backpacking

Sometimes, Go Alone

By |August 8th, 2016|2016 posts, Adventure school, solo adventure|Comments Off on Sometimes, Go Alone

“It’s good to walk with people
but sometimes
go alone.
That way you can always stop and listen at the right time.”
-Byrd Baylor, The Other Way To Listen

Alone.
What does this mean to you? When were you last alone? Why does being alone conjure fear for most of us humans?

I have somehow climbed over that hurdle of fear of being alone, and I’d like to share some thoughts on how I did that. I am not immune from being lonely or a little fearful when I’m flying solo, but I’ve grown to need time by myself in wild spaces. Being alone is one of the most important things I do in my life. A little fear & loneliness is good for the soul! Beyond fear and loneliness there is curiosity, happiness, and the magic of knowing I get along with myself.

Face & embrace your fear
So how did I get to a place where I actually WANT to be alone? I went outside on my own a lot. I was scared at first. I just felt the worry. My world did not crumble. My early solo backpacking trips were full of fear, anxiety, and hardly eating anything (my appetite vanishes when I’m feeling lonely and sad). I did not die of a broken heart or sadness. It hurts to feel lonely. It’s uncomfortable to be scared. Breath deeply, reason with yourself, and let yourself feel uncomfortable. It sucks, but there is no easy sneak around to the other side. For me, every solo trip starts with a bit of emotional pain, but it fades after a few days, and being lonely helps me re-focus on what I care about. If I’m missing something or someone, I can see what […]

Oboz Trail Tales: Water in the Desert

By |June 15th, 2016|2016 posts, Adventure school, Current|Comments Off on Oboz Trail Tales: Water in the Desert

Sage shares 6 factors for planning your water needs in the desert in her most recent Oboz Trail Tales blog post. Water planning for desert trips can be daunting, but the rewards of travel in dry places can be well worth the effort. Sage goes over 6 factors she juggles each trip in order to plan her water.

It’s Hike Like A Girl Weekend!!

By |May 13th, 2016|Current|Comments Off on It’s Hike Like A Girl Weekend!!

I’m not sure where this new holiday came from, but I’m glad it exists!
What does it mean to hike like a girl?
 It means hiking with awareness, curiosity, and joy.

Sometimes for me hiking like a girl means putting on a skirt, painting my nails, braiding my hair, getting dirt all over my legs, mud in my shoes, scrapes on my knees, sticks in my braids, and sweat stains on my shirt. It means reading a map & the lay of the land. It means being willing to get lost, and finding myself again. It means taking care of myself when I twist an ankle, get hungry, need to find water, or have to fend off raccoons at one in the morning. It means laughing at myself. It means dancing down the trail. It means scrambling over boulders & glissading down snow slopes. It means climbing mountains. It means skinny-dipping in alpine lakes. It means smelling flowers, and remembering to take my allergy meds. It means getting out of my warm sleeping bag on freezing mornings before the sun rises. It means staying up late reading a book as my headlamp batteries die. It means finding horned lizards, snakes, birds, dead things, flowers, pine cones, tadpoles, sparkly rocks, and perfect snow flakes. It means the world to me to be able to hike, and I feel lucky to be able to hike like a girl.

I wish everyone could have the chance to get out and wander around in nature. Moving alone in wild places can make a soul sing, but many people never let themselves try it. It took me a while to realize I could backpack by myself, alone, solo. Many of my friends and […]

1859 Magazine meets a Thru-hiker

By |May 11th, 2016|Current, ODT|Comments Off on 1859 Magazine meets a Thru-hiker

 
Looking back to my time on the Oregon Desert Trail with 1859

Thru-Hiker Sage Clegg’s Desert Awakening

Last winter I was interviewed for this recent article in 1859 Magazine, and that interview has re-kindled a philosophical debate for me. This article prompted me to re-visit my 2013 hike of the Oregon Desert Trail, which was a darn good walk. The walk was darn good, partly because it was hard. Years later I am still grappling with the issues I stumbled upon out in Eastern Oregon, and last winter’s Malheur takeover added some new twists. My new high desert home is full of complexities, and I am still trying to figure out how a hiker like me (who really doesn’t like politics, but loves wild open spaces) can fit in a place that is brimming with controversy. I still have no solid answers about the politics & land management issues in Eastern Oregon, but I know I love it out there, and these public lands should stay in public hands. Thanks to Anna Bird from 1859 for asking good questions and getting my brain churning again about designation, public lands, and one of my favorite places, South Eastern Oregon.