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HOW DO I STILL LOVE BACKPACKING? BY AUSTRIA COHN
22 MARCH 2024 | NOLAFAMILY.COM For example, on one adventure, we didn’t pack enough food and had to ration along the Pacific Coast Trail in Washington State. We were never in imminent danger of starving, but, to say the least, everyone was hangry. During another backpacking expedition, we got stuck in the rain, shivering through the entire night because we couldn’t get a fire started. B eing a seasoned hiker, camper, and backpacker, I’ve begun to wonder why I love these outdoor activities so much. Just like anything, starting an activity as a beginner, you’re almost certain to run into a couple of hiccups. To be completely transparent, I’ve had my fair share of adventures gone wrong. So the question begs: How do I still love backpacking?
wielding sticks in front of us to break up the invisible webs. With all of these adventures that went wrong at some point, I continue to find myself with the heavy pack on my back, hiking down the trail on yet another adventure. But I’ve found the answer to my question. The Disconnect & Reconnect From the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we are lying in bed trying to fall asleep, worries, thoughts, and feelings are constantly troubleshooting in our brains. Whether it’s work-related, social ponders, or just stuff we can’t seem to let go of, our life is filled with thoughts. The times I’m on the trail, I disconnect from these common worries. I don’t
And I’ll never forget the adventure that went so wrong we have named it “Spider Canyon.” There were two major mistakes made on this outing. 1) We decided to take a “shortcut.” Every time my backpacking group finds themselves tired and wanting to cut the trip in half by taking a shortcut, it seems to never work out in our favor. On the infamous “Spider Canyon” trip, we got lost and ended up far away from where we were supposed to be. 2) We bushwhacked through a canyon. By going off the trail, we encountered fallen tree after fallen tree that we had to climb over. After hours of going through the debris, our arms and legs were cut up. And we found ourselves consistently walking face-first into spider webs: hence Spider Canyon. We quickly began
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