Montana native and currently a Lasallian Volunteer, was one of the trained and experienced staff that accompanied the youths on the trip. Alex kept a journal detailing his impressions of how the boys approached different situations and reacted to the many challenges such an excursion can, and did, present. What follows is his personal account of the trip.

"A lot of preparation goes into a winter camping excursion, and students Rob, Jason, Jordan, Eli, and Mike did a great job of being present and positive about the process. It took us about an hour the night before and another 45 minutes the morning of to get all our gear packed and get on
the road. Each boy had a pack with about 25 pounds of gear, including a one-person tent, heavy winter sleeping bag, foam sleeping mat, extra clothes, and their fair share of community gear - cooking stove, cook-pot, pan, food, etc.

We set off mid-morning and drove to the Hogtown trail-head on the east side of Lake George, northeast of Pilot's Knob. There was less snow and ice than we expected the first day, and our four mile hike into Fishbrook Pond, around the back side of Sleeping Beauty Mountain, went smoothly. We ate a short lunch at Dacy Clearing, about one mile in, then climbed up and over the southwest ridge of Sleeping Beauty and past Bumps Pond to Fishbrook, finally arriving there at about 3:30 in the afternoon. There are two ADK lean-tos on opposite shores of the pond, and from our vantage point at the first the territory around the second looked more suitable for tents. The walk across the frozen pond was a first for the boys, and put a couple out of their comfort zones, but they showed their incredible sense of adventure and trust in the staff by following us across.

The late afternoon weather was pretty chilly, dipping below freezing and spitting bits of rain and snow as we set up camp, so our second order of business once the tents were up was getting a sizeable pile of dry wood and a hearty fire to cook our dinner on. Cooking and eating dinner took until well after dark, and with the temperatures hovering around freezing, a long day behind us, and a long day ahead, bed was a welcome sight for the
boys at about 8:00. Most of them didn't even want to stay up to roast marshmallows!

The next morning started beautifully. The clouds cleared and the sun came
out while we sipped on hot chocolate and cooked a hearty breakfast of
scrambled eggs, sausage, and English muffins over the camp stove. We left
camp about 10:00 AM and set off for the summit of Sleeping Beauty
Mountain. The trail offered quite a bit more ice the second day, much of it a
frozen cascade rather than an actual trail, and gave some of us reason to
strap on our snowshoes as we climbed. From camp to summit is a 2-mile
trek, and the view was well-worth it.

We ate a quick snack and paused for a photo opportunity while taking in the
views of Lake George and the surrounding area, then fled the wind and
headed down the mountain. The trail down confronted us with many more
challenges than our first day, mostly as rivers of ice, and going was slow for
the first mile and a half or so. Eventually, the trail leaves the frosted northeast
side of the mountain, snaking around to the south face and the shining
afternoon sun.  It was a blessing to make it to dry ground, though the boys
did seem to enjoy the challenge of sliding most of the way down the mountain.