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Sharing Joy is a Human Need
By Mary Anderson Sometimes I have to bite my tongue and not speak. The other day I was sitting near the trail having a late-day snack. A big guy a bit younger than I am came down the trail and excitedly told me he had just seen a moose. I could have replied, “Yeah, I…
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Tipping Points, Climate Change, and the Continental Divide
In Yellowstone National Park. On the trail, I have become acutely aware of the tipping point of many things. First, there is my pack. It is usually on the high end of weight when I leave town. Each day I eat it gets a bit lighter, except for days when I have to tank up…
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What I’ll Remember From Yellowstone to Dubois
More remote geysers. White pink yellow orange red and turquoise rocks. Lots more mushrooms. More wonderful trail angels. Sitting in my birthday suit in the hot-tub like Witch River keeping one eye out for bear in area. Soaking for half-hour while eating a sandwich from camp neighbors the night before. Also eating chips from someone…
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A Certain Kind of Grief
I sit eating lunch by a river running out of the mountains. It is so beautiful that I want to share it with someone. I check my satellite device, hoping for a sense of connection with someone. When there are no messages I feel myself swamped with the overwhelming pain of childhood loneliness. It is…
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Big Sky Hospitality
People warned me about Big Sky. They said it was full of billionaires and I’d have a hard time finding a place to stay. They were only partially correct. There were a lot of people in Big Sky who were not billionaires. There was the woman who ran the grocery store, the guys who worked…
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Mountains of Respect
As I near the summit of a high peak with the wind howling, I am reminded of the importance of respecting these mountains. I think too often nature is approached with a nonchalance which gets people into trouble. Respect is different than fear. There are times I have been terrified in the mountains, such as…
The Mary Badass
A Ruminating Blog About Personal Healing, Adventure and Day to Day Life
The Mary Badass 