1993 is past, and many “peonle look at the
new year as a fresh start. While some may
have regrets about what they did or didn’t

‘do in '93, ‘94 is a whole new game, Even

though some resolutions have probably al-
ready been broken, it's not too late to
make new ones, What are your goals for

1994?

Three-week Outward Bound course challenges hikers mentally and physically

THIS PAST summer | had
-an ‘experience of a lifetime,
that I would like to share.

b& By Margaret Bryant
> ZAP! Contributor . . <2

I took an Outward Bound
‘course. It was a three-week
mountaineering course, held in the
’ Coast Mountains of B.C.

‘This was not just a course that
“teaches you’ how to climb moun-
ains. This course also teaches you

-lot'about yourself, by pushing
‘you, to fyour -limit. You gain.a
‘sense’. of. achievement and _ self-
confidence « by..doing things, that
you possibly thought you would
“never dos...

.The‘course is a challenge phys-
ically. ‘and mentally. ‘There were
‘times when’ [- was cold and hungry
and just» wanted to go. home,
however I knew that any suffering
‘I fhad- endured . was ‘weil: worth it
when | was ‘standing on top‘of a
~ mountain’ peak, or sliding down a

snow field. - :

The' course. started in Pemberton

“/ when the crummy (a truck :made
‘especially . for..bumpy logging
roads) picked: us- up at the bus
‘depots. 2 |,
>’ "We ‘drove to. the base camp
where :ve would .spend-our first
ight :. before’ we headed up into
the mountains '— a couple. picnic
‘tables with. a.tarp over, them and
-two outhouses.’ .
. We. Inet.” our’ instructors, : ‘two
ery “experienced : mountain

“climbers. My group of five guys -

and five girls, including me, sat in
~aicircle’ and, > after. introductions,
:_ told the group about ourselves.
o, We:>had - all-'
~dlothing’.and «supply. list when .we
Signed “up. "We went: through a

“2, check’ list with: our instructors: to |
~make-sure everyone brought ade--

“quate clothing,’and boots, ete.
“That night. we slept'in the two

“tents. we weuld “be sleeping in- for.

.> the next 21 ‘nights... None of. us
:. really .slept that night; the’ mos-
“Two. WEEKS: ‘ago we ask for
“your. opinion’ on -smoking,.. and

for feedback on an article about
“smoking. (North Shore’ News,

Friday, Dec. 24, page 30).

No Ido not smoke, but I have
1 _ considered it, however it’s ex-
“pensive and people who I know,
who nre young, have come down
~ with cancer.
-. [think that people “who do
smoke are trying to be cool but
they don’t know what coo! really
is, they are misguided and I. feel
: Sorry for them. ot

been: given a

‘before and
loved it;;it was the best high in the .

Photo submitted

SUTHERLAND SECONDARY school student Margaret: Bryant (middle row, left erid) along with the
‘others In her Outward Bound group got a natural high from camping in the mountains and commun-

ing with themseives.
‘quitoes were really - bad‘ and by

“morning we were’ all covered in

bites.
The, next day. we played some
trust. games. One game involved

‘falling off the top of a picnic table |

backwards, relying: on the rest of
the group to catch you. We played
these games so: that everyone
would learn to trust each other. — |

This ‘is very important when
you’re rock climbing aud repelling
because the other. people in your
group are. the ones holding the
safety ropes.

learned about ‘tying. knots and
belaying. We then got to do some
rock: climbing.: | had never done it
it was awesome. |

1 think there needs to be a lot
more. education like you had on
Friday ‘about the dangers and
what it does to you. More girls
smoke now because peopie are
trying to fit in and it’s an easy
way to fit in if you want to sa-
ciufize,. but. EF. think it’s
disgusting.

It is amazing, though, what
influence your friends can have.
I don’t smoke, but ‘my parents
were away and [ had a friend
‘over who smokes. She wasn’t
pressuring me at all, but f found
myself almost starting just so we
had something to do. .

If you ‘just. educate people
more and you won't have. as
“many people smoking.

wi. Deep

1 think smoking is fine because

‘if people want to smoke it's their

choice. They. can’t tell us what to
‘do because it's our choice.

oo Beep

'Can’t people find better things
to do. Take up sports or read,

~.. there are better things to do than -

“smoke.

We hiked to a rock face and .

. world! The next day we got a ride

‘up a logging road where we
camped for the night. We left the
next morning with our 30 pound
packs loaded to the brim with the
food, clothing, tents, pots, stoves,

ropes, helmets and ice picks which |

we would be using for the neat
three weeks, |

The. first day of . hiking was
really hard. It was hot and there

were lots of mosquitoes. li was all

uphill and we were hurtin!

When .we would take a break
and sit down for a minute it was
hard to get our packs back on,
We had to really help each cther.

When we got to our. destination ;.

that evening we were exhausted.
Our backs were sore, we .were
covered in mosquitoe bites and we

.»- beep

‘{ think smoking is bad for
you. It can help keep you thin
but you can get tung disease and
heart disease and you can die
easily.

te beep

I used to smoke but I quit fast
year hecause it slowed me down.

... beep

Why can’t society get with it.
Smoking is bad for you and me
and everyone in the world.
... beep

I hate smoking because it’s
bad for you.

se. beep

T-think smoking sucks. Who
wants to ruin their lives and
smoke?

... beep

: Just don't smoke, Ox.

were very hungry, but we all felt
great.

We had an amazing view, sur-
rounded by snow-capped ‘moun-
tains and glaciers. We were high
enough that there weren't. any
mosquitoes, the air was crisp and
clean, and we were away. from
civilization, noise and pollution. ;:

We were each responsible for a
digging |

‘duty, ‘taking turns at
latrines, plotting» the - route, or
cleaning the campsite. ©

with as little impact as- possible.
We were taught fittle things like to
put cur kitchen tarp over rocks or
grass instead of heather, and to
wear our runners around camp
instead. of our boots - so’ we
wouldn’t crush plant life.

At the beginning of the course
our instructors stayed with us
while we were hiking. They slowly
started: to back off and soon we
would just’ meet them at our des-
tination at the end of the day or
see them when we stopped for
lunch.

On the [2th day of the course |

we had to hike down to a logging
toad to meet the crummy ‘to
resupply us with food. That night
we camped just off a logging road
so we built a fire and put snow

sea] on our boots. We had not.

had a fire since we left our base
camp because of the environmen-
tal damage it causes. :

We talked about what we -had

ACTING

learned on the course so far, not:.
just what ws had learned about
mountaineering, but what .we had
learned about ourselves, our goals
and our limitations.

The next-day our packs were -
very heavy ayain and we were on.
our way, to the lake where we
would have our three-day solo.

The solo is a very important
part .of the Outward Bound
course. It is quite an experience to’
spend that much’ time’ all by
yourself. You really get to know
yourself: Of course the instructors
check on you once a day, but that
is all the human contact you have. |

We didn’t take books, watches’
or anything else to remind ‘us: of:

. civilization and to distract us from

really getting to know ourselves”
and reflecting on what we had al-
ready experienced, :
I fasted for the first two days of";
the solo because‘I had never done”

. it before and had heard’ that not
eating can make you. think more.

clearly. -I personally. found that"-1
was just :really*dizzy and cold.On’.
the third night of the ‘solo I ate
my peanuts and raisins. »-°.-

When’ ‘the. solo was over, we:
were all: very.:happy to see. each
other: again and ‘had lots, to: tall
about. We had a huge lunch and
then.a huge ‘dinner:: We sat and. |
talked about our solo, experiences.: +

. The day before we went-home, ;

we went. into the small: ‘town'.¢

Darcy, split. up"into groups: an

‘helped some of the local resident:
around their .-yards.. We. helped

people. who --either couldn't ‘ get‘:

‘around very: well” themselves \ or.

whose yards were just too big for
them to take care of.

Two of, my: group members and.
I cleaned .out ‘an elderly couple’

". gutters. It was really. nice. to. be.
_ Qutward Bound. really shows ~
you how to pass through. nature

able to: help them ‘out.. Although:
we obviously. hadn't showered or
washed at all in three weeks, they

-invited us in for a fresh lunch: We’

also marvelled over their soap,

running water and flush toilets.” .
The day we went home we got

up at 6 am. and went for a-ten’;

. kilometre run. We then: had a big ’

breakfast aud received a certificate
and pin for’ having’ completed the:
course.

I would. recommend Outward
Bound to everyone.: ft has made a.
very positive impact.in my. life. 1°
met many new friends who I know |
1 will stay in touch-with. I ‘tried
things that I otherwise might: not ‘
have had the chance to try. It gave
me confidence in .the’ mountain :
climbing, but most of all it gave.
me confidence in life.

Margaret . is :a 17-year-old
Grade {2 student at Sutherland’
secondary school, who is ‘inter:
ested in’ ‘cycling, skiing, --and
reading. She hopes to. work. with
the National Geographic Society. -:

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