Where To Go When You Want To Find Yourself……In The Middle Of Nowhere

We all go through times in our lives when we are uncertain of what is to come, what is to be, and what it all means. Times like these can drive us to the edge of our reason, cause us to feel suffocated, and cut off from the things we care most about. Fortunately at moments like these, it is possible to find inner peace when you re-foster your connection with the great outdoors and appreciate the beauty that exists, independent of you and your thoughts, almost every where you can look with your eyes. We’ve all been there. Every outdoorsman has that special place or trip where we had that epiphany, or vision, or moment of clarity. We suddenly found ourselves, or the answer to a question we’d always had. We are all guided in some way by our deep connection to the wilderness. It is no wonder that from time to time, we can find ourselves; in the middle of nowhere.

Canyonlands National Park

Sunset in Canyonlands

Sunset in Canyonlands

This is one place, where I have personally spent many a night and day, and have on more than one occasion found myself lost in the placid silence of desert solitude. The simplicity of the desert is what drives me here each and every time. The canyons in Canyonlands National Park are a fragile ecosystem predicated on the path that water took, going back millions and millions of years! Exploring the many neighborhoods of Canyonlands (Island In The Sky, The Needles, and the difficult to access Maze) will bring you to unfathomable viewpoints where it is impossible not to revel in the beauty and silent, stillness of a place that has been formed over the course of 600 million years to be exact (or 2013 years if you are a creationist). Try not to feel more of a connection to the eb and flow of nature as you walk on the same layer of rock that dinosaurs once walked on.

Joshua Tree National Park-

Joshua Tree Oasis

Joshua Tree Oasis

Joshua Tree is a most spiritual place anyone who has ever been. Its captivating beauty is not easily described, and is another standard gem of American desert-land. Named by Mormon settlers, the actual Joshua Tree is a tree that is predominant in the parks landscape, and a beautiful example of the fragile desert ecosystem that allows highly adapted creatures to survive, and sometimes thrive. Understanding the extremes of a desert microclimate is similar to understanding the pendulum of life. With ups and downs, we are in a constant state of change, nothing is predictable. While the desert is constantly experiencing highs and lows, it maintains an intrinsic beauty that is defined by these extremes, and is all the more beautiful for these reasons.

Ansel Adams Wilderness

Sunset in Ansel Adams Wilderness

Sunset in Ansel Adams Wilderness

Not to pick on California, but when the likes of John Muir, and Ansel Adams decided to make this place their home, they did so because of the unparalleled beauty of the rugged and seemingly endless, Sierra Nevada’s. Dotted with beautiful blue alpine lakes, large redwood trees, beautiful wildflowers, and a night sky to make you wonder what is different here than everywhere else you’ve ever been (that would be light pollution). Ansel Adams Wilderness makes my heart smile as I remember my first time there, camping beneath the stars, starting a new chapter of my life. One of the first backpacking trips I ever went on. It was the start of a passion that has transformed my life, unquestionably for the better.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park-

Alaskan Beauty

Alaskan Beauty

How could we forget, Alaska! Home to Outdoorend, and those brave enough to weather the extremes (Alpine Tundra), Skagway is a wonderful destination for those looking to go off the beaten path and explore Alaska’s wilderness. Its rugged terrain is challenging, beautiful and stoic. Stepping out into Alaska is a commitment of focus, love, and trust that you either know you have or you don’t. I’m sure we all know the story of Chris McCandless, who went out into the Alaskan Wilderness to find himself. Preaching the messages of Thoreau, Van Dyke, and other “rugged individualists”, McCandless was enamored with the novelty of finding answers to lifes questions in the wilderness (my analysis). He quickly lost sight of the focused practice of Thoreau’s having one foot in the wilderness, one foot in civilization, and fell victim to the harsh realities of having to be completely self-reliant in an inhospitable and ultimately fatal situation. While this story is a sad one, the beauty of its moral is embodied in the raw, rugged nature of the Alaskan tundra.

It is better to not give false purpose to our journeys into the wilderness, but rather to encounter this purpose along our journeys path. Always keep connections to family, friends, and the civilized world in order to maintain an appreciation for the rugged beauty of the wilderness. Keep to the high road, never take the easy road……. and make sure your tires are deflated to the proper psi 😉

 

 

 

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