Greg Legerski - Interview Excerpts Jan 19, 2007
I went up (to Skinners School) as a camper in 1979. I was 12. I went through Wilderness Session. I came back the 2nd year and went through the Leadership Session. Then the 3rd year I did Open Session. Thirty days of mountaineering, backpacking, rock climbing. Eight to ten days in camp and the rest on the trail. That was a good trip. Todd Skinner was the leader of that one, so it was a unique opportunity. Then I came back as a counselor-in-training. Then I became a counselor. I went from camper to Junior Counselor to Counselor, to Head Counselor to Chief Counselor. They kinda ran out of titles after awhile. Sort of worked through it up until 1993. The last 3 or 4 years I was there for hunting season. I took out pack trips. I worked many Wilderness Sessions and led my own Leadership Sessions.
I worked with Courtney and Ole initially. Bob was quiet, a hard worker. He always kept to himself, for the most part. He had – each brother had – his own little harem of helpers. It was different working for each brother as far as their expectations and what I had to do. Courtney was the most extravagant. He’d take way too much of everything and only the upper end of everything. He never heard of Western Family brand. He was the gourmet. Bob was somewhat of a minimalist. He’d have a steak, a baked potato, a salad and that was it for Bob. Just a solid meal. Monte was primarily Bob with just a hint of Courtney. Liked to jazz up his food just slightly. He was a little more conservative. I worked with Ole for Boys & Girls Camp. I never went with him hunting. Ole kinda watched the kitchen. He had his own niche. He was the mechanic. They had a tendency of using a vehicle well beyond its intended life. Buses, trucks, tractors. He replaced transmissions, clutches. Bob picked that up when Old went over to Sun Valley. Ole & Karen stayed up at camp more often than not. Karen was the camp nurse. I went (on pack trips) with Bob, Courtney, & Monte.
If you went with Courtney, you knew you would have to pick up the load. Your horses were going to be overweighted. Expected to do a lot more. Monte always did his fair share. He’d overcompensate. He was a little bit older. He’d do it all. Bob was the hard worker. Monte appeared, at times, to come across as a Grizzly Bear; however, it was because he had very high expectations. It was his personality. If you were in Monte’s group, he took care of you.
I had gone to college when the fires started in 1988. When I went back (to the mountains) in ’89 it was different. It was black but the trees were all standing. This year (2006) all those were laid down. Like a bunch of pick-up sticks. We cut trails one year. 1989, I think. Skinners took a contract with the Forest Service to cut some trails. I remember being up there and cutting trail from off the Horseshoe Lake trail to Coyote to George and south towards North Fork. We did that for 2 or 3 weeks before camp started. We had to use ‘misery whips’ – a five foot saw. One person on each end. The kind you see on old cabin walls.
I went hunting with Monte this past year (fall, 2006). Monte was 79 years old and we hunted 6 days. Monte bought himself a brand new set of skis. Seventy-nine and getting a new pair of skis and excited about going hunting! We had 2 other guys with us. We made a big swing – Horseshoe to Coyote to right below George and came down White Horse. Monte said he’d bring the tent. We packed the food. We packed light. Monte showed up with 3 whole bags. When we got up there he had 3 or 4 changes of shoes. He went in comfort. We dumped out Monte’s tent. I figured he had a big tent. The first thing I noticed was there weren’t any poles. Sort of a mishmash. What we had was just a rip fly and a vestibule. I was thinking I could still ride out. Go home & sleep in my bed. Monte said, “Just grab a rope here. Tie it around this tree. Tie it around that tree. Put a stick down. Build a shelter.” I figured if Monte can do it, I can do it. We got a shelter built out of tarp, rope and a couple sticks. It stayed fine. It snowed 2 or 3 inches the last night. We stayed pretty dry. Mills Meadow is where Monte shot his elk this year. It’s fun sitting around the campfire at night talking to Monte. His stories never change. Some people tell stories and they get better and better with time. Or a little more exaggerated. Monte’s 100% consistent. He is genuine. His knowledge of the mountains is immense.
I had a picture of me with a big old beard and chaps on one shoulder and my saddle bag on the other. Monte looked at it and said, “That’s the trip my horse died.” He just had that kind of memory.
I always liked the Leavell Lake area. One of my favorite places is Lake Prue. Titcomb Basin is nice. Baldy Basin is nice. There’s a short cut from Barnes to Baldy Lake. At the lunch spot you can look up at Angel Peak. Even Germeles said the peak on the right hand side of Angel - they’re trying to rename Skinner Peak. One of the Bell Lakes they call Bud Lake. Met my wife (Adele) up there. Interview by Judi Myers
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