The spring of 2017 we dove right in (myself (Alli), Chris (my boyfriend) & our Australian Shepherd Raya). To be honest, even though I thoroughly enjoyed day-hiking, I had never even considered overnight hiking trips. Maybe I didn’t give myself enough credit – I never camped as a kid except for a couple nights in the back yard. This just wasn’t something I grew up familiar with. I’ll admit, I may have assumed backpacking was too hardcore, or maybe I doubted that I was hardcore enough. I always admired the thought, but never really seriously considered it.
It has always been easy for me to get “lost-in-nature”, or maybe “found-in-nature” is the better way to put it. As a kid, my parents always placed emphasis on paying attention and not missing out on the little things. As cliche as it sounds, the little things were the BIG things. So, I always paid attention to sunrise or sunset, a glimmering night sky, the sound of a wild pack of coyotes off in the distant woods behind my childhood home, or the way ocean waves would violently crash into the earth, pulling itself away, and always coming back. Nature and the outdoors taught me awareness and allowed me the opportunity to challenge myself and grow.
When this is all taken into consideration, it seems silly that I had not taken day-hiking to the next level. Until this past spring, I had never climbed a 4,000 footer – I don’t even think I had climbed a 2,000 footer. I had stood at the top of some of Acadia National Park’s summits as a kid, but I didn’t reach the top with my own two feet – we drove most of the way up. However, in the fall of 2016, I fell in love in the midst of the White Mountain’s Welch-Dickey Loop. Chris, my adventure partner & boyfriend, our Australian Shepherd, Raya, and I set out on this adventure and it turned into one of our coolest hikes together. I remember it being steep, slippery in spots, and challenging, but it was absolutely exhilarating. The views were breathtaking and we even had snow flurries. We completed the hike in about two and a half hours, headed back to Chris’ family’s NH cabin and were in search of our next adventure. That Christmas, Chris surprised me with my Osprey Kyte 46. And, that was it – we were getting into it!
So far, in 2017, we have climbed 29 mountains in the Catskills, White Mountains, Green Mountains, Berkshires, and Taconic Range. Basically, we scent it every weekend we possibly could, and while we’re gunning for a few more before it gets too cold, we may even try some winter backpacking.
Backpacking has become my greatest passion. I love the challenge it presents and I also value the reward it provides. My goal with Full Scend is to provide other adventurers like me with Northeast based trips, product reviews, personal stories, and any other relevant insight that is not only helpful, but makes it easier to scend it on your next adventure.
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