Time to get off couch, take a hike

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 13 years in my “third life” as a hiker and backpacker.

In the 60s, growing up in Oregon, I hiked the Cascade Mountains. When I left for college, I developed different priorities. After I enlisted in the Army, I found myself stationed in Alaska. Once again, I found fulfillment hiking and climbing in the wilderness. But later assignments didn’t offer many opportunities for getting into the wilds.

Fatherhood brought me into my “third life.” A 10-year-old son with an urge to explore got me into the mountains at Fort Bliss, Texas. First, on the desert trails in the Franklin Mountains; then, exploring 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, my son joined a Boy Scout troop. Whatever trip was planned, he wanted to take part. 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’s the physical challenge. The benefits are as varied as the population that hits the trails. But, no one gets any of that by staying at home.

Now I find extra pleasure in seeing my son planning his own wilderness adventures. I helped him appreciate the natural world and find satisfaction in seeing it through his own exertions.

Summer is here; the weather is finally warm. It’s time to get out to the wild places. Mountains surround us — spectacular ones. They have something to offer everyone. But only if you get out of the recliner and look for it.