Hiking heaven’s just a trailhead away from here

By David W. Kuhns Sr., Northwest Guardian

We live in hiking heaven. But you’ll never know that unless you get out and look for it.

I spent the the last decade in my “third life” as a hiker and backpacker.

In the 60s, growing up in western Oregon, I hiked and backpacked the Cascade Mountains with the Boy Scouts and with friends. When I left for college, I developed different priorities. Despite the wonderful memories I had of my early experiences in the wilderness, I never seemed to have time to head out to the mountains.

Later, after I enlisted in the Army, I found myself stationed at Fort Wainwright, in central Alaska. Once again, I found fulfillment in the wilderness — hiking and climbing in the Alaska Range with buddies from my unit. But later assignments in Texas, Germany and Indiana didn’t offer many opportunities for getting into the wilds. There was always some other priority.

Fatherhood brought me into my “third life.” A 10-year-old son with an urge to explore got me into the mountains while I was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. First, his urgings took us up the desert trails in the Franklin Mountains; then, it was exploring ancient Indian sites at Hueco Tanks, outside El Paso; finally, it was a climb of Guadalupe Peak and hikes in the national park where the peak is located.

When we transferred to Fort Lewis I found my Texas hiking was only the beginning. My son joined a Boy Scout troop and whatever trip was planned, he wanted to take part. The hikes were often at inconvenient times. But my son’s urgings always overcame my inertia.

Over the years, I accompanied him on too many trips to remember. They took us from the wilderness beaches of Olympic National Park to the slopes of Mount Rainier, from the Columbia River Gorge to the North Cascades.

I often found myself wishing I could get out of these trips, but a sense of fatherly duty always overcame my hesitance and off we went.

The funny thing was that despite all the reasons I had to not go, I never had a regret when I came back from a hike.

Hiking brings different pleasures to different people. I love the natural beauty and find spiritual peace in unspoiled places. Others love wildlife or geology. Some hike for the friendships they make. For others it is just the physical challenge. The benefits are as varied as the population that hits the trails. But, no one gets anything at all from the area we live in by staying at home.

Now I find extra pleasure in seeing my son, now a college student, planning his own backpacking adventures. I know that I helped him grow an appreciation for the natural world and the satisfaction of seeing it through your own exertions.

Summer is here; the weather is finally warm. It’s time to get out to the wild places.

Living in Washington is a special gift. Mountains surround us — spectacular ones. They have something to offer everyone. But only if you get out of the recliner and look for it.