There
are hikes in the world that are greater than hikes. They are greater than hikes
because most of the time, they consist of distances that cannot be covered in a
single day by a single person. These hikes are greater than hikes because even
if the distance isn’t that great, the scenery and the natural beauty present on
them demand that the individual attempting that hike stop, watch, and listen at
what the world is telling them through trees, mountains, hills, meadows,
streams, and every other natural feature. It is for these hikes that are
greater than hikes that the backpack was developed; and the term “backpacking”
invented. And, if you really stop and think about it, backpacking is one of the
oldest “sports” on the planet; except that for eons, it wasn’t considered a
sport – it was considered a way of life for humans to get from one destination
to another!
Today,
things are obviously a little different, but the lessons our ancestors took
from spending time in the wild remain; carried through time by such luminaries
as John Muir (“Keep close to Nature's
heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a
week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”) While backpacking is a
vacation activity or sport to many people, it also is a reflection of a
world-wide historic tradition of becoming one with nature at certain points in
life. In this respect, there are backpacking trips, and there are areas that
are known as “Great Walks”. To me, any trip of a day or more is a great walk,
but while it is hard to judge, some walks are
greater than others. In any event, the
purpose of this section is to discuss some of the backpacking trips and great
walks I’ve been on, in all forms – gear, directions, and everything in between.
If you are considering getting started in backpacking, or attempting the great
walks of the world, remember this: mountaineering is the freedom of the
hills; backpacking is the freedom of everything. I say this because with the right skills, the
right gear, and the right motivation, a person can roam forever with his
backpack, stopping only to find food – much as people have always done.
Backpacking, therefore, is a great freedom – and whether you do it for a day,
or two days, I highly recommend it, and hope to see you on the trail.
