Dijukno that as a Colorado native who spent his youth
exploring, climbing, and skiing in the Rockies, mountaineering seemed like a
natural choice for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) guide Linden Mallory?
Hiking fourteener’s led to chasing bigger peaks in the
Northwest, up to Alaska and eventually he found himself on the international
scene. Although Linden has had extensive Leave No Trace training through a
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course as a teenager and his guiding
certifications, he says his first exposure to the ethics of Leave No Trace was
informal, through the friends and mentors he spent time with in the
mountains. “The formal training came in
school, I am still continuing to expand my knowledge and practice my skills in
places such as Mount Rainier, leading climbs with an emphasis on protecting our
resources. Because Leave No Trace can often be applied differently
internationally, I am interested in promoting ethics abroad to help it become
more prevalent and widely practiced.”
The way Linden likes to approach Leave No Trace on a climb
is two-fold: first, by having a discussion or speaking generally about why it
is important, and second, leading by example. If someone drops a candy bar
wrapper, it is commonplace for Linden to chase after it. He noted that “when
clients or climbers see me taking the time to do so, it really goes a long
way”, reminding him of an inspirational event during a trip to Mount
Kilimanjaro. “After a successful summit, I handed out bags and challenged the
guides and porters to collect more trash than I. I remember seeing guides,
porters and clients spread out at 15,000 feet, sprinting to grab pieces of
litter and stuff them in their bags and empty lunch sacks. Because we had
already summited, the focus was on being there and being a part of the effort,
it really added to the positive experience of the climb.” The competition ended
at the local bar, where Linden bought everyone a round of drinks. The experience
“struck a very powerful chord” with Linden as a unique demonstration of the
power of leading by example.
Linden is constantly on the go, traveling all over the
world as well as continuing to add to his already impressive 50 successful
summit attempts on Mount Rainier. However, he still manages to find time to
promote Leave No Trace awareness. Linden is part of the team that established
the new Mountaineering principle and it’s his goal that these principles be
accessible and applicable to everyone who practices winter sports, beyond the
mountaineering community. “We wanted to take the winter skills and look at a
spectrum of users, such as people who frequently spend time in the mountains as
well as though who are just getting started, or doing things on a much smaller
scale. Professionals might look at this curriculum and see the obvious, since
many of these ethics are already being practiced. However, for those looking to
get more involved there is a lot of good information about how to apply Leave
No Trace to specific endeavors.” Linden believes in the “bigger picture beyond
immediate action”, and enjoys speaking the different languages of Leave No
Trace wherever he goes, always by example.
Wherever your journeys may take you this winter, it is
important to remember that you can always find a way to practice Leave No
Trace. One piece of advice Linden would give to those participating in any
other activities would be to plan ahead (learn a new activity for teaching this
principle in the Leave No Trace Tips Section).
“When you are in colder environments, it is crucial that you know what
you are getting into and plan accordingly. Ask yourself, ‘do I have enough warm
layers, or the right amount of food? Should I use a canister or a liquid stove;
how do they react in colder temperatures?’” Doing research before you go and
taking the appropriate steps to avoid a troublesome situation can make
practicing Leave No Trace in the winter much easier and safer.
Dijukno that as a Colorado native who spent his youth
exploring, climbing, and skiing in the Rockies, mountaineering seemed like a
natural choice for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) guide Linden Mallory?
Hiking fourteener’s led to chasing bigger peaks in the
Northwest, up to Alaska and eventually he found himself on the international
scene. Although Linden has had extensive Leave No Trace training through a
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course as a teenager and his guiding
certifications, he says his first exposure to the ethics of Leave No Trace was
informal, through the friends and mentors he spent time with in the
mountains. “The formal training came in
school, I am still continuing to expand my knowledge and practice my skills in
places such as Mount Rainier, leading climbs with an emphasis on protecting our
resources. Because Leave No Trace can often be applied differently
internationally, I am interested in promoting ethics abroad to help it become
more prevalent and widely practiced.”
The way Linden likes to approach Leave No Trace on a climb
is two-fold: first, by having a discussion or speaking generally about why it
is important, and second, leading by example. If someone drops a candy bar
wrapper, it is commonplace for Linden to chase after it. He noted that “when
clients or climbers see me taking the time to do so, it really goes a long
way”, reminding him of an inspirational event during a trip to Mount
Kilimanjaro. “After a successful summit, I handed out bags and challenged the
guides and porters to collect more trash than I. I remember seeing guides,
porters and clients spread out at 15,000 feet, sprinting to grab pieces of
litter and stuff them in their bags and empty lunch sacks. Because we had
already summited, the focus was on being there and being a part of the effort,
it really added to the positive experience of the climb.” The competition ended
at the local bar, where Linden bought everyone a round of drinks. The experience
“struck a very powerful chord” with Linden as a unique demonstration of the
power of leading by example.
Linden is constantly on the go, traveling all over the
world as well as continuing to add to his already impressive 50 successful
summit attempts on Mount Rainier. However, he still manages to find time to
promote Leave No Trace awareness. Linden is part of the team that established
the new Mountaineering principle and it’s his goal that these principles be
accessible and applicable to everyone who practices winter sports, beyond the
mountaineering community. “We wanted to take the winter skills and look at a
spectrum of users, such as people who frequently spend time in the mountains as
well as though who are just getting started, or doing things on a much smaller
scale. Professionals might look at this curriculum and see the obvious, since
many of these ethics are already being practiced. However, for those looking to
get more involved there is a lot of good information about how to apply Leave
No Trace to specific endeavors.” Linden believes in the “bigger picture beyond
immediate action”, and enjoys speaking the different languages of Leave No
Trace wherever he goes, always by example.
Wherever your journeys may take you this winter, it is
important to remember that you can always find a way to practice Leave No
Trace. One piece of advice Linden would give to those participating in any
other activities would be to plan ahead (learn a new activity for teaching this
principle in the Leave No Trace Tips Section).
“When you are in colder environments, it is crucial that you know what
you are getting into and plan accordingly. Ask yourself, ‘do I have enough warm
layers, or the right amount of food? Should I use a canister or a liquid stove;
how do they react in colder temperatures?’” Doing research before you go and
taking the appropriate steps to avoid a troublesome situation can make
practicing Leave No Trace in the winter much easier and safer.
guiding experience. An American Mountain Guiding Association (AMGA) accredited guide service specializing in mountaineering expeditions, alpine
climbing, trekking and ski touring programs, RMI is committed to leading exceptional mountain adventures.www.rmiguides.com
Get information like this and more at http://lnt.org/training/theresource2#lindensstory
It is just sad to see people nonchalantly dirtying such beautiful places. It is certainly a good thing there are people like Linden Mallory who go the extra mile to set a good example.
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