10 DECEMBER 1, 2001 SMOKE SIGNALS
David Harrelsoti keeps a journal, takes a Vision Quest,
lives through squirrel attacks and returns home better
for the experience.
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"The SawtOOthSw-The state of Washington's North Cascades Mountains
were the setting for the adventure of a lifetime when Tribal member David Harrelson
took the Outward Bound challenge. The beauty of the North Cascades Mountains
draws visitors from all over the world.
i
Better for the Experience
No ordinary student during the school
year, Harrelson spent his summer be
coming a survivor. He said he appreci
ated home more now after three weeks
in the wilderness.
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By David Harrelson
22 days In the woods - three days alone. An
experience, an adventure and memories that
will last a lifetime.
81201
10:15 a.m. - left for airport.
1:30 p.m. - started bus-ride to base camp.
6:30 p.m. - got to base camp.
9:00 p.m. - Summit time (when group gets
together).
81301
6:00 a.m. -wake up.
11:30 a.m. - get to trail head.
7:30 p.m. - arrive at campsite.
8:00 p.m. -1 was one of the cooks for the
day- so I cooked.
11:00 p.m. - goto bed exhausted.
81501
6:30 a.m. - wake up.
Break down camp, eat breakfast, move up to
new base camp, set up base camp, talk, eat
dinner.
Summit, sleep.
81601
Woke up, ate. Mountain goats came into
camp, woke me up only three feet from
head.
Went bouldering (low level rock climbing).
Started hiking up steep talase for 800 feet.
Most dangerous, so far. Coming down from
the pass Miriam fell and started to roll, she
stopped but was scared. She seems to be
the least capable at climbing, but is a really
cool person.
Mini solo - one hour (time spent alone).
81701
Woke up to freezing cold wind, Goats
everywhere, quite aggressive. Repelled 140
feet off Grandstand. When at bottom on
ledge Mac accidentally pushed Porter's pack
off, sending it 200 feet down. Finally found
water. Then went to the Kangaroo Pouch -its
really big and cool. My favorite spot so
far. We had a really good dinner. It was
just noodles and melted cheese, but it hit the
spot. Some political conversations came up
during the day - they were tough, very
different thoughts among the group,
communism, capitalism and socialism.
81801 Agarnathe Pass
Woke up late -1 was the leader today. We
left the Pouch (or cave) and moved toward
where resupply is going to be. That's
tomorrow - it's when we get resupplied to go
outtothebackcountry.
81901 Crescent Lake
We woke up at 7:30 a.m. got ready and
headed to resupply. We headed off towards
Crescent Lake. "O" was a navigator some
and Mac the other navigator had to get us '
there - there just happened to not be any
trails. We did find an old abandoned logging
road though and it saved us about 2 hours.
Monica fell and hurt her nose. Oh, we slept In
tall grass and it felt like a gorilla's nest.
82001
The day started off good it was supposed to
be really hard day traveling 8 miles and
3,000 feet of elevation to South Lake.
Instead we stopped at Twist Lake because
the group as a whole, including me, was not
capable. Maybe if we hadn't just had
resupply we could have done it but were
heavy. It's a good thing we did go to Twisp
because right when we got there it started
to rain. We set up camp in the rain.
82101
Best sleep I have ever gotten - WOW! It's
still raining, but our tarp kept us dry. Solo
started today and I am now alone. Ill be
here for 72 hours and it almost seems like a
vision quest. It's still raining. I ate a little
more of my tiny lunch, because we only get
about three handfuls of food for three days.
I have vaguely looked around where I am
but I will tell more when the rain clears up.
It's getting a little darker now. I feel wet,
but oh well. I have been thinking a lot.
There is really no better place to be thinking.
82201 Day two of solo
I woke up today to find myself a little dryer
than when I went to sleep and a little
warmer. The rain has stopped, but it's windy
now. I do have some protection though from
the trees around me. The day basically
consisted of me eating, sleeping, and making
a cross out of wood. I did write a little
though mostly just life goals and situations.
I've never gotten home sick before. But I'm
starting to feel it.
82301 Day three of solo
I was becoming what I would consider crazy
so I moved into the sun -it feels good. I
have a lot more time and I really don't know
what to do. Solo has been just a time to
hang out.
I was just attacked by a squirrel - it just
came straight into my camp and straight at
me. So when it got close I hit it and it ran off
but not after staying and chirping at me and
moving around like it was going to attack
again.
It is 4:30 in the morning -1 have spent the
last 2 hours absolutely freaked out about the
noises everywhere - scared out of my mind.
Ifs amazing what can happen when one
person Is sent to be in the woods for three
days alone. I blew my whistle for help I
thought something was out there - no one
answered. It seemed like no one cared.
I decided to stay here at my site it was only
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Transformation Tribal member David Harrelson took part in a group of
teens selected for an Outward Bound challenge this past summer. Harrelson said
everyone in the group was changed by the experience.
for a few more hours - I'm alone. I'm writing
now. I'm really tired and emotionally
stressed. I guess I will try to sleep now but
I'm not sure how that will do. So Goodnight
or should I say good morning.
82401 Long Night
Woke up, broke down camp, packed
everything.
82501
Woke, climbed to Hawk Mountain. Dark.
Watching the sunrise in silence.
Went down peak, hiked really far. Went
swimming In Alpine Lake, freezing cold. Hiked
to campsite. Hard day. Went to sleep at
11:00 p.m.
82601
Lesson with group about medicine. Moved
base camp. Had cheesy Cajun mush for
dinner. Moved up to advanced base camp.
Slept on snow right below McAlister Peak.
82701
Hiked McAlister (7,928 elevation)
Came backdown to camp, gathered gear.
Had lunch in basin by big rock. Hiked to
camp to prepare to make new base camp.
Hiked up to our final base ramp below
Reynolds made great time. Had good time.
Find kick butt base camp spot.
82801
Woke up at 4:00 a.m. to climb (ML)
Reynolds. Attempted but didn't make it.
Went Rock climbing.
82901
Hiked out of the backcountry, but not after
waking up to a great sunrise with red, big,
dark pink clouds. At the trailhead we tied up
our instructors - it was great. We came back
to our base-camp out of the field and set up
camp collected gear and ate dinner.
83001 .
Woke up. Ran 7.4 miles in 54 minutes and 34
seconds. Got 2nd out of 17 people. After
physically exerting myself for 19 days I
thought it was pretty good. Ate wonderful
breakfast - first real breakfast.
90101
Woke up. Broke down camp. Ate breakfast.
Left for airport.
Talked to Monica on ride there. Met Dad at
airport. Drove Monica and Porter to hotel,
went to grocery store and Starbucks with
Monica and Porter to get Tillamook Cheese
and Treetop apple juice because Porter lives
in Massachusetts and Monica lives in
Minnesota - where you can't find those
things. It was fun, we then took them back
to their hotel, said our goodbyes and that
ended the Outward Bound trip but it didnt
end my experience.
Here's a personal motto that I came up for
myself on my solo - "I am not invincible. I
have fears. I need things, I want things -don't
confuse the two. Remember what is
important, not what you might think is
important. Don't forget to step back and
look at it from the outside. Truly do this -don't
let yourself be deceived. It's okay to
shed a tear or even a few. But, most of all,
always remember to look up, to laugh, to
love.
. Home? What is home? Is it a place where
you feel safe and comfortable? Or is it just a
house that you sleep in?"