“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
— John Muir —
Posted Jan 1, 2019, 9:14 PM by Matthew Anderson [Updated Mar 26, 2019, 5:40 PM]
By early 2018 I had, for more than a decade, been living a pleasant but routine existence marked by the slow and steady accumulation of possessions and obligations that left me feeling stuck in a rut and burned out. It seemed like a good time to reevaluate the things I want to accomplish and give some thought to what the second half of my life might look like. To give myself space for self reflection I decided to hike the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and I've since sold my house, put a few possessions into a small storage locker, and trained the people who will assume my responsibilities at work. On April 8, 2019 I'll start hiking the CDT at Crazy Cook Monument on the Mexican border bound for Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada . . .
Posted Aug 29, 2017, 1:28 PM by Matthew Anderson
The moon started slowly making its way across the disc of the sun and as totality approached Gannett Peak the lunar shadow blotted out the forest and lesser peaks below as it advanced across the landscape. And then to our unexpected delight the Grand Tetons suddenly appeared silhouetted black against the horizon as if the sun were rising in the west! Moments later the last bright flash of sunlight vanished and the sun’s corona was visible to the naked eye hanging in the indigo sky like a brilliant celestial wreath accompanied by the planet Venus. After 2 minutes and 22 seconds there was another bright flash of light as the sun reappeared. Venus faded, the landscape brightened, and it was over as quickly as it started. Almost immediately if felt like a dream.
Posted Jun 23, 2017, 5:52 PM by Matthew Anderson [Updated Jun 24, 2017, 7:45 AM]
Run past glade and mount...
Rain starts to fall and temps drop,
Return clad in mud.
If the 2017 Bighorn Trail Run could be reduced to a haiku I’ll say with confidence the juxtaposition would be that of mountains and mud. The course is absolutely breathtaking with its vivid wildflowers, thundering rivers, and high mountains valleys that overwhelm you with their grandeur; there were moments when the beauty had me choked up. But thirteen hours of rain during the race turned forty miles the course into a winding ribbon of greasy, pudding consistency mud and it was an experience I’ll never forget.