Category: Wilderness Recreation
Immersive reflections on the recreational activities of influential figures in wilderness preservation
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Wilderness Adventure and the Bob Marshall Traverse
Marshall’s main argument for wilderness preservation is premised on the human need for adventure. Emulating Bob’s big hike occasioned the reflection on the activity of adventure and how it alters the wilderness experience.
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Perspectives on Mount Shasta: Risk Managment, Self-Esteem, and Metaphysics
In the spring of 1875, John Muir got stuck overnight in a snowstorm near the summit of Shasta. In Muir’s portrayal, the suffering he endured never totality eclipsed the immense beauty of the mountain. My recent ascent got me questioning the wisdom of Muir’s decisions, his confidence, and his spirituality.
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Climbing Katahdin: Thoreau’s Conflicted Wilderness Narrative
Thoreau paints a savage and chaotic picture of the alpine landscape—a picture that presents a challenge to the wilderness of his imagination. For me, Thoreau’s story of his climb enriched the geography of Katahdin, and my own summit attempt cast fresh perspective on Thoreau’s narrative.
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Philosophers’ Camp
In 1858, a distinguished group of Harvard intellectuals took an historic expedition to Follensby Pond in the Adirondacks. These early outdoor recreationalists shared and popularized a new philosophical perspective on wild nature. I paddled a small portion of their legendary route. What will become of Follensby?
Aaron C. Vlasak 