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Contact Information

Director of Wilderness Pursuits
Janna Hansen
jhansen@western.edu

Phone
(970) 943-7051
Fax
(970) 943-2702
Email
wp@western.edu

Address
120 College Center
Western State College
Gunnison, CO 81231

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

 

Curriculum

Subsidized state-of-the-art training and evaluation specially designed for leaders in university-based outdoor recreation programs.

Mountains

Servant Leadership

The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve.
Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test is: do those served grow
as persons. Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous,
more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in
society; will they benefit, or, at least, not be further deprived
?”

 - The Servant as Leader, Robert K. Greenleaf 1970

 

In 1970, retired AT&T executive Robert K Greenleaf (1904-1990) coined the term servant-leadership with the above definition and launched a quiet revolution in the way that we view and practice leadership. Four decades later the concept of servant-leadership is increasingly viewed as an ideal leadership form which untold numbers of people and organizations aspire to achieve. Servant-leadership seeks to involve others in decision making, and is strongly based in ethical and caring behavior. The words servant and leader are usually thought of as opposites. In deliberately bringing those words together in a meaningful way, Robert Greenleaf gave birth to the paradoxical term “servant leadership".  Servant Leadership is the central theme of the Summit.   The Summit begins with a servant leadership workshop on the Western State College campus and ends with a closing banquet and keynote address on servant leadership.

 

Alpine Mountaineering Instructor

This course will take you high into the Rocky Mountains where you will be challenged in becoming a competent instructor able to identify hazards and make good decisions in an alpine environment.  Particpants will gain knowledge in instruction and guiding techniques in the following areas:

Summit Mountaineering
  • Class 3 & 4 snow & alpine rock climbing
  • General mountaineering (navigation, route finding, time management, etc.)
  • Equipment
  • Rope team/glacier travel
  • Fixed line use
  • Multi-pitch technique
  • Anchors and belays
  • Short roping

This course is taught in a purely backcountry setting and participants should be prepared for early summer high alpine weather and temperatures. 

Download an Alpine Mountaineering Gear List

 

Multi-Pitch Rock Instructor

This course will take you deep into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park where you will gain knowledge in instruction and guiding techniques in the following areas:

Summit Multi-Pitch
  • Route selection
  • Belay anchors
  • Running protection
  • Group managment
  • Lead climbing
  • Speed and efficiency
  • Belays
  • Rappelling
  • Equiment
  • Safety and rescue

 

Participants in the Multi-Pitch Rock Instructor course will need to lead traditionally protected climbs at a 5.9 level on a variety of rock types and at a wide range of crags. This course has both front country and backcountry componenets.  Particpants should be prepared for early summer mountain weather and conditions.

Download a Multi-Pitch Gear List


Single Pitch Rock Instructor

The Single Pitch Rock Instructor course targets the skills required to run institutional-quality top-rope sites.  Particpants will gain knowledge in instruction and guiding techniques in the following areas:

Summit Single Pitch
  • Site selction and preparation
  • Group managment
  • Belay instruction
  • Climbing instruction
  • Facilitating trust and teamwork
  • Equipment
  • Natural and artificial anchors
  • Equalization and extension of anchors
  • Self and partner rescue
  • Rappelling

This course is taught in the Gunnison Valley at local crags such as Hartman Rocks and Taylor Canyon.  Participants will spend nights in front country camp sites therefore luxuries such as camp chairs and camp fires can be expected.

Download a Single-Pitch Gear List

 

Course Selection

Participates should choose a course based upon on a skill area where they have some experience.  This program is designed to help participants develop their skills as an instructor or guide and is not meant as an introductory course.  Applicants should have a solid base of skills in their discipline of choice.

All courses are 7 days in length. 

 

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