Philosophical lessons you learn while hiking

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

One of the lessons I keep having to learn is the lesson of wherever I am on the Earth, I am home.

The first time this lesson really hit me was on the PCT. I emerged from the tunnel under Interstate 10 in Southern California and needed a place to sleep so I could get my package at the post office. The post office and civilization were several miles away and I was unsure how to get there. I sort of freaked out. I felt like I absolutely had to get to the hotel that I could see in the distance otherwise, what on earth was I going to do? It was so silly because by the next morning (after getting to the hotel by taxi, sleeping there for $100 wasted dollars, and then getting to the post office) I realized already had a place to stay for the night (just like all the other previous nights): the trail.

I did it again on a recent trip. I was trying to follow a faint trail. The trail was on a steep slope and it was getting dark. I lost the trail and I could not sleep here on this slope. I started to freak out. How would I ever find the trail and get down into the canyon where I was supposed to be? I looked at the topo on my GPS and saw I was not far from what appeared to be a flat spot on the topo, so I bushwhacked my way up to it and found a flat spot to set up my camp. Then I spent the whole night worrying because I wasn’t where I wanted to be and wasn’t sure how to get there. In the morning I realized, duh, what’s the problem? I’m comfortable, I’m safe, warm and dry, I have a flat spot to sleep, on on the Earth and I know where I am and in the morning I will solve my problem like I always do. Why do I freak out?

When will I ever learn this lesson?

What lessons do you keep having to learn?

[Matt]

A random encounter with other hikers is not “successful” because they seemingly enjoyed my company.  It’s successful because I enjoyed their company.  The trail reminds me to interpret the world through my eyes, not someone else’s.

[Arthur]

I’ve learned that when i am out of touch with the world, the world does just fine without me.  The tribal conflicts from Washington to California don’t seem to get better or worse while I am gone without me following CNN, PBS, and Fox’s play by play like a football game.  No wonder my blood pressure and attitude about life improve on the trail. And when I return, the world is the same old place.  Sounds like that old Birds song, for those who are old enough to remember.

[Ryan Jordan]

Diane – a really valuable lesson and reminder. Thank you for sharing.

One of the messages I really wanted to communicate in one of my recent trip videos is that just because it’s dark, there doesn’t need to be any drama…

[Kattt]

Good thread!

I can relate to a lot that has already been said. In addition to that a big one for me is being aware of  my place within the natural world; it is a personal relationship and because of that it is not up to anyone else to define or interpret. Serious stuff that I take to heart.

[Tipi Walter]

I have learned that the more time I spend outdoors the more I develop into a bitter Misanthrope—cursing my fellow humans and their unbridled lust to destroy wild lands with development and sprawl.

In the Southeast where I backpack our backcountry is shrinking due to surrounding development and Industrial Tourism (car rolling and motorcycle noise pollution) and the racket of constant overhead Jet traffic.  We have traitors to the concept of America the Beautiful in every big city and rural town as they want to see more—more people and more roads and more commerce and more noise.

I have learned over the years to call us Human Fireants—everywhere destroying everything decent.

[Kattt]

“I have learned over the years to call us Human Fireants—everywhere destroying everything decent.”

^^^^ misanthropes are the  fireants.

I am surrounded by some wonderful humans and they are not that rare. As a TA for a natural history class one of my goals has been to remind people they are part of it all, the natural world, the animals etc. Works much better.

[Ken Larson]

Plan and carry out your “bucket list” adventures while you are able and young, as tomorrow may prevent you from achieving your vision!

[Monte Masterson]

Ultralight backpacking is minimalism and minimalism is a philosophy. Lessons from the trail can be applied to life in general. For example, packing just enough gear to be comfortable at a given temperature, and bringing just enough food to get to the next resupply. Modern consumerism and materialism are the opposite of that.

Cultural pressures to behave a certain way are VERY strong in today’s world. Social media makes it exponentially worse. People try to create a false image of their lives on Instagram and Facebook that just aren’t real. Then others see this and feel inadequate or depressed because they can’t live up to the life they think other people are enjoying….but it’s all a façade.

 

[Dave Heiss]

I learn to slow down – realizing that I have limited (or, more often no) control over how fast anything gets done. Next campsite still 10 miles away? The miles go by at a pace I can’t change because I only seem to have one forward speed. Multi-tasking becomes little more than boiling water while setting up my tent, and life gets… simplified. I love downshifting to the slower, methodical pace of backpacking life because it’s such a refreshing difference from the world I have left behind.

[Ralph Burgess]

Ultralight backpacking is minimalism and minimalism is a philosophy. Lessons from the trail can be applied to life in general. For example, packing just enough gear to be comfortable at a given temperature, and bringing just enough food to get to the next resupply. Modern consumerism and materialism are the opposite of that.

I agree with you in principle.  But it seems that I need at least 3 different versions of everything in order to be equipped minimally for the specific conditions that I will encounter on each different trip.   3 or 4 different weights of sleeping bag for example.   It doesn’t apply to all types of gear, but in some respects the more concerned I am for minimalism in my pack, the greater array of gear that’s sitting in my closet.

[Ralph Burgess]

I always finish my hikes as more of an existentialist than when I left.

Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.

There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk.

Upon separation from seemingly constant depressing news about the state of human affairs:

Like all dreamers I confuse disenchantment with truth.

And, of course:

L’enfer, c’est les autres.

[Ryan Jordan]

Ralph – For me, minimalism as a philosophy is more about simplifying the number of items in my pack (or closet, garage, etc.) than about saving weight.

I happily accept an item of gear that weighs a few more ounces for its ability to be used over a wider range of conditions and thus, perhaps replace two or more more specialized items. I’m not always successful at this, but I feel like I’m getting there with my backpacks and clothing (outdoor and otherwise). I’m “working on” sleep systems now!

[Ralph Burgess]

I think it’s also true that even with a closet full of state-of-the-art ultralight gear, the money spent & expenditure of resources on backpacking is tiny when compared to many pastimes.

[Chris H]

I started hiking in my teens.  Rock climbing in my 20s.  Backpacking only as a necessity for the rock climbing.  Not even remotely lightweight backpacking at that point.  But after a back injury in my late 30s, I could no longer rock climb, but I kept backpacking and began to lighten my load as a result of the back pain issues.

The first philosophical lesson that I think I’ve learned, directly related to my outdoor adventures, was realizing WHY I go in the first place.  My motivation is “the view”.  So more self-awareness than philosophical maybe, or maybe those are the same.

But the philosophical life lesson for me has been exactly what Monte alluded to about applying it to other areas.  Not deliberately though, it’s just happened organically.  Becoming a mentality for so many aspects of my life.  My work clothes have become a near uniform.  Only have what I need for a week of work.  5 of the same shirts in different colors and a couple pairs of the same pants in different colors.  That’s it.  Weekend wash, rinse, repeat.  Weekend clothes are my minimal collection of hiking/backpacking clothes.  3 pair of shoes (work, backpacking, backpacking backup).  I’ve simplified how I exist at work and home with regard to ‘stuff’.  I keep zero knick-knacks at my desk.  I could up and leave and never come back and other than work not getting done, nobody would know the difference looking at my desk.  I’ve tossed so much crap at home, from boxes of junk, tools I never used, clothes, electronics, that I think I could be packed and ready to move cross-country forever in just a couple of hours.  I could fit the entirety of my possessions, other than furniture, in the backseat of a car.

Now.  If I could get the rest of the residents here to do that.  Wow!!!

 

[BlackHatGuy]

I’m not sure I’ve learned any philosophical lessons from backpacking. If you asked me why I backpack, I’m not sure I could give you a complete answer, because most of the time I don’t really know why I backpack. I enjoy the effort, I enjoy the scenery, I generally enjoy the company, but I’m not really sure any of those things, by themselves, would suffice as an explanation of why I backpack. Then again, I’m not all that sure why I do many of the things I do, or stop doing things I once enjoyed. I’m a mystery to me, unfortunately.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because I can be alone and have something to do all day that isn’t boring, it’s for the pictures, it’s for the planning and anticipation beforehand and then the thinking about the trip and looking at my pictures after, and it’s because it’s pretty much the only thing that gets me to a normal weight.

[W I S N E R !]

It’s difficult to articulate, but I typically walk away from trips -especially solo trips- with a sense of personal insignificance.  It’s not a negative insignificance, but one I find very grounding; it’s an insignificance born of a feeling of oneness or loss of self.  I tend to get a very strong sensation that I am as much an expression of the planet as is anything around me and that the perceived and perceiver are one and the same.

 

[Kattt]

…..”a sense of personal insignificance.  It’s not a negative insignificance, but one I find very grounding”..

^^^^ This. One of the most comforting feelings, oddly enough.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

On solo trips I get to experience the sense of just being a person. Not being a female person most of all, but also not being anybody’s side-kick or partner or the person slowing everyone down or going too fast or anything. Just a person.

[Mike B]

On solo trips I get to experience the sense of just being a person. Not being a female person most of all, but also not being anybody’s side-kick or partner or the person slowing everyone down or going too fast or anything. Just a person.

I felt a little sad when reading this, I hope you can see that you are a person all the time and you do not need to identify as “being anybody’s side-kick or partner or the person slowing everyone down or going too fast or anything” You are great the way you are.

Maybe I read this wrong and took it the wrong way and if so then I apologize in advance.

Mike

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

My experience as a woman is that when I’m around other people, I’m a woman first and a human second. And if I’m not being reminded of being a female, I’m having to be sure to take my place in whatever hierarchy there is among the people I’m with. Often people want me to be at the top of the hierarchy and I don’t always want to be there. I don’t always want to be the leader. Sometimes I just want to follow. And sometimes some people want me to follow but they’re going the wrong way. Being solo is a lot easier. Also, when I’m solo, I can be in as much pain as I am without someone else’s pain being worse and requiring sympathy from me.

[AK Granola]

Many of these statements resonate with me. Insignificance being somewhat a relief; I do not have to solve everything. The world continues. Always feeling I’m playing a role, such as a woman, or mother, or worker, and nature takes the acting away, it frees me. It works in my garden as well as on any backpacking trip. I also relearn how happy I am being alone. I really like solitude. Some people find that offensive or pathological, so I rarely express it. Shhh! But I don’t end up being a misanthropist; I just relax, and enjoy people more than I did before I took the time to escape.

The main lesson I have to keep relearning when hiking isn’t philosophical so much as practical. Most mammals, upon rising, stretch. Every time. Cats, dogs, rabbits, even voles! Except us. We get all hunched and bunched and tight and pained. They don’t because they stretch, and stretch, and stretch. And I need to do it and I don’t remember and then everything hurts. My yoga teacher used to say “there’s the pain of doing yoga, and the pain of not doing yoga; which do you choose?”

[Stan B]

“there’s the pain of doing yoga, and the pain of not doing yoga; which do you choose?”

That is an awesome way of looking at most things we do in life!

[brian H]

the lesson i keep having to learn is i need to get out there more!

[Author]

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