Jack Liebl - 4/07/09
Colorado Outward Bound - San Jaun Mountains - Summer 1969
My mother 'suggested' I do this; it was Outward Bound or a military academy to get me back on track. I had made a few questionable decisions during my 15th and 16th years and this was to be my pennance so to speak.
As I write this many things come flooding back to memory but 3 incidents over the 26 day course provided me with insight, strength, and a compass of sorts that would help me through out the rest of my life.
I recall there being a number of students from the inner city of Denver in our overall group. They seemed a lot tougher than me. They were stronger, had street smarts, and came off as rather intimidating to a middle class kid from a relatively small mid-western town. All were attending on some type of scholarship and all were very difficult to get to know and work beside. They appeared to have a chip on their shoulder when it came to team work. I was relieved when our squad was named and none of them were paired with me. Over the duration of the course our squads would meet up maybe 3 times for a hot meal and a night of relating our experiences. By the third meeting not one of the inner city guys were left - all had quit. I remember thinking they weren't so tough after all. My take away; it is better to earn something than just be given something.
One night we made camp a hundred feet or so above the timber line. Our tents were simple plastic sheets with twine rapped around small stones to form tie-downs, our poles were sticks taken from the ground. During the night a summer storm blew in deposting about 6 inches of wet, heavy snow on our tent - it collapsed! I remeber being very cold, wet, and uncomfortable. The situation of course, forced us to take immediate action under adverse conditions with very limited resources. I didn't know it at the time but this incident was one of my most valuable lessons in life. Confronted with a difficult task, it is best to meet it head on.
My final expedition was considered the toughest one of our session; a 90 mile course to be covered in about 3 days. I was by far the youngest in our 4 man group and later found out in my exit interview that our instructor put me there purposley to push the older more experienced members. He also had the confidence in my ability to finish the course and take a leadership role if necessary. I remember being flattered he thought so highly of me. It turns out I did need to push and then help one of the guys - a 21 year old 'know-it-all' who eventually cracked during a cold river crossing early the second morning. It was both frightening and humbeling to see a much older and stronger teamate lose it. After getting him across the river and settled down our relationship changed. He had a new found respect for me and I had new found compassion for him. Knowing he was a bit embarrassed by the incident we never spoke of it but simply went on our way and successfully finshed the course.
Outward Bound gave me the confindence to challenge myself and the ability to push myself beyond what I though possible. 40 years is a long time and my experience in the San Jaun Mountains has stayed with me.
