Spring adventures to the far north and wild west

BOC Notebook: Students carve oars as they wait for the lakes to thaw

At this point of the winter season we all may be getting a little tired of the snow and cold. The excitement of a snowstorm is not as sharp as it was in December and the briskness of the winter morning air is more chapping than refreshing. Just when you think you can feel spring in the air, another winter storm warning is upon us.

BOC Notebook: Vital training in both backpacking and spooning

Every semester since the dawn of mankind, the Outing Club's leadership training class has embarked on a weekend backpacking trip through some of Maine's wildest country?usually the Speckled Mountain-Caribou Wilderness?to learn leadership skills from future fellow leaders. In prehistoric times, the landscape was awash in a massive bog that engulfed entire herds of mammoths and Esuvees (buckle up, by the way.) In our modern times, however, the bogs have subsided and lush forests have blossomed, much like the mold in my garbage can. Humans have flecked the wilderness with trails that wind through sun-dappled glades and allow us to escape into the northern Maine woods for a weekend of hiking and exploration.

BOC Notebook

Spring adventures to the far north and wild west

April 1, 2005

Courtesy of Megan Hayes

Sara Holby ’08, Mark Burton ’07, Oliver Cunningham ’08, Meghan Detering ’07, and Susan Morris ’07 ski their way across Canada.

Spring Break can be a time for relaxation?lying on the beach sipping iced drinks with those little umbrellas in them. Or it can be a time for adventure?exploring places farther a field than the usual weekend outing. Here are two accounts of Outing Club members' less-than-relaxing experiences over Spring Break, as told by Oliver Cunningham and Dan McGrath, respectively.

Gaspe Bay Ski touring?From March 13 to 20, Mark Burton '07, Oliver Cunningham '08, Meaghan Detering '07, Sara Holby '08, and Susan Morris '07 of the BOC telemark skiing class and their two leaders Megan Hayes '03 and staff member Matt O'Donnell got to test their skills in an amazing seven-day expedition into the Gaspe Bay, Quebec.

They spent their first day in Canada on Mt. Hoggsback, where they received their introduction to backcountry telemarking by climbing the mountain and skiing back down. For the next five days they toured the Gaspe Bay on skis during the day and stayed in rustic huts at night. Their ski days ranged from 6k to 21k (they don't use miles in Canada) over hilly and beautiful terrain. The last day was spent at the Gite du Mt. Albert, a classy hotel that fed them a scrumptious three-hour, four-course meal.

During the trip, the group formed many tight-knit bonds by playing cards in the huts, cooking and eating, and sharing laughter and jokes along the way. They shared many cultural experiences as well, including an introduction to avalanche training and "un petit" amount of French.

"Not only was the skiing awesome, but getting to hang out with a group of people you didn't know and get to know them really well was a great experience," Holby said.

Western Whitewater?Craving warmth and sunshine, Pat Hughes and I fled the deep snows and freezing temperatures of Maine, heeded the wise man's advice, and headed west. There, we joined illustrious Bowdoin Outing Club alumni Elliot Jacobs '04, Dan Abraham '04, and Will Stetler '04 for ten days of whitewater kayaking. If it weren't for the large U-Haul trailer, our nine boats, seven paddles, bike and cooler full of barley sodas would have made our journey from Seattle to northern California a cramped affair. Instead, we traveled south in style, seeking the plentiful water and warmth. The cold, clear waters of the Salmon and Smith Rivers provided ample paddling possibilities while the relaxed and welcoming nature of the locals held us to Nor Cal. After ten straight days of paddling, our gear was wet and smelly and our bodies craved rest, so we returned to Seattle and the flying fish of Pike Place Market.

All are invited to a Spring Break slideshow at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6 at the Schwartz. Come and see the other places your fellow students ventured. BOC members are encouraged to stay afterwards to elect next year's officers.

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