Students conquer the mountains

By Melissa Tischler, WG '03

I don't know which scared me more ? the idea that I was going to be climbing a 19,000 foot mountain or the fact that my spring break trip came with its own bulkpack.

Over break, Mike Useem and 23 adventure-seeking Wharton students and partners traveled to Quito, Ecuador as part of Wharton's most recent Leadership Venture. The two groups of 12 spent the week learning technical mountain climbing skills, discussing the role of leadership during extreme physical circumstances, acclimatizing to high altitudes, and getting to know the cities of Quito and Otavalo.

During my team's first day in Quito, we explored many of the typical tourist destinations ranging from the President's house to a bustling street market. But it became clear that we were in Ecuador on a climbing trip when we reached a cathedral and my team's first reaction was 'how do we get to the top?' ? in hindsight, 350 feet worth of stairs was barely a warm-up for the rest of the week.

Day two commenced the true climbing portion of the trip for both teams. One team climbed Mt. Fuya Fuya, a 15,300 foot mountain, while the other climbed Mt. Pinchincha, a 15,700 foot mountain. At this altitude, both teams found that this was more than a typical day hike with a bit of rock climbing. We were amused and alarmed to find that simple tasks like tying one's shoes or climbing a flight of stairs at this altitude can leave you gasping for breath given the low oxygen saturation level in the air. For both teams, these smaller mountains helped us get to know one another, reflect on our roles within the team, and get excited to tackle the larger mountains.

Over the next few days of the break, both groups worked with their guides to learn the essential technical skills that are required for glacier climbing. My guides created an elaborate system of fixed lines for us to traverse through our hotel's lobby and led us through a number of drills at a nearby climbing wall. The other team set out for base camp on Mt. Cayambe in order to practice using the equipment and belaying one another at altitude.

In keeping with the goal of learning about leadership through mountain climbing, both teams had daily meetings to discuss readings from the bulkpack. Initially, I thought this would get in the way of our spring break festivities, but was pleasantly surprised to find that these were some of the most interesting conversations of the trip. Each of the readings were related to the subject of mountain climbing including readings from "Annapurna", "Zen and the Art of Mountain Climbing", the "Parable of the Sadhu" from the Harvard Business Review, and an article by one of our guides on his experiences on Mount Everest. Many of our conversations focused on our perceptions of our own strengths and weaknesses as leaders, how we were going to motivate one another through difficult moments on the mountains, and our overall goals for the trip. Members of each group took turns leading discussions and making decisions through a rotating position as "leader of the day". This let each of us reflect on our own leadership skills and challenges as well as the theoretical facets of leadership.

By the end of the week, both teams were eagerly awaiting the final ascent up Mt. Cayambe and Mt. Cotapaxi. After a dinner of spaghetti and an afternoon of restless napping, both teams woke around midnight to climb through the night up the mountains. With headlamps, ice axes, crampons (spikes that attach to the bottom of climbing boots to help keep traction in the snow), four layers of clothing, and large backpacks full of extra gear and snacks we set off on our ascents.

All of us knew that the climb was going to be physically difficult (we had been training for months in order to increase our chances of making the summits), but none of us could have anticipated how mentally draining the ascent would be. We routinely had to rely on one another for support and encouragement when ? after seven hours ? it still looked like we would never reach the top. In the end our perseverance paid off. Eleven out of the twelve members of the Cotapaxi team reached the summit and five of the members of the Cayambe team reached the summit (other members of the Cayambe team came very close to the summit, but were unable to cross a dangerous crevasse at the very top). And I can hardly describe the adrenaline we felt as the two teams shouted at one another over our walkie-talkies from our respective summits.

In hindsight, this may not have been the most relaxing spring break, but I can hardly imagine a more exciting, challenging, or rewarding trip. Each of us returned to Wharton with an amazing feeling of accomplishment, insights into our own leadership styles, remarkable sunburns, tales of climbing and sliding down the mountains, and a group of new friends. And I know I'm already looking forward to my next chance to go climbing.