Why hike the JMT?
When asked why climb Everest in the 1920s, George Mallory famously said, “Because it’s there.” Implied: to be conquered. A classic expression of man against the mountains machismo if ever there was one. The thing is, for me, it’s not because they are there, it’s because WE are there. Or rather, here, on Earth. We spend so much of our lives trying to effect change (in ourselves, others, and our physical surroundings) that I like being reminded of how small we are, one tiny part of a grander landscape. To tread lightly, for once, and leave no trace.
Read More