Why Backpacking?

[ROBERT TANGEN]

Thanks for your support, George. Finally, someone with some common sense! Inncidentaly, in order to build up my family's resistance to cold, I make them sit up all night, holding the guylines to my shelter, while I catch some shuteye. It saves the weight of tent stakes.

[Matthew Swierkowski]

Yeah, I know what you mean about most others not understanding. Interestingly enough I first got into backpacking for the challenge. I was into bicycle racing (road and mountain), and wanted to try backpacking to see if I could "conquer" the mountains. Well, after a few trips I started learning things about myself that I really didn't knnow where there. I found out that I really love the whole experience of being out in the wilderness. So now I go for the experience, and the challenge part got thrown to the backburner even though it is still fun to plan challenging trips.

I also like everything about the experience from beginning to end. I like the planning stages where I pick a place to go, pour over the map, and prepare all my gear. I like hitting the trail, and the feeling of freedom that accompanies getting out of the city and away from work. I enjoy the experience of the wilderness throughout the trip. And then last but not least I love that big nasty greasy meal on the way home after eating primarily freeze dried stuff and energy bars for days.

[EndoftheTrail]

"…last but not least I love that big nasty greasy meal on the way home after eating primarily freeze dried stuff and energy bars for days."

AMEN! :)

[Ryan Hutchins]

Not my original thoughts (and I didn't go to Harvard), but sums up why I back pack a bunch. Directed more towards why I've chosen to work in the outdoors I guess, but it also touches on many of the personal reasons I go out on my own…

Why I Do What I Do

Reflections of an Adventure Educator

By Morgan Hite

I always try to remember not to ask my students where they go to school.

Most of them are in college, and right after they tell me their college they want to know where I went to school. I have to reveal then that my alma mater was one of those ivy-covered, East Coast institutions of venerable tradition. They inevitably ask the same, incredulous question: "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here?" It's stated almost as an act of self-protection, a litany against evil. Because, of course, they're thinking, "Why should I bust my ass for four years to get through college when this guy went to Harvard and now he just bums around the woods with a bunch of deadbeat kids like me?"

I usually give some glib answer, like, "This is where those of us who can't handle it wind up." But if they press me further I give them more. They deserve to know. When they go back they will be on the front lines, doing daily combat with the traffic, the crowding, the overstimulation. It is they, not I, who have to face the expectations of parents, the labyrinth of society and business, and the confusion of their brethren. It is a grim place. I would not trade shoes with them.

I have a lot of ideas about why I do what I do, and why this job is great. I'll bet anybody could write down why he or she thinks what they do is a really good thing. I wish they would. We all could only benefit from sharing a little about why we think we do what we do.

I'll give you my view, here from a canyon in Southern Utah, from a rocky alpine cirque in Wyoming, from the inside of a snow cave miles and miles from the nearest plowed road. These are my five favorite ways to think of what I do.

1.

I teach people to escape. J.R.R. Tolkein was told once that his books were "escapist," but he insightfully replied that the only people concerned about escape were jailers. I like to think I help people acquire the skills and confidence to get away from it all, from what subtle jailers there may be in our lives, any time they like, and take friends with them.
2.

It is good to be out here. It is healthy and powerful and all of those good things. I can commune with the mountain gods. I get away from it all to talk with the real powers that be and help others do the same. We look back on civilization from a high mountain and see it for what it is. Clean air and physical obstacles lead to healthy, free people. This is Real, dealing with weather and terrain and survival. This is what humans lived in for thousands of years. To meet the Earth on her own terms is to respect her and we do a lot of meeting out here.
3.

I meet impressive people in this world, bold and daring. Handsomest men and beautifulest women as William Golding might say, with great senses of humor and incredible storehouses of knowledge – they must be this way, to be ready to deal with anything. We are real souls out here; there are too few of us to get lost in the sauce. Travel "by hand" and food cooked outdoors make honest, generous folk with integrity, and I have a feeling the world was supposed to be this way.
4.

I come out here for the castles: the awesome buttes, mountains, mesas, canyons, and valleys that stir the imagination. I commune with all the lost centuries, and stories that never were, at home in rugged places. What better job could one ask for than to live in unsoftened, beautiful places, be inspired by them and help others do the same?
5.

Here I find Peace, a time to reflect and replan my life, and to feel surplus goodness in myself that I want to share with the world.

I do it because there are thousands of people out there itching to be free, to journey to that photograph on their Sierra Club calendar and all that is standing between them and their goal is someone to show them how and reaffirm that they can do it. Someone to say, "Take that risk, live that dream! Life is too short, you may die soon – live now!" I am Coyote out here, summoning the students and the businesspersons who hardly know why or what the call is, and dangerously destabilizing their lives by showing them freedom. I am serving a high cause of democracy.

I do it because it's good for me, it's good for you, and it's good for the greater whole. I do it because pretty few of us grow up in anything akin to hardship anymore1 and we need hardship to appreciate the basic important things in life like love and beauty and water and warmth. Life can be simple and this is a good place to experience that. We need to be tired and cold and hungry, and then make ourselves a hot meal and go to our sleeping bags to realize that life is complete and how rarely we experience that.

I do it because sometimes things get pretty Real out here and we start making basic honest communications with each other: "I'm alright. How are you?" And it feels good, and we wonder what we've been doing in our lives. Because here we can be the captains of our own ships, and chart our own destiny.

The backcountry vacation is always unlike other vacations. When we return, there is at least a little sigh of relief – we made it. There is definite risk going out there: we have to find our way; we have to deal with our own injuries. There won't be anywhere to stop in to ask for help. It's a risky business. As vacations go, it is more than just a vacation. So it stands to reason that as jobs go, it is more than just a job.

March, 1990

Grand Gulch, Utah

1I should say, more properly, many people grow up in hardship. But no one I knew grew up in hardship.

[(c) Copyright, Morgan Hite, 1989-1991: No permission required for copies which include this notice.]

[Brett .]

That was a well expressed essay. I searched for Morgan Hite's other essays, and discovered he quit NOLS in 97, evidently disillusioned with the business aspects of the school. Its a shame he did not put that Harvard education to use as the founder of a school meeting his own well expressed views. I think he could have given NOLS a run for its money. Alas.
http://www.hesperus-wild.org/writing/overview.htm

It seemed to me, reading his essays, that Mr. Hite carried his diploma like a burden, hoping his students did not ask him where he graduated from. So many people with ivy league educations never capitalize on that street cred and academic education. School tells you how to write great essays; Infulencing people (like NOLS administration) to WANT to do your bidding is another matter entirely, and is not something you can learn in a classroom. "Im from HARVARD!" can get you in the door, but then you sit down at your new desk, and have to influence people who aren't professors, and aren't taking your tuition money.

"We need to seek out and hire 'dirt bags'; these are the passionate outdoor people who are our core customers. We believe that it is easier to teach these people business than to turn a businessman into a passionate outdoor person."
-Yvon Chouinard; founder of what is now Black Diamond and Pagagonia.

[EndoftheTrail]

.

[Don Wilson]

Besides all the reasons so well stated above, I like backpacking because it is my experience the people I meet on the trail are at their best in the outdoors. People are refreshingly generous, happy and open. Sure there are exceptions, but in general, it is true, and I enjoy it.

[Ryan Hutchins]

Yeah, it's too bad that he left on such sad terms, I wonder what he currently thinks of the school and the way it is being run. It's hard being the Instructor in the field and not always seeing the big picture of what's going on administratively. And unfortunatly, it is a business (non-profit) and needs to be run as such to stay afloat, IMO. But I'm just a dirtbag instructor trying to change how much weight we carry into the field (which is happening, woohoo!)so what do I know;)

hijack over.

[Janet Brewster]

Ditto to all of you. Love the planning and training, love being a gearhead, love the physical push and high, love the challenge, love the scenery, love the BLT and cheesecake afterwards.

But the spiritual piece is the most important for me. The mountains are my church. That is where I feel at peace and at home. I feel so much more centered after being in the mountains, even just after a quick weekend. The challenges that I face there are unlike anything else I face in the rest of my life, and are so much more satisfying. Sometimes it's just the primeval part that I love — all I have to do is survive. I find it to be very zen. When I hike, my mind is clear, and at that point, I'm running on instinct. I become an integral part of the landscape, not just someone who walks on it, and the beauty of where I am is a part of me.

The question I most often get is "Aren't you afraid?!?", because I mainly backpack solo. The answer is, uh, no. I usually have to raise the deflector shield with these people so I don't take on their fears and insecurities. I'm more afraid to walk home from work at night than I am to walk in the backcountry. I've had more near-misses just crossing the street than in all my years backpacking.

Now all I have to do is win the lottery, so I can quit my day job and move full-time to the mountains….

Thanks for the existential question, Stephen

[John Mowery]

The fishing in the backcountry is far better than in the frontcountry. To fish rivers 99.99% of other anglers will never see, let along fish, is my reason for being out there. Plus, to live on as little as possible and still be relatively comfortable is a big thrill!

[Johnathan White]

Stephen, I could not have said it better myself, hence, my reasons are the same exact as yours. The only thing that I could augment to the list is the spiritual serenity that the peace and quiet provides.

[Anonymous]

Why backpack? Growing up in mostly flat terrain, backpacking never entered my mind in any context. Stationed on the west coast in the military afforded the opportunity to visit the Sierras and give birth to the insatiable desire to see and touch the breath taking scenery along with the freedom to go where the feet would carry me. Back then it was purely the pleasure of the feel of the dirt under my feet with the independence to be without the care for any support other than what was on my back. Looking back over the years of tramping through eye-popping sights, forces the confession that maybe I have become a little too focused the gear thing.

[Ken Helwig]

Janet that is exactly why I go out in The Sierra's. Perfectly said!!!

[David Laurie]

"When less is more…"

Or, as the the Northern Territory (Australia..) Tourism commission says in it's advertising :

"You'll never, never know.. If you never, never go." .

[Gabriel August]

It's all been said, but my 2 cents.

I love backpacking because i love being self sufficient. There are many other reasons but the biggest is that i have absolutely everything i need to survive with me. We take cars to work and use computers all day so i think it's great to get out and just live in the woods. I love the outdoors. For me it really brings a clarity of mind that i just can't get anywhere else (it could be that i deal with kids all day long and they take up every last bit of your focus at all times!).

People always ask me, not only why i love backpacking, but why i love to go backpacking by myself. "Doesn't it get boring?" I can't convince anyone how wonderful it is to not speak to anyone for two or three days and just be alone with your thoughts in the backcountry. Beautiful.

[Scott Peterson]

I have to concur that fishing is much better in back country. I am not sure what zen is, and while quiet is nice, I don't mind if people go with me, or if I see people in the back country. I am really into the discovery of flora, fauna, and wicked cool topography and geology. I enjoy the absence of electronic communication gadgetry for the time I am out.

But what of this alleged pot? Is there pot in the backcountry? Where is it, and why are you guys hiding it from me? ;-)

[Steve .]

Solus.

[JASON CUZZETTO]

I saw this thread and had to kick it out again to get me re-motivated and out the door.

Why backpacking? For me it is the challenge of getting somewhere in a certian amount of time. Then honestly the beauty of everything.

The people I have hiked with always get a chuckle when the big guy (me) says, "Did you see that flower? Look at the color. Only up here in the mountains, dude."

Then I stop and take a picture. Also, it is fun with the kids and no video games, music, or media. I love that.

What about you?

[Sean Walashek]

I am a really anxious person and always find myself worrying when I'm indoors. When I go camping and backpacking it sounds crazy but I feel much safer than when I am walking around town I don't worry about car accidents or fires or psychos or bills or anything really. I also have never been able to feel god in a church but when I am around all the life out there I feel like that is where god is, not a stuffy old building.

[Denis Hazlewood]

Jason Says:"Why backpacking? For me it is the challenge of getting somewhere in a certain amount of time."

Usually third or fourth on my list. The journey is the goal. The flowers are there to be smelled. Time is all we have in this life. Spend it. Note: I do not speed walk. But… To those who do: Hike your own hike.

Sean Says: "am a really anxious person and always find myself worrying when I'm indoors. When I go camping and backpacking it sounds crazy but I feel much safer than when I am walking around town."

Sean, Your feelings are probably justified. I believe you are safer in the wilderness than in town. I certainly feel that way myself.

[Tim Hollingworth]

Jacob wrestled with God in the wilderenss and Moses encountered God in the wilderness, on a mountain.

The first thing Jesus did after he was baptized was to go into the the wilderness to pray. One of the last things He did before He was crucified was to go up onto the mountain to pray.

John the baptist chose the wilderness to proclaim the coming, not the towns where the people were.

I spent five days in Las Vegas and the most vivid memory I have is the sunset on the mountains from the hotel room. I was actually sad when the sun went down and I couldn't see the peaks anymore.

Trail running, backpacking, mountain biking or just looking down from the window of an airplane at the mountains or desert, the attraction for me is unmistakable.

I've had some of my greatest conversations with God in the wilderness.

-Tim-

[Jeff Antig]

1. Because car camping is too easy. There still exists too many trinkets of technology available on demand. If anything goes wrong, it'll be in the car. I've seen people car camp with stereos and portable television sets and churro makers…wow. What is the point of that? Why not the park?

Backpacking in essence, will always be the same, in one way or another, regardless of future advancements in technology.

[Jon Rhoderick]

Well the backpacks never getting up the mountain on its own…

[Ali e]

I use mine between back-country trips as a ditch bag for the Apocalypse. I always have 20 days of food and my purple underwear ready to bug out. Ali

[Denis Hazlewood]

Looks like my ex wife, but her knife was bigger.

[Author]

Posts