What most find hard to believe is I don't want out. I want to experience 6 months here in the snow. A remote, wild, extreme experience.
Like hiking a long trail, if a person takes a couple days off every week or slack packs a lot, they won't have the same intense experience as one who lives out of their backpack for 5 months straight. When they head to town, they re-supply, eat a good meal and get back on the trail.
Backpacking like that, you create serious friendships with trail bums like yourself. Those friendships last for a lifetime. This kind of trailing is unlike anything else. Your home, your work, your play is all about the trail. You eat, think, sleep, love trail.
My suggestion, for those planning a long hike, don't dilute this once in a life time experience by spending several nights in town, going to movies, hanging out in bars, acting like you aren't on a life changing journey.
People ask me what I'll do if cabin fever sets in., I say I'll ski, I'll write, I'll read. Maybe make snowmen, go sledding , taking a cardboard box as my toboggan and slide off the mountain near Lake Lodge. There's a great view from there. There's a clear path all the way to the road. I'll take my new pack out on a survival winter camp out.
There's so much to do on my days off. Diluting the experience by spending time in West Yellowstone or Gardiner or running into Bozeman for a shopping trip is not part of the plan.
This blog really strikes a chord within me. So much of our time is spent with amusements powered by electronics that when we hike and camp it is difficult to leave them behind. These things are such a force of habit that it is hard to put them aside especially with children. If you plan well then there is no need to break a trip for stuff that is always available to you during your mundane activities. Great advice!
ReplyDeleteThanks Flo, I think we often ruin a once in a life time experince by maintaining rediculous REAL world habits.
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