Summit to Sea

Last summer, two students from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) participated in the U.S. Naval Academy’s (USNA) Alaska Mountaineering Expedition through NOLS Professional Training. This was the second year that students from the USCGA had this opportunity. During the month-long course, the cadets and midshipmen hiked across a glacial moraine, learned to ice climb, and completed a peak summit at midnight. As First Class Cadet (senior) Sarah Colmenero reports, the leadership skills and ability to tolerate adversity that were instilled on these adventures will serve her well as a junior officer in the United States Coast Guard.

“The hardest day was definitely the first one: hiking on the glacial moraine. This was a completely new environment, and I really had no idea what to expect. I remember tripping frequently while walking over the jagged rocks. It was only the beginning of the expedition, and I hoped that I would adapt to the pace and learn to walk without losing my balance. From there, it only got better as we all became accustomed to traversing the glacier and using each other for support,” she said.

The camaraderie, leadership, and tolerance for adversity are all lessons she will carry with her throughout her career.

“As a junior officer, I will again find myself in an unfamiliar environment and be responsible for gaining competence in my job. I will depend on the crew of my ship to help me in this learning experience, and I will remember my NOLS experience [when] addressing the challenges that arise [from] working aboard a cutter in the Operational Coast Guard,” she predicted.