Category: Uncategorized
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Grizzly
I smelled him before I saw him. I wasn’t totally surprised. I’d been seeing signs he left behind for the last hour or so. But when I rounded the corner and saw him, my heart skipped a beat. Grizzly, for sure. He had the telltale nose and back. I assume it was a male because…
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The Whole Legend Thing
By Mary Anderson I am a legend out here. At least that is what they tell me. A group of hikers pass me and ask, “Are you Mary Badass? We’ve heard about you.” I ask what they have heard, and they say that I am “killing it.” I am walking down a remote dirt road…
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What Hiking Teaches Us About Timing
I’ve heard it said “Timing is everything.” While it may not be everything, it certainly can have huge impacts. Timing is important in music and in breathe control when giving birth. It matters to children growing up, as until one is ready to learn something, it will not come easily. And timing certainly can make…
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Taking Pleasure in the Mundane
“How we deal with the same-old same-old will influence much of our lives.” By Mary Anderson I have not felt the inspiration to write anything. I have been in difficult blowdown conditions hiking in high heat. I have felt tired and brain-dead. After Glacier National Park, the scenery in the Bob Marshall Wilderness almost felt…
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Hiking My Own Hike
Along the Continental Divide Trail heading south toward Whitehall, Montana, mid July 2021. Photo by Mary Anderson. Hikers often give feedback to other hikers. “Stay at this hostel.” “Make sure to hike the San Juans.” “Don’t start too soon or the snow will be really bad.” Some hikers get adamant that their way is the…
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Saying Good-bye
“A friend told me that one of the hardest things about losing someone was having love with no place to put it.” By Mary Anderson There is a social aspect to many long-distance hikes. People meet for the first time and end up spending weeks or months together. It is such an important part of…
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The Burdens We Carry
It is easy to recognize out here that we all choose to carry different loads. Some go ultralight, carrying no stove and little food, preferring instead to walk really long days. Others carry a lot of extras. I met one hiker carrying an eight-ounce battery-powered toothbrush. For him that was really important. My toothbrush weighs…
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What I’ll Remember from the Bob
By Mary Anderson Being in the heart of wildness with no roads for 100 miles. Experiencing lots of biting flies and mosquitoes. Seeing many colors of butterflies, including orange, blue, and lemon yellow. Learning a lot about horsepackers. Going over, under, and through the worst blowdowns I’ve ever experienced. Hiking in record heat. Crossing many…
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Fear Is a Funny Thing
I have been asked at least 100 times if I am afraid of bears. The answer is no. I take precautions and carry bear spray. I carry a bear-resistant food bag and hang food when necessary. I make noise when going through thick vegetation. But I don’t go around in fear expecting to be attacked…
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Thoughts While Hiking on Crutches
We are encouraged to take something at the slightest sign of pain. We are not encouraged to sit in those painful places and learn from them. Hiking on crutches in the Great Basin of Wyoming By Mary Anderson Crutches come in many forms. Whether they are an aid for walking or a drug to help…
The Mary Badass 