Zach Fischer
Senior Field Guide
Joined Open Sky: March 2008
In Wilderness Therapy since: 2008
Interview with Zach
June 2009
Q: If you were able to meet anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?
A: I would choose to meet Geronimo because he was a strong leader, ruthless when he needed to be, and above all he knew how to live with Mother Earth. He was a warrior who fought for his beliefs without fear of death. Geronimo's knowledge of place made him superhuman to our standards today. He had extensive experience, as all Apache scouts did, of plant edibility and medicine, animal behavior and personality, bird language, how to listen to the voices of the land, and countless other primitive living skills.
Q: What are a few of the defining moments in your life and why?
A: One of the defining moments in my life was shortly after I graduated from high school. I went on a month long backpacking trip by myself in the Weminuche Wilderness. I had been planning for and thinking about the trip for months, so it was built up strongly in my head. The first day on the trail it was starting to get late and it started to rain. I got very emotional as the realization of what I was doing weighed on my mind. I stood scared, in the rain thinking about putting my shelter up. A squirrel clung to a tree barking at me incessantly which only added to the feeling that I didn't belong there. Well I pushed myself, did what I needed to do and went to sleep. The next day I felt fresh and alive. Since that night, I have never felt that I didn't belong somewhere in the wild.
Q: Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?
A: My greatest inspiration has probably been my parents. They both taught me to follow my heart and intuition rather than money, success, or what others thought I should do. They also taught me to express my opinions without fear of judgment. My father never let me win at games when I was a kid; from this, I became accepting of losing and had fun with it. I always give my all at what I do, and when I did beat him I knew I had earned it, so it felt that much better, despite the infrequency. My mother taught me that there is no shame in being vulnerable, by not being afraid herself.
Q: What are your unique gifts and/or experiences that help our students?
A: I feel the gifts I bring to Open Sky include my passion for nature observation- to slow down and appreciate the lessons and fun watching the greatest show on earth has to offer. I feel I am patient and laid back to life’s unnecessary troubles (that we all struggle with); I like to let the lessons in life play out so I can learn from them instead of trying to control everything. I am a good listener who doesn't judge others for the mistakes they have made or might soon make. I also have a good amount of experience practicing primitive living skills. I have spent a good chunk of my life living out of a backpack.
Q: Why do you work in wilderness therapy?
A: I work in wilderness therapy because it gives me something meaningful to do. It is a place for me to open up my heart and give love and support to others. I very much value being real and Open Sky is a very real environment, that makes me feel at home. I enjoy the adventures and unknown challenges that every day brings. I love the unique perspectives and humor that every student shares with me. I love being outside too.
Q: Why do you think wilderness therapy works?
A: Wilderness therapy works because it is an emotionally safe place to be oneself without fear of judgment. It gives people a place to express what we are really feeling to a community that we live with, struggle with and laugh with. We get to leave behind our worries with the world, and just focus on the struggles we have inside ourselves.
Q: What do you think Open Sky students need?
A: They need to be open to something totally new to them. They need to be willing to hear the truth of what their community members see in them, both good and bad. They need courage to look at the places inside themselves that scare them. They need to be able to let go, laugh, and see the humor in strife…”a spoonful of sugar lets the medicine go down.” They need to be able to say what they are feeling and to trust others with those feelings.
Q: What do you like to do for fun when you aren’t working in the field?
A: I like to hike, ski, climb, shoot archery and hunt, make baskets, tan hides, ride my motorcycle, drink coffee and eat baked goods, read, laugh with friends, love to dance, look at things very closely, photograph interesting things, snowshoe, play cards, work with wood, be a kid.
Q: Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?
A: Open Sky has totally changed how I view myself and how I interact with others. I value the experience I've had here up in the top three with my life.
Professional Experience
Southwest Conservation Corps
Crew Leader
Carpenter/Framer
Independent Contractor
Education
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
