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Follow the leader
The Mountaineers offers guided hikes for all skill levels
By KAREN SYKES ![[Bio]](../image/bio_bttn.gif){kind=small}
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER
When I was first approached by The Mountaineers to lead hikes, I surprised myself by saying yes, and that first hike proved unforgettable.
I was so apprehensive I called everyone to see if they were prepared for the easy trip to Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island. It was an interesting cast of characters -- a sprinkling of older ladies, one drop-dead-gorgeous blonde, an about-to-be-ex-boyfriend who agreed to come along for moral support, and a hiker who was legally blind.
My heart was in my throat as the blind hiker happily tapped his way along the bluffs. But everyone survived the outing, despite my misgivings.
The Mountaineers have been leading hikes since 1907, and today the club offers a variety of outings: weekday hikes, singles hikes, overnight backpacks, alpine scrambles, ski mountaineering trips, kayak trips. Other groups offer similar trips, such as bicicyle rides, birding excursions and geology explorations.
Not only do thousands participate every year, but hundreds of more experienced adventurers lead these trips. I have been leading trips since 1982. Most have been fun, but there have been a few exceptions.
On a hike to Headlee Pass, I fell off a log into the Sauk River -- with my camera. And there was the hike to Perry Creek too early in the season, when one member, a practicing alcoholic, kept stumbling off the trail. Having to keep an eye on him, I let the others go ahead, only to round a corner and see, to my horror, that they were marching obliviously into avalanche conditions. I turned them around in time.
Despite such misadventures, I have continued to lead trips, using common sense as a guide: introductions at the trailhead, establishing a rear guard, assigning a first-aid person and ensuring that hikers are properly equipped.
So far I've been lucky. Other than a broken finger on a scramble to Fife's Peak, no one has been injured on my trips. This is probably due to luck and choosing destinations where risk is minimal.
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One solution is to have the faster group wait at an obvious junction for the others to catch up. This isn't a problem in good weather, but it can be downright dangerous when the weather is bad. Those having to wait get cold. And the slower people are tired and in need of a break when they finally arrive.
The Mountaineers have addressed this problem by establishing pace in the description of activities in their monthly bulletin. A hike may be described as "easy, relaxed pace" or "strong hikers only." Being a good follower -- prepared and on an appropriate hike -- is as important as being a good leader.
If you are new to mountaineering activities, be equipped with the proper clothing and other essentials, and know your limits. Many new hikers over-estimate their abilities, so start out on easy hikes and work up to more strenuous routes. And find out as much as you can about the activity beforehand.
Leaders are busy people and may not have time to take a lot of phone calls. But in The Mountaineers Bulletin, for example, you will find everything you need to know about the trip -- where it is, how long it is, how much elevation gain there is, the map, what the pace will be, requirements (if any) and sign-up procedures. There also are many hiking guides available that provide detailed descriptions of hikes, including driving directions.
Everyone has favorite leaders. There is usually a secret list going around of "good" leaders and those to avoid. I have my own list of good leaders with whom I have hiked, scrambled and instructed over the years.
There is Paul Wiseman, longtime leader and past president of The Mountaineers. On a scramble he led to Lane Peak, we climbed not only the designated peak but several others. Paul set an even, measured pace that everyone was able to maintain, and he involved everyone in route finding.
There is Cebe Wallace, a leader of intermediate climbs. Cebe is a good leader and instructor, and I've never seen him lose patience with anyone, no matter how inexperienced or nervous they might be.
Sara and Tom Matoi have a reputation for being strong, aggressive leaders, and beginners are warned not to sign up for anything this pair leads. But if you are strong, you will enjoy the Matois. They are a lot of fun to be with. On an attempt at Mount Adams, Sara celebrated a birthday. Tom carried a cake all the way to base camp and presented her with gifts (climbing gear, what else?).
Trudy Lalonde was my instructor when I took the snowshoe course. She enjoys instructing and her sense of fun is contagious. "My first and overriding goal on a backcountry outing is that everyone gets back home safe and sound," she says. "My second goal is that everyone has fun."
She also likes to throw in a bit of adventure in the belief that it is sometimes good to push ourselves beyond comfort levels in order to grow. Reaching the destination is not as important to Trudy as having a good time and being safe.
The late Clint Kelly was a favorite. Everyone wanted to be in Clint's groups. He was competent, patient, witty and well-versed in literature. He was the only leader I ever met who could talk about rock scrambling techniques one moment and speak of books the next.
Having fun is an important element mentioned by many leaders, such as Judi Maxwell. She recalls a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro when "all 13 climbers happily achieved the summit under the care of fun, competent people." Another trip, she remembers, was miserable because the leader had an "if you don't cooperate my way, I'll kick you off the trip" attitude.
Alexandra Pye, who has been on many Mountaineers outings as both leader and follower, believes a leader should make sure that everyone has fun, be open to everyone, make them feel welcome and realize that everyone has talents that can be utilized.
While many leadership skills are acquired on the trail, seminars have become another popular tool.
In one Mountaineers seminar, for example, some of the exercises were very helpful, particularly one in which groups formed to cross a river. Each group was given a number of stones to place in the river for their feet, but there was a catch: someone's foot had to be on a stone at all times or the stone would be snatched away by the facilitator.
After losing about half the stones, the team had to work together to devise a method of getting everyone to the other side. This emphasized how a group can work as a team to handle an unexpected crisis.
Though I promise my husband (and myself) that I won't lead many trips, when someone asks if I will, I find myself still saying yes. Though I often hike alone, I find myself coming back to The Mountaineers over and over again -- for companionship, adventures, fun and memories.
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