What brought you to the mountains?
Difficult to explain in a sense, but wilderness has always been integral aspect of who I am, and especially mountain environments. When other kids used to skip school, they would go to the pool hall, whereas I would go for a walk in the woods. I used to look at the mountains in the distance, and think "as soon as I can, I will go there." And so I did.
What do you like about walking alone?
Well, out of walking in general, and living out of a backpack, it brings you back to what is "real", helps cut through the superficial and superfluous that one tends to get bogged down in, and you come back with more of a focus on what is truly important. Also, I find I appreciate and am grateful for simple things which usually go unnoticed... such as a cooling breeze on a hot day, or a bit of shade in mid afternoon. I am a bit of a nomad, it is wonderful to wander and see what each day brings, new landscapes, challenges in terrain, and so on.
And, a further appreciation and gratefulness for being in a life and situation where I have the privilege to be out doing these things.
Bear protection?
I would say no bells, and to any but the loudest whistles! I think bells tend to give people a false sense of security; if you encounter people who are wearing bells on the trail, often you don't hear them until they are 20 feet from you...not good enough! You have to be LOUD! My noisemakers can be heard over a km away.
(not that I am on them constantly, but do so appropriately)
1. Aren’t you afraid of the bears? (short answer: not compared to road traffic!)
While being aware of and respecting the presence of the Ursus species, I'm not overly anxious about travelling through their territory. Truly, I believe that the most dangerous aspect of my journey with greatest risk of possible trauma and death will be driving down the highway to reach the trailhead. Probably the safest place for me to be is walking somewhere far removed from roads and motor vehicles! Seriously, I'm aware of the potential bear danger and am not trivializing it, just giving some perspective. I've had years of experience travelling in bear country, and take all necessary actions and precautions to minimize the already small risk.
2. Are you going to carry food for 1200km, or live off the land? (short answer: no)
Fortunately I won’t be burdened with a 300lb pack, or need to rely on hunting/gathering! While some portions of the trail are in remote wilderness, the route will lead me to towns/roads often enough to re-supply, usually every week or ten days. Thirteen days will be the longest stretch I will have to carry food for. There is only one particularly long stretch in which friends will be helping me out with a food drop.
3. Aren’t you afraid of being alone? (short answer: no)
The short answer is no, otherwise this probably wouldn’t be a solo project! People often comment about what a courageous undertaking this is, however I tend to disagree. One is courageous when doing something one fears, and while I fear many things, long solo wilderness journeys are not among them. On the contrary, I think such a journey offers time and space to connect to fundamental aspects of ones self which tend to get lost in day-to-day life. I find myself more mindful and aware of my interconnectedness with nature, and my place in the world so to speak; you could describe it as a mindfulness meditation. When walking with others and inevitably chatting away, I feel less aware of my surroundings and less connected with my environment. While I also enjoy connecting with people, there are usually more frequent opportunities for this than there are for solo wilderness trips! There is something profound about being in such a place. Sid Marty says it well in this quote from his book “Switchbacks”:
“I always told people that I preferred to travel alone because you see more game when not distracted by the presence of another warden. This was partly true. But the real reason was somewhat more complex. Travelling alone is preferable because it is more dangerous. Being alone makes me more alert, more conscious of every sound and scent, and more cautious. The need for caution forces me to slow down my life, and in the face of hazards, each moment of time is lived with a fullness that is its own reward. My mistakes have usually been made in the haste and distraction of other men’s interests, demands, egos – which mostly have nothing to do with what I feel I am here to accomplish. I am here to be the voice of the inchoate, in a word; I am here to listen to the mountains. I need to be alone sometimes to hear what they have to tell me.”
4. What are you doing to prepare/get into shape? (short answer: seeing an excellent physiotherapist for my bad knees)
I think I'm in fairly good physical condition at present, however from past experience I know I have some knee problems… nothing major, just wear and tear. I've consulted an excellent physiotherapist named Lalitha at Brentwood Physiotherapy in Calgary. She quickly and accurately assessed my leg muscles and joints, and came up with an effective stretching and strengthening program. I wish I had taken this route years ago, rather than going thru all those custom made orthotics which exacerbated my problems while at the same time lightening my wallet significantly!