Hiking helps me put my “mistakes” and decisions into perspective. I used to sometimes stop somewhere for the night only to regret the next day that I hadn’t walked just a mile further to a more lovely camp spot. I agonized over which route to take, not wanting to miss the “better” of my choices.…

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I stand on the top of a mountain feeling satisfied that my aging body made the climb. I eventually pull myself away from the views and make my way down. Sometimes I lose as much as 4,000 feet in elevation, and while I am going down I see the next monolith I will have to…

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I’ve heard a lot of people out here blame the Forest Service for the number of forest fires. They say it is mismanagement that has caused the fires. I don’t know if it is quite that simple. I believe that climate change has played a part. I suspect having acres of dead standing timber from…

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I’ve been wondering lately what happens when a goal I’ve had for over forty years is finally reached, especially when that goal became my lifeline, the rope I held onto to keep afloat. What happens when I take that last step and reach the end of the rope? It is common for people to feel…

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I’ve been thinking about how torturous it must be to be locked in solitary confinement. After just a few days of not seeing another person I find myself checking my satellite device for messages as soon as I take a hiking break. I do this even before I pull food out of my pack, no…

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This post was written shortly before I reached Pinedale, Wyoming. This trail is not letting me go easily into the night. After a rough night of sleeping, I woke up to an ice-encrusted tent. Inside and out, everything was coated. I allowed myself the little luxury of snuggling in my sleeping bag before putting my…

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