Sierra Club Retreat Links Veterans With Sustainable Agriculture

This is a guest blog by Sasha Klein, Program Coordinator for Farmer Veteran Coalition.

This past August, the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) teamed up with the Sierra Club to bring over 15 veterans and their families to Vashon Island, Washington for a weekend of farm visits, kayaking, beach walks and a chance to network with industry professionals, as well one another. Veterans from all eras and from different parts of the Northwest attended the retreat, exploring the intersection of nature and agriculture.

During the three day retreat, participants toured 3 farms, explored the local farmers' market and participated in presentations and discussions by Kia Armstrong of Nash’s Organic Produce and Mark Musick of Tilth Producers. These discussions gave the participants the opportunity to ask questions about production, marketing, beginning operations, etc… and have lively debates about agricultural practices and involvement of veterans in agriculture. Participants also visited three farms which offered participants the opportunity to explore real farming systems and ask the farmers questions about their farming practices.

The retreat was also an opportunity for the participants to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Vashon Island. Not only does the Isla
nd have idealic farms and landscapes, but they also offer many ways of enjoying the outdoors. R
etreat participants had the opportuntiy to attend a beach walk with beach naturalists, searching the tide pools and identifying sea life. After the beach walk, participants went sea kayaking and got the chance to enjoy a different view of the coast line.

This retreat was a great opportunity for FVC  and the Sierra Club to work together to provide military veterans the chance to spend a weekend exploring career opportunities in agriculture while enjoying the natural beauty of the Northwest.

 

For more information on the Farmer Veteran Coalition,visit www.farmvetco.org or contact us at: info@farmvetco.org

To get outdoors with the Sierra Club, visit http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/. 

Why I Volunteer with Inner City Outings Rafting

This is a guest blog by Kate Starr, a volunteer with the Inner City Outings Rafting Group

I got involved in Inner City Outings (ICO) Rafting through an old camp friend (Emilia!) who used to be a rafting volunteer. I grew up canoeing in summer camp, so I jumped at the chance to join a group that rafted all summer long. When the season calendar was published in April, I looked at my empty summer schedule and decided to sign up for all of the trips. Admittedly, my motivation may have been a little selfish. I envisioned myself spending the summer working on my tan, enjoying time on the river, getting out of the fog (San Francisco)…. But despite some of the selfish motives, I was really excited to share these experiences with groups who might not normally be exposed to rafting or the outdoors.

I belatedly realized that I may have been a little rash filling up my summer with trips, having never been on a participant trip. I started to have doubts. What if I weren’t good at interacting with participants? What if the participants didn’t interact with me? What if I threw the participants out of the raft and they couldn’t swim? But I had committed to a summer of participant trips - there was no backing out now. So it was with some trepidation that I arrived for my first participant trip. However, once we got into our boats and I got a chance to meet the participants as individuals, my anxiety dwindled. My excitement to head down river with my new “Crew” far surpassed my nerves. I had four teenage rafters. Four had never rafted. Two couldn’t swim.   But when we hit the first set of rapids, everyone had ear-to ear grins on their faces. I don’t think those grins faded all day. Getting to see and be part of that exuberance was amazing.

What do I get out of ICO Rafting? Rafting down the river almost every weekend. Introducing new people to the river. Seeing a sport I’m passionate about through the eyes of “newbies” and being reminded all over again why I love to be on the river. Falling asleep to the sound of the running water and enthusiastic participants recounting the adventures of the day.

But ICO Rafting is not about what I get out of it. It’s about what the participants get out of it: non-swimmers voluntarily hopping out of the boat to swim rapids; kids who have never been in a boat learning to guide and successfully commanding the boat through rapids; participants growing before my eyes, overcoming their fears of the water and outdoors, and helping their friends. ICO Rafting provides space for both kids and adults to step out of their comfort zone and experience another aspect of the world. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Trip leaders and guides raft for their love of rafting and the outdoors. The best and luckiest part is that we get to share our passion with others.

 

Veterans, Active Duty Service-members and Families: Show and Tell Us Your Favorite Place Outdoors

In honor of Veterans Day and the veterans and active duty service members who serve this country, Sierra Club Mission Outdoors has a special announcement: we are partnering with the Bureau of Land Management for our first Veterans Day Essay and Photo Contest. This contest, centered on the theme “What My Public Lands Mean to Me,” encourages veterans, active-duty military, and their families to submit photos, essays and video about their experiences and memories of time spent outside on America’s public lands.

The BLM and Sierra Club will accept entries through Thursday, December 6 at http://mypubliclands.challenge.gov.  Beginning December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day) and through December 14, members of the public will be able to vote for their favorite entries through the same website.  The three most popular entries will be featured on the BLM and Sierra Club websites and social media platforms, and receive an outdoor support kit from the Sierra Club. 

We’re kicking off this contest by including a blog post by John Turner about a recent trip to Glacier National Park on 9/11. We hope that you find his story as inspirational as we do.

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Being a good steward of our resources is not a partisan issue, it is an obligation

By John Turner

I have been following the efforts of the Sierra Club’s Mission Outdoors for the last few years, particularly those related to the Military Families and Veterans Initiative. As a veteran of several combat tours I really respect what the Club is doing with vets and their families—but it wasn’t until this trip that I realized I was one of the vets that needed to get back outside. I am and will remain forever grateful to Mission Outdoors for arranging this once in a lifetime trip and for getting to be a part of it.

The principle purpose of the trip was to get military veterans, together with a team of seasoned climbers, out to Glacier National Park in order to witness how the glacial landscape is changing and what effects glacial recession and climate change might have in our lifetimes. I didn’t really have a very firm opinion about climate change, whether it is or isn’t happening, or who or what is primarily to blame for it, before embarking on this adventure. Now, having camped at the foot of Blackfoot and Jackson glaciers and having climbed Blackfoot glacier and summited the mountain that towers above it, I have gained some perspective, above and beyond the importance of keeping the ice axe in your uphill hand.

We can’t know for sure what the end of this story will ultimately be, which scientists’ predictions and data sets will prevail; we only know what has already happened. Glacial retreat is tangible and quantitative, a measurement that can be recorded without knowledge of its cause. If current trends continue, the glaciers of Glacier National Park will be gone in my lifetime. How and why is climate change such a partisan issue when one’s ability and desire to enjoy the outdoors is decidedly non-partisan? I can’t help but wonder how many of the politicians on either side of the debate have actually had a chance to stand (or camp) at the base of a glacier and really contemplate the significance of its disappearance. With the glaciers go the landscape, and with the changing landscape goes the biodiversity—and, perhaps most importantly, with the glaciers go critical sources of fresh water.

The saying ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’ came to mind when I sat down to write about my experience with Mission Outdoors. Being a good steward of our resources is not a partisan issue, it is an obligation. Over the years, I have been thanked for my service to our nation; on this trip, in the solitude of the wilderness and the company of fellow veterans and civilians from various walks of life, my service took on a different meaning. I serve out of a sense of duty and because I love my country and the way of life I am so fortunate to lead—and this includes the freedom to get outside and enjoy nature.  This trip wasn’t about how to fix climate change or even to reverse it – it was all about discovery.  As a part of that discovery, I am committed to telling others what I saw.  It is easy to disregard, dispute, and ignore climate change from a desk in a building, but not so easy after witnessing the changes firsthand. I am grateful to the Sierra Club for providing me the opportunity to reconnect with the outdoors in such an amazing place.

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The Veterans Day Essay and Photo Contest starts today and runs through December 7^th. We’re eager to hear and share your stories, so don’t delay.

 

Mission Outdoors Goes Inside for Inspiration

The outdoors inspires us in many ways, and not always when we are on the trail, in a river, or up a mountain. Sometimes inspiration comes from the silver screen, and for two days in early October, Sierra Club Mission Outdoors had the pleasure of being inspired by the Adventure Film Festival  in Boulder, Colorado and again last week in Asheville, North Carolina.     

Each fall, Adventure Film presents world-class productions to thousands of people, from weathered outdoor enthusiasts looking for their next adventure, to urban couch potatoes hoping for some motivation. This year, Sierra Club Mission Outdoors was honored to sponsor the event, which featured a smorgasbord of stunning filmmaking, community events, and children’s programming throughout Boulder and Ashville.    

At the Sierra Club, our mission is to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet and we were thrilled to engage such a passionate outdoor community through what for us was a new medium, art. Normally we encounter these folks in a less confined space than a theater, but with films ranging in subject from canyoneering in Grand Canyon to ski-mountaineering first descents in Chamonix, France, it was no surprise the festival attracted some of the best and boldest in the outdoor community.  

By supporting the Adventure Film Festival, Mission Outdoors hopes to inspire more people to seek adventure, and not only the extreme kind. Our work aims to connect people with the endless outdoor opportunities there are all across the country. From biking to work in downtown San Francisco, to kayaking glacial bays in Alaska, positive outdoor experiences are everywhere and they are waiting for you to find them. Sometimes it takes some encouragement and direction to try something different or go somewhere new. Starting close to home can be a great first step, but you never know where that step can lead.

To start your adventure, check out Mission Outdoors online and get inspired.

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Military Family Outing in the Organ Mountains

On October 20^th, Sierra Club Mission Outdoors and Resilient Habitats programs walked the walk: we took several military families from Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range on an overnight outing in the Organ Mountains of New Mexico. By far, this event has been the best part of my Apprenticeship.

It was great to be on the ground and in the mountains fulfilling our mission. I had an amazing weekend connecting with the families and giving back to those who give so much to their country. We know that the stress of moving from base to base and readjusting to life during and after deployment can be difficult. By offering events like this one, we hope to provide an outlet for these families: a place where they can relax and unwind, spend some time with their kids or on a hike, and meet other families in a similar situation. It was great to see the friends who came together and even better, to watch new friendships form.

Our Conservation Director, Sarah Hodgdon, and Mission Outdoors Director, Stacy Bare, kicked off the day by talking about the importance of providing opportunities for active duty families to unplug and reconnect. They also spoke of the unique landscape of the Organ Mountains and the value of protecting it as a national monument.

Literally overlooking White Sands Missile Range and a short drive from Fort Bliss, the Organ Mountains are the crown jewel of the southern Rockies. The jagged peaks and rugged canyons are home to a rich diversity of life, including plants found nowhere else in the world.

The kids at our outing were full of energy and took advantage of the rugged and beautiful landscape. One of the BLM rangers entertained them with a tarantula while others climbed rocks. As half of the

children settled into coloring books, the adults and older kids set off on hikes. I led a two mile hike and had a fun and challenging time keeping ahead of two excited boys, Michael and Issiah, who were tearing up the trail. After a mile of steep rocky terrain everyone was tired and dreams of climbing the 9,000 foot peaks faded, to be replaced by dreams of returning to our group shelter and lunch.

Over a dinner of barbecued chicken and burgers, the soldiers shared stories. Most notable: a rabies
outbreak caused by stray cats in Afghanistan; another about getting stuck in a tree for two days after a training jump. As it got dark I taught a few of the kids how to make a fire. I think the highlight of their day was burning sticks and making s’mores.

I’ve been on quite a few camping trips over the years, but I will always remember this one. I’m excited to join a few of the service members and spouses again in North Carolina for our Outings Leader Training and look forward to seeing them continue to get even more families outside.

A special thanks to BLM, Friends of the Organ Mountains, Blue Star Families, Armed Services YMCA, Furr’s Catering, WSMR Outdoor Recreation, Fort Bliss Southwest Adventure and REI for their support and donations.

Is Nature a Cure for Bullying?

first published in The Huffington Post

The first time I witnessed one of my students being bullied was during the winter of 2002.

Fresh out of college, I had just begun my first job as a naturalist with an outdoor environmental education program in South Carolina. One of my students, Amanda* was very tall for her age, overweight and noticeably uncomfortable in her own skin. And she was picked on constantly by Mark* who was half her size and very popular among this group of sixth graders.

While estimates vary, we can surmise that about 50% of adolescents have been picked on at one time or another, some more than others.

Sure, I had seen bullying before – who hasn’t? But this was my first time being the adult in the room (or in this case, the woods). I did my best to keep Mark occupied and away from Amanda during meals or on forest hikes. I tried to pair Amanda with nicer kids when we did group activities like searching for macro-invertebrates by the pond. Throughout the week, I led these students on hikes, taught them lessons in ecology, and had a blast singing songs and roasting marshmallows around a campfire. And while the bullying wasn’t constant, it was always there, lingering in the background.

One day, as we were walking through the forest, Amanda slipped on some wet leaves and hit the dirt. As I watched her go down, my heart sank. I wasn’t afraid that she might break an ankle, but I was petrified by my own expectation that all the other kids would soon begin pointing and laughing. I gritted my teeth, racked my brain for ways I could distract these kids and diffuse the situation – maybe, I could shout, “look, a bear” and wave my arm in any direction that wasn’t Amanda’s.

But, before I could settle on a course of action, Mark was standing by Amanda’s side. Oh, no. What was he going to do? He wouldn’t kick her while she was down. Would he?

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and began making my way towards Amanda. I was in charge. I had to protect her from this humiliation. But to my utter disbelief, Mark stood by Amanda, put out his hand and said “let me help you up.” And he did. Amanda was just as surprised as me, and while she tried to hold back a smile, she could not. The other students followed Mark’s lead. Not one of them laughed. One kid even brushed the leaves off Amanda’s back and asked her if she was ok.

It’s National Bullying Prevention Month and I am wondering what role nature might play in helping to ease this age-old adolescent torment. Back in 2002, I was just relieved to make it through the week. But in retrospect I am asking myself – what changed for these kids during that week in the woods? Did Amanda gain confidence from being outdoors? Was Mark humbled by nature as so many of us are?

New research is finding that bullying may be reduced or even eliminated when kids play in natural environments. I remember reading Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, a number of years ago and being surprised by the finding that kids play differently depending upon the ground under their feet. Standing on asphalt led to hierarchical and competitive play. The same study found that when kids played on softer ground, like grass, the nature of their interactions with each other changed; their play was creative and more egalitarian.

A few years ago, Sierra Club sent teenagers from two of Los Angeles’ notorious high schools on a camping trip to Yosemite National Park. Crenshaw and Dorsey high school students are rivals – sports, gangs, you name it; they don’t get along. But by the end of their camping trip, these students were the best of friends. What happened?

I know for myself, when I stand among the trees or the mountains, I feel a sense of smallness, an understanding that I am but one person among many people, among many mammals, among many species who inhabit this vast and beautiful planet for just a moment in time. I am not the center of the universe. If I were a victim of bullying or a bully myself, perhaps this understanding might change by perspective, too.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the students

A Weekend in the Mountains

When my boss suggested on the first day of work that I attend an outing tracking grizzly bears in Montana, I wondered whether or not he was trying to rectify a mistake he thought he’d made in the hiring process. Taking the suggestion on good faith, I said I would be thrilled to go and started making arrangements.  Working with Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, the Sierra Club’s Mission Outdoors program, sponsored a grizzly bear tracking expedition into southwest Montana’s Tobacco Roots Mountains the weekend of September 21^st . Participants from all over the country - service members, and biologists, and ski patrollers with their teenaged children, spent two nights camping in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.  Using simple techniques, we looked for grizzly bear DNA, the discovery of which would be the first evidence of the species in the Tobacco Roots since the 1930s.

Arriving at camp slightly delayed due to a possible mountain lion sighting, (when recounting any trip I am always certain the animal in question was, in fact, there) we were treated to pasta with meat and veggies, compliments of our guides.  Our campsite was perched above South Boulder Creek and offered panoramic views of 9,000ft peaks whose trails possibly hid the evidence of grizzlies we hoped to find.  About twenty of us sat together in a circle and indulged.  People made small talk and told stories of their travels and future trips planned.   Excitement, if not anxiety, wandered through the stories, tomorrow’s adventure promising to offer some release for our nerves, which for me, were caused by the fact that we would be actively looking for bears.  As a native of New York City, I never thought I would find myself in this situation, and have to admit it was slightly surreal. 

The next morning, my customary cellphone alarm was replaced by the bugling of a male elk, a sound that cannot be described.   Following a breakfast of eggs and bacon, our group broke down into three teams and the expedition began. My team climbed rolling switchbacks to a mountain lake just below 9,000ft, and in the afternoon plunged down three miles of steep downhill terrain.  Along the trail we stopped to collect data, photographing evidence and marking waypoints on our GPS.  After nearly seven hours on the trail we met up with the rest of the group at camp.  The anxiousness of the night before was gone, and the excitement from a day in the mountains had taken its place.  We were strangers mere hours before, but now we shared laughs and recounted the stories of the day like old friends.  I learned that bear meat is greasy, and that on a fracking rig, the engineers are usually talked about behind their backs.  An anthropologist from Seattle and I discussed the merits of living in Brooklyn, and a Texan writer who lived in Connecticut, showed me pictures of the black bears that visit her yard. 

Bedtime was earlier that night and I am not sure I quite remember falling asleep. I slept well and woke up refreshed.  With another hearty breakfast under our belts, we were back on the trail and into the mountains.  After a second day of data collection, we debriefed in the parking lot and loaded up the vans for the drive back to Bozeman.                      

While the purpose of this trip was to collect data relating specifically to bear activity, our goal at Mission Outdoors is to encourage people to go outside and explore for the many good reasons there are to do just that.  Last weekend reminded me of one in particular.  The outdoors is a great place to get to know someone.  It is a place to learn about hunting from an Army Vet from Indiana, or last winter’s snow quality in the Madison Range from an 8^th grader.  Now I know a little bit about what it is like to work for a fracking operation in North Dakota from someone who has done it, and have learned from a biologist how to find raspberries in the wild.  We were a small group that came from many different backgrounds: the outdoors brought us together.  I can collect information by reading magazines or going online, or even watching TV, but there is nothing like learning from people about what they do and who they are.  I am thankful to all the participants for sharing a weekend with me in the mountains and look forward to my next adventure.   

--David Tucker, Mission Outdoors Operations and Programming Coordinator 

Finding the Peace Within

This is second in a series of blogs by participants in the Climate Reconnaissance Team trip to Glacier National Park. This was written by Eve Chase, the founder and Executive Director of American Women Veterans. She served in Afghanistan.  

I have spent a lot of time processing my thoughts on the amazing experiences that occurred on my trip with the Sierra Club Mission Outdoor’s, Climate Recon Team ‘s (CRT) expedition to Glacier National Park. I tried to take time to journal many of these thoughts while on the trip as well as note the many reflections I’ve had since returning back to “society."

First, I’d like to thank the many employees of our several sponsors, supporters, and the Sierra Club, as well as Nick Watson of Veterans Expeditions for making this happen. To world-class mountaineer, Conrad Anker, and award winning photographer, Jim Balog from Extreme Ice Survey, I am forever grateful to you both for your knowledge, wisdom, skills and camaraderie. It was truly an honor I can't adequately express.

One of my goals in joining the CRT for this trip was to learn and see as much as I could- from getting a better understanding of the science behind climate change and asking tough, challenging questions from the skeptic in me, to exploring a part of our home that I had never known existed (I thought Glacier National Park was in Alaska when I first heard about it!) and to seeing what discoveries I could make about myself and my place in this world. I didn't know what to expect but I was extremely grateful and had very much looked forward to the opportunity. In some ways, I knew that it would be a life changing experience. What I didn't know was how life affirming it would end up being.

From the very first days of starting American Women Veterans (AWV) in 2009, I believed that getting veterans together, away from their daily lives and amongst the perfection and unpredictability of nature, was a key to finding our way back to the lives we felt disconnected to. For some, it would be a journey we could take to find whatever we'd felt we lost. I sensed that we could discover new aspects of ourselves and in the safe space created by a small group of those who understood where we were coming from, we could maybe also find healing. I never could explain it, but I knew it to be true.

Before going to Montana I had one other mountain top experience in New Zealand this past April.  While sitting on Single Cone peak in the Remarkables in New Zealand, I'd had what I can only describe as a moment of perfect peace, or perhaps... a revelation. Watching small wisps of a cloud swirl around the ridge below me, I took in the expanse of the view. How do you describe heaven? I took a deep breath and tried to get in touch with what I was feeling. In that moment, I was truly in awe. Everything in the world below looked so vast and so out of reach. The mountains in the distance beckoned to be climbed so that they could, in turn, reveal their glories. If I ever thought that I could fly and wanted to... it was in that moment.

But what of the "social" world? The town below looked so insignificant. And then a realization... "All that matters in this moment, here and now, is me and the rock I'm sitting on." I tried to recall my worries, the massive responsibility of growing AWV, my injured and raw heart, the overwhelming and oppressive monster of medical bills and debt, the uncertainty of my future - my purpose in this life. None of the thoughts that weighed so heavily on me hours before, evoked in me any sense of fear or anxiety as I sat on that peak. I could think about those things and not feel overcome by them - I was sitting above the clouds, looking down on the worries of my daily life and I knew that everything... absolutely everything, was going to be okay.

To test this new liberated feeling, I pushed myself to think of even more painful memories, remembering friends and family that I've lost. No pain. From that same place of peace, I knew that everything was and has been unfolding as it should. I felt closer to those I’ve lost, up there above the clouds. I could feel no sadness, just a sense of indescribable love. And I knew that I would be able to let go and move on.

As I packed for my trip to Glacier National Park, I wondered if I would I be able to find that place within again in Montana.

 

Summit For Someone - lessons learned on Mount Shuksan

Shenandoah Sanchez summitted Mount Shuksan on 9/11 as a member of the Summit for Someone Veterans Climb team. This is his story. 

This September 11th, I was a member of the Summit For Someone, Veterans Climb team on Mount Shuksan, Washington - A great program that serves an even greater cause.  As an infantry Marine for almost 20 years, I have spent many nights outdoors, extreme and otherwise; but I can honestly say that I had never undertaken the challenge of climbing a mountain.  The reasons why I did are simple:  I have a true love for the outdoors; and in a world that can be complex and dark at times, I purposefully seek the beautiful moments and opportunities that exist within it.


This climb did not disappoint. It was one of the most arduous events I have ever undertaken, yet it was truly one of the most rewarding. When the team first came together I felt as though I'd made 4 new friends; by the time we came down from the mountain I felt as though I had 4 new brothers...to my fellow veterans (Aaron and Dan) and the amazing leaders and professionals at KAF Adventures (Jason and Trevor), thank you; I would climb with you on any other trip or any other occasion without hesitation.  Jason and Trevor, your professionalism, leadership, mentorship and instruction was outstanding; you literally welcomed us with open arms, looked to our welfare and treated us like family...this left a tremendous impression and I am forever grateful for that experience.


What I learned on the climb cannot be summarized into few words; a week removed from the experience I continue to realize new lessons. Still, I have tried to capture of few of those wonderful nuggets below:

• I learned that the mountain, like life, is there; unmoving, perpetual, challenging, seemingly daunting, waiting to be climbed,beautiful.  It’s not coming to you, rather all the effort must be yours.
• The way up had peaks, valleys, obstacles, objective hazards; sometimes it was easy, most of the time it was tough.  Yet, despitewhere our immediate path took us - up, down or sideways - as we kept our eyes on the prize our overall relative movement was ever upward and higher.
• Whether climbing a mountain or living your life, one must travel light.  If you're overloaded with baggage you're not going to make it. Figure out what you really need and take only those most important things. That will keep you light, allow you to move and keep you live.
• The climb was full of hazards seen and unseen; objective, mental, fatigue-induced, weather related etc…this in turn required planning, training, concentration, good decisions, rest, food, water, keeping a level head, teamwork…
• Teamwork/Friendship. You live or die by the rope team.  When we were roped up, we worked together; protected, helped, depended on and motivated each other.  Danger was minimized, fear was reduced, we moved efficiently; stronger.  As is written in the bible, “the three braided cord is not easily broken…”
• Sometimes the path or the pitch on the objective route may not be the most direct. It may require more planning, re-assessment, effort, backtracking or circumventing. Remain motivated, flexible and focused.
• More important than just getting to the top was enjoying the moments along the way; the camaraderie, the surroundings, the beauty…

These are just a few lessons – there are so many more. I am sure that I will continue to learn from the experience long after I have been off the mountain. What I am also sure of is that the experience surpassed all my expectations and that I will return

Reflections on Glacier National Park

Guest blog written by Iraq Veteran Saif Khan. He serves as the Founder & CEO of Khanections, LLC. and is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award.  Saif is a member of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, American Legion and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  

I had the privilege to join eight fellow veterans on a hiking trip organized by the Sierra Club Mission Outdoors with partnership with Extreme Outdoor Survey (EIS). The trip in Glacier National Park this past August  was an expedition through Glacier National Park to study climate change and learn about the environment.  Most of our gear was provided to us through sponsorships from The North Face and Black Diamond including our hiking boots.  The Sierra Club provided all the food we would need for the entire trip.  All of us split the responsibility to carry essentials and food for the entire group in our backpacks; no more daily luxuries of a new pair of underwear every morning.

This was my first time hiking at Glacier National Park.  The trip brought back memories of the last time I had hiked long distances with fellow service members.  It was during my Army training at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and then in the Kuwaiti desert acclimatizing to the weather before entering Iraq in 2004.  We marched quite a few miles with a heavy backpacks and our weapons back then.  Although, different terrain, I felt the same as I was climbing the peaks of Glacier National Park with our group of veterans with backpacks.  However, I was glad to substitute the weapon for a trekking pole and felt no threat of being shot at or any danger from IED’s.  We only had to worry about bears and we all carried cans of bear repellent just incase.  I had a chance to experience and enjoy the beautiful America I fought for and helped protect when I was deployed overseas.

After returning home from the combat zone in 2005, my main focus was to get back into school, graduate and look for a job or internship.  I had never had a chance to take a trip like this with fellow service members while not on military orders, to experience and enjoy our beautiful country, until now.  When a service member comes back home from deployment, like me, they are usually caught up in the routine of transitioning back to civilian life, getting back to their job or trying to find a new one.  Once they transition back and start working, they spend a majority of their time, going to work and spending time with family on weekends.  Most veterans never get a chance to re-connect and travel to experience and appreciate the land they fought and help protect. This trip to Glacier National Park allowed me to experience and see how beautiful our country was and made me realize that, while we fought to preserve our freedoms while fighting the enemies of America, we also fought to preserve this beautiful land and the environment we enjoy.   

It was a great opportunity to connect with other veterans one on one, sharing our deployment and combat stories with each other, away from cell phones and computers as we hiked to the glaciers.  We got to know each other pretty well after spending a week hiking and camping.  We had a chance to learn about climate change and the alarming rate at which the glaciers were melting at the national park.  Award winning photographer Jim Balog joined us on the trip as well as  Conrad Anker, one of the world’s leading climbers. 

We had a chance to see photographs of the glaciers from previous years and how much they had receded.  I was disappointed to find out that these glaciers might not exist in 20 years.  It made me realize that we need to start focusing on our environment and needed to do a better job protecting our outdoors so future generations of Americans can continue to enjoy our land.    

It took me a day to break in my boots and getting my muscles used to the Glacier National Park terrain.  I was lucky to learn climbing techniques from Conrad Anker. I really got a chance to experience the camaraderie and fraternity we share as veterans on the first day of the trip when at one point my right knee hurt so much that I was unable to raise my leg and take long steps.  We were on a 14-mile trail and I was not used to climbing uphill for more than two miles.  Fellow veterans helped take some of the load off by helping carrying my heavy backpack for a few miles.  That night I camped with another veteran, Nick Watson, who stayed back as my battle buddy while the rest of the group moved on to another campsite in the morning.  I stayed back because the new campsite was at an elevation of about 6,500 feet, through very treacherous terrain and we were not sure if I could make it up there with my knee pain.   After taking painkillers and a day to recover at the campsite, I was ready to go the next day and my knee felt great.

I had never hiked through such difficult terrain before.  After hiking for a mile and half, there was no more trail.  We had to make our own trail through waterfalls, boulders and glaciers.  We kept on going while drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and refilling our water bottles at waterfalls and glaciers.  After hiking for about five hours, the new campsite was within our view.  Conrad Anker, Major John Turner and Stacy Bare spotted us and rushed to our location.  Conrad took my backpack and gave me a high five and carried it for the final stretch.  They were very excited to see us and the rest of the group was pretty surprised as they didn’t expect to see us and cheered us on as we approached the campsite.   I thanked all the fellow veterans who helped me carry my pack the day before and my battle buddy Nick who had stayed back at the other campsite and helped me navigate through the rough terrain.  It brought back combat memories.  It reminded me of the military creed where we don’t leave anyone behind whether they are injured, captured or dead.  

I would highly recommend trips such as this one, hosted by the Sierra Club Mission Outdoors for fellow veterans.  It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had.  Not only did I have a chance to experience our great outdoors, I had a chance to make some good friends who share the same values and experiences as me while learning about climate change and our environment.  This is a trip I will never forget.  

 

Saif Khan is an Iraq Veteran.  He serves as the Founder & CEO of Khanections, LLC.  He is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award.  He is a member of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, American Legion and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.