The Mary Badass

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…