Fear and Loneliness on the Ozark Highlands Trail

Great trip report!

I grew up in Fort Smith and spent some time (though not enough) around Devil's Den State Park and Lake Fort Smith. The last time I was in the south, I purchased books on the Ouachita and Ozark Highlands National Trails. It's in the back on my mind to do those someday.

Also, it is nice to hear another's thoughts on fear, both rational and irrational, in the backcountry. Last weekend, I did a dayhike on the west side of Mt. Adams. I never saw another hiker and definitely felt my senses were heightened, but the time I felt the most fear was after a detour left me with a long forest road walk back to the car. I must have looked over my shoulder every minute.

Regardless, it is a good reminder that the wilderness can really be the best place to . . . think.

I consider my solo multiday trips to be much more fulfilling and meaningful than my hikes with others. I do like to share the outdoors with friends at times but to really get away from "life as usual" solitude is necessary. Wilderness is to me the perfect place to find the space and absence of human distraction so necessary for the pursuit of lonliness. When all of the distractions are gone I am more aware of the fears and aloneness that are hidden in my day to day life. Perhaps they are always there and if so solitude is a good way to learn and grow from them. I tell people that to really understand the transcendent spirt of Thoreau and Muir one should follow them on solitary journeys into the wilderness of the world and the mind.

Lucas, A very descriptive & entertaining article. A co-worker ,his sons, & myself are starting a section hike of the OHT this very weekend at Lake Fort Smith state park. We plan to hike the entire trail through the remaining fall, winter, & spring. The timing of your article is uncanny. Thank you so much.

Lucas,

Your article was a very frank, insightful and open sharing of experiences and concerns. I thoroughly enjoyed and identified with many portions of your trip report. The pictures have a very surreal beauty about them.

Trail Angels are real not imagined.

Two years ago "Lazarus" and I were assisted by some trail angels in the guise of college age day hikers. We were dehydrated and they shared their water with us. They were traveling in the opposite direction on the same trail. We thanked them for their kindness and continued down the trail. Lazarus was in the lead and remarked that he was on spider web duty with his hiking staff. I called a halt to the hiking and asked Lazarus, "How can you be knocking down spider webs when those day hikers just came from the same direction that we are walking?"

Once again I applaud your article and its content.

Party On,

Newton

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Great trip report Lucas!! I can relate to your story from when I first started backpacking. I have not hiked solo since I joined this community of passionate hikers…Thank goodness!

Gerry, Take a journal–great way to pass the time or bring a paperback–I usually bring a IPOD w/ a small speaker to pass the time…

I too really enjoyed reading your report. Thank you for sharing it.

I have not done much solo overnight hiking. But I got that spooky feeling–what am I *doing* out here?–on a New Mexico trip when I took my younger son, then 14, and his 13-year-old friend. Pecos Wilderness in August, "monsoon season." All the horse parties passed us going down. All the other hikers didn't even try. Steady rain all the way up to Pecos Baldy Lake. On other trips to that area, we've always seen other groups. This time, no one at all up there. It hit me during the night, here I am up here miles from anyone with 2 children to care for…yes the boys were old enough to be competent, and they were, but that's how it felt. We completed our 4-day circuit in the rain, ate wild strawberries, saw more kinds of mushrooms than I've seen anywhere.

My older son through-hiked the John Muir Trail solo at age 17 in 1998. He said it was beautiful country, and a good adventure, but that he will *never* do a long hike solo again. For him, it was just too lonely, he said.

Thinking about your injuries. It sounds like you paced yourself for some pretty high mileages, but perhaps that is your normal pace. Still, I found myself wondering if pushing yourself like that, even with a light pack, contributed to the problems. I understand that for many folks going fast is part of the fun, but it seems like it might work better to give our urban selves a break, go more leisurely, be more "on vacation." I do hope you experienced a speedy recovery when you got home.

We have done a little bit of hiking in the Buffalo National River area; it really is beautiful, rough country. We are hoping to hike one of the long trails up there when we get more time.

Thanks Lucas for sharing your adventure. You really brought back memories for me. I thru hiked the trail (plus the extra 15 miles to get to a ride at Hwy. 65) in Apr/May this year. By that time it was full leaf on. Fortunately I hiked it with 2 others but I can relate to your loneliness/isolation. It is a trail than can intensify those issues. We encountered only one backpacker in out 18 days on the trail.
I suffered from a swollen leg–not real painful but an annoyance. Loosing the trail, bushwhacking, bloody scratched legs, rain etc. seem to be part of a common experience on the OHT. In spite of it all I'll always be grateful for having done it. Don

Thanks for sharing your story. It was different from most posted here…more personal, less gear driven. Someone once said, "When you start your hike, you worry about the animals. Once you approach the end, you worry about the people."
Tom

Thanks Tom. Confidence should reside in our minds, not our backpacks. But, a good pocketknife never hurts….;)

Mina, on the other side of Trailrider's, I came within 50 yds of a bighorn who I would have missed had it not been for the erratic behavior of my dog. He scoffed in our general direction and walked on. Some nice hiking that direction.