What is SGT? This has been the quintessential question of my current life. I started here in the Spring of 2012 and have been unable to accurately describe the SGT experience. Instead of continuing to ponder my prose in a feeble attempt to capture the magic. I have decided to take twenty-five minutes to attack the question with unfiltered ramblings.

To examine this beast you must indulge in it’s fruits, the people. Not the staff, but the clients/campers/adventures that dominate SGT. They encompass almost every social standard and diversion of life. They arrive from the ports of Switzerland, Afghanistan, Southern California, New York City, Mexico and everywhere else that fun people reside. These animals are not the people you work with, they are simply different. They are unbelievable and it almost seems as if I made some of them up.

It lacks reason and accountability to claim that Wes Mills, Chris Poe, Blaine Gallivan, Kevin Ghee and Sparky Nader are real people. However, it defies coincidence that the staff has manifested these same delusions. The animals must be real. They come toting the right mind set and desire to find something more in life. Leaving with board bags full of  memories, new friend’s contact info, plans to visit each other and the knowledge that they have changed their own lives.

This select group of the unintimidated travelers have all won. The change in their lives erupts like the initial flair of a struck match, as soon as their soles touch the Patagonia dirt they are different. After arriving, life becomes easy. The adventure, snow and the people pave the way to bliss.

Their flavors and personality infest SGT. Their tales become our stories. They overpower the sense of weekend warrior-ism and learn how to view life differently. As the SGT family expands and our new family members bring the SGT story back home, they have actually helped to create that story. Thank you to all of our current, past and future family members for breathing character into this life.

Images & Scribbles: Dr. Crockett
Peanut Gallery: Sneaky Pete