Beneath a canopy of October reds and oranges, Eliza Smith ’27 scales a cliff on the edge of the Adirondack Park, just 12 miles south of SUNY Potsdam.
Twenty feet up, her eyes scan the rock for the next hold. Below, a classmate in the Wilderness Education program manages the rope, taking up slack as she climbs.
“The Wilderness Education program has changed my life. It has made me a more competent person, especially in group work, leading and being comfortable in recreational activities outside. I’ve had so many amazing experiences.”
For 30 years, the Wilderness Education program has taken SUNY Potsdam students into the Adirondacks to build leadership skills. Students in the Wilderness Leadership track begin with a five-day backpacking trip, followed by a 16-day Adirondack backcountry experience and a two-week Capstone Expedition that they plan and execute themselves.
Smith has taken one wilderness education course after another, from Hiking 101 and Wilderness Leadership to Rock Climbing and Ice Climbing. Now a senior majoring in environment and sustainability with a minor in wilderness education, she serves as a student leader and climbing assistant for Rock Climbing II, taught by alumnus Matt Hosmer ’05.
“I’ve been helping Matt teach his lessons. We taught some different rock-climbing techniques like using a prusik to climb up a rope. On the weekend trips, I’ve helped him set the anchors. It’s been so much fun applying the skills that I’ve learned from freshman and sophomore years and seeing that I’ve grown so much that I’m now capable of teaching knots in a way that people understand,” she said.
The day before, Smith and six classmates explored a vertical rock face at Azure Mountain in the northwest Adirondacks. Azure and South Colton Cliff are two of the many “classrooms” she has used since enrolling at SUNY Potsdam four years ago.
“We are in one of the most beautiful parts of the season. At Azure we had a really nice view of the Adirondacks, and you see the 46 High Peaks in the skyline with beautiful fall colors—it was so lovely out and the sun was shining,” she said. “The climb here at South Colton is more technical than Azure with a lot more overhang, crimps [smaller holds] and it’s been fun to see how the students handle these climbs.”
Throughout the fall semester, students in Rock Climbing II have built on the skills they first learned in the intro class, taught indoors on the rock wall at Maxcy Hall. Smith also assisted Hosmer in Rock Climbing I earlier this semester.
“During Rock I, one of the guys was really struggling with tying one of the knots and I showed him a different way of doing it and he said it changed his whole brain. He was like, ‘I get it now, that makes complete sense to me.’ Moments like that are really nice,” she said.
Adventures Abound
This fall, Smith also completed the Adirondack Canoe Classic, known as the 90-Miler, a three-day, 90-mile race through the heart of the Adirondacks. She paddled with her best friend, Rowan Parsaca ’27, alongside other SUNY Potsdam students, alumni and faculty.
Two months earlier, Smith traveled to the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho with eight other advanced wilderness education students for the program’s capstone experience, a two-week backpacking trip (Leadership II). They were the first cohort in more than a decade to complete it out of state.
“We did everything. We planned the whole itinerary, we planned the route, and we found the food drops. We had to figure out the road trip, 36 hours out there, and 36 back. That was a life-changing experience. It was so cool,” she said.
Adam Wheeler ’98, coordinator of SUNY Potsdam’s wilderness education program, and his students helped secure funding to offset trip costs. The Lougheed Center for Applied Learning supported the 90-Miler, and the Bob fund covered all travel expenses for the Idaho trip. Established by donor Robert J. Hill ’77, the Bob provides financial support for hands-on learning, field experiences, study abroad and other travel, a good fit for the structure of the Sawtooths expedition.
Fiscal Fortitude
From the beginning, Smith has kept a close eye on the cost of her education. Born and raised in Potsdam, she chose the College for its affordable tuition and its proximity to home. Commuting allowed her to avoid room and board expenses, which can cost even more than tuition. Graduating debt-free has been her top priority.
“I wanted to choose a college where I didn’t go into debt since I didn’t have a clear plan, a trajectory for my life or a specific career. So, going to college and picking a degree that I thought was interesting was my thought process. I’m not going to be in debt when I graduate, which will be good,” she said.
Smith came to SUNY Potsdam directly from homeschooling, a transition that initially worried her. She had met other people who had struggled with college after being homeschooled throughout their high school years, and she didn’t know what to expect.
“I had very low confidence and self-esteem, I was worried that I would fail all my assignments. But it was the opposite; I got a 4.0 my freshman year and I continued to have good grades after that. I think I was just able to adjust well,” she said. “I was very lucky to find good friends freshman year that helped me find my space and encouraged me to try new things.”
The Wilderness Education program was the perfect fit. Within the leadership track, she learned hard skills such as building anchors and tying knots, and she developed the leadership and teamwork skills that let her thrive in unpredictable environments from the Sawtooths to the Adirondacks.
“It’s so special that SUNY Potsdam offers these really unique experiences for students, and anybody can join. If you’re at SUNY Potsdam, and you’re the slightest bit interested, you should seek it out,” she said. “I’m so grateful that I’m at SUNY Potsdam, because I have such a lovely community and I’ve met so many wonderful people.”
Article and photos by Jason Hunter