napping in the middle of trail!"

 Jake* has been on a bunch of my trips. He is this giant 14 year old, at least 6ft tall, with a crazy mop of blond hair that covers his eyes like a big ol' sheep dog. He has a fantastic sense of humor,l even when he's not trying to be, like in this instance. So, I asked Jake*, "What were you up to? Are you feeling okay?" He replied nonchalantly in his Napoleon Dynamite voice: "Uhh Andrea I was just uhh super tired, so I took a nap."  Jake* took a nap in the middle of the trail while McKenzie and I couldnt see him! That was a first for me. Now I could have easily gotten upset at his foolishness. I was slightly stressed with the late start we had on trail. We needed to get to camp to get tents set up and dinner before the weather changed.  But come on that was way too funny!

#2: Stay one step ahead of the kids.

Kids are smart and they are always plotting evil deeds, especially 8 year olds. As the adult who is in charge of them you have to out smart them, the only way is to think like a kid. Risk management is huge in wilderness trips; you are taking someone's kid in the middle of the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness! So I manage risks by saying to myself: "If I was 8 at this campsite, what would I consider fun?" That list ALWAYS includes; any body of water, trees to climb, places to run and trip, sticks, and FIRE! Anything dangerous of course. My job often includes being a "fun sponge"  The key to lowering risks is developing boundaries before they even realize all the fun dangers that exist. A bubble of safety if you will. Or FORCE FIELD as I call it.

It also means having fair rules and expectations from the get go. Kids are kids. Life happens on the trail; they get in arguments, they can get hurt. You need to be on your game at all times, and that means staying one ahead of the ridiculous things children think of. 

  

Mud is good.

#3:  Get Muddy!

  By Friday you should be as dirty as your participants, but of course maintain hygiene for pete's sake!! If you aren't, you're probably not working hard enough or having the most possible fun. On a canoe trip this past summer for 12-14 year olds, on the first day of a four day trip; my boots were soaked at the end of the first portage and I sunk into up to my waist at the second portage. It also showed the kids that the canoeing and portaging was hard work for me too; I knew where they were coming from.

Naps are rare, but welcomed!

 #4: Bedtime is sacred

My new philosophy this summer was to allow the kids stay up until they were tired. Now this may sound ridiculous, right!? You're probably saying "That is crazy, kids should have bedtime, they are growing and need boundaries!" Now I agree, but let me tell you; it is all a trick! The idea is to let them play super hard during the day, feed them dinner and dessert early, then let them run some more. By a reasonable hour usually 9 pm they are so exhausted that they put themselves to bed. That is the key, let them be kids and get tired, then ultimately they will crash willingly and happily. You and your co-leader then will have plenty of time to talk about gear and mountains and do my favorite task: organize camp! Plus you get a chance to eat that hidden Hershey bar.

 

 #5: Hide a Hershey bar for yourself 

To restore sanity sometimes all it takes is a piece of chocolate and sometimes you need to yell "SERENITY NOW!!!" too.

 

 # 6: 'Unstructured' free time is golden

  Kids don't get enough time to just be kids and play! Creative, unstructured play is so important to childhood. Kids do not need adults to organize activities for them they are damn good at it themselves.

For example the last trip I lead this summer was a kayaking trip for 8 and 9 year olds. We base camped at a beautiful lake in the Kenai Peninsula; a perfect place to take an intro level kayaking trip. We were in the boats for maybe 2 hours at the most on a three day trip. The kids were having WAY more fun playing at the lake catching fish by hand and creating their own games. There was nothing I could have suggested that would have been more fun or valuable for their time then what they were doing. And that is okay! The fact that the kids were having fun outside was what really mattered.

#7: Honesty is the best 

Like I said, kids are smart. They know when you are bull shitting them, so don't. Sure, one of my favorite pastimes is making up superfluous, exaggerated stories on trips especially about my fellow guides. But they are like fairy tales, or super hero stories. Kids want to believe them, but deep down that they know they are just stories. Kids can tell when you are truly lying to them, especially about serious stuff, and they won't trust you. Now in some situations its okay to only disclose some of the pertinent information to them, its all about how you phrase it. You need to keep it as real as possible.

Before I lead my Kesgui Ridge trip this year I was brutally honest with the kids. From a safety prospective, they needed to know what they were in store for. I told them "Life is real on the ridge. We are in a remote location. Weather changes fast, and we need to be prepared. Our number one goal is safety. Hypothermia happens even when you are prepared, you need to take responsibility to keep your layers dry ." Now I didn't want them to be scared to backpack, but I was not about the sugar coat it and say: "Oh yeah Kesgui's no big deal, it is always sunny, and there are unicorns frolicking in the high meadows!" That's a bunch of B.S. and hypothermia would suck. I want them to know that when it comes to safety we need to be ahead of the game, and they totally get it.

Be honest, you need to be positive, even when you know deep down that four days of pouring rain is going to suck and your worry list is crazy long. Tell them the truth, "yep its going to rain, but that is totally okay!" You're there to help them understand that its is alright in life to be uncomfortable sometimes, and help them work through it!

 #8 Make a 'Worry List'

Jedi Master Craig Brown whipped me into guiding shape my first summer at Trailside. When I showed up I was just a puppy: barely 21, never been to AK, and no experience guiding children in the Alaskan Wilderness. He showed me what was up, the tricks of the trade,how to organize myself to set my group up for success. After four summers I still refer to many thing that he taught me. One thing that I do every week is develop a "Worry List." This helps me focus on the big issues for the week, and tie it all together. For example one week this past summer I had high energy group of all 8 and 9 year old boys on a biking trip. Kids and bikes already equals a cluster, but this was definitely going to be a intense week. So my worry list included:

1)Safety! I thought for sure one them was going to hurt themselves just from being a ridiculous little human.
2) Gear: I was quite concerned that the tents were not going to make it through the week because they were ridiculous little humans
3) Arguments: We had some 'strong' personalities and mostly they all were ridiculous little humans

Now it was indeed a crazy trip, but no one got hurt, all the tents survived, and even with a couple arguments everyone still had fun, and they earned icecream on Friday! Success!! Now the week after, my worry list totally changed, I had 12-14 year olds on Kesgui Ridge so my worried list looked like this:

1) SAFETY
2) SAFETY
3) SAFETY
4) Weather
5) Weather
6) Pack enough calories
7) Pack enough calories that are light
8) Pack enough bear barrels

I think you get it. Worry List change every week, and they really help me stay focused.

#9 Fake it till you make it with patience

Alright Ill be honest, I am not patient, I can hardly wait in line at the grocery store. I hate being slowed down for anything. But if there is one thing working with kids has taught me is you NEED to be patient, even if that means faking it. I have waaaay more tolerance to work with a child, say with autism, set up a tent then most every thing else in life. I am getting better in general. I look at as I am there to teach them skills. It is okay for it to take an hour for a herd of 8 year olds to set up a tent.  In fact its awesome, they are learning so many valuable life lessons!  In cases were I start to lose my patience or get anxious, I revert back to my worry list. Sometimes I need to walk away from situations,  and go yell “SERENITY NOW!”and maybe have part of my Hershey Bar, but I always come back (usually) with a smile and move through what ever situation there is. 

There is a situation that is fresh in my brain were I let my anxiety and lack of patience get the best of me though. It was on a four day canoe trip with 12-14 year olds. ALL boys. To make a long story short, we were weather bound one day, and on the last full day had to make up many miles so we ended up paddling for 15 hours. Many of those hours were on a narrow, twisty, river that was NEVER ENDING. I got super anxious. I had crazy thoughts, like we were in the wrong place and lost. What kept me from losing my mind was my "Worry List". Everyone was safe; tired, a little hungry and dehydrated but the situation was not dire. Really, there was no logical way we could have ended up on the wrong river. We just needed to keep paddling. We made it to our campsite late, but everything was fine.  I was worried, and impatient: I was looking for immediate results. For a guide it is good to be uncomfortable sometimes, that’s how you grow.  And while it is good to plan ahead, prepare, and always be thinking of Plan B, what is most important is the PRESENT. Now 8 year olds and bikes is a whole other battle of patience I won't get into…

 

#10: HAVE FUN!

This goes without saying. If you dont enjoy what you're doing, then you shouldnt be there. There are going to be times that its going to be sucky, but that's why life is worth living! Even after the most stressful trips where I am physically and mentally drained, there is no place I would rather be. I LOVE MY JOB! It is the little stuff that makes it the best job in the world!

Make basic tasks into games and challenges! Have campfire dance parties! Give out Mountain Men and Women Points for camp chores, following Leave No Trace and being good humans to each other. Sing songs (expect not Xmas songs in July like my famous co-guide Katherine...)! Tell stories! Tell riddles! Tell jokes! Then laugh! and laugh some more! I would like to believe that I am making a difference. My true love is the Alaskan Wilderness. I care so deeply for it, I want to share! My goal through these trips is to inspire the next generation of adventurers to care for their home too! That alone is worth every "phantom pooper," wet tent, homesick kid, flat tire, and band-aid!!!

Bust a move or two while eatin smores!

Much love for Alaska! Much love for Eklutna! This is my favorite place on Earth! That is Bold Peak by the way ;-)

 

*** Disclaimer: From my experience this is what I have learned. I am by no means an expert, and opinions will vary, but this is what works for me. AND I am still learning new tips and tricks every day to be better at my job! Yay for learning and growing!!!

False Peak Ascent, Gasline Descent September 2013

O'Malley from the ridge

After Bold I have been on the the quest to add more elements to my adventures. I spend a good chunk of my day thinking about what I awesome trips I could potentially conquer. Thursday I was on a long bike ride from the Hillside area back to my home near downtown, and I thought of the best idea Ive had in a long time!

View down the ridge from False Peak

 

I'm car less, most of my friends were out of town for the weekend, and I can't set still for long. BUT I had to do something with my weekend!  Luckily for me my roommate Hannah is usually on board for most of my ridiculous ideas.  The plan that I devised was to hop the tourist shuttle with mountain bikes that leaves out of downtown and takes folks up to the Glen Alps Trail-head. At Glen Alps Trail-head we were going to bike to the Middle Fork Trail, ditch the bikes and then head up the O'Malley Gully to summit O'Malley Peak; a big ol' peak near the Front Range. THEN the BEST PART!!! After summiting and descending we were going to head back down to our bikes and follow the Powerline Pass Trail to the Gasline Trail and ALL the way back down to our home in downtown Anchorage.

Saturday morning we headed downtown to meet the shuttle at 12:30 pm. On the way downtown the crankshaft on the bike Hannah was borrowing from her brother started to come loose. We got to the shop and the helpful shuttle guide Pete had a tool he lets us borrow. Thank goodness! With a group of eager tourist we began our journey to Glen Alps. Arriving around 1:45 pm we started our adventure at 2:00pm. Now in a perfect world I would have started early in the morning at least by 8 am, but for a $15 dollar ride i wasn't going to be too picky! With the late start we weren't sure if we were going to have time to summit O'Malley. We headed up the gully any ways and began the ridge walk. I always think that O'Malley looks closer than it is. On the O'Malley Ridge, False Peak is the first biggish peak you come to. It's about a 40 min walk on the ridge. Summiting False around 4:00 pm we decided that we needed to head back down to make it home before dark. This was the second time in a month I attempted O'Malley and needed to turn around because of time! The first time was with my friends Scott Fritz and Sarra. BOO! Oh well, it will just take a third time and an earlier start. False Peak is still really fun.

Field Repairs! Loose crankshaft...

 We headed back to our bikes and that's were the real fun started! Back at our bikes we began the DESCENT! 15 miles down hill, most on trails. We started off on the Powerline trail to the Gasline Trail to Prospect Trailhead. It was muddy and rocky and turns to a single track! SO GREAT. Now Ive had a good time or two on a mountain bike BUT this by far was the most fun Ive ever had. 3 miles in were so covered in mud we could hardly see. We quickly descended steeply into the Hilltop Ski Area and continued to the Service High Trails down to the Homestead Trail and to the Campbell Tract BLM Land. From there we had to ride a little on some roads to pick up the Chester Creek Commuting Trail that leads almost to our back door. By 8 pm we were standing in our kitchen covered in mud with HUGE smiles on our face. 

Good Mud.