The Lessons of Rabbitnose

When it comes to alumni looking back at their school or university experiences, often they take the tone of fishing stories – the big ones were a bit bigger, the storms a bit harsher, the victories a bit sweeter and the winters a bit colder. And like fish stories, some is myth and some reality. Temagami is most certainly one of those subjects for which there are many Appleby memories and legends from the past 40 years, and mentioning my plans to go up with the Upper 2s seemed to be a catalyst for many of these stories to flow.

A common alumni question is “I heard that it’s not as tough as in our day … is that true?”

While it is true that some of the stories I heard (e.g. swimming under the ice between holes, 36-hour “solos” in the bush, groups of students going out winter camping without adults) are not the Rabbitnose reality of today, I am just as convinced that the principles that made the Northward Bound experiences so impactful 25 years ago, are just as strong today. A commonly accepted truth is that people’s personalities, attributes, greatest achievements and character are shaped disproportionately by times when they are outside their comfort zones socially, physically, or in terms of obstacles. For a huge proportion of Canadians, this includes spending time in the wilderness, and for a majority of Appleby alumni, their time in Temagami has been both memorable and life-changing.

On my trip last week, we started with a 10 km hike across Lake Temagami to get to the island. As I mentioned in the last post, a misty part rain/part ice fog was settling in when we departed the mainland. By the time we trudged into camp a few hours later after night had fallen, there was a beautiful eerie haze and our packs had a paper-thin layer of ice covering them. It was quite a workout, but I realize that the relatively mild weather and south wind were a huge advantage compared to most groups who typically face temperatures averaging 10-15 degrees colder while also walking into a stiff north wind.

These days, Grade 10 students spend six days and five nights in Temagami during mid-winter. (Grade 8s and 9s spend time there in the fall, and other groups visit in the spring.) The first day the group is split into smaller expedition teams (ours included twelve Grade 10s, two student leaders, and two adults – me and a guide, Appleby grad Andrew Carrick.) The groups each head out across the wind-swept lake to different sites in the area to establish campsites – pile quinzhees, get firewood, prepare the kitchen, etc. After all the work is done and lunch has been cooked and eaten, the teams head back to Rabbitnose for the night. The following morning, the groups set off again to return to their sites, dig out their quinzhees and stay out on the lake for the following two nights/three days. After the expedition, they head back to Rabbitnose for a great meal, a stint in the sauna and one last night in the cabins. The last day is the 10 km hike back to the mainland.

I am a huge fan of outdoor education and the winter trip is a perfect example of the impact it can have on a young person. In addition to learning “hard” outdoor camping and survival skills – things like how to build a quinzhee, the best was to gather firewood in winter, fire-starting, map & compass, etc. – the most important lessons the students learn are about themselves, how they interact with others, and how they confront obstacles.

Here are some of the things I saw when we were camping in our little bay:

·        It doesn’t take very long to realize the sheer immensity of Mother Nature and how insignificant we are without the shell of an urban environment. This epiphany pushes our awareness from focus on ourselves to that of the world around us – things like topography, wind, temperature, cloud cover, signs of wildlife, sounds and smells all become more vivid. One of the most significant characteristics of growing up is moving from focus on self to focus on everything other than self.

·        Once out on the lake in a small team, one realizes the complete interdependence with the other members of the team, including those whom hardly knew each other before the trip. The need to work with one-another and to “pull your own weight” becomes obvious to everyone. If someone if having a tough time, it falls to teammates to recognize it and help. Like a high functioning sports team, the sum is far greater than the parts. It may be felling a tree, or building a quinzhee, or squeezing into one with three other people for the night – winter camping requires you to develop the ability to read and defer to what is best for the team.

·        Life slows down – the tasks of getting wood or boiling water or even going to the bathroom all take longer and are more complicated than city life. You are forced to take time, to appreciate smaller steps, and develop a greater sense of patience.

·        More than any other environment I’ve been in, winter camping forces you to understand and read your body. You have to overcome your aversion to drinking really cold water because, counter-intuitively, it’s far easier to dehydrate. You also have to constantly monitor your body in order to ensure that it is always operating in that narrow zone between cold finger/toes and starting to sweat. Constantly adjusting your hat, use of layers and, most importantly, physical activity are among the dials to keep your bodily thermostat in that lovely warm but not hot zone.

·        The role of student leaders in taking responsibility for how the group should operate and the well-being of team members is impressive. Many adults vastly underestimate the capacity of teenagers to show the kind of leadership that we expect of those who are much older. Moreover, there are many examples of situational leadership when, like a formation of Canada geese, different members of the team step up at different times to contribute.

·        Most significantly, I was very proud to see so many students who were clearly in the most alien possible environment find ways to cope and conquer what must have at times seemed like scary and insurmountable situations.

Many thanks to those who were up at Rabbitnose last week and to Doug Stamper and his team of thoughtful and experienced instructors. It was a great week and I look forward to my next visit.

(I have included some photos from the expedition in the slide show on the right of the blog as well as a few more in an album on my home page.)