RMC Expedition Club summits Mount Washington

Over the weekend 7 Naval and Officer Cadets from the RMC Expedition Club, MWO Corneau and Riley Jessup RMC Alumni Association Fundraising and Marketing Coordinator,  summited Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It was a great experience to get out for the weekend with the club and interact with the  Cadets. For many it was their first mountain hike and all had a great time. Everyone made it to the summit as a team where lunch was had before descending back down and returning to the camp site and then heading home the following day.  This trip was a much needed break for Cadets preparing for exams. Thank you to the Class of 1962 for their continued support of Recreational Clubs at the Colleges.

From the RMC Cadets:

Dear RMC Alumni Association,

On behalf of the participants of the April 14-16 2023 Mount Washington trip, I would like to express gratitude in giving us the opportunity to successfully execute a weekend long summit of Mount Washington through your generous support. There were a total of  9 participants on the hike, 6 RMC N/OCdts with our OPI OCdt Sekyewa, MWO Corneau who was our safety supervisor, and Mr. Riley Jessup from the RMC alumni association. There were three phases to our expedition to the Mount Washington summit. Phase one included preparation and deployment which entailed briefings on our itinerary, camping details, required kit, and meal plans. This also included our initial step off from the college.

We deployed from RMC on April 14 at 1500 hrs and traveled to the USA via Montreal and Stanstead. The 6 hour car ride was the perfect opportunity to break the ice as we got acquainted with each other on the way to the Barnes Field Campground in New Hampshire. Upon our arrival to the campground, we set up our massive 10 man tent while savouring the stars above us. On the morning of April 15, we started phase two which was to conduct the expedition itself. Our team hiked for approximately 4 hours up Tuckerman’s ravine trail on the way to the summit. The weather was beautiful with clear cerulean skies and compact snow on the ground. Parts of the hike were highly technical and required the use of  microspikes and ice pickaxes to maneuver through the steep terrain, slippery ice, thick vegetation, and bumpy boulders. It was surely an exciting challenge for our group, especially those with no prior experience in mountaineering. We surprisingly came across many skiers and snowboarders on our ascent who also trekked up the mountain in order to make a satisfying ride down. Finally around noon, all of us successfully conquered Mount Washington which stands at 6,288ft. We happily indulged in our well deserved servings of sliced salami, cheese, and Chef Boyardee as we relished the panoramic views from the top. Realizations and lessons were learned throughout the hike, including the importance of hydrating days prior in order to avoid muscle cramps and to treat the blanket of snow above treeline as a massive slide to speed up the descent. We concluded our hike with phase three which included a safe descent down Mount Washington, an After Action Review, and redeployment to RMC on April 16. This expedition left us with amazing new experiences, lessons, and newfound achievements. We highlight some of them below:

“The Mt. Washington trip was a perfect escape and a way to conclude the end of the winter semester. My favourite part about the expedition was that the club brought together a motivated and awesome group of strangers that I can now call friends. I’ve lived an incredible experience! Can’t wait to go on another expedition with the club.” OCdt Alexandre Emond

“I appreciate how I was given an opportunity to hone previous hiking skills, whilst learning new ones. I have never mountaineered before, and through this expedition, I am more confident in using specialized equipment and maneuvering tough terrain. I was able to learn in a supportive environment all thanks to the expedition club. It was a nice close to my 4 years at RMC. Not to mention, the hike acted as therapy as I felt the stress of school from the past year slowly melt away.” OCdt Kenneth Bello

 

“I can’t say thank you enough to the Expedition Club for organizing the trip, the Alumni Association making it a possibility and MWO Corneau for guiding us along. I am not an experienced hiker by any means and this trip gave me the opportunity to summit my first mountain! I was able to go up with a great team and found a new passion in mountaineering. If not for the club I wouldn’t of considered such trips but now the sky is the limit!” OCdt Reis ko Rocheleau

“When I was in first year, I attempted to summit Mt. Washington. It was March 2020, and I didn’t make it to the top. When I was close to calling it, MWO Corneau said ‘The mountains will always be there’. Three years later, they were still there. Coming back to Mt. Washington, not only as a fourth year, but as the OPI of this trip was surreal for many reasons. I’ve changed in so many ways, and in a lot of ways I’m the same person. Being outside always refocuses and re-centres me, and reminds me what it feels like to expand my comfort zone. Maybe I’ll go back to Mt. Washington in a few years at another major junction in my life story. It’ll still be hard but  I think I’m learning a lot along the way.” OCdt Anna Sekyewa

To the Alumni Association, we would like to again emphasize our appreciation for your support in funding the aspirations of the expedition club. You continuously give us an opportunity to exercise our leadership skills, to challenge ourselves mentally and physically, and to allow us to learn trekking and outdoor skills in a safe and supportive environment. Thank you for enriching our lives and we will make sure to cherish our new experiences and to internalize the lessons we have learned on this trip.

With gratitude,

Truth Duty Valour