LOCALadk Magazine

52 Winter 2018 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk The winter air was crisp and cold, and the view of the Heart Lake was magical. The night before I had stayed at the Adirondack Mountain Club's (ADK) Loj, which is a historic lodge near Lake Placid, situated on the lake. I was one of more than forty students attending the ADK Winter Mountaineering School's 2018 program. The Winter School is a non-profit group that has been sponsored by the ADK since 1954. According to the school's website, its goal is to encourage "enjoyable and suc- cessful winter mountaineering and camping through a learn- by-doing approach." I woke up on the first full day of the program at the crack of dawn, had a delicious breakfast at the Loj, and immediate- ly headed outside to the lake for a glimpse of the morning light. I always love being outside in the winter, but being in the beautiful Adirondack region in winter was a special expe- rience I had never had before. The snow-blanketed tree line and distant High Peaks framed the edge of Heart Lake; the water's surface was invisible, covered in snow. A few weeks before the program, I received all the nec- essar y logistical information: maps, a gear checklist, and contact information for ever yone in the group I'd be in. The program director, staff, and instructors were all introduced by email weeks before school started. By the time we finally met in person, it was as if we already knew each other. The Winter Mountaineering School takes place ever y year, and consists of three ADK program sections in Januar y: Weekend Backpacking, a Weekend Day Hike (which I partici- pated in), and a Weeklong Combination Day Hike/Backpack, also known simply as, the Combo. A new program is being offered for 2019, which is an Advanced Day Hike/Climb (prior completion of any other winter section is required), based at Johns Brook Lodge. Most other ADK program sections are run out of the Adirondack Loj. Around March each year the Winter School also offers a weekend day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In brief, the sections include the following: • The Weekend Backpacking course features work- shops and instruction, followed by a Friday–Sunday backpack into a remote area, with an attempted 4,000'+ climb on Sat- urday. • The Weekend Day Hike features workshops and in- struction Thursday–Sunday, with a moderate hike on Friday, and a full-day 4,000'+ hike on Saturday. • The Combo Day Hike/Backpack section includes all the same activities as the weekend day hike section, fol- lowed by a backpacking trip to a remote area for additional 4,000' ascents and instruction. • The New Hampshire White Mountains Weekend Day Hike section is geared toward the extreme weather condi- tions that exist here. All of the programs start with a gear check-in. As a first- time participant in the winter mountaineering program, it was a good opportunity to double-check that my backpack and gear were in proper, working order. I also had to demon- strate using my crampons, snowshoes, and other tools for the instructors. Thankfully, the process went smoothly for me. Throughout the program, all participants were engaged in a jam-packed schedule of important workshops, such as: compass and navigation, bush-whacking, nutrition for win- ter backpacking and in alpine conditions, winter camping, cooking, avalanche safety, safety during inclement weath- er, learning the use of crampons, ice axes, and other tools, introduction to alpine hiking and climbing (learning about snow conditions, navigating through crevasses, traveling with ropes, crevasse rescue), and other related topics that are needed for safe travel through the mountains in winter. After the gear check-in, my fellow classmates and I were brought to the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex in Lake Placid to learn how to walk and hike with our crampons, and how to use our ice axes to arrest ourselves in case of a fall. The Winter Mountaineering School By Netta Anggiamurni Photos by Chris Lang

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