I am one of the mushers/winter instructors at Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) and the last two falls I have been hired to train our sled dogs to prepare them (and myself!) for the winter dog sledding season. What is dog training, you might ask. Dog Training is many things. It is possible to discuss dog training using jargon such as “classical or operant conditioning”, “correction of behavior”, “positive and negative reinforcement”, among many other terms. And absolutely one who is embarking on the task of training sled dogs or any animal, for that matter, should familiarize themselves with those concepts and their meanings. However, that is the human intellectual aspect of dog training. As I said, dog training is many things.

In the dog yard. Photo by Ed Joice.

Dog training is waking up at 5:30 am to feed dogs kibble, mixed with water to “bait” or trick them into hydrating themselves—water is just as plain, boring, and unappetizing to a dog as it is to any Outward Bound student. After feeding, the trainers scoop the yard. By that, I mean clean the yard of all fecal matter and dump it into a compost system designed to minimize waste and smell. After a few days of scooping poop, you begin to notice that certain dogs poop in certain spots. Some like to do it as far away from their bedding as possible. Rio will poop right next to his sister, Lucy, so that it is in between the two of them. Sue will poop and then immediately go to eat it. This is what we want to avoid. So we scoop the yard. Scooping the yard is dog care. Dog care is dog training.

Dog training is eating a big breakfast, often consisting of eggs, bacon, toast, a fruit smoothie, and coffee as viscous and black as used motor oil—and just as combustible. After breakfast it is running dogs. Running dogs is creating dog teams, hooking them up to a gangline (line that attaches a “gang” of dogs to a vehicle, such as sled or ATV, so that the dogs can then pull the vehicle), and then jumping on the vehicle and going for a “run”. On a run you are getting the dogs in shape by running them a bunch of miles and also running them on varied terrain so that they have to build muscles, dexterity, and resilience in tough situations.

Training on the road. Photo by Ed Joice.

Training on the snow. Photo by Ed Joice.

Like I said, in order to run dogs, you must have dog teams. Running dogs is creating dog teams of 5, 6, 8, 10 or even sometimes 12 dogs. Creating a team is simple, but can be intimidating. First you pick your lead dogs. Lead dogs are the smarter ones—or just the well-behaved ones. They are the dogs that are always facing forward and pulling the gangline taut. They have their ears back and are listening, waiting, patiently, for you, the musher, to give them the command to go or whoa (stop) or gee (right turn) or haw (left). After the lead dogs, you choose your “team” dogs. These are typically less reliable dogs than the leaders or dogs that can potentially lead but are still learning the ropes. Dogs are paired boy-girl. Two girls or two boys will often fight, as they are biologically designed to compete with one another. Pirate and Mumbles are two boys who are both so mild mannered that they will never get frustrated with each other. In order to know how to pair dogs based on sex, personality, it is based on knowing the dogs. In order to know the dogs you must spend ample amounts of time with them. Dog trainers are known to work beyond twelve hour days working with the dogs. Dog training is getting to know and knowing all the dogs in the dog yard.

Giving some love to the team. Photo by Ed Joice.

At the end of the day, dog training is about one thing: the dogs. It is about memorizing where each dog poops. It is about memorizing that Steppes gets three cups of feed in the evening, like her sister Loma, because they are both so skinny. It is about going to bed at the end of a long day sore from running alongside dogs for miles without stopping to teach them not to pee while running. It is about a feeling that you get when you walk away from the yard after feeding and scooping and loving those dogs and listening to their uniform release of sixty six deep bellied howls that seem to say “Thanks, goodbye, and we’ll miss you.” And then the soft tickling in the belly when you hear a single high pitched bark immediately afterwards and know that Jasper is back to playing with Otter before he curls up in the straw in his house to go soundly to sleep.

A backcountry ski and snowboard expedition with the Colorado Outward Bound School is a great opportunity to take your skiing or snowboarding – and maybe even your self – to the next level. And just what is that next level? Well, in my four years as a COBS winter course instructor and course director, this is what I’ve seen. On the next level you progress your sport – your art –  beyond ski area boundaries. On the next level you explore how backcountry riding is a team endeavor, as you test your limits in Colorado’s harshest environment. You learn how to ride bluebird powder high above treeline, and how to laugh even in the height of a Rocky Mountain blizzard. You’ll hone your avalanche awareness, your winter living and camping skills, and your ability to lead others by making smart choices in the backcountry.

Plus, you may well learn a thing or two about what makes you tick.

Outward Bound’s eight- and ten-day backcountry ski and snowboard courses start at our base camp in Leadville, Colorado. On day one you and your expedition team will move into your cabin-style dorms and get outfitted with all the gear: Voile Splitboards, Alpine Touring skis, avalanche rescue tools, extra warm clothing and more!

On day two we typically head south to Monarch Ski Area to ride inbounds for a day. There we work on group riding techniques, riding powder, and navigating Colorado’s variable snow conditions. You’ll also practice our avalanche rescue skills in the Backcountry Access beacon park. The resort day gives us a chance to have fun, get to know each other, and adjust to the altitude.

While the focus of day two is downhill riding, on day three we focus on uphill touring. In the backcountry, we have to earn our turns, so we head out to practice using climbing skins and hauling our expedition sleds. We also take some time for classroom and field sessions on our Level 1 Avalanche curriculum, including Avalanche Rescue.

On day four we head out of bounds and into the backcountry, where we spend four days camping in the snow, cooking delicious hot meals, exploring the Colorado snowpack, expanding our avalanche safety techniques, and, of course, getting plenty of turns on untracked terrain. This day is hard. We pull sleds behind us, and they’re heavy with a four day food ration, four-season tents, cooking stoves, lofty sleeping bags, and all the other supplies a winter expedition needs. Then we set a basecamp that we’ll use for the remainder of the adventure.

After our base camp is set up, it’s time to play. We’ll hike for turns as a small or large group, ride what nature gives us (pray for powder!), and, depending on the weather, snow conditions and our terrain options, you may even stand atop a 13,000-foot peak before snowboarding off the summit.

In between runs, we’ll explore more of our Level 1 Avalanche curriculum. You’ll dig pits and look at layers in the snow, read topographic maps, analyze safe versus unsafe terrain, tune in to the weather, and ultimately apply all of your observations towards making safe decisions for your backcountry crew.

Night comes early in the winter, so we spend a lot of time cooking by headlamp and telling stories around the lantern. You’ll also form some unusually close bonds with your tent mates. For example, when our feet get too cold, instead of going inside a ski lodge, we stick them on a buddy’s tummy!

Anyone who wants to truly challenge themselves and reap the rewards of such an experience ought to consider a winter Outward Bound journey.

All snow riders know the miracle of the snow flake. At some point, whether riding up the lift at your local ski hill, or laying on your back in a silent snowy forest, you’ve seen the way gazillions snow flakes come together, reach out and create mountains of snow. The tiniest, most fragile, most unlikely building blocks create one of nature’s most powerful – and potentially dangerous – layers. They also create one heck of a playground.

On Colorado Outward Bound’s backcountry ski and spliboard courses you’ll get the chance to explore this world, and you’ll get a chance to explore yourself. What are your strengths and fragilities?  What are your most important bonds, and what makes you melt? How far can you push beyond your perceived limits? Come find out.

At Colorado Outward Bound we know that life is hard. That’s why we train harder.

Outward Bound Intercept Group on the Boundary Waters.

Hi,

I think you are the right folks to email about this, if not, please let me know who I should send this note to.

I ran into one of your Intercept groups out in the Boundary Waters on July 6th near Knife Lake. It was a group of six young women with two guides and they were exceptional. I have hiked over 9,000 miles, including the triple crown (Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails) and am currently on a 4,000 mile kayaking trip between the northernmost point of the contiguous United States (Northwest Angle, MN) and Key West, FL, so I have seen a lot of groups in the backcountry.

Usually, groups are loud, disorganized, and out of touch with the world around them, but not these young women. They were calm and collected on a rainy, miserable day and seemed part of the wild. I was so impressed with how organized and smooth they were as they worked to get over portage after portage. They were polite, nice, and encouraging as I struggled to portage my sea kayak through the same route. They looked at comfort and at home in the wild after 11 of their 21 days.

They reminded me of the way thru-hikers look after a month or so on a long-distance trail (once they’ve figured out their routine and worked out all the kinks). I think that is a testament to how well your instructors were teaching these young women as well as the young women themselves. Anyway, I just wanted to write and let you know how impressed I was. I’m sure that every group has issues and problems on their journeys, and maybe I just caught them on a good day or a good moment, but they were fantastic and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated meeting them.

If you want more details, I wrote about it on the blog for the kayaking trip I am currently on, http://predictablylost.com/2012/07/19/angle-to-key-west-cant/.

Thanks,

Daniel Alvarez

Lori’s Bug Buns

3 c. flour

¾ c. milk powder

oil or margarine

cinnamon

sunflower seeds (optional)

2 T baking powder

pinch of salt

honey or sugar

pre-soaked dried fruit (optional)

Add water to flour, milk powder, baking powder and salt to make a stiff dough. Roll dough out (use a water bottle as a rolling pin) on the bottom of a pot. Roll until ¼ in. thick. Cover this thin pancake with oil or margarine, spread honey or sugar on top of the grease, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Add sunflower seeds and/or fruit. Roll up and cut off in ¼ sections. Set each bun on an oiled skillet and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Uncooked dough may be kept in a plastic bag and used later.

So, I thought I would jump right in a start with a dessert, but there are lots of great breakfast, dinner and even drink recipes. Let me know if you have any requests for your next outdoor expedition. And, please comment if you try this recipe, and let us know how it turns out.

Over a hundred years ago, the one-armed Civil War Veteran named John Wesley Powell successfully navigated the Colorado River system from its source to the sea. As a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit as well as our natural sense of wonder and exploration, this outdoor leadership expedition stands out as a landmark in the exploration of the American West.

As a 24 day Outward Bound rafting course, we retrace the steps of this famous explorer, virtually crossing the entire state of Utah from North to South, through 300 miles of rugged wilderness river corridors. The following outlines this experience through the eyes of those who have experienced it for themselves.

Starting on the Green River, we are enveloped by the canyon walls as we enter into the “Gates of Lodore” where the Green River mysteriously carves its way Southward through the Uinta Mountains. Entering the canyon we become surrounded by ancient rock that is hundreds of millions of years old. Over time, the river has carved this deep, seemingly inaccessible canyon, with its cliffs, wildlife, and most strikingly, its rapids. Although overall modest in difficulty, several sections of the river require that we pull over and “scout” to determine a safe route. With names like “Disaster Falls” and “Hell’s Half Mile” you get a sense of what it must have been like to be a pioneer on Powell’s famous expedition.

Farther down stream we find ourselves in somewhat quieter waters where we can enjoy the added challenges of maneuvering our kayaks and exploring the relics of the more recent past. Desolation Canyon is aptly named, and is actually deeper than the better known, Grand Canyon farther downstream. As a rugged and remote place, the canyon walls have harbored outlaws like Butch Cassidy, and we see for our selves the tools, buildings, and places where these characters from the “Wild West” actually frequented.

Perhaps even more incredible than the outlaw relics are the traces left behind from ancient cultures in the form of petroglyphs- images pecked into the rock that tell a story of a culture that existed hundreds of years ago. One has to wonder… What were these people like? How did they exist in such a difficult environment? And where did they go?

As we continue our journey the river doubles in size as the mighty Colorado River brings its water from the melting snow of the high country. Just down stream from the confluence of these two rivers, the rapids of Cataract Canyon provide an excellent challenge to even the most seasoned boaters. Named by Powell in 1869, a “Cataract” described the whitewater rapids that filled the Canyon. These rapids often required Powell to portage around them due to the difficulty they presented.

With today’s technology and expertise around whitewater boating, these rapids still present a challenge, however we are ready for it. Our preparation as both a team and as individual members has been in the making for the last several weeks. With a good run in Rapid #5 we learn to anticipate the power and pull of this river, which is twice as big as anything we have been on so far. At the scout for Rapid #15 aka “Capsize” we reevaluate the possibilities: Start right? Center? What about that little rock at the top? Several factors come into play as we use our skills to asses an acceptable route and come up with a plan. As we push off it feels very much like the real world, where we assess, chose an option, and then carry it out although at this point there is no rewind button. We commit to our plan and adjust as necessary. In a sense, we are learning from the real world, for the “real world”. As we continue downstream, we meet greater challenges with yet even greater skill and we emerge from our journey down the river, having gone through a transformation of sorts.

On the outside we are mostly the same, perhaps our clothes and skin show signs of being under the sun and in the water, yet our inside is what has changed the most. To learn to respect and engage with the river has taught us to push ourselves, problem solve, and most of all, work together. It is so ironic that in a world that is so plugged in, we had to “unplug” in order to truly connect with who we are, where we are going.

As one river rat put it best:

“Deep in the Canyon, Around the Bend- I hope in my heart it will never end.”

Watch the video below to see what this course is all about:

Learn more about the Southwest John Wesley Powell River Expedition with Outward Bound.

We continue to be concerned for all of the people who have been affected by the wildfires throughout Colorado and are thankful to the firefighters and volunteers assisting in the efforts.

For more information on how Colorado Outward Bound School is prepared to deal with any issues arising from wildfires, please see The Denver Post blog below.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/travel/2012/06/22/colorado-outward-bounds-ceo-wildfires-courses/8959/

We departed for our trip in late March, at the end of our regular winter season in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota. There we lead dog sledding and cross-country ski courses for young adults and adults, including courses for military veterans. And, although the modes of travel on the Big Bay would largely be the same, we were unaccustomed to travel on the barren lands, sea ice, and general life in polar bear territory.

Over the next 16 days, we covered 200 miles, traveling north of the tree-line and reaching Nunalla, an abandoned Hudson Bay trading post just a few miles south of the Manitoba-Nunavat border. Our early days were defined by big wind, big miles, and heightened dog care to keep them in shape for the whole of the expedition. Once we turned back towards Churchill, we traveled up the Seal River, a classic paddling route in northern Canada in the summertime, for a chance to see the wildlife and experience big river ice conditions. In the true spirit of adventure we even ventured due east to understand how the sea ice behaved as we moved away from shore. Five and half miles later, when an open-water lead opened up in front of us…we turned around.  Lastly, to embrace the tourist spirit as we arrived back in Churchill, we explored Prince-of-Wales Fort, built by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the mid-1700’s. The fort was still fortified with cannons and featured the stonework that originally took 40 years to complete in the harsh conditions of the bay.

Geography aside, here is what else we experienced:

• One of our tents was buried on Easter Sunday and we learned where not to put our tent when the snow is drifting.
• We met a man in sealskin pants. He was happy to pause in his journey to take a smoke break and chat with us, and made a point of saying as he left “I’m going to cover my face so I don’t burn it like you!”
• We stepped back from our usual routines to embrace new systems- trading tarps for tents, northwoods fires foe cookstoves, and practicing nightly “vet checks” for our dogs to massage their sore muscles and check for injuries.
• We mused on leadership, and how best to tackle the challenges of leadership amongst peers.

Every Outward Bound course we lead is a chance to provide adventure, challenge and discovery to our participants. As such, I think that it is important for us to seek the same experiences for our own personal growth. Now that we are back in the States and shifting towards the summer season, we look forward to discovering how our experiences on this expedition will inform the expeditions we lead with our students. We are grateful to have had this opportunity to go “Outward Bound” ourselves, and look forward to the adventures ahead!

Another Gorgeous Rocky Mountain Backdrop for a Fun Climbing Day on Course. Photo credit: Kaily McNamara

The San Juan Mountains rise to heights over 14,000’ out of the Great Basin Desert of the Four Corners area. It is my absolute favorite course area. Our 30-day Colorado Rockies Mountaineering course is one of the more fun and challenging courses COBS has to offer and I feel truly privileged each time I instruct it. Everything about it—from the imposing, jagged peaks, the rolling alpine meadows, the thick montane forests, and the frequent and intense thunderstorms—echos the love I have for this land. Sounds brutal? It’s not. Students and staff on this course come together to thrive and climb in this unique range. Life in the mountains is pretty simple: take care of yourself, take care of each other, and push yourself to try new things.

Backpacking Through Alpine Meadows of The Rocky Mountains. Photo credit: Kaily McNamara

Yeah, 30 days is a long course, but having such a long expedition provides several unique opportunities. We pack lightly so we’re able to get into truly remote parts of the range – the Needles and the Grenadier sub-ranges provide some of the best alpine climbing opportunities in the Rockies. Thirty days enables you to know your group in a way deeper than most can imagine, building genuine friendships. Thirty days is a chance to live with intention and learn to lead. Thirty days is an opportunity to hone skills that will stick with you for a lifetime. What can you do with 30 days?

An OB course has three distinct phases: training, main and finals. The Training phase of this course is a seven to nine-day expedition focused on skills development and group formation. You will learn to hike, rock climb, camp in style (cinnamon rolls anyone?), and most importantly you will make connections that will last a lifetime.

Main, or alpine, phase is the bulk of the course. Depending on the group and the weather, you will have the opportunity to climb some truly impressive alpine routes. Main is a two-week expedition that puts the skills gained in training to the test. Main is all about working hard and playing hard.

Finals is the third phase. A week, typically planned and executed without instructors. Think of the possibilities!

Want to push yourself? Want to lead? Want to live and learn in one of the most inspiring mountain ranges in the world?  We have a place for you…

Here it is - the Colorado Outward Bound School Columbine Cookbook, now on my bookshelf, for future reference.

For our introduction to this series of posts, we will start with “Principles of the Gourmand,” straight from the pages of the Columbine Cookbook. Hope this helps get you off to a good start on your own summer outdoor adventures and cooking in backcountry!

Principles of the Gourmand

1. Make an effort to simplify the number of ingredients and your dishes will be more palatable.
2. When cooking, remember the basic principle of democracy, which is to maximize people’s freedom. Let others salt and pepper their individual portions.
3. Take responsibility for the food you prepare. Have only one or two people working on a dish. (“Too many cooks…”)
4. In the mountains it is easy not to cook food long enough. HAVE PATIENCE. It will taste better when cooked the proper amount of time.
5. Be creative. Use the spice kit, try unusual combinations, build from scratch. GO FOR IT!!!
6. Use a lid on the cooking pot. Food will cook faster, conserving both fuel and your patience.
7. Always be willing to cook! If you want to have a good course, you need to eat well. Besides, someday soon women are going to stop cooking for men.
8. Two things cannot be cured: burnt food and over-spiced food. So cook over low flames and add spices gradually.

Hope this gives you some fun ideas for your own cooking adventures in the backcountry. And, no matter when this cookbook was published, much of the advice still rings true and the recipes don’t get old! Stay tuned for more from our Columbine Cookbook series and our first recipe featured soon.

Early morning. Sleeping bags on deck.

It’s difficult to describe what happens in 22 days on a Pulling Boat.  Oh sure, it’s easy to go through the flow of the day with you. Each morning, the captain of the day will wake up the crew at sunrise for a dip in the ocean. I hope you remembered to stuff your bathing suit into the foot of your sleeping bag to “dry” it off the night before, otherwise you could be facing a slightly damp and possibly chilled bathing suit for that very refreshing dip! You come to appreciate the beautiful sensation of crawling out of the warm cocoon of your sleeping bag and peeling back just enough of the tarp to feel the morning dew and the brisk salt air. This is my favorite part of the day, simply because you know after your whole crew dips that you are awake, alive, on an incredible adventure I a beautiful place and more simply, this is the part of the day where we get HOT DRINKS!

Taking the "dip" on a warm day.

I will admit the iconic Maine Coast Sailing course daily dip was not my favorite part of the day when I first trained as an Outward Bound instructor 4 years ago. On this June day in Maine the 3rd day of my first course it was pretty much the nastiest weather to have to dip in, the wind was East by South and blowing 20kts with gusts to 25kts, the wind had shifted unexpectedly in the night we were no longer protected from the shore, so wide open and exposed we were and up the Mill River the wind was blowing the rain and cold 54 degree air on our bare skin, water temperature that morning was 50 degrees.

“How” I thought to myself, “how can I get in this water?” I am not this hard core. The physical challenge to submerge myself in that water was quelled by my mental ability to get through that moment un-nerved. It defined me and expanded my knowledge on how mind over matter is an essential skill to life.  My mind was cleared in the icy waters that morning.  The texture of the water on my skin was closer to the feeling you get when you roll a Slurpee around in your mouth, tiny grains of ice and a cool feeling nearly leading to a brain freeze, you stop the brain freeze by opening your mouth just a bit as if to cool off the ice, funny how that seems to work.  I wanted to stop this feeling from going any deeper than the skin, yet as I continued to slip further into the North Atlantic waters I felt exhilarated so much so that I shot back to the surface like a torpedo back into the safety of the boat. There was something calming that had overcome my mind that morning and it extended to my body’s ability to adapt. A dip is what we call it, conditioning is its outcome.

So now, the hot drinks. Me, I drink copious amounts of coffee.  Most drink hot cocoa and some partake in tea. I have even met a few who opt out of hot drinks all together, although I can’t even imagine that choice. It’s a special moment in the day to have your drink, get warm and shake off the salt water to get the day going. All around on board, there is so much going on as the entire crew is busy and buzzing with NOAA weather, tarp and lines getting stowed, the bilge is being pumped out, and breakfast is being made.  As every day is part of an expedition meaning we move to a new location, our days navigation plan is laid out and the evening anchorage is chosen to reach for.

“It’s not about the destination it’s about the journey.” This is a favorite quote found in the Readings book on every course so these exact words have been read, spoken and remembered by countless Outward Bound students before me.  Every expedition is different because the experience is created by the crew and no group is alike. Like lobster is the catalyst to butter, sailing is the catalyst to the adventure of an Outward Bound course.

Once the sails are set and the anchor is hauled up we fall off, find some breeze and set our course. The most incredible part of life on a Pulling Boat is that she will sail as well as we do, responding to our organized command. The dominant sense from being aboard such an open craft in all conditions is that we are always safe and on the exact type of vessel we need to explore the shallow coves and island anchorages ashore, as thousands have done for decades before us in exactly the same fashion. The privilege of having access to remote and uninhabited islands and areas not many other boats can get into. Everyday someone makes you laugh, something pushes you beyond your expectations and every day you see somewhere breathtakingly beautiful.

It makes daily dips more than worth it. Trust me.