AOG Teton Mission- Part 1



Who:  Brad, Sean, Mark, Brenton and Coach Rob

What: Adventure Operations Group- Teton Operator Course (Summer)

Where: Jackson, WY; Teton National Park and "off grid" spots

When:  August 7-12, 2013

Why:  Intense mountain ops course with a big final mission

This course will advance the performance and push the limits of motivated individuals. You'll be trained by AOG and Exum Guides in leadership, mountain survival, tactical shooting and alpine climbing.  The training is preparation for a big final mission, an epic test of mountaineering skill and endurance requiring total focus and team commitment. 

Background 

Jackson, WY and the surrounding Teton's are the perfect environment for extreme outdoor challenges, advanced multi-sport adventure travel, tactical and survival training.

 

The Mission 

In August 2013 Adventure Operations Group and Brenton Reagan (Exum Mountain Guides) teamed up for 4 days in Jackson, WY.  The Teton Operator course is an exclusive offering from AOG and is designed as a multi-day mountain adventure course with a big final team mission.  The goal was to push the limits of fast and light alpine movement, mountain survival, leadership, tactical shooting, downhill mountain biking and climbing.  We tap into the elite training environment of the Tetons and the warrior mindset to master individual challenges, learn advanced team skills and go "Beyond Normal Limits."

 

 

Now scheduling for summer 2014 courses.  Contact brad@adventureoperationsgroup.com for more info.

 



Day 1 & 2

Day 1: 0745- The AOG team meets Brenton Reagan, Senior Guide with Exum at the Gondola in Teton village.  After a short Gondola ride, we're off on the first mission, a Cody Peak run.

Cody Peak Run
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate (fast hiking, running, scrambling)
Gear: Small Pack, lightweight shell, 1 liter water, running shoes, sunglasses

Cody Peak (10,800)

 

 

 

This was a short, fun conditioning session designed to get the team accustomed to moving fast and light at a higher altitude

"The Cody Peak run is a great conditioning event for those not accustomed to moving at altitude.  The pace is challenging, but the goal is for all to finish, have fun, try out their gear and to practice some basic alpine movement skills." Brad

Fast and light is the rule

From Day 1, the pace of the course is challenging and follows the standards normally reserved for Special Operations and Military mountaineering clients.

The finer points of maintaining balance and control while down climbing steep terrain

Downhill Mountain Bike

Time: 3 hours

Difficulty:  Moderate to Advanced

Gear: Approach shoes, shorts, t-shirt or base layer shirt, eye protection, small pack (light snack, hydration bladder) Your mountain bike, helmet and body armor will be provided.

 

 



Kitted up and ready to go big, and fast

"The feeling you get when putting on helmets and armor, adjusting your equipment to fit perfectly and preparing yourself mentally for the "red zone" is familiar to all warriors, regardless of the type of battle one may be preparing for." Brad

 Warrior mindset not included, but highly encouraged

 

 

 

 

For 3 hours we blasted steep trails, high speed turns and landed big jumps.  Downhill Mountain Bikes are meant to be ridden all out.  We completed 10 runs on the course before heading back to refuel, change clothes and prep for the next mission.

 

 

"Pushing your limits in new environments is a great way to reset your adaptability and improve leadership skills.  AOG's missions call for a higher levels of skill and performance and always go Beyond Normal Limits" Brad

 

 

 

Warrior Fitness session at Mountain Athlete

Time: 60 Minutes

Difficulty: Strenuous, advanced functional fitness workout

Gear: PT shorts, Shirt (that you don't care about), running shoes, 1 liter water

 

 

Mountain Athlete, and owner Rob Shaul are dedicated to training the most elite athletes in the world.  Some of Jackson's best free skiers, climbers, professional guides and endurance competitors train with Mountain Athlete.  Their programs are so popular with extreme athletes that naturally the Special Operations and other military units are drawn to the elite human performance programming. 

 

 



 

 

After arriving at the gym, we were met by Coach Jordan, one of the full time Mountain Athlete trainers.  He led us through a quick orientation to the gym layout, and briefed us on the custom WOD he had prepared for us.  Pain soon followed.  There were few pictures taken of the suffering.  Any hope that Coach Jordan was planning to take it easy on us quickly diminished.  After the morning Cody Peak run, downhill mountain bike session, and a 60 minute WOD, we were ready for some serious grub and sleep back at Teton Village.

 

 

 Mark recovering

 

 

As our team worked through 60 minutes of the most elite fitness programming available anywhere, it was clear to the team that we still have a lot to learn about training.  I can't wait for the next chance to work out there!

 

The gym, and the athletes that train there inspire elite performance.  Want to learn more about our workout or become a mountain athlete client?  Check out their website at: www.mountainathlete.com or join us for the next AOG Teton Mission to find out!

 

Day 1 missions complete: Cody Peak run, Downhill mountain bike course and Mountain Athlete session. 

 

Day 2

 

Day 2: Mountain Ops- Rock climbing and Team Alpine Movement

Time: 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate- hiking, bouldering, technical climbing (up to 5.7)

Gear: Lightweight hiking pants, synthetic t-shirt, approach shoes, day pack (lunch, 1 liter water, sunscreen, sunglasses, lightweight base layer top/bottom, rain shell

 * All rock climbing equipment provided

 

 



 

 

 

 

Learn route finding and mountain navigation

 

 

The pace for day two continued to move rapidly. Our team progressed quickly through bouldering, balance on rock, basic climbing holds and movements, rope management, belaying, route finding and alpine team movement.  One of our team, Mark, was a first time rock climber.

 

Mark gets a class on rope management and belaying

 

Fist time climbers will advance quickly and safely through the basics in the perfect classroom

 

 

 

"The terrain in the hidden falls area was perfect for rapid skill progression and before we knew it we were three pitches in.  The team was doing great, but I was most impressed with Mark, who before today had never rock climbed.  He was motivated, had a great attitude and grasped the techniques quickly.  Brenton had Mark belay me up an easy section and I can already sense that Mark truly feels he is learning new critical skills and is an active participant of our mountain team." Brad

 

 



Small teams rely on every member for survival

 

 

We complete the last pitch and scramble to a large table top rock where we break for lunch.  After a few team pics, Brenton reviews everything we've covered this morning. 

 

 



 

 

 

Day two continued: Tactical Marksmanship refresher

Time:  2 hours

Difficulty: Moderate (M4 Rifle and 9mm Glock pistol instruction)

Gear:  Long Pants, shirt, hiking boots, eye protection, M4, Glock 9MM (or similar), Small Go bag (snack, 1 liter water)

 

We spent the afternoon at a nearby range.  After a quick intro and safety brief, we headed to the pistol range for some work on the basics. 

 

 





Reviewing the fundamentals 

 

 

Slow aimed fire, both eyes open 

 

Whether leading pitches, backcountry ski routes or working the M4, Brenton has focus.

 

Brad works with Mark on mastering the M4 

 

 

Another well deserved winner at one of the many great restaurants in Teton Village after a long day of climbing and shooting

 



 

 

Jackson, WY (Info)
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 6311 Ft Elevation.  Base Camp for the 2013 AOG Teton Mission.  Located 12 miles NW of Jackson, WY.  In the winter the resort boasts some of the most advanced in bounds and back country skiing in the world.  In the summer, the resort serves as a perfect launching point for multi-sport adventures including: hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, alpine mountaineering, paragliding, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, wilderness and backcountry travel and family adventures.

Grand Teton National Park Home to the spectacular and awe inspiring Teton Range.  The Grand Teton, the highest peak in the range, rises to 13,770 feet.  The Tetons are home to some of the most challenging and technical alpine climbing in North America and attract thousands of climbers and back country adventurers each year.

Exum Mountain Guides  North America's oldest and most prestigious school of mountaineering.  Exum has been guiding clients on the Grand Teton for over 80 years.  Exum's elite guides offer unmatched instruction, inspire initiative and responsibility and lead their clients through one of a kind mountaineering and climbing adventures as active participants.

Adventure Operations Group A veteran owned company dedicated to the pursuits of modern adventurers and the human performance lifestyle. AOG offers guided adventures, leadership training and instructional programs.  Through preparation, elite training and "SOF Focus", AOG leads individuals through transformative missions designed to push the limits of personal performance, mindset, teamwork, gear and adventure travel.  AOG shares epic experiences along with our clients as we continue to go BEYOND NORMAL LIMITS.  Get more out of your self and your team with AOG.

 





"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. "   Theodore Roosevelt

Long before I started AOG, I read this quote hanging on the wall in a small office, in a non-descript building on Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah, GA.  It was in a simple frame and stamped with a unit crest that signified that it had been presented by those who truly understood what it meant to be in the arena. It stopped me in my tracks the first time I read it.  The context at the time was that I was in my first arena, learning the great enthusiasms, about victory and how to dare greatly.  I wasn't alone. I was surrounded by others also in the arena, like minded volunteers for the extreme.  Brothers who helped define it and share it.  They were, as we were reminded daily, "Modern Day Spartans". 

We knew that we were doing the unspoken deeds that most would never know or care about, and that quiet knowledge was the glue that bonded us.  The coolest thing was the recognition that we were all dedicated to the cause, the mission and pushing the limits.  There was no chance of finding a cold or timid soul in that company.  We were, united, of our own accord.

Years later, I find myself in another, different arena. Full of stress, chaos and disunity of thought and action.  When I look around, I sometimes barely recognize my environment or the people in it.  There are those who know neither victory nor defeat, nor ever will.  Those who work in ways that are unfamiliar, ways that are learned from years of modest enthusiasm, selfish devotions or just simply untrue causes.  Those who seek to divide, maintain the status quo and advance themselves by a willingness to endure a soul crushing existence of middle of the road word and deed.  They promulgate a negative bandwidth of communication and endeavors aimed at anything but actual success, victory or the team life.

It is in these times when I must retreat from this arena.  To seek the solace in the familiar feel of the wilderness, of a ruck, wet feet and a time hack.  To move fast, light and far.  To rage against the normal limits that exist somewhere between victory and defeat.  To feel pain, discomfort and to remember the truth that it makes me stronger.  To seek the undiscovered parts of my soul in this world as I find new ways to test myself, lead others and exceed the standard.  To find familiar bonds of brotherhood, new missions and to keep faith with the accord of warriors that are entering their first arena.

These are the times that you must focus on keeping the fire of your soul stoked. Question the status quo.  Liberate yourself from the oppression of predefined boundaries.  Go beyond normal limits.

Are you in the arena?

B-rad
ADVENTURE OPERATIONS GROUP

Bug Out Basics- Part 2

Part two in a series on Bug Out/Bail Out tactics from AOG teammate Josh:

Long gun and movement considerations

There seems to be quite a bit of discussion about “bugging out” and what kit to carry.  There are plenty of options out there but one question that continues to come up is how to stay “the grey man” and still carry a long gun.  I think we need to take a hard look at our situation, the circumstances we might find ourselves in, and what to do about that long gun.  Because we need to have some context to our situation we’ll try to paint in broad strokes, and add specifics as necessary.  To be honest, if we keep things realistic I think we’ll find most decisions won’t be too different no matter the circumstances.

By definition “bugging out” means we are moving.  We want to move from point A to point B.  What are our points???  Our home??  Work?  A vehicle?  A public forum?  A predetermined “safe” house or sight??  A hasty hide or building to occupy??  By definition we are trying to get somewhere of lesser advantage to a place of better advantage.  The exception would be moving to SOMEONE, like our family or friends in need, someone in trouble or disabled, etc.

Regardless of why we are leaving we have determined that we need to be somewhere else.  Inherently that means we have a purpose and to move accordingly.  I can’t think of a single reason to move and not have a destination and not be highly motivated to get there.  Even if you don’t have a specific location and only know the place you’re at is sucking, you still probably aren’t going to move like it’s a Sunday drive.  Speed becomes a factor.

For this discussion we’re going to talk about moving on foot.  If we have a vehicle then the point is almost moot.  Believe me, if I’m "alamo’ing" up or moving in a vehicle then the gear I chose and the time and distance I can cover are a different discussion.

So if we’re moving on foot we need to be VERY conscious of what we carry.  There are tons of discussions about what and how people will carry life saving equipment and comfort items.  We can talk about that too, but the one item that continues to arise is that pesky long gun.  Do we need it??  Should we take it??  How?  What if we don’t take it??  What are we going to do with it??

Answering some of these questions and coming up with some solutions might help us in the rest of our load out.  Determining what we carry and how we carry it also determines what we can accomplish.  Things like where we can go and how far we can travel are directly related to the solutions above. 

Simple math tells us we can go farther without a long gun.  If I forgo a long gun (in this case an M4 carbine) that means I don’t have a 7-10 pound rifle and 3-10 pounds of ammo (one mag weighs approximately 1 pound).  Can you move farther with 10-20 pounds less??  I think I can.

What do we consider in making that determination?  Now things get somewhat tricky.  Each person envisions different situations.  I think the biggest consideration is the geographic location we find ourselves in as well as the circumstances that have made us move.  Let’s run down a few somewhat generic situations and make some decisions from there.

PART 2

Back to the topic.  When do we need a long gun??  Do we need one if our vehicle broke down on a rural road and we’re trying to walk to help?  Probably not, but are we comfortable leaving it in the vehicle?  That also depends.  It depends on if you have it in something like a Truck Safe, and what the overall situation is like.  If we know it’s only about 10 miles back to somewhere we can get some help then it might be better to leave the rifle and haul ass to a known destination.  It’s about probabilities and in this situation, stateside, it’s probably best to leave the long gun.  Even with a longer distance (for you truly rural folks) I don't think it changes much.

 If the exact same situation happened in Iraq or Afghanistan, you can bet the long gun is coming with.  Talking to some coworkers last night we went over every situation we knew of where people had to un-ass a vehicle and most said that at the time they were worried about just getting out and grabbing ANYTHING was second on the priority list.  Several made mention of grabbing their bags but burning everything else (including belt feds) in place.  I’m not saying if any of these actions are right or wrong only that the situation dictates what we’re going to do.  

 Another situation might be some kind of natural disaster.  For this situation let’s assume we’re ahead of the power curve and a disaster is pending, but hasn’t occurred yet.  Some examples might be hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, etc.  Often times the routes from a city to a more rural area become clogged.  We might just need to make it from our home or business to another “better” location.  In this situation we will probably encounter many more people, both good and bad. 

Again, is the long gun necessary?  Maybe not yet, but I probably wouldn’t want to leave all my guns to be burned in a fire.  I’d like to think that even if I don’t need the rifle right now, it might be the only chance I have to keep possession of one.

 The next logical “threat” would be the same situations above, but, for whatever reason, we’re in the thick of it or post disaster.  Think hurricane Katrina or some of the looting I’ve seen in the Midwest post tornado.  In this situation we can expect more social unrest, historically meaning people become more desperate and predatory.  Do we need a long gun??  If I’m moving through an area full of people capable of horrible acts for their own self preservation I’m probably even more inclined to move as quickly as possible.  I don’t think provoking any actions from people in this type of situation is advisable.  What I mean by provoking is giving them any reason (in their eyes) to interact with you.  Moving as quickly and quietly as possible seems to, again, be the best answer.

 I’m going to stop there because any situations we come up with past this are probably not based on history and might seem a bit “far off” for some.  I think the examples we’ve chosen are somewhat realistic and if we discuss these events we probably can get some decent ideas for “end of the world, social breakdown, zombies, et al."

 So what are our choices??  Leave the long gun, hide the long gun, take the long gun but have it concealed, take the long gun and look like you’re ready for a fight?  Anything else?

 

More on those choices in Part 3, coming next week.

Until then, stay full tilt and focused!

B-Rad
ADVENTURE OPERATIONS GROUP

Bug Out Basics

From AOG Teammate Josh-

 

The concept of “bugging out” is not new, although there are some new twists.  The premise is whatever situation we are in, we need to be somewhere else that is better.  The reasons are many; natural disaster, disabled vehicle, terrorist attack, etc.  One constant is having a small bag that will assist you in getting from point A to point B.  The bag, sometimes called a “go bag” or “bugout bag”, should be easily accessed, easy to transport, and contain whatever items needed to augment your personal gear and be appropriate for whatever location you’re in.

A few things to consider when choosing a bag for this purpose are its overall size, how it’s going to be carried, and the general appearance of the bag.  I’ll expand on each point.  If a bag is too big it will inevitably get overloaded with things you probably want but don’t necessarily need.  This becomes contrary to being easy to access and easy to transport.  If it’s too small then obviously it might not be able to carry essential items.  Backpacks make a perfectly good platform for a go bag but it becomes very difficult to access items in the bag quickly.  A shoulder bag, fanny pack, or lumbar pack makes access much easier.  The tradeoff is more weight can be carried easier in a backpack.  The overall appearance of the bag should be complimentary to you as well as the environment you are in.  A soldier working in Baghdad will probably need a bag that appears different than a bag for a soccer mom in St. Louis.  The point is it might be best if the bag doesn’t draw undue attention while moving within your environment.

I’m not going to delve into the exact contents of the bag but where you are will generally determine what you need.  If you are in the desert the procurement and carriage of water might be high on the list.  If you find yourself in a non permissive environment maybe a few extra mags, night vision, and a satellite phone might be needed.  I would concentrate on communications, signaling, self defense, and basic needs like staying warm and hydrated.  Most importantly we are trying to get from point A to point B.  I would suggest items that help accomplish that specific goal.