by Mark M Brown, HahnX Co-founder and author of Outward Bound Lessons To Live A Life of Leadership

 I loved my years working at Outward Bound. I arrived at Homeplace on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in mid-April. For many years I led an alumni  service week, putting winter gear away and preparing for the coming summer canoe season. The lakes were still frozen and we were always the first brigade into the BWCA via canoe, often dragging and poling our boats over the ice to our campsite. 

The first loon song was a sign that the season was finally shifting and one morning we'd awaken and the ice would be gone from Birch Lake. Staff would begin arriving for WFR recertifications and training, preparing for our summer season to launch after Memorial Day.

My summers were spent on the trail, as an assistant instructor, instructor, course director, and eventually a member of the Ely Summer Management Team. 

I headed south in late September, driving...