I have a confession to make: despite all of the summers I spent at a summer camp, despite my decision to attend Williams College in the beautiful Berkshires and despite my nearly annual trips to National Parks, I really, really do not like hiking. Every time that I step onto a trail or slip my feet into my hiking boots, I find myself filled with reluctance and dread. I do not have a rational reason to dislike this activity so much; I just cannot bring myself to be enthused about it.
When I found myself in the gorgeous Yosemite Valley in California earlier this summer, I once again experienced these sensations of distaste when facing the trails ahead. However, I also discovered that hiking does indeed have its merits, even for someone who dislikes the activity as much as I do. Here is my defense of my own least favorite activity, the reason why I keep hiking back.
1. The views.
As a member of this generation that pursues those perfect "Instagram-worthy" pictures and experiences, I find the endpoint of the hike to be motivation enough to take that first step. Most hikes that I have taken have ended at lookouts, cliffs, bodies of water or valleys that are absolutely breathtaking. While taking in the sights from these points, one cannot help but sigh in awe and admit that the hike was indeed worth every step for this moment.
2. Pride.
When I stand at the top of a tall cliff or complete a steep hike that has taken me hundreds of feet above where I had been before, I feel proud. I put in the work and accomplished my goals. Many park rangers and hikers I have encountered over the years talk about "bragging rights," and, truly, I find myself wanting to tell the world about my latest hiking achievement.
3. Perseverance.
The most valuable skill I learned from hiking was not related to the physical aspects of the activity at all. It is easy to want to quit or turn around when you are being eaten alive by mosquitos and melting in the heat, when your legs ache, your stomach growls in hunger, and you are just done. Yet you keep on walking. Perseverance is rewarded handsomely, not just in hiking, but also in many other parts of life. The more one practices it in one activity, the better one can apply it in another situation.
4. Self-reliance.
Ultimately, hiking is one of the most individual activities one can do. Whether you decide to take this trail or that one, whether you will keep going or turn back, whether you get up when you fall or sit on the trail until you want to get back onto your feet; the choice is yours. Only you can control your hiking experience.
5. The quiet.
When your cell phone does not have service in the woods and there is no one else around you for miles, you can get lost in your thoughts. Instead of being distracted by the millions of stimuli and worries of everyday life, you can focus on yourself and the world that immediately surrounds you. You feel at peace for once, both with yourself and with the present.
So get off of your couch, dig out those dusty boots you only wear on Mountain Day, and take a hike!
