Gary Kuehn, Guide, Forecaster, Educator, Senior Avalanche Educator, Alaska Avalanche School
Risky Business: Resilience and Recovery in the Mountains
"In 2010 I was approached by Prof Ian Snape, a friend and colleague from the Australian Antarctic Program. In response to what he saw as poor decision making in government, he had a curious request: alongside emergency responders and tactical teams in military and police, he wanted to model the decision making processes of a number of mountain guides to see how they survive and thrive in complex high risk environments.
For two seasons Ian followed me around copying what I was doing and asking LOTS of questions. Then I followed him as he made decisions, laid skin tracks and dropped into chutes to see if there were differences in our approach. In 2012 we caught up for a ski ascent of Mt Ararat in the Turkish mountains, and for some first descents in the war zone next to Iraq and Syria. The skiing was terrific, only eclipsed by the incredible welcome by the local Kurds and the tolerance and good humor of the Turkish military.
On the last run and last day of our trip, I chose a steep descent through some rock bands. A few errors caused me to blow the first turn, apparently knocked myself unconscious, and tumbled down the mountain. I’m thankful to have had a competent team around me to keep me alive and eventually get me into a military helicopter for a quick diversion to a local hospital where my condition stabilized.
This presentation outlines some of the key findings from Ian’s modelling project, as well as my recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury. Our story transects resilience and recovery in outdoor activities, and links to leadership, neuroplasticity and the theory of complexity."
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