Comments on: Celebrating the wild places

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:00:08 +0000

In reply to Jeffrey J Olson. Beautifully written. Sincerely, thanks for sharing.

By: Jeffrey J Olson

Jeffrey J Olson — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:53:36 +0000

My memories of trips where I spent a month or more hiking on the PCT is framed by a sense of openness, of being part of something so much slower and larger. I was always out of trail shape at the beginning of a hike so there was a slow unfolding out of the effort into appreciation as the weeks passed. I have few, if any non-emotion centered memories of the first weeks of any hike. Pictures remind me, but a sense of “being-in” the wilderness took a while to emerge. I always hiked alone, and 30 years ago the “herd” was 15 or 20 people. A few I remember well – most not at all. It’s all about the immersion and slowly waking up in a different reality – the wilderness…

By: Dogwood

Dogwood — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 05:08:09 +0000

Deep in my heart, mind and soul I enjoyably embrace: hiking is not just about hiking.

The hike is oh so very much capable of being more than a 30″ wide single track, a route, or even attaining a goal. A hike can be a vehicle that leads one to the doorstep of much greater awareness.

By: Dirk Rabdau

Dirk Rabdau — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 04:33:09 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly.

All the time on the PCT, I kept thinking to myself, the wilderness on this map is so big and I am seeing but a small part of it from this three-foot wide path. What’s beyond that mountain over there? Or how does one scramble down to that stream? Wait, no time for that, must make miles.

It was only after I was done did I realize how little making it to the end meant to me compared to the experience itself. And how much I regretted not spending a little more time appreciating the places I visited. Yeah, I care less now about the trophy case of hikes, but more about the experience of hiking.

Keep up the great writing!

Dirk