From participant to leader
“Cat” is a Deer Hill alum and long-time staff member, specializing in our signature leadership programs. Technical canyoneering is one of her favorite activities.
How long have you been guiding?
5 years
What inspired you to be a guide?
My first trip with Deer Hill – “River and Mountain 5″ in 1999. I looked up to the instructors so much – they were smart, inspiring, silly and incredibly knowledgeable and experienced. The role of “leader” seemed so important and influential (they certainly were for me) and also incredibly fun.
What do you think makes a good leader?
A love of challenges. The ability to approach daunting situations with a sense of interest and objectivity. Enthusiasm. Patience. Humor and silliness are essential too.
What is your favorite part of guiding for Deer Hill Expeditions?
There is usually a moment in the middle of a course when I forget that leading the trip is a “job” – because it seems so fulfilling, demanding, rewarding that surely it must be something that I “get to do”. Work usually feels like something that I “Must do, should do, or have to do”. Working at Deer Hill is something I love to do. Although leading expeditions comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility and focus, it is the most freeing work I know of.
Also, I am very attached to the staff, the founders, Doug and Beverly, the administrative staff, the other instructors, some of whom I have known since I was 16 – there is a strong sense of family at Deer Hill.
Can you describe the most special place you’ve been able to share with a Deer Hill group?
There’s a steep 12,000 ft ridge in the Weminuche Wilderness which I’ve crossed with students every summer. In spite of the fact that some burly Deer Hill instructor from years ago labeled it as “easy pass” on the map, getting to the top of that ridge is usually what the students find to be the most challenging part of the day – lots of miles, lots of elevation gain and it’s early on in the trip. Moments before they reach the top (before they see the view0 they are usually groaning about how much their feet, legs and backs hurt, or silently trudging steeply uphill, maybe glaring at me or whoever else is shouting “you’re almost there!”. When they crest the top of the ridge, their faces change so dramatically – they are laughing, smiling, hugging, cheering the last ones up to the top, celebrating. The view from up there is stunning. A long stretch of the Continental Divide is visible, high peaks everywhere, lakes, etc. There’s always a student who asks “how do we get down from here?” To which the instructor replies “Look at the map”. Then they figure out that the descent is just as challenging as the way up, although the next camp site is in view, below. Never a dull moment out there. One student mentioned that hiking up the ridge was more thrilling than a peak ascent, knowing that she’d done it with her full pack on. It’s definitely a high point in a long, arduous, glorious day in the Weminuche.
What do you do when you’re not leading trips for DHE?
I work for an all female acrobatics company called LAVA, based in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. I’m their production Manager. I take handstand classes at their studio too. I also work as a stage manger/assistant mdirector in Off and Off-Off-Broadway thearer.
What advice would you give someone before their first Deer Hill trip?
Get good boots.
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