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Hinterbrand LodgeOutdoor Education CenterSchool Year Special Programs Special OlympicsBy Jimmie JeffcoatOne of the most rewarding and labor intensive programs we did at the Lodge wasSpecial Olympics. Participants came with sponsors, but with a staff of four weneeded more volunteers. We reached out to the local community and the GermanMountain Battalion sent plenty of volunteers. The Special Olympics participantsgot to try a variety of activities to include snowshoeing cross country skiing,tubing, and the balance beam. After the Special Olympics activities some of theparticipants enjoyed some of the area’s special attractions: the Jenner Bahn, the saltmines, the Köenigssee boat trip. The highlight of the Olympics was clearly theAwards presentation and DANCE! All the sponsors agreed that although everyonehad a good time, Bud probably danced the mostand had the most FUN!

Outdoor Education CenterHinterbrand LodgeSilver Thistle - A Week in BerchtesgadenBy Mike Murray

This is the first page and the Table of Contents for adocument which is on file at the American OverseasSchools Historical Society in Wichita, KS.-Copy donated by Jimmie Jeffcoat.Hinterbrand LodgeOutdoor Education CenterSpecial School ProgramsBitburg Middle SchoolBy Jimmie JeffcoatOne of the larger spin offs from the Hinterbrand Lodge experience occurred atBitburg Middle School. The multi-day outdoor program involved all the studentsand facility members. Needless to say, the program required an incredible amountof planning, staff cooperation and research. We were fortunate because severalfaculty and staff members had the skills necessary to conduct the activities safely.There were so many details that it required everyone’s involvement. Not only didwe have to locate appropriate places for the activities, but we had to find theequipment and volunteers to set up all the activities. We were able to borrow someof the required equipment from local sources and the Hinterbrand Lodge.Meticulous organization was imperative because we had to set up all theequipment on the last day of school and then take everything down and put it awayat the end of the day. Adventure activities for the day included ropes course,problem solving initiatives, rock climbing and rappel. Students were placed ingroups and walked to the different activity sites. A large group sing along was thefinal activity. The program continued until the school became too small and closeddue to the drawdown after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Charm SchoolVicenza High SchoolBy Jimmie JeffcoatEvery school has them, a group of Junior and Senior females who a involved in every aspect of theschool. If you need something done, you call on one or a combination of them. Then there is the othergroup of Middle School females who are underachieving and acting out in other ways. The two groupscan, but do not usually, socialize and interact. After lots of consultation with our counselor and someschool faculty members, we organized as two day experience to encourage a mentor/mentee relationshipbetween the two groups of young women. My part of the experience used the initiatives and trustexercises from my Hinterbrand Lodge experience and a few teachers and volunteers conducted a series ofexercises designed to help increase the self-image of the younger students by working through a series ofactivities with the older students. The results were not immediately clear. However, we were all hopefulof a long term improvement in the younger group of students’ individual behavior. Thanks again DeniseEngle (school nurse), Jean Flowers, first grade teacher and Eileen Riley, community volunteer, for allyour work in making this experience possible.

Hinterbrand LodgeOutdoor Education CenterProject Bold StaffBy Jimmie JeffcoatThe Project Bold staff was designed to support two sessions of the 21 day standardcourse. Each course normally had four 10 participant crews. Each crew had two,sometimes three, staff members, which consisted of one instructor, one assistantinstructor or one student assistant (normally referred to as a Sherpa). Each session alsorequired a technical instructor and assistant instructor or Sherpa. Every session had anurse, a house manager or assistant director and a course director. The HinterbrandLodge Director, I was tasked with recruiting and hiring all the staff for the summerprogram. The course director had to be familiar with the Lodge, the local area andmilitary community. He/she was almost always at the Lodge. He/she was responsible forall operations conducted during the course. The assistant director was tasked with anyduty delegated by the director. The technical instructor and assistant conducted alltechnical instruction and activities. They were required to transport, set up and take downall the equipment required for the activities; i.e. climbing, rappel and snow school. Thenurse was responsible for all health and injury requirements. While normally at theLodge, the nurse often traveled to the Blaueis (Germany’s only glacier) and remainedthere when snow school was in operation. The nurse was sometimes directed to stay atone of the mountain huts when most or all of the crews were operating in the area. Thecrew instructor, along with the assistant instructor or student assistant (Sherpa), wasresponsible for the safe conduct of all activities as discussed in staff training.Any deviation from the course scheduled activities had to be approved by the coursedirector.(Woody established the program. Steve followed Woody. Jimmie, Mike, Bill and Vince heldmany different positions; Vince was the last PB course Director. Dr. Lee, DSO)

Ideally the Project Bold Staffing would come from DoDDS teachers, but committing toProject Bold meant at least at least a five week commitment for the summer. Manyqualified candidates were just not willing to make that commitment. Other possiblecandidates would not commit because of other personal reasons. We were often forced torecruit some positions locally or from the US. Although we would have preferred to hireour own teachers to fill all of the positions, when we did hire instructors from outside oursystem, I think we all benefited from the experience.Route planning withRichard (Star) andL-R, Rami, John,Brad, Vince (seated)and Mike .To the right is JannWilliams. Jann wasrocking out at theSpecial OlympicsDance. He was themost qualified ofany of us to work at the lodge. He completed theColorado OB Directors Course before most of useven knew about Project Bold. He was never thenurse, but all other positions.Sherpa fun!Brant and Eve.Bob and Rogerhaving lunch onthe trail with anunidentifiedSherpa.

Hinterbrand LodgeOutdoor Education CenterProject BoldPlanning and ScheduleBy Jimmie JeffcoatProject Bold was a DoDDS institution before my time and continued after Ileft the Lodge. I am sure that the program remained consistently true toOutward Bound standards. Although some had prior experience, many ofour instructors and staff members worked their way through an informalapprenticeship program of outdoor education experiences. Many monthsbefore the program began, approval and funding had to be obtained.Supervisory staff historically came from current or past Hinterbrand Lodgestaff members. The conflict between staffing requirements versus summervacation was occasionally problematic.Karen orderingfor PB nextSummerAfter staffing requirements and funding were satisfied, the next problem to be faced was theschedule, two weeks of staff training followed by two courses, each 21 days long. There was ashort break between the sessions which was also required.The goal of staff training was simple: prepare for the project bold course. When everything wasin place and the course schedule was decided, it was time to complete as many of the coursecomponents as possible before the course began. Some instructors were scheduled for routes theyhave not covered. So here was the short list of things to be accomplished: generally start easyand get more difficult, check all equipment and monitor personal strength and stamina, laugh,talk with the other staff members, work as a group.Course components:Introductions: All of these components were discussed: expectations, working as a group,communication, journals, expectations and reasonable self-denial.Skills evaluation: These were usually informal observations bystaff. Strength, stamina, balance, organization, judgment andleadership potential skills had to be observed.Journals: Each person and the crew members were given asmall book to chronicle the Project Bold experience. The crewjournal was assigned to a different crew member each day.Reading the crew journal each day was an excellent way toopen discussions on the events of the day which often led togroup and individual personal growth. Personal journalsprovided a convenient record of events and provided a way torecord personal observations of events.Bouldering: This was the ability to traverse rough terrain while gaining altitude.Rope skills: The low ropes course involved rope handling and knots

Long Trek: The long trek was an important evaluation ofthe skills of each of the crew members. It provided anopportunity for demonstrations of hut etiquette, peak assents,sensitivity to the environment and others on the trail.Blaueis Glacier: The Blaueis Glacier experience was similarto the long trek because of the hut experience, but it wasmore technical. Because of the extensive use of ropes and theintroduction to technical ice climbing equipment,crampons and ice axes, a greaterdegree of danger was anticipatedand required an extra level ofcaution. The technical instructorwas always present for theGlacier activities.Climb and Rappel: Theseactivities were usually scheduledfrom the Lodge, while on theLong Trek or while at Blaueis. These activities required the technicalinstructor.Solo: This activity was optimally scheduled between the Long Trekand Blaueis. Careful preparations had to be completed before the activity. Each student needed tobring proper clothing and only specific equipment. These were sufficient food and water, a tarpor shelter, rain gear, sweater, a journal and pencil. This fully supervised activity lasted at least 48but no more than 72 hours. It was a time which provided the participants with an opportunity forreflection, rest, an appreciation for nature, and self-discovery.Service Project: The project was well planned and worthwhile.It provided a feeling of accomplishment to those whoparticipated. It should have provided appreciation of andimprovement to the environment.High Ropes-Zip Line: The ZIP Line was usually done towardthe end of the course and sometimes in conjunction with the HighRopes Course. Most participants experienced anxiety at theprospect of the Zip Line, and certainly they felt exhilarationduring activity and relief whenever it is over. This was avoluntary experience. Although the instructor was present toensure safety, no pushing was allowed, not even if it wasrequested!Closure: Project Bold was an intense program. At the end of theprogram, instructors prepared participants to re-enter “normal”society. Several different strategies were used to lessen the reentry shock. Group discussion and letters to oneself were twostrategies which were used often.

The 10 km Marathon: The final challengewas difficult but attainable. It also providedan opportunity for encouragement by crewmates in preparation and participation. Thecrew decided if they would run as a group orindividually. The participants decided on postrun stretching and crew activities.The Evening of Day 20: This was a time tocelebrate! Each crew had an assignment. Ameal was prepared and served on the patio(weather permitting). Outside and inside cleanupwere accomplished. Then came theentertainment. Each crew had the opportunity toprepare and present a skit. Occasionally the staffwould present a skit also.Day 21: All personal items had to be packedand loaded into the van for transport to thevalley. The equipment was cleaned andturned in to the staff. The Lodge and the hutswere prepared for the next group. There wasa brief farewell from the Director, and the participants joined their crews for the walk down tothe valley. When they reached the drop off point, they said their goodbyes, picked up their bagsand rejoined their families.

The Outdoor Education Center, Hinterbrand LodgeProject Bold, Summer ProgramThe Flying PheasantBy Jimmie JeffcoatIn 1972 H. C. (Woody) Woodward and Steve Galt began a program in a beautifulmountain area that would become a German National Park (1978) and in 1990 bedesignated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Germans are most particular abouttheir special beautiful mountain environment. Imagine a different 30 American studentshiking about the (environmentally sensitive) countryside every week without having theneighbors up in arms about the trash! One of the first rules we learned was: carry outeverything you bring in. Never leave trash behind. Also, if you find trash, pick it up andcarry it out. Be a good neighbor. Additionally, no alcohol or tobacco while at the Lodgeor in the program. These rules were enforced for all programs.One of the consistent components of the Project Bold program was the long trek. The“crew” was responsible for planning, gathering and distributing everything the crewwould require on the entire hike. Food was as heavy as it was important. I am certainevery crew had at least one food story from the long trek, but this one is not about thecrew. In addition to their share of the crew supplies, instructors bring additional items foremergencies. The result is instructors carry very heavy packs. Nobody wants to haulanything extra, especially on the long trek!So once upon a time, someone had an idea to play a harmless trick on an unsuspectingfellow instructor. Why not slip something in their pack on the long trek? The item wouldneed to be heavy, but not too heavy. Maybe it could be something delicious, but couldnot be consumed. Definitely something that would not break or spoil. Finally for a bit ofclass, something fancy. The item which met all the criteria and was finally selected wasa pheasant in wine sauce from Fortnum and Mason, London.The pheasant in wine sauce was a already a legend when I began Project Bold. Onesummer I was assisting Jann Williams as he did both course director and technicalinstructor jobs. My job was to do whatever Jann told me to do. Although it was not mystyle, occasionally I would create a bit of mischief. This particular summer, a well-worncan of pheasant in wine sauce mysteriously appeared in my room. The can wasinscribed with some dates and summit names (and maybe altitudes also), so I assumedit was the genuine, original flying pheasant in wine sauce.Meanwhile, Jann had confessed to knowingabout this legend and maybe even beingaround when it “flew” at different times andplaces. Jann had lived in England and Isuspected he had at least purchased thecanned pheasant, if not sent the bird on its

maiden journey. Since Jann was responsible for the technical instruction of the crews,he was required to hike to the sites of special activities. There was a great deal ofdiscussion amongst the instructors about the weight of their packs. Not only was theability to carry the most weight, but the ability to recognize what the pack should weighwere points of discussion. Jann insisted that he could always recognize what his packshould weigh.There was no opportunity for the pheasant to fly during long trek cycle of Project Boldactivities. But the opportunity did present itself when all the crews rotatedthrough the technical ice training portion of the course. Jann, Sandy, our nurse for thecourse and the student assistant or “Sherpa”, Mara, had to make the strenuous, uphillhike with lots of personal and technical equipment.As they prepared for Blaueis, their packs were filled to the limit. It was my job to drivethe small group and their equipment to the drop off point. Since there had been so muchtalk about the flying pheasant and the weights of packs, Jann was pretty paranoid abouthis pack while at the Lodge, never letting it out of his sight. We needed fuel for thevehicle. The only place for me to get gas was in Berchtesgaden. The commissary (foodstore) was near the fuel depot. When we stopped for fuel, Jann and Sandy went to getsome last minute snacks. There was not much time to get fuel and do a bit of mischief,but with Mara’s help, we got it done. As Mara started the fuel, I pulled Jann’s pack out ofthe truck. Quickly unstrapping the top flap, I removed enough stuff to slide a 2 1/2pound crescent wrench in, put a few items back and then drop in the “flying pheasant” innear the top. Quickly and carefully I replaced every item that I had removed andreinstalled the tie down straps. We had just finished fueling the vehicle and puttingJann’s pack back when the others returned.I recall that the weather that day wasparticularly warm. We probably talkedabout what a miserable hike it wouldbecause of the weather and the weightof the equipment in the packs. As thethree began their climb, I was a witnessto the memorable, now famousstatement uttered by Jann, “A goodmountaineer knows to within ounceswhat his pack weighs.” After what theywould later described as a “real grunt” ofa hike, they were in their roomunpacking and dividing personal andtechnical gear. When Jann reached thehidden “flying pheasant”, an expletive may have escaped his lips, but when he pulledthe crescent wrench out of his pack he was speechless. I’m not sure he ever reallyforgave me, but he did return the Lodge’s crescent wrench. He kept the “flyingpheasant” for himself, probably in a backpack secured by a lock at his home.

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