For backpackers, especially thru-hikers, quality sleep is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of enjoying the trail. However, falling asleep and staying asleep can be a challenge. Endless reasons can disrupt your sleep while on the trail, such as stormy weather, nocturnal animals scurrying around your tent, aching bones, physical discomfort sleeping on the ground, a snoring tentmate, and noisy campmates. What can you do if you have trouble sleeping in the wilderness? Prevent sleeplessness from occurring in the first place by not eating a heavy meal right before bed and avoiding sugary foods. […]
Noise
3 posts
I always find it ironic when I see someone on the trail wearing earbuds. It seems that while this person is taking the time to travel through the natural world, they are simultaneously filtering part of it out. We humans have had a lot of help tuning out mother nature, especially with the advent of portable electronic devices. It has become challenging to hear the natural world among the noise synonymous with modern life. On a busy road filled with traffic, notice how difficult it is to talk to a […]
Sound is a signature of our environment, a narration of the scenery around us. The familiar clamor of vehicles, sirens, leaf blowers, and dinging phones is characteristic of living in populated areas. While the city soundscape can become mundane and unnoticeable, it can be a deafening annoyance to others. Part of the wilderness experience is to escape this cacophony of man-made sound and serenaded by wind and wildlife. The streetscape noise fades away once in the wilderness, but the skies overhead have become less quiet. The echo of aircraft propellers […]