"Passing It On......."

More teaching moments; another excited group of very young mountaineers... Days of assisting with new skills; many hours of learning fun techniques; supporting each through their own challenges, and lots of smiles when developing and practising these all further. There is nothing like the joy of time with new adventure spirits...

Then as with all such teachings - be they on mountains, rivers, or out upon the ocean, comes the time of testing ones newly gained skills and for putting them to trial out among the elements. The route chosen was one mixed with later season snow, upon ice, upon even older snow. There would be movement by team, with ice axe, ropes and crampons, all blending with the gained altitude, and all aware and prepared as well to arrest the self and their fellows if need be.

Some young spirits take much longer to grasp unfamiliar skills and have more need to review and polish personal technique. Others also continue to practise time and again to really make these skills their very own. I should know, as I have always been a member of those whose ordinary skillset needs extraordinary practice time.

Recognising our past selves in new adventurers is one of the many motives for giving time and dedicating efforts in this way. One youth that I chose to mentor that day was very young, but so full of interest and energy, but not yet of knowledge nor skill. While the others' goal that day may have been to get that summit and likely were already planning for more, his objective was seemingly just to grasp for the most basic technique, to get a sense of how to move over such terrain, and throughout the whole day to not let his fellows down nor hold anyone back...

Those determined but anxious looks on his face I have seen on myself so many times, like the reflections from a mountain hut mirror, after such long days out... He would fall and get up; fumble through yet still try, but keep on he did... hold anyone back he did not...

I had one of my favorite ice axes with me that day, one that has accompanied me on many a very memorable mountain. It feels like it is a part of my hand when I move it over ice and snow. It proudly bears scrapes from countless talus slopes and has such character in its age and style.

It rested beside me as I watched him remove his gear later that long day out. He was so very tired but still respectful of what needed to be done next, of others around him, and the equipment to be cleaned and stored.

We shared some water and snacks, and then it seemed the perfect moment to pass something along... Also for a few words of quiet acknowledgement of his efforts, and especially for encouragement to come back. The light he had in his eyes, and the smile he had upon his face, told me he would indeed return for another summit adventure...

Then we watched him walk away, with all his new found friends, and my old ice axe too, now held tightly in his hand.....

DSD

My thanks to K. Garrett for the above images.