Winter mountaineering camp heads to the Rockies in Alberta (01/29/06)

Winter mountaineering camp heads to the Rockies in Alberta

by Deanna Yurchuk

CALGARY, Alberta - Plast's ninth annual winter mountaineering camp, Zymovyi Mandrivnyi Tabir (ZMT), had a change of venue this year. Instead of heading to its usual locale at the Adirondack Loj near Lake Placid, on N.Y., December 26, 2005, campers met at Calgary airport and traveled the last leg of their trip together to the Castle Junction Youth Hostel in Banff National Park.

Situated in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park extends over 2,564 square miles of mountains, valleys, rivers and glaciers and is Canada's premier national park.

This year's ZMT numbered 22 campers from the U.S. and Canada between the ages of 16 and 40, and was headed by longtime ZMT participant and avid alpinist Andriy Kolos from Toronto. He began planning for this camp, the ninth ZMT, last summer, scouting out hiking trails, park regulations and local areas of interest. According to Mr. Kolos, it had been his longtime ambition to bring ZMT to a more challenging location, believing that it would benefit the camp's participants, especially since most of them were repeat veterans of the program.

"One learns more from one's surroundings when one is stimulated, and a change of location did just that," he said. He also noted that the new site made ZMT more accessible to Plast members living in the western U.S. and Canada.

"The new location afforded uniquely spectacular scenery," said Tania Voyevidka of Reno, Nev. "It was the best of any camps that I have attended, with better opportunities to teach backcountry skiing and avalanche instruction than is generally possible in the Adirondacks."

This annual winter mountaineering camp was the brainchild of Nicholas Sawicki and Dorian Yurchuk who, after many winters of recreational hiking and skiing with friends in the Adirondacks, endeavored to share their passion for outdoor winter activities by organizing a camp for Plast teens.

At its inception in 1997 the camp initially offered only hiking, camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. As its leaders became more experienced and better trained in winter sports, the program evolved to include challenging activities like ice climbing, mountaineering and, most recently, telemark skiing, a Nordic style of free heel downhill skiing.

On the first day of camp, ZMT participants traveled to see the statue of the Ukrainian Canadian internee at the site of the Castle Mountain Internment Camp in what is now Banff National Park. This statue was installed in 1995 as a memorial to the hundreds of Ukrainian internees who lived and worked there in 1915-1917.

As in previous years, the highlight of ZMT's five-day winter sport program was ice climbing. According to William Liteplo of Boston, "You really have to push yourself mentally, as well as physically." He also noted that in the past few years the camp has accumulated more sophisticated gear, which allowed it to offer more technical climbing opportunities. After his first multi-pitch climbing experience at ZMT 9, Mr. Liteplo added, "It's amazing to observe your own learning process with each climb."

Most rewarding for Marko Maryniak, of Fernie, Alberta, was seeing old friends, meeting new ones and observing the beauty of nature. Mr. Maryniak, who teaches outdoor education courses professionally, believes that wilderness offers youth not only an opportunity to learn technical outdoor skills, but also goes a long way to foster group and individual development. For him the trip was "a reaffirmation that nature is the great equalizer, and that as a group one can learn things that one can't individually."

Instructors at this year's ZMT had the unique opportunity to teach backcountry skiing and avalanche safety in actual avalanche terrain. Participants dug snow pits, analyzed snow for stability and practiced the use of avalanche beacons. Mr. Kolos stated, "At ZMT, even beginners to winter backcountry travel are trained to assess terrain and weather, so that everyone is responsible for providing input into group decisions. Those with more experience help those who are just learning."

Constantine Voyevidka of Reno, Nev., observed that ZMT is successful because participants can learn, practice and teach outdoor leadership in areas where it has not been taught in Plast's conventional curriculum. "This camp allows Plast to expand its expertise, keeping more young folks interested and in the fold," he said.

On December 31, the last day of camp, all 22 participants headed up Sulpher Mountain. The hike was a moderate climb until the final summit, which involved a steep ascent up a rocky peak. This last group challenge was one that Mr. Kolos enjoyed most. He was impressed by everyone's motivation and said that he was proud of the cooperation among the group members as they helped each other reach the top.

Mr. Liteplo added, "The final hike was incredibly rewarding, and the views from the top ridge were outstanding."

The day ended with ZMT participants soaking in Banff's outdoor Hot Springs and then huddled around a bonfire near the youth hostel, bringing in the new year and singing carols until dawn.

When asked about the venue of next year's ZMT, Mr. Kolos answered, "We are always on the lookout for new locales to stimulate learning experience for both instructors and campers." He stated that the organizers of ZMT are constantly assessing the program's strengths and weaknesses in order to create activities that will lead to further self-awareness and growth.

Although he is thrilled with this year's outcome, he supports a change of locale for next year. According to him, the camp will be alternating between eastern and western North America, and perhaps travel abroad. Possible locations for future ZMTs include: Vermont, the Adirondacks, Alaska, the Sierra Nevada, Chamonix, Norway, and the Carpathian Mountains.

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